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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Aidan, Ryan or Liam? Final choices..

33 replies

Cheburashka · 04/09/2015 10:42

Hi all

Desperately need help with a name for our first baby. Our final list consists of Ryan, Liam and Aidan (DH half Irish). The problem is our surname (Axon). We love Aidan but it doesnt sound great with the surname. Ryan and Liam sound a bit better but we dont like them as much as Aidan. Any advice? Is Aidan a definite no? Do you have any preferences among these 3 names?

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weegiemum · 04/09/2015 10:50

Clearly Aidan, it is the one you love and also the Best Boys Name Ever! My dh was born/brought up in Ireland and is half Irish, and it was our choice even though we don't live there.

Choose the name you love - we have a awful surname that nothing at all goes with, so just chose what we loved and have never regretted it. Our Aidan is now 13 and it's a great name as they grow up too.

That said, our nephew is Ryan and it's ok too. But choose Aidan!

afink · 04/09/2015 12:06

Go with Aidan. I don't think it sounds bad with your surname at all and it's a fab name.

PermetsTu · 04/09/2015 12:16

I find that Aidan is a very different "type" of name to Ryan and Liam (and I much prefer it). Ryan and Liam I see as very similar to each other.

I don't suppose I'm explaining myself very well. For example:

Carter, Mason or Benjamin
Joshua, William or Morgan
Ptolemy, Tristan or Brandon

In the examples above, I'd say the first two names are similar in feel, style, fashion, use etc and the third seems a bit out of place. I wonder if that's why you feel like you prefer Aidan, because it's slightly different to the other two? The other two sound similar, same number of syllables, same stress etc but somehow Aidan is different.

I think Aidan's fine with your surname btw and it's a lovely name. Not that the other two are perfectly acceptable, just Aidan stands out as clearly the best of the three imo.

Squooshed · 04/09/2015 12:18

Aidan's my favourite.

Aidan Turner, Aidan Gillen.......need I go on?

NullaBore · 04/09/2015 12:20

Aidan definitely. Was to be dd2 name if she was ds

Squooshed · 04/09/2015 12:20

Personally though I think Ryan is the odd one out as Ryan is a surname that has only in recent years been used as a first name. Both Liam and Aidan are ancient Irish names.

Tiggeryoubastard · 04/09/2015 12:21

Aidan is great, and agree with pp. it's a totally different style to Liam and Ryan. They're not the sort of names I'd personally choose. Ryan has always been one of 'those' names and sadly Liam has now become one.

floatyflo · 04/09/2015 12:23

I'll be honest I don't really like any of them!
But I think Liam works best with your surname.

wigglesrock · 04/09/2015 13:54

I think Aidan is fine with your surname. It's not like he will be known by both names all the time - you, his family, his friends will just call him Aidan. Go with your favourite name - don't overthink it. Although I do like Ryan, I never think I do, but when I hear it said I warm to it. Liam I'm not as fussed on, it's just a bit dull, I grew up with quite a few and to me it's a bit bland.

fairyfeatures · 04/09/2015 13:57

I am not a fan of Aidan in generally, i'm not 100% sure why but I think it's because it sounds lazy and just not generally an attractive name.

Your names are obviously not my personal preference but Ryan would be my choice of the 3.

Gummibaers · 04/09/2015 14:01

I'm not keen on any of your names, but if your question is whether Aidan Axon works, then I think it does (although a 1 or 3 syllable first name would be even better imo).

Sophronia · 04/09/2015 15:43

I'm not really keen on any of them, but Aidan is the best of the three.

SmugairleRoin · 04/09/2015 21:27

I'm a bit meh on Aidan. Liam would be my choice.

Considering you like Ryan and Liam, I'd suggest Rian.

jessifleur · 06/09/2015 13:14

Awww Aidan/Aiden please, it got vetoed by my DH!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 06/09/2015 13:35

Liam.

BikeRunSki · 06/09/2015 14:52

Aidan by a thousand miles

NotTodaySatan · 06/09/2015 14:53

Aidan. By a country mile. It's a fantastic name.

Ryan and Liam are naughty kid names to me and just nowhere near as nice.

OddBoots · 06/09/2015 14:59

I like Liam but only because I have known unpleasant boys called Aiden and Ryan (although I have known some lovely Ryans too).

Hellochicken · 06/09/2015 15:01

I like them all.

I think Aidan and Liam are the best.

Aidan Axon sounds fantastic to me, why don't you like it?
Plus like pp said he will be Aidan 99% of time and maybe Mr Axon when older, you don't often say whole name at same time.

It really sounds like you like Aidan best and you are the one who has to say the name everyday, so I'd go with that.

DramaAlpaca · 06/09/2015 16:06

Aidan or Liam. Both are lovely and fine with your surname.

Ryan is a surname to me. Where I live there are at least three children with the surname Ryan in every year at school.

Seriouslyffs · 06/09/2015 16:20

Aidan is lovey and cool with your surname! The others are naughty boy names!

TyrionLannistersShadow · 06/09/2015 16:34

Aidan is a great name and it's fine with your surname really, go for it!

StormCoat · 06/09/2015 17:51

What Squooshed said. As an Irish person, Ryan has a slightly makey-uppy 'surname as first name' feel, whereas the other two are solid, classic Irish names. You might want to bear in mind that, based on responses to Irish boys' names on here, some people are very derogatory towards Liam, which is seen as 'chavvy'. Which is interesting in a rather unpleasant way, as in Ireland, as I said, it's probably more like the equivalent of John or Edward.

Aidan Axon sounds cool.

Clawdy · 06/09/2015 18:54

Aidan is a good name. Ryan and Liam are a bit dated now. And I seem to know quite a few naughty Ryans......

mrsschu · 07/09/2015 08:29

Agree that Aidan is the best of the bunch and sounds fine with Axon. I'm always surprised that Liam is considered "chavvy" or "naughty" on here. In Ireland it has none of those connotations and is a very solid name. I like it but prefer Aidan. Ryan on the other hand is pretty awful. I want to say it's part of this weird trend of taking a bog standard Irish surname and turning it into a "cool" first name eg. Flynn, Cassidy etc (all of them fine as surnames, awful as first names) but Ryan has been around for a long time as a first name so I guess it doesn't quite fit the bill... Anyway, rant over, go with Aidan .

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