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Baby names

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

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Original poster

William or Liam?

37 replies

babynamesgrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/09/2011 23:05

I had my heart set on Liam for last pregnancy but dc turned out to be a dd so it wasn't used.

This time around I know the sex and it is a ds so was obviously going to use the name but now I'm starting to question it.

Original plan for name was Liam Eric Lastname (eric is family name)

But I'm wondering if Liam is considered a bit chavvy? SO thought about calling him William and Liam for short so if wants to go by William he has the option of a "naice" name or the option of the cool name.

What do you think? Also because William is a bit longer and will "hold it better" we though about adding another middle name (dh's friend who is the reason we are together)

William Eric James Lastname (Liam for short)

What do you think? which of the two names do you prefer?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

lollystix · 16/09/2011 23:10

I do love Liam but unfortunately it has become a bit Chavvy which is so sad

discrete · 16/09/2011 23:12

I love Liam and hate William. Would never, ever name a child of mine after a member of the royal family.

But then I don't give a toss if people think I'm chavvy :)

Original poster

babynamesgrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/09/2011 23:12

thanks for your opinion lolly it makes me sad too!

OP posts:

madhattershouse · 16/09/2011 23:13

Not so keen on Liam but there were 5 Williams in sons class last year, put me off the name a bit!

Original poster

babynamesgrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/09/2011 23:13

Thanks discrete

OP posts:

Original poster

babynamesgrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 16/09/2011 23:14

madhat see that doesn't bother me too much because william is a classic name, there will always be loads of them! As long as it isn't tredny at the time ifswim?

OP posts:

Beamur · 16/09/2011 23:15

I prefer William, which you could shorten to Liam if you liked.

nakedandangry · 16/09/2011 23:15

William. I have no idea if Liam is chav, whatever, but William, Will, Bill, are all great. I think.

tummytickler · 16/09/2011 23:15

William is lovely, but never been a fan of Liam. Don't know if it is chavvy though, I have only very known one, now in his 30's, liked horses!

nakedandangry · 16/09/2011 23:20

Liam isn't chav. Liam is (I think) an Irish version of William.

meditrina · 16/09/2011 23:24

I'd go for William with Liam as nn, simply because it gives more options. FWIW, I don't think Liam is chavvy, especially if you have Irish ancestry.

LetThereBeRock · 16/09/2011 23:27

William.

MelinaM · 16/09/2011 23:46

William is lovely

RueyBoey · 17/09/2011 12:21

Liam is far nicer than William and doesn't sound chavvy at all. I would have it just as Liam not William nn Liam.
I know that is what use to be done but Liam is a perfectly fine name by itself -something like that falls into the Henry nn harry thing for me which i can't stand.

Original poster

babynamesgrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 17/09/2011 13:06

Thanks for everyone's messages. We still aren't 100% sure about which to go for but nice to get an idea on how people will take the name.

OP posts:

Superfly · 18/09/2011 00:18

Liam is the short form of the Irish Uilliam. Not chavvy in the slightest. Got a bad rep probably because of the Gallagher one - but I am biased as I named mine because of his heritage. Plus I loved it. As far I am aware, Liam is a name in it's own right - not a nickname for William. That's normally Wills (ugh)

justhayley · 02/10/2011 13:33

My fiancé is a William - although only his mum and aunts call him that - he's Will to everyone else. It's tradition in his family for the first boy to be called William - he comes from about 6 generations of them. I'm personally not a fan of the name think it's a bit dated so we were thinking about Liam to kind of continue tradition, I think it's a lovely name but I do think it is a bit chav and that really puts me off! Although his great uncle is a Liam and is a wonderful non chav man!

Meteorite · 02/10/2011 15:53

William Eric Lastname :) William is stronger and more classic than Liam.

No need for James unless you have particular reason to use it. It's becoming a bit of a default middle name suggestion on here.

oohlaalaa · 02/10/2011 16:02

I like William shortened to Laim.

hocuspontas · 02/10/2011 16:05

Meteorite's suggestion is good only if your surname doesn't start with a 'T'

othersideofchannel · 02/10/2011 21:34

I much prefer Liam because I don't like the 'Will/Willy' part at the beginning of William.

pilates · 03/10/2011 10:55

Def William, please don't shorten to Liam. Its a name in it's own right.

William Eric James sounds great.

StellaAndFries · 03/10/2011 11:03

My brother is a Liam and here in West Norfolk it isn't widely used, I certainly wouldn't have assumed it to be chavvy!

Fwiw my db is now 26 and works for a well know bank in the fraud department and has done very well for himself so having a shorted name which some may deem chav certainly hasn't held him back.

Ihavewelliesbutitssunny · 03/10/2011 11:35

Liam is a great name but I think that it does need William as a full-name to make it more solid and classic.

Lilka · 03/10/2011 18:57

I much prefer Liam. William just makes me think 'Willy'! I also don't think Liam is at all chavvy - not that I could care less if it was anyway! Liam Eric Lastname sounds great. Go with what you like best, IMO, and don't worry about needing a long name

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