Name associations

[BeginnerNameologist]

Hello :) Starting to think about names for baby due in March. Below is our list so far - which of them make you think "eww, no"? Which might people think are chavvy/pretentious/boring?

Sebastian
Samuel
Caspian
Quentin
Linus
Calvin
Charles
Alexander
Toby
Albert
Samson

Lauren
Rebecca
Felicity
Tamsin
Beatrice
Charlotte
Sabrina
Beatrix
Rachel
Teresa
Faith

Thanks for any help you can offer :)

I don't dislike any of your girls' names. I love Lauren, but think it might be a bit dated now. My favourites would be Faith and Charlotte.

On the boys' list, I would shudder at Caspian, Quentin, Linus, Calvin and Samson. Not keen on Charles, Toby or Albert. Like Samuel and Alexander.

Sebastian - ok, not as poncy as it used to be (IYSWIM£
Samuel - lovely, timeless
Caspian - sea? Prince!
Quentin - Crisp
Linus - (wet) blanket character from Snoopy
Calvin - and Hobbes (or the Christian reformer, rather dour)
Charles - fine, classic
Alexander - lovely
Toby - ok, but jugs
Albert - fine (as long as surname is not Prince)
Samson - and Delilah, only for families where boys are invariably sturdy

Lauren - like, Bacall?
Rebecca - ok
Felicity - ok
Tamsin -ok
Beatrice - ok
Charlotte - lovely, classic
Sabrina - like, one of Charlie's Angels (also teenage witch)
Beatrix - lovely
Rachel - ok, bit dull
Teresa - prefer spelled Theresa
Faith - but dull/worthy

I like Lauren and Sam, just Sam on bc

My favourites are
Sebastian
Quentin
Alexander
and
Teresa
Charlotte
Beatrice
All lovely clasdic names.

But to answer your 'associations' question:
Sebastian - Coe
Quentin - Tarantino or Blake
Calvin - Klein
Alexander - Armstrong
Samuel - bible
Beatrice - Potter
Charlotte - Church
Teresa- ?
Lauren - Bacall

But don't forget that these associations change quickly once people meet a real life person with these names.

But don't forget that these associations change quickly once people meet a real life person with these names
This is so true.

Sebastian and Samuel and Felicity and Faith are the most interesting (to me) from your lists.

Sebastian - long, don't like seb
Samuel - nice classic though popular
Caspian - 'cas' names too trendy for me
Quentin - Crisp
Linus - meh
Calvin - more cartoon strip inspiration
Charles - dull as is Charlie (sorry)
Alexander - see charles
Toby - nice
Albert - heading for super trendy
Samson - dog name

Lauren - common, not in a good way, and a bit dated
Rebecca - dull and nick names awful: Becky, Becks
Felicity - nice
Tamsin - Tammy? No
Beatrice - classic
Charlotte - nice though popular
Sabrina - trashy
Beatrix - like Beatrice but more unusual classic
Rachel - dull and dated
Teresa - nice if Tess nick name
Faith - dated and a bit rough around the edges

Not only do old associations vanish once you meet a real person, but our kids' associations will be very different to ours.

For example, the won't think Peanuts when they hear Linus, they won't find Rachel dated and they'll think Tarantino (and not crisp) when they hear Quentin. I therefore wouldn't worry too much about these 'associations'.

They're all great names, some are starting to become a little overused but most are lovely! I wouldn't worry too much about 'old' associations either but if you insist, here are mine:

Sebastian - nice but don't like nicknames Seb(acious) or Basty (bastard)
Samuel - a little boring, especially nickname Sam
Caspian - like and Prince Caspian is a nice assocations
Quentin - cool, thinking Quentin Blake or Tarantino
Linus - cool, no associations really.
Calvin - ok, a little too calvinistic
Charles - a little boring, especially Charlie
Alexander - ok, again Alex a little boring
Toby - don't like
Albert - like, but don't like Albie. Albert Einstein comes to mind
Samson - nice but might end up as Sam

Lauren - like and think Bacall
Rebecca - lovely, no associations
Felicity - beautiful name, think happy (latin)
Tamsin - ok, not that feminine
Beatrice - lovely, think Potter
Charlotte - ok, but don't like Charlie or Lottie
Sabrina - nice, reminds me of a witch
Beatrix - prefer Beatrice
Rachel - nice classic, underused
Teresa- beautiful, think Mother Theresa
Faith - nice, good meaning

I like Sebastian, Quentin, Toby and Calvin. Agree that Sam, Albie and Charlie are becoming a little overused/popular.
From your girls list, my favourites are Rebecca, Charlotte and Beatrice, but they're all good classic, not too popular, names.

Sebastian - the little mermaid
Samuel - nice, classic, popular
Caspian - narnia
Quentin - Blake
Linus - lino
Calvin - Klein
Charles - the prince or the king spaniel!
Alexander - great
Toby - bit wet (but only because the only Toby I've met was)
Albert - v+a! Quite like it
Samson - quite like this. Have met 2 pets called Samson though

Lauren - nice but a bit dated perhaps?
Rebecca - classic
Felicity - great, classy and with nice nickname potential
Tamsin - outhwaite
Beatrice - no strong opinions or associations for me
Charlotte - popular but nice
Sabrina - fantastic - Sabrina Fair!
Beatrix - Potter
Rachel - Green
Teresa - Mother
Faith - religion

Sebastian - Like it but not keen on nn Seb
Samuel - Love it
Caspian - Don't like it, Caspar and Cassius are nice though
Quentin - Don't like it
Linus - Don't like it
Calvin - Don't like it
Charles - It's okay, I like Charlie
Alexander - Love it
Toby - Like it
Albert - Don't like it
Samson - Not too keen but I like the nn Sam

Lauren - Know loads my age but no babies, nice name
Rebecca - It's okay, a bit dull
Felicity - Don't like it, too princessy
Tamsin - Don't like it
Beatrice - Nice
Charlotte - Lovely name and I love the nn Lottie, plus it's a classic
Sabrina - Chavvy
Beatrix - Hate it spelt this way, Beatrice is so much nicer
Rachel - Lovely name, haven't heard it for a baby in years but it's not one of those awfully dated names
Teresa - Don't like it
Faith - Nice

Overall my favourites would be Samuel and Alexander for boys and Charlotte and Faith for girls. :)

Sebastian- I love this name, but unfortunately know a lot of horrid Sebastians
Samuel- A bit dull, but nice.
Caspian- Love it, but makes me think of the Narnia books
Quentin- Awfully camp interior designer.
Linus- Linoleum.
Calvin- Klein.
Alexander- Another one that's a bit dull.
Toby- I have an irrational dislike of Toby.
Albert- Very much like, also reminded of Einstein.
Samson- A Regina Spektor song. Don't like Sam.

Lauren- Someone born in the 80s or 90s.
Rebecca- Boring with bad nicknames.
Felicity- Lovely.
Tamsin- Works in a fish and chip shop and chews gum with with her mouth open.
Beatrice- Princess.
Sabrina- Teenage witch.
Beatrix- Potter.
Rachel- Parents couldn't spell Rachael.
Teresa- Mother.
Faith- Please no.

Quentin, Linus, Calvin and Sabrina I think are all v dodgy for many reasons! The other names all v nice. Of course this is very much a personal thing, but remember to check how the initials look and how it rhymes with the baby's sir name too! Like Beatrice a lot. Arthur my third fav boys name after the two names we chose for our baby twin boys recenly. Couldnt have Arthur as would have looked naff with our sir name! Elizabeth (Libby/Betty/Betsy) and Margaret (Maggie) were are fav girls names - old fashioned I know but have stood the test of time. My bf's daughter is Edith - love this too!. Good luck with the bubba! (Wonder if he/she knows they are already the subject of a MN chat!!)

Sebastian, Samuel, Alexander, Toby - All nice, regular names, wouldn't think anything in particular.

Caspian, Quentin, Linus, Charles, Albert - Would make me think you were posh

Samson - probably make a face but can't put my finger on why!

Calvin - is borderline normal/borderline Samson.

None of your girls names evoke as strong reactions as the boys names but I think

Lauren, Rebecca, Rachel and Teresa seem mildly 'old skool/90's'

Felicity, Tamsin, Beatrice, Beatrix - mildly posh

Charlotte and Faith I probably wouldn't bat an eyelid

Sabrina I'm not sure about.

I actively like Lauren, Felicity and Rachel ,and actively dislike Beatrice, Beatrix and Sabrina.

To me your boys names list screams "I must pick something which nobody my age would ever have been called" (with the exception of Charles and Alexander). I only know trendy tots with those names. Give it twenty years and they'll all be massively dated as trends swing round again.

Sebastian
Samuel
Charles
Alexander
Toby
Albert

Beatrice
Charlotte

These are the only names I like.

Beatrice is our current name for DD due in January, only found it a few days ago and am completely in love it with.

Charlotte was on our list when we had DS (team yellow) but we went off it this time.

To be honest I don't love any of your boys names. We didn't have any boy names this time round though,

I like in particular

Samuel
Quentin
Calvin
Alexander

Felicity
Beatrice
Charlotte
Teresa

I wouldn't worry too much about 'outdated' associations as kids make any name their own in my experience.

I find Sebastian much posher sounding than Quentin (think Tarantino, not exacely posh!) and know quite a few little very normal non-posh Alberts, Charles's, Quentins and a Cassius (not Cassian though).

Interesting how different peoples' associations differ - for that reason alone I'd just choose a name you like and let people associate his/her name with him/her!

My favourites from your lists are
Sebastian (although not so keen on nicknames and perhaps too long on its own?)
Quentin - love this, very cool.
Linus - interesting underused name
Alexander - classic but perhaps Alex is a little too popular and unisex
Beatrice - love this, elegant.
Charlotte - classic name although Lottie quite popular
Felicity - love this.

I wouldn't say "ewww no" to any of them, and wouldn't consider any of them chavvy or pretentious. Alexander, Charles and Charlotte, maybe a bit boring? My favourites are Linus, Toby, Tamsin and Teresa.