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....

Shockingundercrackers: Thank you for this answer!! I think I we'll just go for whatever name we like. But knowing what an English person might think is still useful imo.
Maybe we could balance it out with a 2nd name....

I like somewhat madeup names, as long as their still name-ish. I mean, I wouldn't call the child "toaster" or something like that.... I also like flower names. And my husband's sisters are already flowers...

Which is why we initially though of Erica :)

If you like constellations, what about Stella? Or Ursula, which means bear (you'd have a Major and a Minor to choose from ).

I also like the LoTR. I used to be a reeally big fan when I was younger.
sure, you won't hold me to the same standards.
But what about my child? Especially when the child is older? He/she will have an English surname, will go to an English school etc...

I think I'm bad at explaining this. Sorry :)
But thank you for your answer! :)

Isn't Stella a beer?
Ursula is one of the most common 50ies names where I grew up. It is pretty, but this is an association I personally can't shake off. Used to be rank 2 even...

Vela - reminds me of bicycles, not a bad thing. Pretty.
Carina - favourite by a long way; would be tempted by this myself.
Erica - reminds me of Barbie
Louisa - very pretty but a bit run of the mill given the rest of your choices?
Carla - I like Carly. Reminds me of Carla Lane; sounds strong.
Kira - My second favourite.

Cedric - Wouldn't be thrilled to marry a Cedric myself but he may be very arty and carry it off.
Clement - Clem. Not all that manly IMO.
Isaac - Cool; I don't think it's try hard at all. Def my favourite.
Orion - Cool and unusual but can't imagine being married to one!

Sorry op CP is fine but I was thinking of the TopCat theme where his "close friends get to call him TC.."

That's mainly because he is a US cat anyway and they are far more likely to use initials as names like Ceepee , Teejay etc!

If you like astronomy allusions and C names for boys and want a distinctly unusual name and can't use Nicholas variants....

How about Copernicus?

Out there definitely but not as hampered with class issues or fustiness like Cedric, Clement or (worst) Peregrine.

I've never heard of this CT thing, but it sounds entertaining :)

Uhm.... Copernicus? Just out of interest, this is (according to your opinion) less fusty than Clement, Cedric or Peregrine? English people are truly fascinating :)

If it is an other name than Cedric or Clement for a boy... I'd be tempted to go with Orion, Corvus or Eridanus (or Eri, it is abbrevation after all).

I also thought about Castor... But will people think about the oil?
Castor Peregrine? I unfortunately can't use Leo, it's too close to my own name...

Well, we're back making lists again (actually, I make lists and the hubby usually smiles and sometimes, not very often tbh, vetoes.... But the child gets his last name, so this is basically how we traded naming rights.) Maybe I'll start a new thread after I finished a new list.

Copernicus makes me think poshish, eccentric, bookish family, sure. But Cedric etc make me think posh old man. I'm sure someone will come along and disagree with me

Yes Castor = stomach loosening oil to the average Brit I think.

Eh, I asked for your opinions. So...
I thought so... why?! In my native language Castor is called Ricinus, so I could still use the name... Oh well, there are other cool ones.

Can I point out you're ssking about English naming practices- but seem to be ignoring anything that doesn't fit with what you want to do!

You can't call an English child Copernicus.

Oh, and in the spirit of helping you with your colloquial English- don't use "hubby"!!

copernicus wasn't my suggestion. But it is a lovely name! (Maybe not for us, but still lovely) and ignoring everything...? Not at all, actually.
I truly appreciate the answers.

Even if we were to go with Peregrine for example. At least now I know that it isn't a hippyish nature name... So, at least I can make informed choices :)

Castor Peregrine??? You'll also need the 'kick me' sign referred to earlier

And Bertrand's right, 'hubby' is grim

Wow some of you are patronising.

Hubby is fine in a jocular conversational post.

And OP has asked for insight into English naming rules, she never said she wishes to slavishly follow them.

Copernicus is sort of brilliant OP but it would certainly stand out.

I still love Isaac Peregrine. Isaac is not THAT common and it is lovely. If you want something similar but less common how about Isaiah? Or Ezra? Or Ira? Or Ignatius nn Iggy (v cool)?

I know that it isn't an option in England (which is too bad, stupid oil).
I usually don't use hubby, when talking to somebody I just use his name. But I don't feel like I should do that here....
What's so bad about hubby?

It's twee and makes you sound like a 1950s housewife who has to make herself pretty for her 'hubby' when he comes in from work, dinner on the table etc

Not liking hubby is mostly an MN thing, along with calling someone 'hon'. You can say what you like, especially about your own husband

MN is weird about names. Weird names that no one would choose in a million years are often suggested on the baby names board, whereas in real life people mostly pick normal names like Charlotte or James, which are nice and also have the advantage of not being easy to pigeon hole when it comes to social class.

My advice would be to choose something that gives your child this flexibility.

Well, I'm really not a 50ies housewive.... (not that being one is bad)

Also because he's the one that will work part-time after the baby is born. And maybe make himself look pretty for when I come home

So, I appreciate the information (that's not meant to be sarcastic). Also because I can now use it ironically :)!! (maybe just not online...)

The flexibility thing is probably really good advise. I have to just find out which names are flexible (not sure if mumsnet is that good an option for that).

And my dearest hubby, well, he's smart and awesome and.... Buuut I'm not sure his judgement is the best as far as social norms are concerned. He would have been ok with calling the child Lettice (if it was a girl)... So...

I hate to say this- and I am putting on my tin hat as I post, but ""hubby" isn't a Mumsnet thing, it is a class thing. And the OP doesn't sound like a "hubby" type............

Just so you know OP, Vela means candle in Spanish. You may already know, but as someone who moved to Spain with a two year old and found out that the common shortening of his name means limescale, I'm probably more sensitive about this than I should be!

I agree it is an indicator if class but it is horrible to tell someone not to use it because it makes them sound common. Whe someone uses 'chavvy' on here, they get their arse handed to them. Is it not the same thing?

I would choose Carla and Clement from your list. They are lovely, unusual but not silly

Kira, vela and carina will have a lifetime of spelling and pronunciation corrections.

Cedric is nerdy. Isaac overdone.

Peregrine is a hobbit. Maximillian a bad robot shows age