Bowie or River

[MrsCharlieD]

Just that really. I want River Nathaniel, dh wants Bowie River. I'm a Bowie fan but ds already has a music heavy name. We're probably considered a pretty alternative couple so these name choices wouldn't be considered out there for us but I'm conscious our child may not be anything like us (although ds is already starting to be). What do you think? Is Bowie useable or will it date terribly?

I would go for Ziggy over Bowie (but tbh i wouldn't actually go down that route at all).

I would push for Beau a bit harder. That's by far the best of the lot.

Yes OneSecond, Joni is a lovely name, hints that the parents are music fans without metaphorically declaring it with a loudhailer!

River Nathaniel or Bowie Nathaniel. I'd avoid two quite out-there names together. Even if you are quite an alternative couple, your son may not be and he might appreciate having a more mainstream middle name to fall back on should that be the case. I personally prefer River.

Soooooo naff. Sorry, and no I'm not a James/Josh/Daniel/Ubiquitous/Homogeneous person either.

These are already names that belong to someone, quite notoriously... give him a name that's his own. To me, although this might not be in the James/Josh box, it's another box, a trying even harder box...

Dylan? Morrison? Tyler?

River only because I adored River Phoenix. I like the name Phoenix too my two boys have "normal names" though.

Ha ha just showed dh the thread and he's backed down on Bowie. Didn't know about Howard Donald but I don't really care for celeb gossip. I think we'll likely go River Nathaniel and then he has options as he gets older. After all this watch it be a girl!

A girl called Joni!

David Bowie had sex with an underaged girl when he was an adult that's not the association I'd want for a child

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/9009230

One other issue with Bowie is that in the USA (should he ever live here) people are likely to pronounce it Boo-y as in Jim Bowie.

Love River Nathaniel. River is much nicer than Bowie.

I like River Nathaniel.

OP, Nate River is a character from Death Note, so I'd research a little into that before listing it as an alternative

Not the point of the thread sorry OP, but I think Joni Mitchell's real name is Roberta Joan (ok I had to google that - I'm not that knowledgeable on JM, beyond listening to Ladies of the Canyon album a lot!

If you're in the market for a girl name, I kind of like Roberta. Lots of NN potential too, plus, I know a vile Joni.

Bowie is a no no it just sounds try hard... and I'm afraid I think he's a peado so why anyone would name their kid after him is a it to me... might as well go Rolf or Glitter!

River is nice and unisex if you have girl. I always think of River Phoenix and River from Firelfy who was a bit bonkers but quirky.

My rock star name for my ds was Bonzo - when he was a bump - best drummer that ever lived, can't beat that.

I think Bowie is terribly wanky and try-hard, sorry.

This. Except I am not sorry.

Sorry, don't like them. 'Don't give your children silly names' would be my best advice to all MNers.

My nephew is called Hendrix and I thought that was massively wanky at first

No you were right the first time and it's STILL massively wanky.

I really like both actually, but then my son's name is Marley

Oh God.

I really wouldn't ask mumsnet for name advice. It's generally very staid and rude.

Bowie and sex article:
"Consent laws are in place because, unlike Mattix, too many underage girls end up traumatized by the sexual experiences they have with older men"
Bollocks. Consent laws are in place because in times gone by men would abduct and rape (or 'seduce') young heiresses to ensure that the girls 'had to marry' them, and through that they would access the girls' wealth. Back in the days when women were the property of men and everything they had became the property of their husbands. It's not about 'for the benefit of women'. It's about 'for the benefit of in-the-family-men who didn't want to lose control of family wealth to an outsider.

TheElephantofSurprise I just chose the first article that came up on Google, as I didn't want to seem like I was spreading gossip when it's true.

What about Mars (Life on...), or Ash (Ashes to Ashes), or Blue (Blue Jean).

Thank goodness he's backed down on Bowie, that was awful.

River Nathaniel is better!

David Bowies some is Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones apparently. I always thought Zowie was his first name but it seems it never was.

here's an idea - what about David?

pretty alternative at the moment - not many Davids around under the age of 40...