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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Baby boy name - Humphrey or Odhran

65 replies

swild · 11/09/2013 20:29

Help,

We cannot decide on baby boy name for DS who is now 7 days old! We are at polar opposites with me really liking Odhran and husband wanting Humphrey and thinking of a meet in the middle name of Aneurin.

Thoughts?

OP posts:

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lljkk · 12/09/2013 21:06

Sorry I am blanching at either. Humphrey is maybe ok.

CheshireDing · 12/09/2013 21:29

Neither, sorry.

Humphrey is you must (although sounds more like cats name).

I wouldn't know how to pronounce the other, or spell it if I just heard it. If I saw it on a CV I would probably think it was the name of a big Welsh guy

WeAreSeven · 12/09/2013 22:18

"Excuse me , but how do you pronounce your name?"
"It's Oran"
Problem solved!
Go for Odhran, I love it!
I do know a few, even here in Ireland who modify it to Oran which you could always do if you were worried about people being able to pronounce it.
Not keen on Humphrey, to be honest, or Aneurin.

Dominodonkey · 13/09/2013 00:25

Humphrey is absolutely awful.

Never heard of the other one so find it hard to have an opinion. If it is pronounced Oran as some suggest then think that sounds quite nice.

burberryqueen · 13/09/2013 00:33

Humphrey and Aneurin are both dreadful, sorry.
I did know an Oran, but honestly thought it was invented

RoadToTuapeka · 13/09/2013 02:58

I don't like any of them. Poor child if he ends up with one of those three names. Odhran is maybe the least awful if only because few people will take an adult Humphrey seriously.

Hooya · 13/09/2013 06:44

Like Humphrey and Aneurin though I don't actually know how to pronounce it, but nickname Nye is lovely. And a lovely history as it was the founder of the NHS I think?

If you like Odhran do it. I know enough people with unusual names who have to spell them, it's just not a big deal and starts a conversation about where they are from etc.

SelectAUserName · 13/09/2013 07:29

I know an Oran but he (or his parents, I suppose) spelled it Oran.

Even though there have been cool Humphreys such as Bogart and Lyttleton, my instinctive response to it is to laugh, and that's not great, is it?

Aneurin is okay but my phone wants to autocorrect to aneurism as well.

burberryqueen · 13/09/2013 07:52

I don't actually know how to pronounce it
A-nye-rin
i do not mean to be offensive but even in Wales this name seems to be restricted to the over 80s

Pachacuti · 13/09/2013 08:25

Names that are "restricted to the over 80s" are exactly the sort of names that are probably about to become huge for babies, though.

They are all fine -- Humphrey has grandfather chic, Odhran has Celtic chic and Aneurin has both . But they are very different and I don't know how you're going to decide.

ZolaBuddleia · 13/09/2013 08:42

Aneurin is my fave, but I think that might be because of Mr Barnard.

burberryqueen · 13/09/2013 08:51

Bevin?

SlightlyItchyBraStrap · 13/09/2013 10:04

They're all great, roll the dice!

TidyDancer · 13/09/2013 12:05

Eek sorry, I think Humphrey and Odhran are awful.

Aneurin (which my iPad wants to autocorrect to aneurism....) is marginally better, but is still not really very nice.

nurseneedshelp · 13/09/2013 12:14

Sorry think they're both awful. .....

IslaValargeone · 13/09/2013 12:19

Most people aren't going to say "Excuse me, but how do you pronounce your name"?
Most people are going to be like the posters here who don't know and take one look and think 'Odran' It's an awful name.

Artijoke · 13/09/2013 12:20

Love all three. Humphrey is probably my fav but I have to admit we weren't brave enough to use it.

rachel234 · 13/09/2013 13:49

I vote for Humphrey - classic, cool and easy to pronounce/spell. I also prefer Humphrey Aneurin compared to Odhran Aneurin. Congrats on your ds!!

WeAreSeven · 13/09/2013 15:49

I have a very Irish surname. Even Irish people who meet me ask how to pronounce it and if I don't know how to pronounce someone else's name I ask. I am not bothered about it, people only ever ask me once and then they get it right.
And if everyone stuck to the "no names that an English person might not be able to pronounce" ( and I do mean English, not Scottish or Welsh) then most people in the UK would be John or Mary and their would be no Siobháns, Niamhs, Eilidh's or Seáns or Cerys's.

elcranko · 13/09/2013 16:19

Love Odhran!

PoppadomPreach · 13/09/2013 16:25

I had a tortoise called Humphrey. He was never the "cool tortoise" and teased by the other tortoises. I felt very guilty about it and vowed never to use the name again. It is awful.

mathanxiety · 14/09/2013 04:44

Odhran would be my choice. I wouldn't inflict Humphrey on anyone.

It's a whim of your H's - maybe something to do with not yet being able to wrap his head around the new arrival - and he needs to get real. The name you choose has to last a real person all through his life.

Aneurin otoh is a lovely name (imo)

You wouldn't think of Aran? No way you could use Aneurin as a mn for that, or Odhran either really...

mathanxiety · 14/09/2013 04:47

Woops - you're not thinking of Aneurin as a mn -->
Choose Aneurin as the first name.

Alisvolatpropiis · 14/09/2013 12:21

Aneurin.

It's pronounced Ah-nay-rin though. Never been quite sure how Mr Bevan was nicknamed Nye. Aneurin Barnard is a young and very handsome actor

Then Odhran. As someone said up thread if people didn't know, just as I didn't until this thread, they can ask and be told.

Never Humphrey.

Alisvolatpropiis · 14/09/2013 12:23

I wouldn't worry about autocorrect changing things. It doesn't even capitalise Wales!

Also - first time I types Hermione on my phone it tried to change it to gremlins

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