Middle name Clair for a boy

[fredandginger]

Is this cruel?

It's a female family name, but would it be mean to use the masculine version as middle name for a boy?

It would be the second of two middle names...

What do you think?

How about Lucien or Luke -- same meaning as Clair (or Clare which I have also heard in Ireland used as a boys' name though it is unusual). Though having said that, I don't think Clair as a second middle name is that bad.

Lots of my male relatives have the middle name Mary, and my grandfather was known as Mary (his mn) to all those close to him. He was "The Major' to everyone else. I went to college with someone whose name was Firstname Mary Thirdname Surname.

I used family names for exactly the reasons you want to, Fredandginger. Must be an Irish thing.

I would go for Clarence instead of Clair.

Believe me shubie, when you have a middle name that you don't want people to know, you seem to need to divulge it a LOT!

I agree that Clair is certainly the masculine form, albeit seldom used. Gilbert O'Sullivan spelt it wrongly in his horrible whiny song, and must answer for this spelling variation being hijacked for females.

Wouldn't Clare be OK? It can be interpreted as both a surname and a placename.

2 things: first, Angel Clair is a man (Tess of the d'Urbervilles)
second, I know a manly man called John Joseph MARY (yes!!). Does it matter?no! he never tells anyone!! LOL

St Clair / Sinclair might be better

I think Clair would go down far better in Ireland than Clarence or StClair/Sinclair, which would be seen as quite foppish, English and a little bit on the poncey side. (But I don't know if OP is in Ireland).

MrsMonkfish, the Hardy character is Angel Clare, though, and 'Clare' is his surname. And men having Mary as a middle name wasn't that unusual for a certain generation of Irishmen - one of the 1916 Rising leaders was Joseph Mary Plunkett.

I have to say, though, despite being Irish, I have never come across an Irish male Clair at all - I certainly couldn't agree it's common!

A close friend of mines middle name is Clair, and he's getting round just fine. HAD to say something, with no one else taking your side. Believe it or not he is actually Irish as well, he is very smart "bright", and no one has ever teased him. It was quite adorable, can't believe people are being such constant downers.

How did you even find the thread @MooseWhale - it's 6 years old!

I think it is fine, fwiw. I'm obviously in the minority, but I don't see any issue with it at all.

Oh, zombie thread. D'oh.

Sinclair would be an option. It is St Clair. I rather like it.

It is a traditional boy's name but I think most people would see it as a girls name. The St Clair option is good.

No, just no. You're giving your child a middle name he'll be awkward or embarrassed about. Despite the spelling, it's still the name Claire which is a common, fairly popular girls name.

OP's child would be about 4 now- bit late to decide lol