Poppy is 'stupid' according to Ken Livingstone

[peppapigpants]

He was on LBC this morning talking about the George Osborne/train incident, apparently Osborne's assistant is called Poppy. Livingstone and his co-host David Mellor agreed that Poppy was a stupid name and he should have employed someone called 'Sharon or something'.

I don't know anyone called Poppy but it was a ridiculous comment, wasn't it?

I don't really like Poppy and find it too cutesy/childish personally, but agree that it is not for the ex Mayor of London to state this on radio! Very rude indeed.

Oh, please, somebody keep this going. This makes me !

I cannot believe that we, Mumsnet posters on the Baby Name forum of all places, are giving someone a hard time for expressing an opinion on a name.

I can hardly give him a hard time about, given that I do it all the time.

How is Poppy different to Rose, Violet, Iris or other flower names? Genuinely interested!

I don't know why Poppy is different to those other flower names (which I do like), but it is. I also really don't like names like 'Tilly' or 'Milly' so I think it's more about the sound or the fact that it's a flower.

*not 'or', meant 'than'

I agree - to me it is different because of its 'cuteness' and also, I think, because it sounds a bit like Poppet. Other cutesy names include Milly, Tilly and Evie for example.

Iris, Rose and Violet all sound strong and classic to my ears.

But thankfully we all have different tastes and have a great name variety.

I can see the 'poppet' thing. It's just weird as when you think about it, poppies are strong' dramatic flowers and yet the name is dismissed as weak and frivolous. I like it personally but each to their own. Oh and Ken is a sexist pig!

Well Ken Livingstone is a cockjuggling thunderprick and if I ever have a DD I will strongly consider Poppy as a name purely on the basis that Ken Loonyshit doesn't like it so it must be ok.

poppy is imo a whimsy cutesy wutsey name
but Ken fights boris in lifts,gets in scraps with journalists
he's hardly arbiter of high minded stuff

He is a fanny. DD is called Poppy, but we usually refer to her as thunder pants.she is only 14 weeks old and I have no idea if she will be 'cutetsy wutsy' but if her two older brothers have any part in it she will be wild! She is gorgeous though, and snugly

Between Poppy and Ken, I know what I'd rather be called.

thunderpants is better than poppy,it's not so overdone
won't be thunderpantsA,thunderpantsB
unlike poppyA,poppyB etc at nursery school

I think thunder pants will stick TBH. We have no other Poppy's here but I have an Oliver and he is the only Oliver at his school

Thunder pants is one for her 18th Congrats by the way Beer :)

When Thunderpants grows up she can be Thunderthighs. [hsmile]

We have a Poppy here, she is going to be an engineer, although she doesn't know this yet because she is one [hgrin]

I don't like Poppy personally,but I don't think it's stupid.

Names like Tee-jay are stupid in my opinion.

I suppose Ken is as entitled to his opinion as anyone else. I doubt any of the little Poppy's mentioned on here will give a toss what Ken thought of their name when they're grown up. Not least because he will at best be very old if not dead. Being called Poppy doesn't seem to have done Poppy Delevigne any harm (nor have her super rich parents mind).

I share KL's prejudice about the name but I would never say so so bluntly.

if youre super rich like poppy delevigne you could be called wellyboots bumbiscuit
family money,advantages and old boy network would ensure prosperity and success
people comment on names,and you accept some love,some hate chosen name

Oh it was a joke

Not very nice for the assistant but surely only a small minority 9Poppy's and their parents) are really going to be offended?

David Cameron's wife is called Samantha, which was the 70s answer to Sharon.

Whereas Kenneth = gorgeous name.

scottishmummy I guffawed at Wellyboots Bumbiscuit!

I think poppy is fab. I worked with a Poppy Montgomery once and really envied her name. It really suited her and there was nothing 'cutesy' about her whatsoever. There are so many pretentious or non imaginative or made up names out there. Poppy is refreshingly sweet but not too frilly IMO.
I'm sure Ken was just making a throw away comment. I wouldn't 't take it too seriously.