Christopher

[PetShopGirl]

We know we're having a boy now, and for some reason this name has really grown on me over the last few days. I'm quite surprised as I seemed to know lots of Chris's growing up and previously would have thought of it as quite boring.

However I haven't really heard of any baby Christophers being born that recently, I've got the image of Christopher Robin in my head which seems really sweet for a little boy, and I love the nickname Kit. Not so keen on Chris, but I guess that might be inevitable in the end - which would be his choice.

So is it too boring? I'm starting to think it might actually be quite interesting. And quite frankly I'm struggling to think of anything else I really like. I don't like particularly 'out there' boys names, but equally not keen to go down the Oliver, Benjamin, William, Thomas route (although there's nothing wrong with them), as I know so many already. I do also really like Dominic, but DH has vetoed .

I would be lobbying for Stuart as a middle name (after my grandfather).

Chris is boring but Christopher is fab in my view. Kit is an alternative nn of you like it.

Kit is amazing. I love it for a boy. Don't like Christopher much, so spent ages trying to find another name I could shorten to Kit...Crispin is about what I came up with.

However a friend has just had a Christopher, so maybe it's having a revival.

I lie Christopher - I have a DCousin who is Chris to everyone but family, and he has never been shortened from Christopher.

It seems to be a family name for me today - at risk of outing myself I have a close family member who is Crispin, and his name has always made people . He sometimes uses Cris, but on the whole uses his full name. I've never met another one (and thank God there is only one of him.... )

I've always liked Christopher, but don't like Chris so didn't use it. If you can sway people towards Kit, it's a goer I reckon.

I really like Christopher - it's probably my favourite boys' name at the minute. (I like others but when I think about it, most of them I can't see myself using but this one I really can.)

Christopher is fabulous and I would use that or the nickname Kit. I think especially with a jaunty nickname like Kit (fitting in with all the baby Teds and Stans and so on), it's far from boring.

Chris is perhaps a little tired now but I don't dislike it. I think if you call your son Christopher and Kit from birth, people will know that is your preferred nickname. You can't stop people from calling him Chris but if you have a strategy for dealing with it, you'll get away with it. I would caution against picking the name if you really dislike Chris though as he may choose it himself one day. It sounds like you feel the same way as me though!

I think lots of people who were attracted to names like Christopher have probably picked Sebastian instead since it is similarly long and also offers a nice nickname for when he's down the pub with the lads (Seb).

You don't hear of many baby Stuarts either these days so that's a name you might want to consider for the first name.

If you like Dominic but your husband has vetoed it, how about Nicholas instead?

My friend has a Christopher and a Steven, quite refreshing to hear such 'normal' names.

Stellan - I have seriously considered Stuart as a first name too, but Christopher suddenly seems to have come from nowhere and feels quite 'right' in a way that Stuart hasn't. I'm not so keen on Chris as things stand, but I guess it would all seem quite natural if he eventually did actually become one, IYSWIM? Would definitely try to start out by only using Kit or Christopher, but I'm also wary of being too proscriptive in relation to nicknames anyway. From my experience they can often stem from completely random places unrelated to the original name - and I really like that about them. Or perhaps I'll become one of those Mums who answers the phone saying 'you want to speak to Chris? Sorry, no Chris here, but we have a ChrisTOPHER!'

I do like Nicholas, but our surname begins with a 'De' and for some reason I'm not so keen on names that end with an S as it seems to run into the first part of the surname, making 'Sde'. Not sure if that makes sense? I'm probably overthinking...

I have a Christopher nn Christy. Like kris as a short version but dh has forbidden me. I also really like Steven good solid names respectable yet non poncy

Christopher/Kit is great.

Chris is not. All middle aged men seem to be called Paul or Chris.

Not boring at all. Christopher is a really nice name, it's just Chris that is boring. But Kit and Kip are fabulous!!

I really love Christopher - such good nicknames. Can't decide which is my favourite out of Christy, Kit and Kester, all are seriously cool.

I have a Christopher although it seems to have been shortened to Christo at nursery. He doesn't mind it and he has an opinion on everything

No, not boring. Christopher is a lovely name.

But Chris is the obvious nickname, so you might have to push Kit quite firmly from the start.

And incidentally, I know an adult Christopher - he was complaining the other week about some Filipino staff at his work shortening his name to Christ - apparently that's a normal nickname for Christopher in the Phillipines! Just sounds wrong here though....

I love Kit. Love it. Chris, not so much

dd1 who is 20 and dd2 who is 13 would have both been Christopher Michael if they had not been girls I loved the shortened version as Chris and felt it was a good name for a man and a baby.

I never had a boy, so didn't use it.

dd1 has two friends aged 14 named Christopher, strangely one has a sister with her exact name and first middle name

Christopher/Chris is a lovely name.

Don't like Kit at all.

I really like Christopher, it wouldn't have to be shortened to Chris - its not inevitable - my husband and my dad both have names that are always shortened but theirs aren't - I have a formidable mother in law and granny and they quoshed shortenings very quickly

But, but I know its not very helpful I adore Dominic it was on the shortlist for everyone of my 3 girls

Classic name

I adore it and love Kit as a nickname. What about Christian? Dominic is also really nice. and I love the suggestion someone else made of Nicholas.

These all fall into the category of lovely classic names which are not overrused.

My friend had a Christopher a few months ago and I love it! He is known as Christo rather than just Chris and it really suits him.

I have a Christopher and need to get out the habit of calling him Chrissi since its a girls name! Will start trying Christo since that sounds more boyish.

A teacher wrote on here ages ago never call a child Christopher cause they wont be able to spell it - ds2 is only 5 & has no trouble since its spelt quite phonetically.

Christopher/Chris is a LOVELY name!

Kit...Not so much. I'm not from the UK but over here if a boy was called Kit at school he's be teased mercilessly.

Wow! My best mate is Christopher, middle name Stuart! He is an absolute sweetheart, so if he's anything to go by then GO FOR IT!!!

My DP's name is also Christopher and he's pretty awesome too!