Maison / Mason ??

[justhayley]

Hiya I'm not sure what I'm having yet and have about a million girls names but need to start thinking of boys. Came across Mason or Maison the other day and really like it. I like it Spelt with the I but not sure if that makes it a bit feminine?

What does everyone think of the name and which spelling do u prefer?

Also any ideas for a middle name?
I kinda like Maison James or Maison Jay (after my little brother) but all ideas welcome xx

[MrsJohnDeere]

at maisonette

[limitedperiodonly]

OP can you share a few of your favourite girls' names? Just to help us focus.

[lampli]

Maison? Did you not do any French at school? I suppose what I am trying to ask is did you not know it is French for house or did you think that the French for house would be a good name regardless?

[Ephiny]

If you go for Maison, lots of people will pronounce it the French way, which is probably not what you want. Mason is OK, but a bit surname-y for my liking.

What about James Mason in that order? It might sound a bit like he has two surnames, but that's not necessarily bad.

[GrimmaTheNome]

What about James Mason in that order? It might sound a bit like he has two surnames, but that's not necessarily bad.
(am I the only one now thinking Humbert Humbert?)

[ImpYCelyn]

Well you'll spend the rest of your life being pissed off every time someone calls your son Maizon, and it'll be your own fault because you will have called your son a name that is pronounced "Maizon" whatever you might think.

And he'll spend his entire life telling people it's not pronounced like that, and they'll be thinking "shame his parents didn't know any French, they'd have saved him a lot of hassle" (actually they'll probably be thinking something much ruder).

Unless of course you know it's pronounced "Maizon" and still like it. In which case, not my taste, but fair enough.

What about Xavier? That means "new house", but is a proper name.

[KatAndKit]

Maisonette!!! Brilliant. Only problem is that these are feminine nouns in French. You could branch off into other languages and call him Casa or even Piso (Spanish for appartment). If you go for Slovak, you could have Dom, and at least that is an actual name in English.

[popcornchicken]

I love this name too but partner dosnt :( x

[justhayley]

God you ladies are rather harsh!
Nope never did a days French in my life I always did Spanish so wasn't aware of it's meaning In French. But I think after 100 posts all saying exactly the same thing I get it - Maison means house in French!
in the naming books they have both variations of spelling - both pronounced the same way, they all just say that Mason is the more old fashioned way of spelling the it.
I still really like the name but think I'd go with the majority and go with the Mason spelling.
I think there are nicer ways to say an opinion than how alot of u have but hey appreciate ur input

[ShowOfHands]

justhayley, Mason is a certain 'type' of name and will suffer because of this. It's very difficult to hear it as a stand alone name as it's bogged down in a pit with other surnames used as names. See Tyler, Brogan, Harrison etc type names. Sadly, these names conjure up two images. One, it's a peculiarly American thing to do. Not that anything American is bad particularly but it seems like it sort of doesn't fit our delicate English sensibilities. The other thing is, like it or not, they're names that seem to be used by people of a certain socioeconomic status. Likely to also have a Chardonnay and a Jayden. It's a cruel and unfair assertion and I hate myself just a bit for typing it, but these are the sorts of things the name Mason throws up, merely by association.

But if you really like it you MUST use it. There's nothing 'wrong' with it and a child is always so much more than their name in the end.

[nooka]

In England everyone studies French at school, it's pretty much compulsory, even if you are really rubbish you are likely to learn and remember words like house/maison. So yes that sis the first thing that comes to mind.

[AitchTwoOh]

mason is not good in scotland.

[AitchTwoOh]

in scotland it more or less means 'bigot'.

[Montsti]

JustHayley - I agree some very harsh comments, but I think they were mainly for Maison (I also thought most people who went to school in the UK would know that, but maybe you didn't?) not so much Mason...as it goes I think Mason is a nice name, but just not my choice. I live in a new world country and this would not be seen as a particularly unusual name here. Lots of "surname-sounding" names such as Coopers, Coles, Harpers, Taylors around (in my opinion too hard sounding for girls).

Personally I prefer traditional (in the UK) names such as Oliver, William, Benjamin etc..but they also would get bad press on this website as being far too popular/boring/top ten etc.. etc...it does seem as though you need an unusual old-fashioned (non-chavvy) name (however odd) to get positive responses..

You obviously really like the name so go for it!

[ShowOfHands]

sleepywombat, isn't that the point though? Where you are, surnames as first names aren't worth of comment, yet you judge names ending in 'o' as 'Etonian'. Reverse snobbery at its best. I just see Arlo and Cosmo as ordinary names. Where you are makes such a difference to how you perceive a name.

[grubbalo]

Monsti - if you go for an unpopular "non chavvy" name then it gets slated from some quarters as being too "try hard"! I have said before on here that no matter the name, it will get stick for being either chavvy, boring or try-hard, i.e. you just can't win.

OP - go for what you like. It wouldn't be top of my list but I have no doubt you'd say the same about my children's names. At the end of the day, it's what you like that matters! Life would be very boring if we all liked the same thing. Agree Mason is a better choice though!

[Montsti]

Grubbalo - yes I do agree although there do seem to be some slightly more old-fashioned and unusual names that tend to get lots of positive responses whereas you are guaranteed a barrage of "too popular"/"every second child is called" comments if you mention Thomas/Oliver etc...

[FreckledLeopard]

JustHayley - essentially, what kind of name you choose will have certain connotations. Names like Jayden, Tyler, Harrison tend to be 'looked down upon'.

Essentially, to be blunt, I would only call my child a name that would pass the 'Prime Minister, judge, barrister or doctor' test. If I couldn't imagine my child being one of the roles with the name they were given, then I wouldn't name them that.

I do know of people discarding CVs etc based solely on judgments made about the name - yes, it's wrong to do so, but, it happens.

[oohlaalaa]

It has to be Mason, but I don't think it's a very nice name.

I much prefer the name Miles.

[Ramond]

Well, people here got it wrong.

Maison and Mayson can be pronounced as Mason, the only thing Frens doest pronounce is the letter n. Het ein the Netherlands we have children with the name, June, Lente (meaning spring) fleur (flower french) and Floor ( floor from a house)

For example is it Carl, Karl or Carel, Karel? Is it Max or Maxs or Macks? Is it Darl or Darel? Does this change pronunciation?

When you take a look at Facebook their are people with the name Maison.

Greetings and keep save.

[ThomasinaLivesHere]

When you said the comment about Maison being feminine I did wonder if this was a serious post as I believe it is gendered female.

There is a lot of snobbery but if you like Mason and don’t mind it go for it. Although I’m surprised baby site/book mentioned maison spelling.

[KirstenBlest]

Like Maison Margiela? NN Maisie?

Mason is a pleasant enough surname but not great as a first name. Too close to May.

[afterdropshock]

They both mean house/builder, don't they? Just one is pronounced Mayzonn, almost everyone would say that if they saw it.
A mason is a house builder, both words come from the same root. Mason is fine.