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Baby names

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

Original poster

Peter

31 replies

Lady84 · 05/05/2015 12:57

Considering Peter for a boy - have strong family reasons to chose it and I love it on a boy/teenager/adult but I can't quite see myself introducing a baby as Peter! To me it seems like a name you need to grow into - am I being silly?

Are there any cute nicknames? Pete is fine for a teenager but again I can't imagine a baby Pete!

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squoosh · 05/05/2015 13:05

I know two baby Peters. The name suits them fine.

Sophronia · 05/05/2015 13:32

I love Peter and would like to see it used more often. I don't think it needs a nickname, but Petey could be an option.

AuntieStella · 05/05/2015 13:37

It's dropped out of use in part, I think, because Horrid Henry's brother is Perfect Peter.

I think it's a lovely name.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 05/05/2015 13:39

It's a classic name, will never go out of fashion and you have family reasons for choosing it (a bit like HRH Charlotte Smile)

Go for it!

Original poster
Lady84 · 05/05/2015 14:03

You don't think it is already out of fashion then? I don't really know any children called it...

OP posts:
squoosh · 05/05/2015 14:08

It's fairly out of fashion but that's what makes it sound nice and fresh.

I think it's just a fluke I know two baby Peters, I think they were also named after family members.

fionadal · 05/05/2015 14:09

Lovely name, and very few around. As someone said above, that will make it sound nice and fresh in the toddler groups/school playground.

FreezerBird · 05/05/2015 14:12

My DF was Peter, and in a group where there were two other Peters, he was known as Pip, which I think is a lovely nickname.

(He was the third Peter to join the group, so Peter and Pete were taken!)

BikeRunSki · 05/05/2015 14:12

Great name. Is dS's middle name for family reasons. Would have been his first name except we still have so many living Peters in the family it would have been very confusing! Ds is 6.5.

I also know a 3 yo Peter.

sweetpeame · 05/05/2015 14:22

I have the same concern about one of our possible/likely names for DS which is Conrad. I think it sounds great for a boy and man but very serious for a baby! But as DH says all babies grow into men...! I'm trying to get past it by focusing on the fact that he will only be a baby for a very short part of his life. So giving you the same advice... If you like it, use it!

AndWhenYouGetThere · 05/05/2015 14:23

It doesn't sound "dated" to me, because it was never crazily popular.

It's a great name for a baby!

Original poster
Lady84 · 05/05/2015 14:27

Oh Pip is v cute. I didn't realise it could be short for something other than Philip. (Philip does not work with our surname otherwise its nice)

Thanks sweetpeame I am trying to get my head round thinking that way! I agree Conrad is similar - hard to imagine on a baby but great later.

OP posts:
TaurielTest · 05/05/2015 14:49

I am biased (it's DS1's name). Perkin and Perry are also short for Peter, though we only call him those as a joke :)

TaurielTest · 05/05/2015 14:55

One of the reasons I love is that it's common (in the sense of goes back hundreds of years, is widely recognised, "classic", has versions in all European languages) and at the same time unusual (was well outside the top 100 boys names at least when we chose it for DS1). There are no other Peters in his class, nor in the entire school I don't think.

ChrisQuean · 05/05/2015 16:06

I know two young Peters in different parts of the country. It's a lovely name. It's a very well known name, so no mis-spelling or bad pronunciation risks, but it's not common so you're unlikely to meet many other little Peters. It doesn't "date" you to a particular era either Classic .

Guin1 · 05/05/2015 17:26

It's a great name for all the reasons given upthread. It would have been on my list of boy's names, except that it is DH's name. Most of his friends call him Pete, but his Dad calls him Pip.

DramaAlpaca · 05/05/2015 17:27

I really love it, it's a good name.

shakemysilliesout · 05/05/2015 17:39

Love it!!

Original poster
Lady84 · 05/05/2015 19:33

So pleased there isn't a single negative comment! I was worried people would think it was boring. Thanks I feel much happier!

OP posts:
Allthatnonsense · 05/05/2015 21:05

Peter is a great name. Maybe Petie for a little boy?

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 05/05/2015 22:17

Great. I know a little Peter, named after his grandfather. Smile

Willdoitinaminute · 05/05/2015 22:36

We have a Peter chosen for family reasons. I wasn't sure at first but I know a number of Peters from my generation who were all laid back personalities. DS is and has always been laid back, so in my mind it was a good choice. I have also noticed that many of the George's I know are laid back.
DS is mostly Pete.
We have a Pip in the family, named because her older sister thought she looked like an apple pip on the first scan. She ended up with Phillipa as her middle name as a result. Pip wanted to call her younger sister Crunchie since that was her favourite chocolate bar! And insists on being called Pip at school since it is easier to spell than her actual name.

BackforGood · 05/05/2015 22:41

I too think it's a lovely name.
It's never been a popular 'craze' name, never "really in fashion" and therefore, never really goes away completely as sounding 'out of fashion'.
Peter suits all ages. Smile

ZombieZoo · 05/05/2015 22:52

Lovely name. Met a baby peter recently.
Can't think of any NN but you don't need one

Effic · 05/05/2015 22:57

Love it and Peter is great for a baby IMO. I agree Pete is more teenager/adult and I really like it too. It's not common these days - can't think of one in my DS school/circle of friends but I think it great.

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