Your opinion on these names, please? English naming "rules" are a book with 7 seals to me... [hmm]

[1horatio]

so...:
Vela (which I love and is also the name of a constellation)
Carina (honours somebody that saved my life...)
Erica
Louisa
Carla
Kira (Kira doesn't come from Ciara, it's the feminine form of Cyrus. I think this sounds spunky)

Cedric (my absolute favourite, tbh. I looove this name)
Clement
Isaac
Orion

My better half is English but I am from all over Europe (Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Germany...)
The daddy works for a uni, I myself am a consultant (law).
The daddy would probably just name the kid after grandparents/favourite aunt/uncle and be done with it... But in Britain names can apparently be "wet", "chavy", "common", "try hard"?
The 2nd and 3rd name will honour relatives, so these will be fairly classic....

I like all of them . Some of it depends on the social circles in which you move. Peregrine will raise eyebrows among some people but not others. So yes, the unwritten 'rules' around baby naming in the UK are complex, but it's hard to advise without knowing quite a bit about the child's background. Plus of course posters' opinions are very much affected by our own backgrounds.

I'm guessing, based on your job and your cosmopolitan background, that the more unusual or 'try-hard' names on your list might go down quite well, whereas any so-called chavvy ones... not so much.

Good point, merciful.

Certainly in London almost any names goes these days, there are so many different nationalities, cultures that nobody would bat an eyelid when meeting a little Cedric or a Vela. Kids are really much more open minded that some mumsnetters imo. I actually think your op names are all lovely (although I'm not so keen on Kira). I'd go for Cedric if you love it!

I like Louisa, Carina, Clement and Cedric! Think they all work well in most European languages.

I love Clement, Isaac, Carina and Louisa. I think Vela is my favourite, actually (I too would say it Veyla, but I'm (acquired) Euro hybrid too. 'Pure' Brits might say it with a short e). Peregrine would be fine in MC/academic/arty circles.

Kira is very like Kiera/Ciara/Keira which is quite popular in primary schools where I am in Scotland. Then there is also Chiara. Personally I would avoid due to confusion over pronunciation and spelling with a fairly popular name. Of course if you love it go for it! Also names are often localised within the UK.

( Feisty rather than spunky.)

Some people would feel sorry for a Peregrine. But you might feel sorry for their lack of discernment so it could be a very British situation! The only one I recall hearing of is Peregrine Worsthorne, retired journalist/author and quite a character.

Orion makes me think also of surname O'Ryan.

Thank you for these answers. You guys are right, our social circles and more importantly the circles the kiddo will therefore be in are probably what matters the most.

Somebody asked why I (as a non-English person) am so concerned with giving an acceptable name (by English standards). That's because we live in England, my hubby is English, the child will have an English surname etc...

Sure, I hope to impart as much of my own (euro-hybrid) culture/heritage as possible but most people will assume the child is English.
And seeing as the kid will grow up in England (for the next few years at least), has 1 English parent and be an English citizen the the kid will also be English....

Not Cedric or Peregrine unless moving in upper class circles.

I love all your names except Lousia and Carla which are a bit dull. And going against the grain I love Cedric.

Are you London based? If so nobody will raise an eyebrow at Cedric or even Peregrine.

Thinking about this since I last posted, and Cedric has completely grown on me and now I love it!

Right now it looks like a competition between Cedric, Maximilian (that one is new, but we both like it) and maybe Isaac, if the baby is a boy... But Isaac is becoming soo popular. And it still seems to be rising in popularity (unfortunately).

I don't think we're upperclass. We both work, so, probably middle... Though he'll reduce...

Yes, we're London based (currently)... But who knows what will happen? :)

Isaac has come up the ranks with fellow biblical name Noah although not as popular.

If you like Maximilian how about Magnus?

Now that reminds me of Magnum (the ice cream)...
But thank you for the suggestion. I think we'll go back to the drawingboard and I may post a new thread in a few days.

But thanks for every answer.

And do not follow a PP's advice to use the spelling Isaac. This is simply a misspelling which has become fairly common , but it's still a mistake. I know a French Cedric who gets on fine in England. I also think Ignatius is cool. Who would mind being known as Iggy ?

Oh ffs, ISAAC is correct as you already know. ISSAC is incorrect. Obviously, as autocorrect wouldn't let me write that version !

Or Magnum Tom Selleck!

Good luck and have fun choosing.

Good names all. Isaac and Louisa/Carla are the ones that'll blend in best in the UK. I love love love Clement (and Clem) but it's a slightly eccentric old-fashioned name and some people won't like it.

Don't worry :) if we decide on Isaac it will be Isaac. But thank you for commenting :)

But it is ranked 25 or smth... Which is rather high, especially because it has been climbing in popularity for the last years....

I'll tell you a name you can't call an English child and that name is Cedric Peregrine. Really, truly you can't.

Close friends get to call him CP..

See, I like Cedric, I think it sounds a strong name. But my perceptions of it probably come from Harry Potter!

If you like Cedric, go for it, I really don't think people will dislike it as much as this thread would suggest!

Had to google this Magnum guy... eh....

I'm currently chaning my opinion really often. Poor hubby (but he's awesome, so calm, and happy and great and... I'll stop )
And seeing as the child will have his last name he said I could decide the first name. He obviously still has veto powers, but up to now he just vetoed Ulric and Severin (good thing he did, I didn't consider that this sounds like severing in English!!!)

I don't want the name to blend in. So this was veeery good advice :)! Thank you!

I just don't want the name to have some meaning/connotation to English people I'm not aware of/ok with. Where I grew up Michelle is for example a very solid acceptable name. Here it's apparently "common" (now imagine my MIL face whilst saying common). !!

What is wrong with the initials cp? I actually like this :)
These are my mum's initials.

I really like Cedric - to me it seems cool, masculine and strong. Unusual but in a good sense. I'd go for that if you like it.

Max is so overused and a little dull in comparison.

Hi OP welcome to the wonderful world of British Baby naming! The UK is a very class based country - most names will have associations good and bad. Whatever you pick is going to be judged. It's rubbish, but that's the UK way. Good plan to do some research first...

Vela (which I love and is also the name of a constellation) - incredibly rare, hence could have a whiff of being "made up". British middle classes loathe made up names, it's considered a bit common.
Carina (honours somebody that saved my life...) - generally, names that begin with a K sound are also considered a bit common, sorry!
Erica - Jong? Brilliant. Sounds like an ass-kicking name to me. I really like this but that's a personal opinion that, not an English class thing.
Louisa - rather upper class. In a good way.
Carla - See Carina
Kira (Kira doesn't come from Ciara, it's the feminine form of Cyrus. I think this sounds spunky) - Ditto, sorry

Cedric (my absolute favourite, tbh. I looove this name) - nope, a bit wet. No idea why though? Maybe there was a cartoon character with this name in the 70's / 80's, I'm sure someone else will remember.
Clement - totally under used, but Clement Freud? There's a whiff of the Upper Classes about it.
Isaac - Very popular at the moment so a safe choice
Orion - a bit "try hard", so therefore lower middle class

It's a minefield isn't it? Personally I think bugger all of that and just pick something you like and hope your kid is cool enough to style it out.

Clement and Cedric are seen as very old fashioned and not in a good, due for a revival, kind of way.

I like Isaac and I know an adult Peregrine (parents were Tolkein fans), and I think it is a pretty cool name.
I also like Orion.

From your girls list I love Carina. Names beginning with K tend to get called chavvy, which is mean. I'm not sure you should rule out a name based on other people's nasty prejudices but it's as well to know these prejudices exist. I like all the girls names on your list.

To be honest, I think that you should choose what you really love. The only caveat to that being that you don't choose a name with very negative connotations in the UK, like calling a girl Rose if your last name is West (which you might not be aware of if you don't live in Britain) or accidentally naming your child something that is only associated with a specific person. (An example would be Keanu ). That said, being foreign, we Brits won't hold you to the same name rules we impose on each other .