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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

We really love the name Baxter

117 replies

Mawgatron · 17/02/2013 10:22

But have stupidly told people who keep trying to convince us otherwise.
We said we loved it before we were even trying for a baby (watched the Ian drury film and when we heard he had named his son that we both thought it was a brilliant and unusual name), and now we are 5 months pregnant we are starting to doubt ourselves. Everyone keeps saying 'its a dogs name' or 'that's a soup'.
But we still love it! Should we stick to our guns or cave to pressure?
He would be Baxter Sturge if that helps your judgement in any way?

OP posts:

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FannyPriceless · 17/02/2013 10:25

Sorry... dog's name. And Baxter Sturge sounds like a public infrastructure consultancy firm...

AmandaPayne · 17/02/2013 10:27

If you love it, go for it. It does make me think of a soup and I'm not a fan of 'surname as first name' stuff anyway.

I think the thing is, not everyone will like a name you like. Just like not everyone will like the same music, or the same food. But in our society it can feel like you need to have everyone like it. And if they don't, it can feel like a judgement on you/your child as a person. It's not, it's just different tastes. I don't like it as a name, you do. You'd probably hate the names of my children. I like to eat hot curry, maybe you can think of nothing more disgusting. Such is the beauty and diversity of life.

And when you know a Baxter, that's just them. You don't stop and think about someone's name on a daily basis. Maybe for a moment when you first meet them. Or if it is something totally daft like MoonUnit. But other than that, it just becomes them.

I think you are far more likely to regret not using a name you love than you are going with it. And you can always give a very straightforward traditional name in the middle as back up.

lesserspottedshitehawk · 17/02/2013 10:27

I'm sorry. I really am. But

ImpatientOne · 17/02/2013 10:30

It's soup

And I think people would forever be saying 'Dexter?'

DomesticCEO · 17/02/2013 10:30

Soup

And I don't buy this "if you love it go for it" stuff either - it's not you that's saddled with an awful name!

YippeeTeenager · 17/02/2013 10:30

We know a lovely Baxter. It is unusual and the first time you hear it you think, that's a new one! But then they just become a lovely Baxter and you couldn't imagine them as anything else. Go for it if you like it

HDee · 17/02/2013 10:32

I know a Baxter. He and his brothers all have unusual names. Not my choice, but they are an amazing family.

BeQuicksieorBeDead · 17/02/2013 10:33

I think Baxter is a brilliant name!

zookeeper · 17/02/2013 10:34

it's awful. Great for a dog though.

AmandaPayne · 17/02/2013 10:49

DomesticCEO - But that's my point.You think it is awful. The OP and plenty of other people won't. And as others have pointed out, you get used to people having the name they have.

If everyone went with MN approved names, the world would be bloody dull. People have said horrid things (and lovely ones) about DD2's name. I love it, I don't care. I don't think it will hold her back in life, and I don't think Baxter is going to damage someone's life chances. It's not like being called Rainbow CareBear or something.

Original poster

Mawgatron · 17/02/2013 11:09

I think I am biased because I have a weird name, never met anyone else with it. I used to hate it when I was a kid, but now I love it.
Think Baxter is a bit of a marmite name, but I wish we hadn't told anyone because then he would have popped out, been called Baxter and everyone would have to pretend to like it anyway.
I really don't want to end up regretting not giving him the name we love, but we both have a little niggling doubt now...

OP posts:

AlmondFrangipani · 17/02/2013 12:02

Hi,

It is my Mum's dog's name! Not that I dont like it but like others my initial association is with dogs!

I feel your pain though as we like unusual names too and you will always divide opinion!

saycheeeeeese · 17/02/2013 12:05

Reminds me of Anchorman :o

sw11mumofone · 17/02/2013 12:09

You still have four months to think about it. I went round in circles a few months ago trying to figure out names for DC due soon. In the end I decided to write a list of options and then forget about it for a while.
Why don't you come up with some alternatives and then give yourself a month or two off from thinking about it. Coming back in a couple of months with fresh perspective might help. Try not to think about other people's opinions. If you read lots of the threads on here you're in the minority because both you and your DH love the same name! That's a bonus!!

PhyllisDoris · 17/02/2013 12:17

Baxter Sturge is truly awful, sorry

Is Sturge the surname? If it is, there's not much you can do about that, but there are so many lovely first names available, why lumber the lad with a made up name/surname Which he's forever going to have to spell and explain?

If Sturge is going to be the middle name, then why don't you replace either that or Baxter with a more normal name, to allow DS the choice when he's older?

PuffPants · 17/02/2013 12:25

You have to be joking? Poor child. Don't do it OP, he won't thank you for naming him after a brand of noodles.

curiousgeorgie · 17/02/2013 12:47

I really like it... Surnames as first names sometimes sound odd at first but once they're attached to a child people just accept them.

It's very cute actually!

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 17/02/2013 12:53

I know a lovely, soppy lab named Baxter. How will you feel when it's shortened to Bax?

Original poster

Mawgatron · 17/02/2013 13:16

Sturge is our surname I'm afraid. Isn't there only one way to spell Baxter?

OP posts:

CityDweller · 17/02/2013 13:31

I rather like it! It's unusual, has a cool factor to it without being too 'hipster' or 'try hard' and he'd definitely not be one of five in his year at school. I don't really think of the soup (or a dog), but I don't buy tinned soup (or have a dog)!

We too have a relatively divisive name at top of our boys' list. I mentioned it in passing months and months ago when we were first thinking of names, and it didn't seem to go down hugely well with friends and family. But, we love it and we love what it shortens to and my policy (since I've been about 6 months pregnant) is not to share any of our name ideas with anyone. As you're experiencing, people feel free to bash a name before baby is born, but if you just go ahead and name the baby then people tend to be more accepting...

Branleuse · 17/02/2013 13:33

i love it

i know someone who called their baby this very recently and i remember thinking how cool it was

spiderlight · 17/02/2013 13:37

I rather like it!

ENormaSnob · 17/02/2013 13:38

Not my cup of tea and I don't think it sounds great with your surname tbh.

But, it's not my baby and the world would be very boring if we all liked the same

NotADragonOfSoup · 17/02/2013 13:39

I don't buy this "if you love it go for it" stuff either - it's not you that's saddled with an awful name!

I agree with this. Having grown up with an awful name myself.

Baxter isn't awful but it doesn't go with your surname at all. I think it's the "ster" sound at the end of Baxter and the start of Sturge.

TheSecondComing · 17/02/2013 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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