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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

John-Paul

24 replies

Kyrie · 04/09/2011 20:06

What do you think of John-Paul?

Can not think of a boys name at all but we both agee that we like this one, the hyhen doesnt look good to me but don't want the Paul bit to be lost and just be John.

Any thoughts, thanks.

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Hoto · 04/09/2011 20:07

it's a bit papal..

picnicbasketcase · 04/09/2011 20:11

Papal yes, or you might get Beatles jokes, 'Is his middle name George and Ringo' etc.

Original poster

Kyrie · 04/09/2011 20:15

I am Catholic but I suppose don't really want a name that screams Catholic...

Didn't think of the Beatles joke - not good either.

I still like the sound of it, I think it flows nicely.

OP posts:

popcornchicken · 04/09/2011 20:23

I think it is a nice name very irish x

SJisontheway · 04/09/2011 20:27

How do you like JP, cos it's probably what he'll be known as.

poppydaisy · 04/09/2011 20:45

Nice classic names. Not overused these days either. Lots of nickname potential - John, Johnny, JP.

ShoutyHamster · 04/09/2011 20:51

It does indeed SCREAM Catholic alas, as well as a touch of Little House on The Prairie.

Personally I don't like it either, why hyphenate TWO boring names? - but that's just me.

And it will get shortened to John or Johnnie probably.

Original poster

Kyrie · 04/09/2011 20:51

I don't mind JP as a nickname, wouldn't like it to become just John which is a bit dull.

Do you think best to have the hyphen to make it clear it's John-Paul, said as one. I know hyphens are considered a bit common.

OP posts:

Scarletbanner · 04/09/2011 20:53

Another one whose first thought was "very Catholic". Does it have to be Paul? What about John Joseph, aka Jonjo?

Original poster

Kyrie · 04/09/2011 20:54

As soon as I'd written that I did think duh is any name going to scream Catholic more than a recent Pope's name. I've lost perspective, i'm up to my ears in names.

I will be a bit pissed off if I end up with a John.

OP posts:

poppydaisy · 04/09/2011 20:56

But I thought Pope Benedict was called Joseph Alois Ratzinger.

Who really remembers the previous pope, especially as your ds grows up?

DigOfTheStump · 04/09/2011 21:08

I like it, but half the kids born in the west coast of Scotland were called this in 1982, which is the only reason I wouldn't fancy it.

Panzee · 04/09/2011 21:12

I thought Gaultier. If you don't want him to be known as John I wouldn't use this.

mathanxiety · 05/09/2011 06:23

I love it, and to heck with the hyphen haters. You will probably need it if you want to stick to John Paul and avoid 'John'. One of my DDs has a double name without a hyphen and it got shortened. She began to use the whole name herself as a teenager but I would have liked to see it used from the start.

John Paul Jones was a naval hero of the American Revolutionary war. He was born John Paul and added Jones himself. Also served in the Russian Imperial navy under Catherine II.

John Paul Stevens was a Supreme Court Justice in the US.

Then there's John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin.

BeeMyBaby · 05/09/2011 07:06

Love the name John-Paul, I knew a little boy (when I was a little girl, and we were about 8) and his name was never shortened.

fraktious · 05/09/2011 08:02

Why not use the French Jean? Noone will abbreviate it then because it looks too much like the girls name.

GirlWithALlamaTattoo · 05/09/2011 14:25

I know a John-Paul aged about 35, and he's never known as anything else. Cool bloke in a rocky, bikery sort of way. For that silly reason alone, I like it.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 05/09/2011 14:27

I really like it. I know two and neither are Catholic and both are French. Strangely both are John-Paul and not Jean-Paul and both go by JP :)

GwendolineMaryLacey · 05/09/2011 14:28

Who really remembers the previous pope, especially as your ds grows up?

Quite a few people will, he was far more popular than the current chap. And as the op is Catholic and the boy may go to Catholic school etc, then lots of people will.

Peachy · 05/09/2011 14:32

It is a nice name but equally my first thought agin was the former Pope.

JP is fine though for day to day isn't it? We have a Sebastian amongst our gang and his elder brotehr can;t say it due to SN so he has been known as Bas (or his own preference Bazzy) since day one; has been fine.

MysteriousHamster · 05/09/2011 14:35

It reminds me of Hollyoaks, and the rather fabulous John Paul and Craig romance... ah, happy days.

CiderwithBuda · 05/09/2011 14:40

Hundreds of Irish boys called John-Paul. All born in 1979. (Year of pope's visit)

wigglesrock · 05/09/2011 14:54

It was really really popular when I was growing up, NI in the 1970s so it put me off a bit, most of them got JP, never just John but haven't heard it in ages.

MultipleSoManyPapercuts · 05/09/2011 17:14

Love the name John-Paul, it's my cousins name and he gets called John-Paul or JP, never John. I didn't even realise John was a name on it's own till I was about 10 and met one at school!

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