Rex for a boy?

[brownear]

What do you think of it? I think it's cute for a baby but also masculine for a grown man.

Sorry - I also thought "dog." It's a classic dog name. (I actually just went and googled "classic dog names" and it seems to be right up there.) I know there aren't many actual dogs with that name these days, but then you don't get many dogs these days called Fido or Rover, either. But when you hear Fido you still think "dog". It's just one of those cultural hangover things which can take a long time to die out.

Mind you, I bet if I met a cute toddler called Rex then it would take me about 5 seconds to start thinking of it as a perfectly normal human name. I've met kids called much weirder things and everyone just gets with the programme. After all, at least there's Rex Harrison, and Rex is a genuine traditional human name (unlike Fido or Rover!).

Rex will always have dog associations for me too. Hope that doesn't sound rude, but when you mentioned it, that's where my mind went.

There is an Austrian TV series called "Inspector Rex" featuring a GSD.

Ronald Reagan's dog was called Rex.

Rex – The origin of the name Rex is Latin and by definition it means King. Rex is a traditional dog name like “Spot” or “Fido.” This name suits a large or a dominant dog but can also be used ironically for small and timid dogs

www.caninejournal.com/cute-dog-names/

I remember Fearne Cotton called her son Rex, didn't she? Obviously, it doesn't matter what we think, OP. Also, a lot of the Rex associations I think might depend on how old the person is too. So maybe it's time for the name to become associated more with humans now.

Mind you, I bet if I met a cute toddler called Rex then it would take me about 5 seconds to start thinking of it as a perfectly normal human name

^ This.

Rex, my favourite of the Fairbrothes. (The Archers reference)

I always thought the baby name threads were for canvassing opinions. I didn't realise they were only for people who loved the suggested name. I have seen some unnecessarily harsh reactions to name threads, but not this one.

People can't help what a name reminds them of and if asked for their opinion.....well, there it is. I immediately thought of a dog's name. It's impossible to police what a name reminds someone else of. We are all of different eras and backgrounds so bound to differ in our opinions.

I have an unusual name and I have other threads about that. How I'd love to be known as something plain, so certainly not jealous of unusual names. Other children may live up to something unusual, but not me.

TRex.

It's a cool name.

Haha! I have divided mumsnet! I think this is he most popular topic I've ever posted!

Thanks to everyone for giving your opinions. I do still like the name and I think the poster who said that if they met a child called Rex then after about 5 mins they wouldn't consider it to be a dog name has hit the nail on the head.

Xx

@navyandwhite sorry I'm not sure I understand what you mean there?

Glad you enjoyed your thread, OP!

I'm sure you knew MN well enough to know that if you asked for opinions, you would get them .

Enjoy your little son - when's he due?

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all..."
Clearly the rule that OfficerVanHalen lives by!

But seriously: I do think this is a good rule, once the baby is actually named. You ALWAYS say what a lovely name it is, no matter what you think.

But I think the benefit of this type of thread is that you can canvass honest and random opinions BEFORE you make the decision, and pick up what sort of connotations the name might have. There would be no point in these threads if everyone was just posting, "Yay! Adolf Hitler (surname) is gorgeous!!"

(I once put a friend off a certain firstname during her decisionmaking process, on the grounds that you'd only need a tiny mispronunciation of the surname to turn it into a truly horrible insult. She is still grateful to me.)

Most names are going to have either positive or negative associations for various people, and it can be useful to find out what these are and whether there's a pattern. But in the end - unless you're really going to call your child Satan or Poopyhead or something - the child themselves is going to override all those assumptions very quickly once they actually meet somebody.

Absolutely, Bingo - waiting for a birth announcement myself any hour now. No idea what the name will be, but I will be 100% enthusiastic and behind it no matter what. If they wanted my opinion, they would have asked. Or started a thread on Mumsnet

@navyandwhite ah I see sorry I didn't follow that, so many posts!

Yes I think the point of these threads is to find out people's honest opinions prior to actually selecting the name. Happy to hear the honest response of those that associate it with a dog, seems that only some people have this association and it won't put me off but good to be informed about it in advance

I really like Rex but my DP doesn't at all so no chance our child will be named that if it's a boy.

Rex sounds like a dog's name also wrecks - just not very nice imo.

It IS pretty doggish, but then it also IS pretty cool. I feel divided.

Oh dear... I feel I may need to break up a few fights!

It's clear that most people like it, but some of those people think it's best suited to a dog, and a few people don't like it at all.

Best we leave it there before we all fall out!

'Basic bitches' made me laugh out loud

I love Rex! I considered it for my son and would consider it again. It is a bit doggy but so was Oscar a few years ago.

Dog