Keir?

[longestlurkerever]

I really like the way this name sounds but I am not sure what image it conjours up. I am going for strong and classic like Keir Hardie and Keir Starmer but does it sound more like a recently coined name like Kai and Kayden?

Also, does it matter that it sounds like Kir Royale and is the same name as the private company who collect the bins where I live? Am hoping that latter is boring enough that people won't have noticed, but am not sure!

Honest opinions welcomed - will an uphill battle to persuade dh anyway so is definitely not settled. An alternative we both like is James but that might be a bit boring.

It would be to go with a long and complicated surname and a sister Anna.

Love it (and Hardie and Starmer). Only jealous that I didn't think of it for DS...

Love it (and Hardie and Starmer). Only jealous that I didn't think of it for DS...

Love it - wanted to use it for DS but dp was [hmmm], he thinks its a bit 'posh lefty' for where we live

I really like it, until I bought a Kia car and now cant de-link the two words.

I do like left wing names though, Fabian, Aneurin (Nye) and Leo have all been considered.

It's a good strong name, classic but not common. The bin thing could put me off, though!

I had it on my list but was vetoed by DH on the grounds everyone will think of the cars

Oh Kia cars, hadn't even thought of those! May hide this thread from dh.

But even in an English accent it's just 'keeer' isn't it? I don't think people would hear 'Kia'.

I may be wrong of course.

I like it a lot but the spelling issues wwill be a total PITA for him when he gets older.

Kieran but Kier for short?

I think he'd be called "royale" at school but until your post I'd never heard the name so what do I know . Are you in Scotland?

To me it just sounds like a nickname rather than a full name. I don't pronounce the 'r' at the end of words so I would say it as 'Kia'.

But Kia is pronounced ki-a and kier is pronounced ki-er?

Don't understand the issue

do it do it

Agree that the pronounciation is different.

Car = Key-ah

Keir = Keer or Kee-yer

And it's not a nickname. It's a long-established variation of the surname 'Kerr' which orginally came from Old Norse. (Vikings in Scotland etc).

The 'r' is an essential part of the name, not an optional extra, unless you really can't pronounce 'r' in any way, shape or form.

Personally, I love it. But, the people I know called Keir have been middle class lefties, so perhaps that has influenced my impression of the name.

We considered it when I was expecting 8 years ago now. I also considered Kai (after the philosopher Kai Nielsen and pre Kai Rooney). I think both are great names. In the end we didn't use either as we had a girl. She has got a K name, but it is MN approved .

My favourites were Keir or Kerr, OH wanted Ciaran.

We have a Ciar - not sure if that helps?

Ciaran is from a different route history wise than Keir and means little dark one. As we didn't think he would be little we took the "an" of.

So, we sort of both got our choice. :)

I think Keir is a lovely name that's actually quite refreshing to hear - I've only come across one Keir. It's silly to dislike a letter and in my opinions a lot of K-hating is pure snobbery.

I think it's ok but I prefer James, especially with Anna.

Personally I think it is lovely. I really liked the name Kerr when I had a DS but I was told it was pronounced Care, if I knew Keir I would have used it as lovely. Plus it's stupid to write off all names beginning with a K,

OP, sorry to derail you a bit earlier with my contribution about my Kia car, it's just in my accent (Welsh) they do sound very similar. That said it's still a great name and if you both like it then go for it. We're having a boy too and I find boys names far harder than girls names so to find one you like is good news I think.

I love the name Keir but every time I mention it my sister says "Keir the queer" and insists this is what my (fictional) son would be called at school!

Basically what bump said. (Also Welsh)

I thought the 'K-name' problem was when 'K' was used for no good reason* on a name that would traditionally begin with a 'C', like Kallum or Krystal or Klare?

I understand people objecting to that, as with any 'yooneek' spelling, but I think all the K-hate is throwing the Kezia-baby out with the Kasey-bathwater.

• The only good reason I can think of is when English people struggled to pronounce the original spelling in another language e.g. Ciara/Keira, Cillian/Killian. I prefer the Irish originals, but these spellings are well established, and make more phonetic sense in English. I am Irish.

I have reread my comment and realised it sounds quite harsh towards people who do change a 'C' to a 'K'. I didn't mean it to.

It is not to my taste, but it's not my business.

Also, some 'C' names originally began with 'K' e.g. the Kardashian spelling of Khloe is a more accurate transliteration of the Greek original. It's not pronounced in the Greek fashion with either spelling, though.

I love it. Did make me think of Keir Hardy

I like Keir. I used to know a boy at university back in the 90s with that name. He was very handsome and charming.