Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Cai or Finn?

42 replies

casey101 · 19/12/2014 22:32

Hi guys
My son's middle name will be Christian.
Which do you think sounds nicer/ which do you like best and why:
Cai Christian or Finn Christian? Which do you like best on it's own and which best with the name Christian?
Thank you

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Hedgehogsbuzz1 · 19/12/2014 22:36

As a teacher I'd expect a Finn to be hardworking and well behaved. Id expect a Cai to be a cheeky chappy rough diamond with more detentions

casey101 · 19/12/2014 22:51

Thank you for your reply. Is either of the names more popular than the other? I know the name Kai is probably popular but I was looking at Cai as it is the Welsh spelling and we have Welsh roots- although living in England..I just wondered if Finn was becoming too popular (just Finn not Finley etc)?

OP posts:
casey101 · 19/12/2014 22:53

Also, as a teacher, do you think either one is more prone to teasing or are they both fairly well accepted?

OP posts:
Hedgehogsbuzz1 · 19/12/2014 23:01

I'm not sure which is more popular but I would be surprised if a child with either of these names got teased.

florascotia · 20/12/2014 11:27

OP If you want to check popularity, here are the official stats for England and Wales:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-318125

acharmofgoldfinches · 20/12/2014 12:11

Cai - best on its own and with Christian. Both lovely names though, but I doubt I'll get to use them as DH wants something else!

Takver · 20/12/2014 12:15

I'd definitely go for Cai, I like Finn but it is very popular atm.

loislines · 20/12/2014 12:25

Finn is nicer than Cai, I think and I'm not sure about the C C with Cai Christian.

ElphabaTheGreen · 20/12/2014 12:29

'Cai' may be Welsh spelling, but it is not a Welsh name Confused Applying the same logic, Finn would need to be spelled 'Ffin'.

Sorry, not keen at all on either name with Christian.

Sophronia · 20/12/2014 12:53

I like Finn Christian.

Takver · 20/12/2014 13:06

Elphaba, Cai is a commonly used name here (West Wales). As I understand it, the name is a variant of Kay as in Sir Kay from the Arthurian legends.

Off the top of my head, there's Cai Jones who used to be policy chief for Plaid Cymru, Cai Griffiths the rugby player (born in Bangor) - I don't think they'd be that pleased to have their name compared to a welshified version of Finn . . .

casey101 · 20/12/2014 18:13

Thanks everyone for all your replies so far. I'm new on here so don't know how to individually like posts/ replies!

OP posts:
ElphabaTheGreen · 20/12/2014 18:30

Well, I stand corrected on Cai Blush Apologies. It's not one I came across at all when I lived for many years in North West Wales.

OP - you can't individually like replies on MN. A return to say acknowledge responses is greatly appreciated though Smile

Noggie · 20/12/2014 18:32

Finn - or Flynn if you are looking for a less popular name?

casey101 · 20/12/2014 20:08

Thanks Elphaba sorry to be ignorant but what does a return to say acknowledge responses mean and how do I do it?? :)

OP posts:
ElphabaTheGreen · 20/12/2014 21:03

You've already done it in your post at 18:13 - you returned and thanked every body. Smile

OPs that ask for advice then never return to acknowledge the people who've bothered to respond are seen in a dim light in these parts. I always feel like posting a pointed, 'YOU'RE WELCOME...?' when OPs don't come back.

OnTheThursdayOfChristmas · 20/12/2014 21:09

In cornish Kai means dog.
For what it's worth.

casey101 · 20/12/2014 21:28

Ah thanks Elphaba. And to 'Thursday of Christmas' that's fine I think in Thai it means 'egg'! But it also has some nice meanings such as 'Ocean' (Hawaiian), Keeper of the Keys (Welsh), 'Pure' (swiss) and 'Fire' (Scottish). However, with the spelling Cai which is the one I'm interested in, it means 'happy' or 'rejoice'. Thanks again all so far.

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 20/12/2014 23:08

I prefer Cai

usualsuspect333 · 20/12/2014 23:12

I like them both. [no help]

I'm a bit Hmm about that comment from a teacher though.

Deerhound · 20/12/2014 23:23

Finn. No question

casey101 · 20/12/2014 23:39

Thanks guys. Alisvolat..why Cai and Deerhound why Finn do you think? :)

OP posts:
LeoandBoosmum · 20/12/2014 23:41

Finn. I know you don't want Finlay but Finlay Cai has a great ring to it and trips off the tongue nicely.

LeoandBoosmum · 20/12/2014 23:53

I don't like Cai as a first name at all. I can't get the fact Coleen Rooney called her eldest Kai. I'm not sure the name would carry well into adulthood either.
Finn is nice, a strong masculine name... Who cares if a name is popular? It's usually because it's a great name! I would not follow Cai or Finn with Christian as it sounds awkward. I wouldn't mind Cai as a middle name but would precede it with Finlay for he reason I stated, even if you shorten it for daily use.

Deerhound · 21/12/2014 06:10

I prefer Finn for pretty much the same reasons given by Leo above.

Personally I don't think it really matters whether the first a middle name "go together". No one except his parents will know what his middle name is anyway