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Baby names

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

Original poster

Long boys' names with fab nicknames

92 replies

ginzillas · 30/05/2015 08:49

We've found out that our bump is blue so I'm looking for boys' names.

Here's a list of my current faves. I like a long name with a short, cool nickname. DD (Marianne) is mainly known by a nickname.

Nathaniel (Nate) - but we can't use this as nephew has a very similar name, which is a shame as it's my fave
Zachary (Zac) - DH's favourite
Rafferty (Rafe/Raff) - I love this but is it getting very popular?
Jared (Jed) - wildcard
Gabriel (Gabe) - I like it but DH will never go for it

I also love Jude - just as it is.

Middle name will be Albert. Our surname is very common so I'd like a more unusual first name, which I think rules out Zachary.

Any inspiration much appreciated!

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OurGlass · 30/05/2015 08:52

Leonard - Lenny

Rivercam · 30/05/2015 08:54

Christopher - kit
Alexander - Xander, Alex
Jeremiah - Jed
Barnaby
Horatio
Randolph

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 08:56

Thank you. I quite like Jeremiah to get to Jed, although still prefer Jared, I think. Can't use Christopher as it's DH's name!

OP posts:
Dec1314mummy · 30/05/2015 08:57

Edison- Eddie

VixxFace · 30/05/2015 08:58

Sebastian Bash
Isaiah isa or zy

AuditAngel · 30/05/2015 09:02

We have Valentino, nn Tino (Tee-no)

If either of the girls had been a boy they would have been Francisco, Frankie for short

fustybritches · 30/05/2015 09:05

I know a Peregrine, nn Perry

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:06

Ooh, love Edison. Haven't heard of that before. Or Eddison?
I've also just realised how much I love Ted/Teddy - but I don't like Edward at all. Hhhmmm...
Also like Frank/Frankie but would probably use Franklyn rather than Francisco. That was on our list when we were expecting DD. That's going back on the list!

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PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 30/05/2015 09:11

You could have Theodore for Ted/Teddy.

Sebastian could be Seb.

stolemyusername · 30/05/2015 09:13

Zebedee - Zeb

Smallandboneyat42 · 30/05/2015 09:18

If you want Jed for a NN how about Gerard? Not a very commonly used name at all, but to me more of a proper name than Jared.

Smallandboneyat42 · 30/05/2015 09:18

Or how about Zephaniah, NN Zeph?

doublepotions · 30/05/2015 09:22

How about Albert for the first name, then you could use Albie or Bertie both great nicknames.

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:22

smallandboney Thanks for the suggestion of Gerard but I have a thing about full names and nicknames starting with the same letter. DD really identifies with the letter 'M' as her letter, if that makes sense.

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:24

doublepotions we did think about Albert as first but it's after DH's dad, who died a few years ago and he feels very strongly that DS should have his own identity and his own first name. Also, neither of us love it enough to be the first name. But I agree that it would be the perfect option in many ways!

OP posts:
Seriouslyffs · 30/05/2015 09:27

I was about to suggest Zeph and Nate.
The most random nn I know, but rather cool is Nacho..
from Ignacio
Grin

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:27

All this talk has sort of crystalised in my mind that I still really love Zachary and Rafferty. And I know that DH prefers those too as well. In everyone's experience, are they both very popular names? I seem to meet little boys called Zac everywhere, which is putting me off. And I've seen Rafferty criticised as a bit of a 'celeb wannabe' name but I really love it, regardless.

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:27

*those two, not too. Argh, baby brain.

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:28

seriously...Nacho? Ha! But I do love, love, love Nate.
Nephew is Nathan. It's too close isn't it? (sob)

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Smallandboneyat42 · 30/05/2015 09:31

I have an irrational hatred of Zachery, so I'd be suggesting Rafferty. Have to say I rather like it and have never met one. I also love the NN Rafe if it was me I'd just call him that, it's a name in its own right

singersgirl · 30/05/2015 09:34

I much prefer Raphael/Rafael/Rafaello as a long form of Raff or Rafe. Rafferty is one of those not quite names - a surname that has recently become popular and I'm more of a traditionalist. It also sounds a bit twee - like raffia and taffeta and raffish and tufty and Arrietty and made up adjectives like hoppity.

doublepotions · 30/05/2015 09:34

I don't think rafferty is that popular, I personally don't know any, if you love it you should go for it.

Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:56

I like Raphael too but we don't have any sort of Italian heritage at all so I think it may seem a bit pretentious. Although we don't have French heritage either and that didn't stop us choosing Marianne. We do however have Irish links so, in a way, Rafferty is the most apt!

I just think that Rafferty sounds like a happy name and I really like the nicknames Raff and Rafe. I would probably go for Zachary as I've liked it a long time but for the fact that it seems very very popular.

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Original poster
ginzillas · 30/05/2015 09:58

DH likes both Zachary and Rafferty and I think he'd let me choose once DS is here.

OP posts:
Archer26 · 30/05/2015 10:09

DS1 is Cameron but we often shorten it to Cam. We named him this knowing he'd be called Cam more than Cameron.

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