Latest shortlist of mostly rare boys' names

[eversomuch]

Ugh. Only nine weeks to go and we're still trying to decide on a boy's name.

We're looking for one that is not extremely common, but not OTT or pretentious.

We're not originally British, so would appreciate thoughts on the following names, esp with regard to any possible UK cultural perceptions (if any):

Baxter
Carver
Clyde
Colin
Duncan
Owen
Quill
Quinn
Spencer

I agree with MirandaG.

Owen is about the best there.

Colin
Duncan
Owen

I recognise as traditional names used in the UK.

Clyde (Scottish river)
Quinn
Spencer

I can see as modern names in the UK.

Baxter

Is either modern or odd, can't decide.

Carver
Quill

Are just odd to me.

i would percieve quill, carver, baxter spencer, quinn and clyde as appropriate only in the USA.

try Quentin, Austin, Barnaby, Clement, Sebastian, Caspian

If you click on the fourth result on this page you'll get the latest boys names stats. You need Excel. If it's the right one (can't look as I don't have Excel on this laptop) it lists all the names used last year unless there was only one baby with that name.

I'm not a fan of the more modern names, but I think they're all ok apart from Carver and Quill. Of the three more traditional names you've chosen, I like Owen.

Clyde I like. It's been a while since Bonnie and Clyde and I doubt the playground age group won't be that clued up.

Colin I also like. Very underused and I think it's friendly and intelligent (could be projecting my 60 year old cultured friend on to it, but it has a nice feeling to me).

Baxter.... bit of a soup issue but Bax is a cool nn.

Duncan is nice.

Owen and Quinn are a bit more popular where I live.

Spencer is cool.

Also like Fletcher - might fit in with your list!

raspberry, those stats only go up to top 100. also open office has a excel-type page, so if you wanted excel you could try open office. it's opensource and free.

i like Dark greener for baby name stats.

I agree with narkedraspberry

I dont mind Owen or Spencer - know one of each and they are farily unusual (ie. not top 20 or anything) though not too 'out there'

Dont like Carver or Quill, just dont sound like names to me!

Others I thought of include:
Hector
Fraser
Casper
Fletcher
Jackson
Connor
Jamieson
Wilson
Seth
Barnaby
Cody
Jasper
Hugo
Drew

That should say 'fairly' - and Im referring to the names not the people!!

I love the Dark Greener site, too, Clockless. And we've reading through the ONS spreadsheet, NarkedRaspberry, but still feeling a bit like we're going to end up settling for something we like but don't necessarily love.

There are stats on there that cover all the names used. I will try and get the link when I get my iPad back.

Honestly, you can use the names you've mentioned. Apart from Quill and Carver they aren't awful and if you like them, that's what matters.

Littlecherublegs Thanks for the suggestions. Many of the names on your list are ones we've considered, but ruled out for one reason or another.

5inthebed DH really likes Duncan. I like it too but am a bit hesitant because I've only known two in RL and both were people I worked with/for recently, so feel a little strange about that. Though I probably shouldn't.

As for Carver, I was thinking more of the writer Raymond Carver, than of knives and things. :)

"And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth."

Thank you to everyone else, too, for the comments/suggestions.

NarkedRaspberry If we really, really loved a name, we wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. But we do want to know about any cultural perceptions here that we may not be aware of. DH's first choice for a while, for example, was Trevor, which many people on MN and in RL said really wouldn't be a good idea in the UK.

I actually quite like Carver. To be honest with more unusual names, if somebody really dislikes it they'll come up with negative connotations regarding it no matter what the name is.

Baxter- I like, but it's a soup company & the name of the dog in Anchorman.

Carver- More of a surname/nickname...sounds like the nickname of a 30's gangster! Is there a reason you've not included Raymond on the list?

Clyde- I quite like this, although most people (me included) think Bonnie & Clyde.

Colin- It's ok, I like the nn Col, but around here (London) it's quite old fashioned.

Duncan- Nothing to dislike about this, can't think of any negative associations, aside from the nickname 'Dunc'.

Owen- Like, can't think of anything negative.
Quill- Ye olde pen.

Quinn- I like it.

Spencer- Spencer Tracey, what's not to love!

Baxter- soup
Carver- sounds like a knife you would use at Christmas
Clyde- Scottish river but fine I like it
Colin- boring middle aged man
Duncan- good historical Scottish name but a bit donuts
Owen- good welsh name, surname of take that singer
Quill- not a name
Quinn-a girls name
Spencer- ok but don't call his brother mark

hehe this outed all the Baxter's soup fans

Owen

First thoughts??

Baxter - soup
Carver - knives, cutting, carvery
Clyde - Bonnie and ...
Colin - really?
Duncan - Donuts is what DD would reply
Owen -
Quill - a feather pen
Quinn -
Spencer - some dodgy old comedy programme... Frank...

Duncan and Spencer are nice. Carver sounds very American to me. Colin's not bad but, as people have said, still out of fashion here - though that could work for you. I know a few Owens so it's not that unusual to me.

Baxter - soup
Carver - chair
Clyde - as in Bonnie and Clyde
Colin - er old fashioned and not in a good way
Duncan - like this one
Owen - again, this is fine
Quill - pen
Quinn - not keen, a bit too close to Quim for me
Spencer - as in Marks and Spencer

I think Duncan is the best one, Owen is OK. The rest are not great tbh.