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Baby names

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

Edward or Edmund

38 replies

emmaloulabelle · 04/11/2014 17:32

Which one?
Edward is more common, so less likely to provoke a strong reaction.
Edmund still gives us the same nickname options, but it's less popular. Would you snigger at it though?

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scurryfunge · 04/11/2014 17:35

DS has the second one as a middle name. Born in BSE but we do get some Blackadder comments.

lornemalvo · 04/11/2014 17:37

Makes me think of Mansfield Park. Every time I read it I think how much nicer Edward is.

Takver · 04/11/2014 17:43

Of the two, I'd choose Edmund - but I like Edgar even more :)

Takver · 04/11/2014 17:43

I would think of Mansfield Park / Narnia, rather than Blackadder . . .

ThursdayLast · 04/11/2014 17:44

Edmund - Ned gets the thumbs up from me

squoosh · 04/11/2014 17:56

Edward is the superior name.

Edmund reminds me of that awful drip from Mansfield Park. Also I think the 'mund' part of Edmund feels and sounds terribly prim.

BiancaDelRio · 04/11/2014 17:57

Edward is a great name.

Edmund is....um.....not.

nowitscleanugobshite · 04/11/2014 18:01

Edmund is the name of the racing driver, Eddie Irvine. That's enough association to put me right off!!!

myotherusernameisbetter · 04/11/2014 18:34

Ah, I was coming to say Edgar too Takver!

emmaloulabelle · 05/11/2014 06:44

Looks like Edward is the winner. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
Choccyhobnob · 05/11/2014 14:03

Edmund does make me think of Blackadder, and the pain in the butt from the Lion, Witch & Wardrobe...

I like Edward

elotrolado · 05/11/2014 20:26

Agree with the Mansfield Park sap - Edward just sounds so much nicer Smile

Poofus · 05/11/2014 20:27

Not Edmund.

GertrudeBell · 05/11/2014 20:35

Have you considered Edwin?

DramaAlpaca · 05/11/2014 20:38

Edward.

VioletVelvet · 05/11/2014 20:42

Edward, definitely.

Bowlersarm · 05/11/2014 20:42

Edward.

in2theblues · 05/11/2014 20:49

Edgar (g for good) a gentle, deep soul with the best interests of everyone in his heart.

Edmund (m for malevolent) a bitter, revengeful beast, branded as a bastard but irresistible to Lear's corrupt daughters.

All of the above were products of Shakespeare's genius.

WhiteHairReally · 06/11/2014 00:40

I need to redress the balance. I have an Edmund! He's 'old' by MN standards - 18 (outing herself)

When he was born, the vicar said, 'Ah, Edmund, King and Martyr' and the curate (a bit of a thesp) said, 'God stand up for bastards!'

When he was little, only our lovely GP used to refer to him, affectionately I like to think as 'Little Blackadder'.

Edmund in 'King Lear' is far more exciting and frankly sexy than wishy washy Edgar. Edmund in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' makes a journey and turns out good in the end - far more interesting than Peter anyway.

Our Edmund was supposed to be nnamed 'Ned', but we forgot to call him that. At school, he became 'Ed' anyway so he was indistinguishable from all the 'Eds' who were actually 'Edwards'. He likes his name and being a bit different from the crowd. Its a name that definitely fulfills the MN criteria of being a 'proper name' but well outside the top 100.

I still love the name, by the way. Can you tell?

And virtually everyone is a wimp in 'Mansfield Park', except for those naughty Crawfords, and the elder brother.

Takver · 06/11/2014 09:55

I like Mansfield Park, and Edmund! Frankly, if you were picking an Austen man to marry, I reckon he'd be a much better bet in terms of doing the 18thC equivalent of his share of the housework & childcare. Darcy, for example, would be too busy swanning around looking cool to notice if one of the dc's noses needed wiping or to help solve the problem if the nursemaid gave notice unexpectedly.

emmaloulabelle · 06/11/2014 20:20

Thanks WhiteHairReally!
Edgar makes me think eggy...
I'm considering Edwin, I'm just not sure yet.

OP posts:
MrSheen · 06/11/2014 20:28

I can't get past The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe. He was a wee shit.

ScreamEggsAndHam · 06/11/2014 23:14

Definitely Edward. Smile

EugenesAxe · 07/11/2014 00:10

I always liked Edmund the Wee Shit and the Drip, personally. And I like the name, but probably as much as I like Edward TBH, so not much help.

I've never really decided which Biblical character (if any) Edmund might be supposed to represent; maybe Saul/Paul. After his experience he becomes all wise and indeed his description is 'The Just'; I'm sure he says something very comforting about how repentant traitors can be saved to someone feeling bad in a later book. Eustace, perhaps. He wasn't such a nasty character then.

SnoringNorma · 07/11/2014 01:52

I love Edwin. Probably because it's my dad's name!