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Baby names

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

Gabriel

17 replies

Ficidy · 22/11/2015 09:47

Due in a week and this is my favourite name at the moment. I think we'd probably shorten it to Gabe. Anyway, I'm worried about him being made fun of and called 'Gay'. Not that it matters nowadays, but little things like that upset kids.

Anyone with a Gabriel ever experienced this? Am I over-thinking things?

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dementedma · 22/11/2015 09:52

My friend's son is a teenage Gabriel. He gets Gabe sometimes but not gay, as far as I know.

villainousbroodmare · 22/11/2015 09:57

I think Gabriel is lovely as it is, and imo Gay is a nicer nn than Gabe (makes me think of Gape).
I have a female cousin called Gaye and she has survived very well.

Idefix · 22/11/2015 09:58

I have a Gabriel and we do shorten it to Gabe.
Occasionally ds has been called gayboy, mostly late primary school but it never bothered him and did not last.
The other issue we have had is pronunciation, often said the European way again ds has never been bothered by this.

LBOCS2 · 22/11/2015 10:01

We have one and he doesn't get that (AFAIK). He's 8. Mostly we call him Gabe or G.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 22/11/2015 11:56

Dp wanted us to use this if we ever have had a boy, but I can't use it. Sad. Well technically I could but its too much of a long story to go into
Definitely use it if you can

SoWhite · 22/11/2015 14:14

I really like it.

lavendersun · 22/11/2015 14:16

Me too, I think it is a fab name. You are overthinking it. Grin.

Postino · 22/11/2015 14:19

When I was younger I had a neighbour called Gabriel. I was slightly older and regularly had to defend him from the bullies on the walk home from the school bus (bullying about his name). It was really sad.

Sorry to be negative. This was circa 1990 so things may be completely different now.

TheMshipIsBack · 22/11/2015 14:25

It's my son's name, surprisingly not unusual in our neighbourhood (lots of Polish Catholic families) and we've never had any issues. Love the eastern European pronunciation though we say it the American way and shorten to Gabe.

Fink · 22/11/2015 14:26

Love this name! We've got a few Gabriels/Gabrielles in the family. I've known people shorten it to Gay but only older generation through choice, not done as bullying. Gabe is quite common but I prefer to use the long form and none of them object to it.

One of them was in class with a Raphael and a Jerome, and I think possibly an Aloysius (may have been the other class). So no room for teasing Gabriel. May go down less well in other areas.

Luxyelectro · 22/11/2015 14:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Elis1905 · 23/11/2015 15:18

I love the name Gabriel. It's in my top 6 DS names. Like the shortening to Gabe. I only know one Gabe who's 31. Lots of nicknames but only gay a couple of times in jest.

pilates · 23/11/2015 16:17

I wouldn't use it for the reason you have mentioned.

cosytoaster · 23/11/2015 16:26

It's my son's middle name (would've been his first name but vetoed by then DH for this very reason). He really hated it in primary school, although he wasn't teased about it, but loves it now (he's 13).

LBOCS2 · 23/11/2015 16:45

Oh, actually I know an adult Gabriel too. He's never had any problems with his name AFAIK, and we were at school together.

Gracey79 · 23/11/2015 18:14

Love Gabriel. Would have had it for ds If a family member didn't use it first. Don't think nn is anything to worry about either Smile

Aftershock15 · 23/11/2015 18:37

My year 6 ds has known 2 Gabriels - one in infants and one in Juniors. I've never heard him or any of the other children shorten them to Gay. Either full name or Gabs.

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