Henry as brother for Harry?

[madasabadger]

I know Harry is traditionally a nickname for Henry, but we have a Harry and wondering if naming a brother Henry would be daft... any other suggestions welcome - really wanted a not-weird name, but also not in top 20 names list.

Hmm, I didn't mean medieval times - do you know any under 30s called Jack who are john on their birth certificate?

Erm yes. My cousin. John with nn jack is a family name.

I'm not saying jack isn't considered a name in its own right. Of course it is. And a lovely one too.

But in my mind having 2 sons called jack and John is very much the same issue as having 2 sons called Henry and Harry.

Yeah, I don't think I'd do it but I wouldn't give two children the same first initial anyway.

I don't think i would call children Harry and Henry any more than Harry and Barry as the names are too similar.

"in my area Harry isn't a nn for Henry!" hilarious. Thank you for the laugh

Thousands of Jackies for Johns in my family, I agree that John and jack is a bit silly. Not to say Jack can't be a name in its own right though, might be nice for you actually, OP!

Same name.

NicholasName glad I amused you

But it's true. Where I live Harry is short for Harold, not Henry. Henry would not have a shortened version.

Don't see what's hilarious about a regional difference.

I don't think that's a regional difference, just that you were unaware of how many other people know something to be true. Occasionally it happens, I think I alone know something (!) and it turns out to be common knowledge. I'm not in the UK, but everybody knows. Hang on, I'm going to ask my not even English ten year old what Harry is short for.

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He knew! He said Hank is short for Henry too.

summerconfusion I think the reason names like John, Michael, Margaret, Elizabeth, James, Henry, Charles, Edward, William, Richard and Mary have so many nick names, most of which seem a big leap , is that 70 years ago, everybody was given a name from a short list of about twenty names. To avoid confusion, these same old names had more nick names.

Belinda just because you didn't know Harry was a nn for Henry doesn't mean it isn't.

apologies to the OP!

You've accepted the verdict! Sincere apologies for flogging a dead horse wrt the regional thing

I didn't say categorically that it isn't a nn - just not in my area. There are probably nn in my area that don't exist elsewhere.

I remember my MiL being shocked that Ian was a nn for John. She thought it would have been ok to have 2 sons called John and Ian.

No
Ian is the Scottish form of John, #JAck* comes from John in UK

but this is all historical

I mean you could have a child, call it Anna but call it Bunny for a NN if you so wished

Hudson?
How does one pronounce Aneurin?

Traditional names have a lot of nicknames because sons were named for fathers and grandfathers and you might get three or more people with the same name in the family - nicknames avoided confusion.

What about James if you want a nice traditional name - also goes with Harry quite well (and you can shorten to Jamie or Jim)

It is very nice to read a thread where the OP asked a question, there was a resounding answer against her idea AND she listened to what people said.
Too often on here, people ask a Q (esp in AIBU) with absolutely no intention to even consider what those replying say, even when there is a strong consensus that the poster IBU.
I understand that people sometimes weigh the views of others and then reject them, which is fine, but too often an OP can refuse to even consider and dig into a stubborn and daft position. I always wonder why people ask if they aren't prepared to consider alternatives. Glad to see this wasn't one of those threads.

Thanks OP!

Also amused by idea of Harry not being a version of Henry in certain 'areas' - surely just means the poster and their 3 friends hadn't realised!

Thanks for all the replies and for your comment ChocolateWombat. I did know that Harry was a nn for Henry (as per my original post), but as they are a bit different (i.e. not like Charles/Charlie) I wondered whether it would be okay. You all gave me a very clear no. So looking for something else. I currently really like Hamish (honestly not looking for dame initial on purpose), but hubby not as keen and I take the point about not having the same first initial for post confusion down the line Nannyplums! I am a massive supporter of the NHS so Aneurin was one of the names i considered DinosaurRoar, but it does sound like urine or aneurysm which would be tough to be stuck with despite the awesome man he would be named after. Thanks again everyone.

iamanintrovert, English speakers generally pronounce Aneurin an-EYE-rin.

In South Wales Welsh it's pronounced an-AY-rin, and in traditional North Wales Welsh you'd be able to hear the u a bit more.

Though Welsh speakers might be more likely to use the spelling Aneirin, like the poet - so the an-AY-rin pronunciation. Aneurin is a spelling error, really (a bit like Imogen).

I do like Hamish OP

I came across two brothers called William and Liam once.

Ooh ooh I love the name Aneurin. Nye for short. DH vetoed it on the spurious grounds that we are not Welsh. Hmph.

How aobut Matthew?
not too popular,

My gran dad's name is Henry/Harry

My cousin has two boys called John and Jack and I judge him for that. Like Harry/Henry, it's the same name!

Granddad*

Thanks Patty! My brain had been saying it in my head as aneurysm but ending in 'n' not 'sm' and it was annoying the hell out of me.