Wilberforce

[Fartbaby]

We have decided to call this baby Wilberforce if it is a boy. We absolutely love it, as do my family and my best friend. I haven't told anyone else as I know for a fact lots of people would be horrified by the name. We will be almost exclusively calling him Wilbur due to the aforementioned probability of loathing for the full name, so my question is: is there any point to putting Wilberforce on the birth certificate?

I know it sounds as if I don't have the courage of my convictions regarding the name Wilberforce and that makes me a little sad, too, as I absolutely love it. Would you introduce your baby as Wilberforce if you were me or would you pretend he is simply Wilbur?

Oh blimey, I sound like an idiot

Queenie, despite ending in ie, is the exception to the rule. A grown man called Alfie/Frankie/Albie just sounds a tad feeble.

Now I think you have hairy knuckles.

Well, let me enlighten you: There are some monstrous mothers, somewhere across this land, who have seen fit to name their babies The on and Khaleesi, after the GoT characters. Those names are going to become quite unremarkable, you'll see..

Gosh vix, ya think!??

OP just call them Cuntingdon and Ballsac and have done with it.

And you're doing posh wrong, it's coming over all forced

*Theon

There's no love for the Game of Thrones names here I'm afraid. Past threads would show that. We'd probably tell you that Wilber/Wilbur/Wilburforce would date badly after being catapulted into trendiness thanks to GoT.

And the only name I can think of from the cooking comp programme is Mary, or Sue.

Wilberforce was the worst name you could think of really wasn't it It's not the worst name I've ever seen here, by the way, but certainly one of the silliest.

Ballsack without a 'k'??

Without a k is eeeuuuunique and exo'ic!

My 20 wk scan is next Thursday and I can tell you this: I am desperate for this baby to be a boy, such is my love of the name Wilbur

Reuset, what is the worst name you have seen on here?

As a former teacher who finds kids rather predictable, and can probably pre-guess the nicknames that will result from any name... let me be the first to break it to you: 'Purdey' will lead to lots of 'pussy' jokes.

Don't kid yourself it won't OP.

And although you fantasise you will have brave, bold, strong children (how could you not, after all?) - truth is, your kids can turn out with any kind of character. I have 5 kids and they're all wildly different to eachother and to me. Two are utter throwbacks to grandads, and nothing like me or their dad.

Your Willbur or Purdey might be a total wilting violet.

This is all becoming a little boring. 'Wilbur's great! He'll rock it'; 'Ugh. It's the fucking pits. Are you stupid/mad/deluded?'; 'Oh, you think you're so posh'.

Who cares about teasing over names? What really matters is that my child doesn't become obese and that he is kind and well educated.

Well fuck off then.

Oh and have another to take with you

...Oh, and that he isn't one of five siblings having to vie for attention for the rest of his life.

Well I like Wilberforce and don't think Wilbur is awful.

Unlike comments from both sides of the argument here.

Incidentally there were 41 boys named Wilbur in 2014... it won't be hugely out of place with peers named Arthur and Alfred.

Hate wilber but live wilberforce and Willoughby

Has Samantha Brick got kids then?

We joked about this name EVERY time I was pregnant.
I wish you were joking too!
It's a handle and a half.

Meh! I think if your kid is going to be bullied, they'll be bullied, whether they are Wilberforce or Edward. Mean children will find a reason.

Naming is a lot more diverse than it was even 20 years ago so unusual names aren't so unusual iyswim. I think Wilberforce is fabulous, Wilbur is lovely and not all that out-there (I know 3 under 6) and Will is a lovely classic shortening if they want something tradition. Purdy is very cute too. Use the names you like OP, even if people don't like them initially they will get used to them and they will suit your children.

What about Gaylord or Endeavour? If DD had been a boy we would have gone for one of these. Alas we ended up with Malificent.

Leave the thread if you don't like the discussion around the name. The sad fact of the matter is that OPs are only ever just prompts for whatever social discussion may emerge from the topics that surround it.

This is what the name Wilberforce has prompted - a discussion on the appropriateness of ostentatious names on real people, in different social sectors.