Basil

[gregorisnotmyname]

DP and I love this name but reactions have tended to come down on the "it's a herb" side. I just think it's a name that'll age well - cute baby, cool teenager, charming gent and sweet old man. Please tell me there's someone else out there who appreciates Basil and not in a culinary way...?

I think the important question here is, how many people shrieking "BASIL!!!" in a Sybil Fawlty voice will it take before you start to fantasise about just taking out the rest of the human race with an automatic weapon? Because that will happen a lot .

If you are very phlegmatic and committed to a life of non-violence perhaps a Buddhist or a Quaker then it will probably be OK. But otherwise...

Not keen TBH, but if you love it then go for it. Could you cope with the NN 'Baz'?

Even if you never provide a sibling Sibyl, I think you'll attract a lot of Basil Fawlty jokes, which will wear thin.

Unless you are Russian Greek or Serb Orthodox, in which case it would work well, especially if you have a surname which makes the lineage clear.

Posh 84 year old who'd rub his elderly but still willing penis up against your arse if you tried to get past him in an enclosed space. He would wear damp, smelly tweeds and tell you that you were a 'fine figure of a gel'.

Go for it!

BOOM BOOM!

squoosh

Hahahaha squoosh, that made me laugh.

Seems we have a response cocktail; a mixed bag. Well, in answer to someone's question I should point out that I am in the lucky position to have a DP that is half greek cypriot with a greek sounding surname (and yes, he is very hairy). This is total coincidence, he was born and raised here so it's not like he's demanding 11 children called Nick and Stavros. I didn't even realise the connection til I looked up the name...does this improve poor Basil's chances?

P.S - Can't believe Basil Rathbone's real name was Philip. My dreams of a son with heroic whiskers are dashed.

The reason many think of Basil as an 'old' name is that they don't know any young ones - there haven't been that many born over the past few years.

The name itself sound good imo - masculine, simple, classic, works for all ages. As soon as anyone were to meet your ds Basil, they'd immediately change their associations and think of him.

Go for it!

I love Basil!

I wanted Basil but DH vetoed it for all the reasons above, I wish he hadn't though.

to me it's an old Greek man's name
which makes sense because St Basil is a popular Orthodox saint en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea

but i expect this has to do with the fact that there were a lot of greeks in my childhood neighbourhood :)

i think of Basil Fawlty next.

Ooh, Buzz is quite a cool alternative to Baz

I really like it,even though it does make me think of Fawlty Towers,but it's still a great name.

My dog was called Basil, and it was a fab name for him. (Sorry!)

Basil will NEVER be a 'cool teenager' name.

It sounds to me like an elderly, confirmed bachelor old lovey, if you ask me! awful.

Horrible

I really love it but would also worry about it being shortened to Baz. I quite like the idea of Buzz instead though...

I wouldn't worry too much about associations. The first time I suggested Jemima to my dh he said it was "too puddle duck". Our Jemima is now 18mo and we have only ever had a handful of puddle duck comments. And I couldn't care less anyway! I love the name and it suits her perfectly.

Hope that helps.

I think it's a pretty good name, I like it. Think it sounds different because it is a familiar name but not one that is used very much anymore. Time for a revival.....

I suppose it is on the outside edge of 'old man' names - I always really liked Percy, but I was never brave enough to call either of my DS Percy.

Basil is no more botanical than Rowan or Heath for example. And, there could be worse associations than a herb .

I like it and agree that it's due for a revival!

Love it!

I really like it. Baz is nice too.

I like it - solid, classic, underused. Don't know any Basils so don't have any associations, but can imagine a baby, a boy, a CEO as well as an older man named Basil. If it goes with your surname, I'd say great choice! Baz would be a cool nickname for a teenager imo.

No, Fawlty, Brush, herb.

i quite like it, i know of 2 people called this and they are not elderly at all but pronounced baa-sill rather than 'bazzle' like the herb but the herby way could be quite cute too.

I bet most youngsters have never heard of Fawlty Towers so really wouldn't worry about that. And those (of us older ones) who have these associations will lose them as soon as we meet a lovely little Basil .

Goat herders in Tibet know who Basil Fawlty is.