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Baby names

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

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Original poster

James: classic or boring?!

74 replies

footyfan · 09/09/2011 23:38

I'm 36 weeks with my first and struggling with names.

My DH likes 'classic' names that mean something to his family- so his options are James, John and Robert.

My favourite of those is James - but I can't get very excited about it. Problem is, I can't come up with any other suggestions either. I don't like really outlandish names, so most other boys names seem a bit boring.

Is James really dull? Any other similar suggestions?

OP posts:

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Renniehorta · 10/09/2011 19:39

My son who will soon be 24 is called James. As a teacher I thought long and hard before I named him. He loves his name. Last year he did a year abroad as part of his degree. Everyone he came into cntact with abroad knew the name James, because they knew the name from James Bond. I think that it did him no harm being associated with such an icon of Britishness.

chickflit · 10/09/2011 19:46

I have a James, or Jamie, Jimmer, JimJam, Jimbob, Jimmy whatever you want to call him really and whatever suits the occasion.

I too live abroad and actually just like Rennie says, the association with James Bond is great, when you have to spell a name with different sounding letters to English, it's so much easier to say "James, just like James Bond" and the other person knows instantly how to spell it.

Clary · 10/09/2011 21:22

Ah cool, never thought of the James Bon conection

Stormwater · 10/09/2011 21:27

Dull, dull, dull.

jenniec79 · 10/09/2011 21:53

I love the idea of family names, but the ones I'd be able to use are a little limited.

I always wanted to name a DD after my grandmother; but Dora will now always be associated with "the Explorer" . Other DGM was Mary-nn Molly. I have Mary as a mn and don't love it, certainly not enough to pass on as a first name, and can't help thinking of Molly as a little dizty girly girl, not a capable strong woman's name (I know I'm being silly, but I think you do need a capable sounding name in some careers) Either would still work as a mn and I'd like to continue the tradition.

Family men's names more straightforward - ish. Francis, Lewis, William, David. Classic, will never be uber-trendy but won't be bullied for odd names either. My fave is Lewis, but I do worry about spelling issues and confusion vs Louis. Actually more likely to use feminised Frances for a girl than DS Frank, but would happily use any of them!

puffylovett · 10/09/2011 22:07

We have a James, named by dp from his middle name. I was a bit gutted because I wanted to call him Toby (but at the time we lived in Stoke, too many 'jug' connotations!) and it was dp's 'turn'. As it turned out, he chose Jackson for middle name (which we love) and now James is very firmly a J J, which totally suits him and is a little bit unusual. So ime, go for it it's a lovely name :)

MummysLittleSunbeams · 10/09/2011 22:07

I'm married to one & to me it's a boring name. He's Scottish & if we have a boy we'll use Hamish which is the Scottish variation of the name.

SandStorm · 10/09/2011 22:09

I love the name James but I think it might stem from the fact I was in the sixth form with one who was just drop dead gorgeous.

Notchattingnow · 10/09/2011 22:10

love James !!

benne81 · 10/09/2011 22:14

boring

Bumply · 10/09/2011 22:14

Oh dear, my boys are obviously the dullest of the dull: James and Thomas known as Jamie and Tom. We didn't want common names but couldn't agree on anything else.

BuntyPenfold · 11/09/2011 00:29

James is classic. Great name.

grumplestilskin · 11/09/2011 00:33

classic! love it!

WetAugust · 11/09/2011 00:33

Great timeless name - compared to the Finns, Finlays, etc which will immediately date the child as circa 2011.

Clary · 11/09/2011 00:37

I always wonder why people say James or in fact any name is "timeless".

I don't know any men of my age (40s) called James. Really not. They are all called Steve and Dave and Stuart and Paul. There is no such thing as a timeless name - just as well really. James is emphatically of the 90s and noughties.

grumplestilskin · 11/09/2011 00:59

I know a good handful of 40ish people called James, (sometimes using Jammie) know a good few in their 60s and 80s too (although they tend to be shortend to Jim or Jimmy)

SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 11/09/2011 01:21

How can you say James isn't timeless?

I'm not even British and I went to school with several (I'm 37).

There are plenty of timeless, classic names - the name of pretty much any King or Queen, just for a start.

TipOfTheSlung · 11/09/2011 01:31

Ovo we have a jimbob too often called jimbobaroony or jiminy

James is fabulous in that it has so many options. I know Jamess in every generation but not huge quantities of them and of various nicknames. Ours is generally Jamie but it's his choice.
I like Jem (maybe its because of the chalet school)

Its no more boring than having an 'unusual' name that isn't actually unusual at all. I know as many Talias as I do James but they all bunched within a couple of generations

Original poster

footyfan · 11/09/2011 01:49

I hadn't even thought about James Bond connection either!

I think I'm agreeing with the previous post: I really don't want to get drawn into the 'faddy' name route. If you try too hard to be individual it can just seem a bit pretentious!

Surprised at how many people like the name - maybe my DH will get his way!

He also wants another 'J' name as the middle name: so nn would be JJ. Is that naff or not?!

OP posts:

OvO · 11/09/2011 01:56

Slinking, or how about this James? A name in use for a very long time.

Tip, ours gets called JimBobTastic. So many ways to mangle his name!

Footy, don't even worry about if others will think it naff. If it works for you then go with it. JJ is very cute for a little boy.

grumplestilskin · 11/09/2011 01:58

I do think the James bond connection which is why I probably couldnt ever call a son of mine James. The name does make me think "OH JAMES..." . So I love the name, but would be wrong to give it to my offspring

IHeartKingThistle · 11/09/2011 01:59

I do agree that it's not tied to a generation, but this week I have been faced with about 8 Jameses across the classes that I teach and it is difficult to remember which one is which when you have a pile of essays in front of you.

Don't worry about being naff, name your baby a name you love. If that's James, call him James.

OvO · 11/09/2011 02:05

I don't actually know any other Jameses the same age as my DS1. Which is very odd as I'm in Scotland and every second male is called James/Jamie/Jimmy or Jim! I must be in a rare pocket of Jameslessness. And I'm making up words which is a clear sign I should go to bed.

MotherOfHobbit · 11/09/2011 14:28

I've got a James and am still not sure I made the right choice. It's a family name: first boy in about five generations has been a James in my family and my grandfather was over the moon about it being used.
That said, it was only really chosen because DH and I couldn't agree on a first name.
If you're not sure, keep looking. It's a good solid name and not a bad one but you've still got a few weeks to come up with another.

cece · 11/09/2011 14:34

James is nice but out of the three names in the OP I would use John.

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