Stephen - am I crazy to love this name?

[slothlike]

As the title says, I really like the name Stephen, possibly in part because of a really lovely person I used to know with that name. Not crazy about the nickname Steve, but I could cope with it - just wouldn't use it myself! DH is on board as well.

I haven't asked for anyone else's opinions on it (until now), but I just have this hunch that other people will react in a bit of a 'meh' way, as it's simultaneously fairly unoriginal and declining in popularity. What would you think if you heard the name Stephen being shouted across the playground? Too middle-aged-man sounding? (I don't really buy into the "It only matters if YOU love the name" line, because it's not ME who has to have the name for the rest of my life...!)

FWIW, other potential name candidates are Toby and Theodore.

don't see anything wrong with the name. I don't think I would have used it but not because I have anything against it, it just would not have occurred to me. I'd be surprised if it is a name people really hate tbh. I think I would group it together with names like Richard, Michael and John

I like it a lot, I know a lot of Stephens of my age, but I can imagine it on a small child too.

We considered Stefan for a boy, too.

I know a little Stephen, his nursery friends call him Stevie

I think it is a really nice name, a lot of names like that are considered 'old fashioned' but not in the same way as Bertie/William/Charlie which are so much more popular.

I grew up with lots of people called Stephen/Kevin/David/Richard etc but you hardly ever hear of babies being given those sort of names .

Lovely, timeless name.
Think hard if him being called Steve would bother you though, as it WILL happen.
Far nicer and less "of an era" that the other 2 you are thinking of.

I don't think anyone could object to Stephen or grow up hating it as their name. A lot of people growing up in the 80s did have this name, but so have people for hundreds even thousands of years.

It's not one of my favourites, but I don't think your question is about whether Mumsnetters would have it on their own list. It's not a name that makes you think "cute baby" but then that is probably good because he won't be a baby for ever- it is a much more suitable name for a grown man than a lot of the fashionable names!

Of your other two choices, I prefer Theodore to Toby - probably is more of a classic name. However, neither of these names was thought of yesterday either! Toby is quite trendy but that shouldn't be a problem in itself.

Ds1 is Steffan welsh for Stephen . We love his name it really suits him

It's my Dad's name, and ds2's middle name. I actually love it

It's better with the ph imo, not the v.

I really like Stephen.

Although I am really drawn to short names normally i really don't like Steve. It must be the 'v' because I don't like Dave either. Stevie is quite cute for a little boy though.

Ive got a Stephen, obviously i think its a lovely name he has never been a 'Steve' but often gets called 'Steph'.
He is a grown up London Firefighter now and I think the name suits him well.

It's a perfectly normal name. I know several, of all ages. The youngest is six. I find NNs are fairly easy to shut down if people don't want to be called by them, so just don't call him Steve.

It's a Paul/James/andrew/David kind of name. Timeless, completely inoffensive.

I prefer ph version. I think Steph is a good nickname. I read a good book about a male character called Steph.

Nothing wrong with it, it's a John/David/Robert kind of name.

I know lots of them, a few of them born on the 26th December.

My nephew's name. He was Stevie when he was little, which was quite cute. I really like it, obviously.

I like Stephen

I like the name Stephen with that spelling and I quite like Stevie as a nickname. My own RL name has a couple of nicknames but I always introduce myself by my proper name, and very rarely have I had it 'shortened' - except by family and close friends, which I take as a sign of affection

I really like it. That and Jonathan. Would have used Jonathan if we'd had a ds2 and it had gone with our surname. These kind of names are due a revival and they probably will have one in about 10 years!

I like it but then I love the John, David, Robert and Jonathan mentioned.

I like Stephanie too.

And much better than your other choices.

I like Stephen. Possibly because I know so many of them (born in 1970's).

Much prefer the ph version. Go for it!

I really like Jonathan too.

I really like it, and it was dh's top choice for a boy (we ended up with girls).

I don't think it sounds too middle aged - it's one of those names that's been around for centuries, so I don't think it would be too dated to an era.

But I think it's fairly likely that someone will try calling him Steve at some point. Stevie and Ste are also nn's I've come across.

I teach a 6y called Stephen. It isn't shortened to anything else as yet. Only one I have taught in past few years though and no others in school.

Of your other names - Theodore is pretty popular here - have two in this current year group, had a couple last year and one in Y1 and reception at moment. Everyone of them is shortened to Theo. There is one Toby in the infants at the moment, not very popular here so no others I cn think of in past years either.