I am loving...

[Cami12]

boys names like Beckett, Bailey, Miller, Archer, Marlow. They feel like the new traditional. Do you like these, or have I been hanging around too many North London mums?

Not very traditional at all, I would have thought. And they're all surnames really. Miller is especially silly.

Definitely not the new traditional !! Agree with pp that if anything they sound like surnames.

Sorry I didn't mean literally traditional, just now acceptable / not too out there. I really liked Miller :). But if they really sound silly to you then I guess that's a response I need to be aware of, thanks!

I know a couple of adult females called Milla (pronounced Miller) so would probably say no for a male. Bailey and Archer are completely acceptable and quite nice to me but I do have to agree that the rest are a bit silly! Marlow and Beckett being particularly literary inspired/pretentious sounding.

I have a Miller Henry! Miller was always top of my list, with Beckett for Dc2,but she was a girl!

Love your names idontneed!! (Obviously!)
Beckett is very cool for a girl. (I also came across Wallis for a girl recently, love it. She was an American toddler though, in England Wallis might inspire 'More cheese Gromit?' despite the spelling difference!)

Gracefull - I see your point on the literary/pretentious thing.

I come from a land full of surnames for first names (and both my sons have surnames for first names).

Know of a Miller and a baby Marlow (boy), also Huxley, Cole, Fletcher, Beckett, Harrison, Cooper etc etc.

Nobody bats and eyelid at them, so yes, in my mind they're the new "traditional" and make a nice change from actual "traditional" names without being too weird.

I really like Beckett actually. On my list for my imaginary 3rd son is Griffin, Vaughn and Dalton.

Traditional would be something a long the lines of.
Edward
Andrew
James
David
Paul.
I think the names you're considering are faddy and awful, sorry

No I'm not keen. It's like calling some one Smith or Jones

I actually don't mind Smith;) but to be fair would not use it.
Andy, Dave and Paul are not for me I'm afraid iliveinalighthouse... unless giving birth to a 40 year old.

Pretty sure those are all the names of Stella's McCartneys kids!

Elliot?

I like Elliot too thanks Codeword. Bailey and also I think Miller are McCartney's kids Angharad. Wouldn't put me off. Just need to decide if these types of names are for us.

I don't have a problem with surnames as first names particularly. It seems an odd thing to deliberately seek out, though. I mean, if you're considering Oliver, Alfie and Miller, and you decide you love Miller, fine. By all means, choose Miller.
I can't understand why anyone would discard normal names and decide only to consider surnames, though

They certainly aren't the new traditional. They're hideous. It may be regional, thankfully don't know any or of any poor children saddled with these.

I like Archer and Marlow... Not that I ever could (they fall under a category thay would give DH veto rights if I wanted to use them as a first name).

I also love the name Griffin (I think somebody suggested it?).

I like all of your names, my favourite being Bailey.

Don't worry about people not liking them, like you say the traditional usual names aren't to your taste (or mine)!

There are waaaaaay more out there names for kids of the future to grow up with. X

I know a Baileigh. She loves her name.

I like Marlow and Archer from your list. My DS is Chase and know a Preston and Carter. I do think that using a surname as a first name is more acceptable.

I don't love the surname-as-first-name thing. Seems v faddy.

That said, I'd go for one of those before I'd start recycling the likes of David, Stephen or Paul.

I sometimes swear that a third of all men I know over the age of 35 are called either Dave or Steve.

I like Miller, Bailey and Marlow ( especially like Marlow) I think Archer would prob get shortened to Archie. Beckett isn't bad but I just know where I'm from people would not pronounce it nicely. I think that's always a good way to decide on names, listen to other people say them! ( for example My friend was going to name her son Aaron but where we live a lot of people say iron, haha) Bobobunny I love Chase!