Willoughby - love it or hate it?

[katiemonkey]

We're really keen on calling our first DS Willoughby, but are having second thoughts as we've had quite a lot of negative reactions! What do you think of the name? If you don't like it, can you suggest any other three syllable alternatives?

Don't, really please don't.

It'll make him a magnet for bullies and sounds absurd. It sounds like something you'd name a randy Labrador.

Willoughby is the particularly unpleasant chap out of Sense & Sensibility.

Also, it's a surname.

I wouldn't, for those reasons.

Three syllable alternatives:

Dominic
Rafferty
Alexander
Nathaniel (ok, 4 syllables)
Julian
Frederick
Lysander
Peregrine
Benedict
Benjamin
Gabriel
Sebastian (4 again)
Zachary
Tobias

There was a Willoughby in my parent and baby group! I can't remember if they shortened it or not. don't think they did in the first instance, I guess he'll be nearly 4 now so probably is Will...

I much prefer it to some of the names I see on here

You're condemning him to s lifetime of " no, it's short for Willoughby, not William. Yes she is a bit bonkers, but she's lovely in lots of other ways"

sorry - not my preference.

Why on earth would Willoughby by a magnet for bullies?
There are no obvious associations (unless I'm missing something obvious?!)

Adults are much more conservative than children when it comes to names IMO. Yes of course children tease others when there's an obvious association, but tend to accept unusual names IME (most names are new to them anyway if you think about it!)

It the adult ear which finds them strange!

IMO this child is more likely to be teased for being called the "normal" name Will (=willy) which would be the same with William, than for anything specifically to do with Willoughby!

Or on the other hand if bullies want to tease a child they'll find a reason for it no matter what you call them, sadly.

I love it! Bit out there but I'm guessing yu want that! Nvere would have thought of Willoughbooby ... ever ever ever! by the time your Willoughby is old enough to know, Holly Thingy will be long forgotten!

I don't think kids are bullied for their names- well, unless they're called Dick or Fanny or something. I just know from family experience that it's incredibly wearing to explain yourself every bloody time you give your name. And sometimes you want to melt into the background and you can't if everybody pauses to look every time you give your name. And even if the comment is "oh, that's unusual, how lovely" it can be a complete pain in the neck. And younhave to spell it every single time. You spend your life correcting people. And it's just not fair.

I don't think kids are bullied for their names

I wish I had your faith in children's good nature!

I have a friend of a friend who was know as 'shithouse' thoroughout school as his iniitals were WC.

A kid I went to school was ribbed (pun intended) as his first name was Johnny, got called 'rubber Johnny' a lot.

I can hear the mass chants of 'Willy-booby, willy-booby' drifting across the playground now.

Sorry seeker but we disagree on this. I'm sure we've discussed it here before!

More of my close friends have unusual names than "normal names" (some because they have non-English parents, some because they have hippy parents). They all say they like their unusual names.

I have to spell my surname every time, it doesn't bother me.

And I know people who hate their "normal" names because they think they're boring.

My partner's mum called him his normal, short name as she didn't want him to have a NN. However he is called by everyone (even on a professional basis) by an unusual NN which his friends made up for him when he was little. Only his close family actually use his given name, much to his mum's disappointment!

I'm not saying all children will love to have unusual names, but that you just don't know. They might hate their normal name! The most important thing is you should given them a name you love (within reason of course!).

Love it

No! Too gay/effeminate/he'll get the piss taken out of him all the time. Sorry!!

What the fuck does "too gay" mean?

My brother had an unusual and quite effeminate (IMHO) name and was bullied mercilessly for it at school.

Hate it.

First thought was Holly Willobooby, second was "isn't it a surname?"

It'll get loads of faces before people remember their manners and pretend to like it.

But that's just taste! If I hear someone's called their child Jack or Chloe I do a mental (actually it would be a yawning emoticon if we had one).

If I heard Willoughby I'd love it!

And if I hear a child's middle name is May/Mae, Grace or Rose I feel like banging my head on the wall!

Why would you want your DCs to have the same names?!!!

His friends will fall about laughing when they discover Will isn't short for William!

Don't do it!

I like it, in theory.

But in practice I think he'll have to be a serious hottie or with outstanding charisma to be able to pull it off. And no one can be sure of that with the best will in the world.

Personally, I think it's one of those names that one DP suggests and gets excited about and hopefully the other DP makes them see sense.

"even with the best will in the world." good pun, even if unintended!