Can all Irish posters tell me what they think of the name Gabriel please???

[myrubberduck]

Think it will be OK in the UK but am worried that it will seem very old fashioned (bit like Eugene or Eamonn?) back in Ireland and/or will invariably be shortened to Gay.

Any thoughts???

The whole thing about Gabriel being shortened to Gay always gets mentioned on these threads but seems to never actually happen in RL. Anyway, I hate to break it to you OP - if kids want to pick on your kid they will find a way. And also I've heard very few kids get picked for having an unusual name now, because nearly all of them have unusual names!

Well I know a couple of Gabriel's in Ireland and they all get called Gay. It's a horrible name IMO and does seem incredibly old fashioned but in a bad way!

I've heard it shortened to Gabe, but not Gay. I'm not Irish, so not much help I'm afraid... nice name though.

It will seem old fashioned like you say. I know at least 3 Gabriels off hand and 2 of then are in their fifties and the other is older. However, they are not called Gay.....

Ditzy donkey- Helpful thanks. Just out of interest what do you think of the following names;
-Kyle
-kian
-Jayden
-Jason
-Dean

Just wonderin...

Total chav

Gay Byrne.

Greige that was my thought also!!! Eugh

Gabriel is goregous but the 'gay' shortening worries me too. Your other suggestions are just awful though, they're not even on the same planet as Gabriel.

It's 2013! We are getting to the point where being called gay is no longer an insult surely? If my DS ever gets called gay I'll make sure he understands the people calling him are homophobic twats dinosaurs.

If it is old-fashioned in Ireland what about Nathaniel as an alternative?

Sparkle I don't think the op was considering those names she was just testing to see if my taste was on line with those and therefore she could disregard my comments.....however I happen to have fantastic taste so not to worry op

I'm not sure it's old fashioned? Just not that popular cause the baby having generation grew up with Gay bloody Byrne who is still knocking about on tv btw!

If I really liked it I'd go for it and call him Gabe for short. I think most people would follow your lead and his peers won't know Gay B!

My cousin's son who is 15 is called Gabriel. They're Irish but were living in the US when he was born,they have since moved back to Ireland. I've never heard the name being shortened, certainly not by family, though don't know what happens at school!

Kyle, Kian, etc --- not good.

Gabriel unlikely to get the nn Gay these days I would say.

Alex, the insult is still going strong. It's a classic so to speak.

I have a cousin in the UK whose little DS is Gabriel and it raised no eyebrow at all in Ireland.

I'm Irish and I think Gabriel would be considered a strange and very dated name for a boy. Everyone is bound to think of Gay Byrne.

I don't think it would necessarily be seen as strange but certainly a bit dated and not in the granny grandad chic way!

Well, maybe not strange but definitely an unusual and dated choice.

Yeah I agree with unusual and dated I would be a bit if I was introduced to a baby Gabriel as to why you would do that to your child.

I know a lady with a Gabriel and I just always think its a really fussy, pretentious name. You expect an angelic beautiful child and that's not what you get.... Hard to explain but hmm no.

I know - Gay Byrne ;eek, Gabriel Byrne however; mmmmm.

He was on something on C4 a few months ago and that got me thinking about the name, but it's a name with old man connotations in Ireland alrhough not in UK (where I now live).

It's a lovely name the more I think of it outside of an Irish context but I guess there are a lot of names like that!

Just to clarify it was Gabriel Byrne on C4 not GB!

It's really dated and I think it would encourage teasing. I know anybody can be teased about any name. I'm a bit why did you saddle your child with that name.