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Baby names

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Jack or Henry (Harry)

44 replies

lostsocks · 28/02/2012 21:32

We think that we have now narrowed it down to these two names. Henry would be known as Harry. The middle name will be Edward for either name. Just cannot decide which name!

Open to suggestions for other quite traditional boys names too!

OP posts:
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OpenMindedSceptic · 28/02/2012 22:22

I love Henry/Harry
Not very keen on Jack

HolyNoSheDittantBatman · 28/02/2012 22:23

Fair enough OP. I was just surprised that you were agreeing with Robin's bafflement about people suggesting alternative names!

PutThatCatOutNow · 28/02/2012 22:26

I much prefer Oliver and Henry to Harry and Jack. Would you consider John with the nn Jack if you were thinking of using Henry nn Harry? Edward is very nice, to avoid the name conotations how about using Edmund instead? Other classic boys names to suggest could be Philip nn Pip (DS's name), Alexander (lots of nns), Nicholas (very overlooked), George, Samuel (Sammy v. cute), Louis (not so classic but still nice), Peter, Lawrence (Laurie is lovely), Miles, Christoper (Kit also lovely).

There are so many lovely, handsome names out there!

RobinSparkles · 28/02/2012 22:30

Ok, sorry. I read the thread as "Jack or Henry (Harry), which one?" I missed the bit about being open to suggestions.

Anyway...traditional boys names that I like are:
The ones already mentioned (Jack, Henry, Harry, Edward)
James (my favourite boys name)
William
George

Showmethemhappyfeet · 28/02/2012 22:37

Why Henry/Harry. Aren't they totally different names? If you want him to be called Harry why not just call him Harry? Hmm

MrsAmaretto · 28/02/2012 22:57

I love the names you've chosen!! They are not common names where I live, and even if they were it doesn't matter - they are the names YOU like as a couple.

I prefer Jack Edward to Henry Edward, no idea why though.

welovesausagedogs · 28/02/2012 23:12

I prefer Henry to Jack, but like others have said why not just call him Harry or Henry rather than using one as an nn. The Harry's i know are just called Harry or Harrison and the Henry's are called just that Henry. Both Henry and Harry are proper names and just as formal as one another. I would just go with your favourite either Harry or Henry and just stick with that. Congratulations by the way.

midlandsnightnannybabysitter · 29/02/2012 00:09

I like Harry, it would be on my list if we have another ds. Ds1 is Oliver so very popular! He was named after family member & not so much because we had hearts set on name, but either way we love it (even though wherever we go to play it seems there is always another Oliver there!)

Montsti · 29/02/2012 09:22

I think they're all great names! Henry is my favourite and I understand what you mean about giving your son options hen he's older and agree that Henry nn. Harry would work well.

A few of my other favourites if you do want more ideas:

Oliver
William
Frederick nn. Freddie
Benjamin
Sebastian
George

I seem to like very popular boys names but personally think most of those I've mentioned are classic. I know lots of people with the above names etc...in their 30's and older and also babies/toddlers/teenagers. IMO these names won't date at all (not that that necessarily matters if you love a name).

Go with the name you love - why should you pick an unusual name you don't like as much just because some people have a problem with popular names...agree with another poster that whatever name you pick seems to be too popular/boring or too chavvy or too pretentious etc..!

puzzletree · 29/02/2012 09:28

They are both lovely names, and as others have said, they are popular for a good reason. We may well choose Jack for our third son and I'd use Harry (or Henry) as a first name if my son didn't already have it as a second name. If we had a more common surname I might be put off by the popularity of the names, just to avoid there being someone else with exactly the same name!

othersideofchannel · 29/02/2012 10:19

Good point about the surname popularity. I guess if your name is Jack Smith or Harry Jones you're likely to have to share it with lots of others. This also has implications for email addresses, face book etc. In other words, the whole name is no longer unique.

Eglu · 29/02/2012 11:27

OP if you ask for opinions on names, you will get opinions on names. Confused

If people think the names are boring they will say so.

squoosh · 29/02/2012 14:43

I like Henry but cannot for the life of me understand why the name Harry is so popular.

Minty82 · 29/02/2012 14:44

I think Jack's lovely, though I think Henry Edward scans slightly better than Jack Edward. And yes, Harry has traditionally been a nn for Henry, it doesn't seem at all odd to me that you'd have one as the formal name and one as the nn (though ditto for John/Jack...).

Sorry you're getting so much flak for the popularity thing; I had the same on a girls' name thread and chickened out of putting any of our boys' names up for discussion as I didn't want to risk being talked out of them!

The thing is, there are so many more names in circulation than there used to be that even the top name (Oliver, in the most recent stats), was only given to 8,427 babies in 2010. Out of 797,000 babies born that year. (Though yes, I realise half of those were girls! In other words roughly 10% of boys born that year are Olivers). All I'm saying is that compared to the days when fully 50% of babies were called either John or Mary, choosing even a very popular name doesn't condemn your child to a lifetime of anonymity.

And I disagree that a name is just a utilitarian mode of identification - that implies that every parent should invent an entirely new name, or spell an old one in a made-up way. It can also be about linking your child to its family or heritage/honouring someone who means something to you etc etc, and having a familiar name roots you to a particular culture, which I don't see as a remotely negative thing.

Sorry, I'll stop banging on! Anyway, I think your names are lovely, and you can't go wrong with either of them.

nextphase · 29/02/2012 15:01

Minty
I get those numbers to be 1% of babies to be Oliver in 2010.
Can you explain the 10%, please?

nextphase · 29/02/2012 15:08

OP - I've got a strong bias, having just named my DS2 from your short list.
We also considered
Daniel, Christopher, Sebastian, Peter, Michael.
Go with your heart - your going to be saying it a LOT!

Minty82 · 29/02/2012 15:16

nextphase - you're absolutely right, misplaced zero! Thanks!

howcomes · 29/02/2012 15:23

I like Jack, it's my ds middle name - so I guess I'm biased! When ds was born 2 other babies in my ward shared his name (its a classic but i guess common name) but last year we moved overseas and I have yet to meet a child here with the same name so don't worry about it. Choose a name you like and one that you think suits your son.

BeaditAli · 25/03/2012 23:00

Jack is a fab name and popular for a good reason! How silly to suggest that it will strip the child of identity Shock
How many Claires, Rachels, Matthews etc Do you know in their adult years? Doesn't make a single one of them any lesser than the other... They just share a name not a personality.
lostsocks have you spelt out the initials for each name with your surname? If it ends with an 'R' i might be tempted to go for Jack though love both.

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