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Baby names

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

What do you think of Lux?

137 replies

GymBunnyBob · 13/04/2012 09:06

I love it and so does my DH. We had a family friend that we were very close to called Lux and she died recently and we'd like to use the name but have no idea what other peoples reactions would be. She was the only Lux I'd ever met so I assume it isn't a popular name.

I know it was a character name in Virgin Suicides which doesn't bother me, I like the film. There was a detergent called Lux too, but I doubt many under 20 years old would have ever heard of it now so don't think that would be a problem when baby is older if you see what I mean.

OP posts:
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Journey · 14/04/2012 12:23

Soap

LydiaWickham · 14/04/2012 13:28

I'm surprised how few people are thinking "Luxembourg" as it's normally shortened to Lux. Just don't move there, it'd be weird.

Bluestocking · 14/04/2012 14:49

Lydia, I can only speak for myself, but Luxembourg does not loom large in my life. Should it?

Bunbaker · 14/04/2012 18:32

Luxembourg doesn't loom large in my life either. I was reminded of the small principality by the Hairy Bikers the other week though.

whimsicalname · 14/04/2012 19:00

Not sure if you're still keeping track OP, but I've been following with interest! The idea of not naming your child a name you like because there is a brand like that is interesting to me. My middle son is called Cosmo, and it never occurs to me now that there is a magazine or cocktail of the same name. And to be honest, we have more people say 'oh like the Archbishop' (Or Julie Burchill's ex) than 'oh, like the magazine'.

The other thing I would say, is it's a really interesting arbiter of people's opinions. Hardly any one I like has reacted badly to it, whereas dull colleagues or random people in the park say things like 'is that actually a name?' Very few people have ever commented on my other sons' names, to the extent that even though one of them has quite a usual name, we have now met more Cosmos, just because people called that come and introduce themselves to us. We've met maybe 4 that way. None of the adult ones regretted their name!

Good luck with your decision.

SwedishEdith · 14/04/2012 19:14

Grin @ Luxembourg not looming large in your life.

Too much potential for "Lux sux", "Lux fux", "Lux lix" comments was my first thought. It's just a non-name.

PfftTheMagicDraco · 14/04/2012 19:27

Lux Aeterna is a marvellous piece of music. I have never heard of the soap.

i like it

PfftTheMagicDraco · 14/04/2012 19:31

I don't understand the soap obsession.

It's not like it's Flash, or Pampers, or something that mainstream. Also, there are plenty of names that have these connotations, Cosmo, Jackie, etc.... once you have named that child, they are the name, it's just who they are. Go for it, OP!

Bunbaker · 14/04/2012 19:32

"I don't understand the soap obsession."

Because it is a brand of soap. Simple. I have never come across anyone with that name before.

lockets · 14/04/2012 19:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SwedishEdith · 14/04/2012 19:36

I might now

TheSoggyBunny · 14/04/2012 19:37

Sorry, I'd just keep thinking of streetlights.

LydiaWickham · 14/04/2012 19:57

I think it's just that I know a lot of people who work in banking, who have done the working in Luxembourg/Zurich/pretty much every other tax haven at some point in their career and subsquently collected friends of friends from there along the way! Grin Plus, when DH used to work in Germany, the flight I used to get every other Friday to go and see him was the one just after one to Luxembourg so I have seen "Lux" to mean the airport, not the soap a lot.

Bluestocking · 14/04/2012 20:26

Pampers! Now there's a cute name for a cuddly baby. But might people think it was Pampas and assume the baby was the product of a swingers' party?

GymBunnyBob · 14/04/2012 22:21

Wasn't really expecting any more posts but thanks to those that have posted.

Like I said earlier we have decided that we are going to go for Lux. Some have said they hate it, but plenty have said they like it and that is enough for me.

OP posts:
MerryMarigold · 14/04/2012 22:25

Lux means light, I think. I too love Lux Aeterna. You can play it at the birth, it's very soothing. I do think of the soap as it is such a big brand, and still massive in Sri Lanka where dh is from, but I'm sure if I knew a person with the name the soap would go out of my head.

GymBunnyBob · 14/04/2012 22:43

I meant to say that since I posted I've been into my local Asda, Tesco and Boots and none of them sold any Lux products that I could see. Also, I can't see Lux shower gel or soap on the online sites for Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Superdrug or Boots so I don't think that Lux is a massively well selling or popular brand anymore.

Surely it would be stocked in these big shops if it was? The majority of people would buy their shower gel either at the supermarket or in a Boots/Superdrug type shop I would think.

When I search google shopping to buy Lux shower gel, the places it lists as stocking it are KrystalDirect, yourepharmacy.com, PharmplexDirect.com, ChemistOnline.co.uk, Concord Extra and a few others but no big known name shops came up selling it.

Anyway, it doesn't matter now because we decided to go for it. We love it and it means something to us. Just got to wait for baby to arrive now Wink

OP posts:
TeWihara · 15/04/2012 06:48

I would abandon thread now GymBunny - for some reason hardly anyone reads the threads on Baby Names so you will keep getting posts until it falls down the list of active convos.

I'm glad you still like the name.

PermaLice · 15/04/2012 06:57

This name was discussed in Baby Names a couple of months ago thread here.

The reaction was nigh on universally negative there too.

OP: you must choose the name you love. And in RL, no one will say any of this to your face. And as long as you surname does not begin with F or S (for spoonerisms) then the obvious nasty teasing might not happen.

realhousewifeofdevoncounty · 15/04/2012 07:02

I'm so sorry and not wanting to be insensitive, but when I read the thread title I did think you were talking about soap powder. Blush

anniewoo · 15/04/2012 07:33

Lux -soap. End of!

SneakyBiscuitEater · 15/04/2012 12:48

As I said before I love it.

I have 3DC with names that will never appear on the 100 names list. You just have to be prepared for veiled comments like "oh, that's um interesting" which actually means "I hate it but am too polite to say".

I like people who are more forthright. My line manager said when I was pg with DC2 "So are you going to give this one a weird name too then?" And I said - of course :)

My DM went to buy DD1 one of those name signs were you buy the sign and separate letters to stick on. She got to the till and the blokey said "excuse me, but you do know these letters don't spell anything?" My DM then set them out to spell DD1's name and the bloke still didn't get it. My DM then got to trot out the most middle class pretentious rebuff ever "you obviously don't read much Oscar Wilde then!" (DD1 is named after an Oscar Wilde character.)

The best bit of your chosen name is that you are naming her after someone who meant something to you and you will be able to tell her all about her namesake when she is older.

Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

MagsAloof · 15/04/2012 12:53

I prefer Luz to Lux, which sounds sort of vaguely pharmaceutical and weird.

doctordwt · 15/04/2012 13:45

I like it.

Lux was a soap about three billion years ago. Everyone is mentioning it because they don't like the name particularly, and are casting around for the only negative association that can be dredged up Wink Not that it's even particularly negative!

It is a marmite one, for sure, but it's beautiful, so once people are used to it and just associate the name with her, they will love it - same as was your reaction to it being your friend's name.

DaSmallPunsMum · 15/04/2012 13:48

Yep first thing that came to mind was The Virgin Suicides, that book and the subsequent film are both perfection! I think it's a lovely name and if I had a daughter I was thinking of calling her Lux, we have a son on the way though so a bit feminine for him! The only people who will remember the detergent called Lux are the older generation and does that matter? I'm 23 and don't remember it. Go for it! It's a beautiful name and unusual in a way that isn't too 'in your face'. Most of all, if you feel in your gut it's right choose it.

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