Surnames as Christian names?

[MrsHBaby3]

Sorry if this has been asked before but a friend suggested I use my maiden name for my baby boy (she plans to do the same as shes TTC),
Just wondered what general consensus is? Personally it sounds like Im saying a double-barrelled surname and cant decide if I like it.

Names such as
Bailey
Hunter
Parker
Morgan
Spencer..

any others if you like the idea? (I know some will sound ridiculous!)

[Whyriskit]

Definitely thinking of my maiden name, which is Campbell, for a future DS. We're Scots living in Scotland so not uncommon here as people have said.

[scottishmummy]

yes in scotland its acceptable use forename as surname,and campbell is nice name as it is

[tasfi26]

We aren't finding out what we're having but if it's a boy we're having Holden....it's very American but it's my all time favourite! My other favourite surname sounding first names Dalton and Clayton

[MrsHBaby3]

I love the family connections.
What about if you liked a surname as first name /christian name, but it is coincidentally the surname of a friend? Is that just wierd? My hubby really likes a particular name but then I reminded him its his friends ex-wifes maiden name and he's gone off it now.

[MaidenDevon]

My maiden name was Prince - would feel v. silly calling that out in the supermarket. People might think I was calling my Labrador rather than a toddler...

[Fantail]

Isn't it common in the southern states of the USA for first born girls to take their mother's maiden name.

I think that if you actually like the idea and the potential name then do it, but don't do it just because your friend suggested it.

[JollyJackOLantern]

Ds has what is technically a surname as his first name , but it's also a place name and is much more common as a first name than as a surname.

If a subsequent dc is a boy we will likely use another surname-y name and also possibly use my maiden name as a middle name.

[flowerygirl]

I think it's a lovely way to keep the family name going, especially as I'm on of two daughters and I was sad to lose my surname when I got married!

I am considering Hunter for a boy...but I'm worried it's a bit too controversial. Most seem to love it or hate it.

[rainbow2000]

I love Hunter as a boys name.I have 5 ds and 3 of them have surname as a first name,it wasnt intentional it just suited them when they were born.
I dont care if nobody else likes the name my dc i named tehm.

[DingDongBelle]

On the subject of occupational names, isn't there a vacuous WAG who named her (and footballer dh's) son Striker?

[Startail]

Lewis, this is lovely

And the awful Harrison, sorry ....son is too clearly a surname.

I had a friend who's surname was Andrew (no S). So a case is Christian name as surname.

Fearsomely confusing as his first name was Edward. He went to a surnames first trad grammar.

He said he'd had every possible permutation, Andrew Edwards, Edward Andrews and Andrew Edward far more often than anyone actually got it right.

[persephoneplum]

I don't like those you listed, however we are using a surname-type name - Jarvis.

Thing is, it's so ancient that Jarvis is from the surname Gervais, which is From a surname which was derived from the given name GERVAIS. It was then derived from the ancient Germanic name Gervasius (taken from Behind the Name).

So it has enough separation from being solely a surname to satisfy me... plus it was probably the ONLY name DH and I could agree on so dammit, the fact it is also used as a surname became very insignificant in the face of naming battles with my DH! Hehehe.

This happens when you have to name a third boy!

[persephoneplum]

Sorry about that second paragraph - it doesn't make sense. These boards are so antiquated, we can't edit posts! Time for an upgrade Mumsnet!

[FellatioNelson]

I love some, I hate some but generally I don't mind them at all. One of my DCs has one, although I will argue until the cows come home that it IS a first name, just not a very well known one, and more commonly known as a family name.

But as others have pointed out, many are completely interchangeable and raise no eyebrows at all (James and Oliver bing the obvious culprits) so I don't know why people get such a bee in their bonnets over it.

I must say I tend to dislike them for girls though. They only work on boys for me.

[FellatioNelson]

I know some pretty upper middle class types with names like Jervis, Romney and Herewood and nobody seems to sneer at those within their own circles and yet MC people will sneer at Harrison or Riley. I don't know what the difference is really.

[flowerygirl]

I really don't get why people don't like 'surname' type names when often they are just first names from years ago making a comeback!

What with all the Charlies, Jacks, Alfies and Harrys that are going to be in the school playground in a couple of years, won't it be nice to have children with different names!? There will be so many with the same names, the teachers will have to distinguish them apart by their surnames anyway!

[DingDongBelle]

My DS is Harrison startail and evidently I don't think it's awful...

Stating you don't like a name, fair enough, but no need to be rude

[justhayley]

I really like it, for boys anyway. Most of my fav names during pregnancy were surnames. DP hates it & thinks
It's odd but what he know ;)

[ExitPursuedByABrrrrrrr]

Percy, Howard and Spencer were all surnames of landed gentry which started being used as Chrisitan names centuries ago.

Fashion.

[ivykaty44]

Parsons
Charley
Fuller
Tyler
Brook
Stewert
Barber
just soem of the names of friend I think could possibly work if you wanted a surname as a first name? Not overly keen

[BirdyArms]

Ds1 has a surname as his first name, not any of the ones on this thread, and I kind of regret it. I named him after a lovely great uncle who had this name as his first name so I had always thought of it as a first name. I am a bit snobbish about surnames used as first names and can't quite believe that I've ended up doing it myself!

But the main reason I regret it is that people never get it first time, it sounds quite similar to a common first name and I have to spell it out for people and poor old ds1 just lets people call him the wrong name.

[flowerygirl]

tasfi26 Holden is a great name!

Quite like Anderson and Parker too. Although makes me think of Peter Parker.

[DesperatelySeekingSedatives]

My son has Cameron as a middle name. Is also my gran's middle name She is scottish and it was her mother's maiden name. She told me it's traditional there. Or it was many years ago. Don't know about now.

From your list I really like Spencer.

[zingally]

I think it's fine. As long as the name isn't something rediculous.