Gus

[Rhubarbgarden]

just found out I'm having a boy. What is the Mumsnet jury's verdict on Gus? He will be half Dutch and will have a long complicated surname, so the poor thing needs a simple first name that works in both languages.

Hmm thanks for the responses. I agree Angus is a great name but it would be odd on an Anglo-Dutch baby with no Scottish connection and an overtly Dutch surname. Lengthened versions ie Augustus, Augustine, Gustav, etc are not an option for the reasons already given. Food for thought.

Love it. DH hated it . I would just go for Gus, but I'd have to have a brave head on! Fergus is my favourite of the longer versions.

I'd still go for Gustav(e), even with your van surname. I don't think it's clumsy, I think it flows nicely and fits culturally and Gustave is SO lovely. And he'll be Gus all the time in real life.

Gustave vanMumsnet or whatever it is. Can't see the problem. Much better than Angus Van, or Fergus Van imho. Augustus = Fink Nottle, no alas.

Love it.

We have a Fergus. The intention was to call him Gus but, for the time being, Ferg seems to have stuck.

We have an Angus - he'll no doubt become Gus at some point (though it's what we call our cat, so maybe not )

Love it. We called our wee fella archie but did not use the full Archibald version as basically, yeuch! No reason he can't be just Gus.

I'm a big fan of calling your child the name you want them to have and not using an artificial longer name on their birth certificate for the sake of it and I love the name Gus!!

I know a Gustav Van..... It doesn't sound clumsy. Well for a dutch name it doesn't sound clumsy.

Gustaaf is my ds's middle name.

I nearly didn't call my Gus Gus, because I got caught up with worrying about a full name for the bc and I didn't like any of the options. He was a completely different name for the first 24 hours because of this. I think it is a strong enough name in its own right.

I like it. I prefer Augustus but Gus is lekker.
Have you considered Duncan? Duncan Van Der Hoogstraat sounds jolly nice to me.

OOOH! i think it's great, and suggested it to DH last night... he'd prefer a longer version (like Angus), as we have a short surname, but i agree that long first names for the sake of it seems a bit murgh.

but I think it's great!

Oh good some positive comments about keeping it just as Gus. Misty I'm inclined to agree with you about using the name you intend to use and not having a longer version for the sake of it. I had so many friends at school who got really hacked off when teachers used their long versions, when they preferred to be Vicky, or Susie, or Steph, or whatever.

Anyway I put Gustav to dh last night, and it went down like a lead balloon. He didn't understand the reasoning for a longer version of Gus either, because to him, being Dutch, it's a complete name. And it turns out he was assuming we would use the Dutch spelling, Guus - oh Christ! Hopefully I've nipped that in the bud.

So it looks like he will be just plain Gus.

Love it

Perfect.