opinions needed on DS2s name please - Dylan or Alistair?

[Whereisthesnow]

DS2 will be here in 10 weeks or so. Genuinely stuck on the two names above:

• Dylan - I really like the name. Trouble is DS1 is called Thomas. On a scale of 1 to 10 is this too poncy a combination of names? Not that we are literary types and I don't think I've actually read any Dylan Thomas ever. I just know I'd end up yelling "Dylan! Thomas!"in the park and getting giggles/smirks from other parents.

• Alistair - I do like this. But what do you shorten it to - Ali or Al? And it makes me think of Alastair campbell ( we wouldn't use that spelling btw) or a dour middle aged Scotsman, not a cute little boy!

I quite like Samuel too, but DH vetoes that one

Opinions gratefully received!

I don't like Dylan, sorry. its one of those 'naughty boy' names to me.

Alistair is great and not overused. Ally is a nice shortened version. I know a lovely Alex whose family all call him Ally.
What about Alexander? And instead of Samuel, what about Samson?

Ps, get Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood" on audio, read by Richard Burton. It's brilliant!

I have a Dylan and his teachers say he is a model pupil, very polite and always well behaved...if only he was the same at home!

But its not a 'naughty boy' name.

My dp is Alastair :)

I'm not keen on Dylan at all, sorry.

Alastair, on the other hand, is a lovely, elegant, classic underused name.

I love Dylan (mostly because it makes think of DT), but wouldn't use it with Thomas I'm afraid - I'm too much of a fan, so I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face every time I mentioned their names!

You've hit the nail on the head for why I don't like Alistair - dour middle-aged Scotsman for me... But you like it despite the fact you have the same associations, so if the Dylan Thomas link is too much for you go for Alistair.

I love Samuel but if your husband's vetoed it that's not much good.

Daniel? Combines the biblical associations of Samuel with the consonants of Dylan and the traditionalism of Alistair! And it's one of my favourites...

Ah thank you, you are all very speedy!
Minty I do also like the name Daniel, but that is DH's name so also out the window!

Eskino I shall look up RB's Under milk wood, was trying to think of good things to download for labour/hospital so that can go on the list!

Glad to hear Alistair has some positive votes!

Hmm, maybe a combo of the two. Alistair Dylan ...

If you're going to mostly call Thomas 'Tom' then Dylan would be ok? Doesn't sound like you are though..

Prefer Alastair to Dylan

I love love Alistair. I nannied for a lovely boy with this name many years ago and so I don't associate with middle aged men at all. Al or Ali would be a nice shortening, too. I often wish I'd chosen Alistair for my DS instead of his name as it's got so popular. I don't think Alistair will ever be too popular.

Alistair is nice. Dylan is a bit naff.

Short forms of Alistair: Al, Alex, Alec, Ali.

I love Alistair. It's my brother's name and rarely shortened. Some of his friends call him Al, he was occasionally Ali in jest as a small child.. but the family only call him by the full name.

Alistair Dylan is a nice combo. Not wild about Dylan as a first name.

Love Alistair, not keen on Dylan. Ali is a lovely nn too.

Alistair, however you spell it!

Def not Dylan. Concur it's a naughty boy name where I am. I work with teenage boys that give me stress and there are a lot of dylans, Jordan's, Liam's and Connors. They must have been the trendy names circa 1996.

I love alistair great name! Dylan of course is a lovely name but there are a lot of little boy Dylans about these days which would put me off a little if it was in my top 2 choice...

I love Alistair. It's quite unusual but still such a solid name. Dylan I am less keen on and if you have a Thomas already then personally I just wouldnt go there! I also love Samuel fwiw.

Alastair is lovely and not overused! I'm not keen on Dylan (perhaps because I know one who is quite naughty and not very nice).

I love Alistair, fab name. Also love Alexander, it's my brothers name so could never use it.

I have an Alasdair. He is 2 and I've never met any other small ones - and I'm in Scotland where it's not uncommon. He gets called Ali quite a lot.