Is Lewis considered a downmarket name in SE England?

[CaptainChristmas]

Just that really!

I didn’t think of Lewis as ‘downmarket’ at all, but I’ve seen a couple of threads on here lately where people have said things like; it’s downmarket / it’s one of those names teachers doesn’t like seeing on their class lists / “dated and chavvy” (not my words).

I am not from SE England, but live there now and am wondering how it’s perceived in the area. I know it shouldn’t matter, and nor would it if we were totally set on it, but as we’re umming and ah-ing anyway, I just thought I’d ask.

TIA

I like Lewis (SE England) but silently judge Louis (as it LV) as chavvy!

Sebastian Vettel
Edward (Eddie) Jordan
Vincent Miller (a character)

Are you sure you don't secretly want to name your DS after an F1 person, OP? {grin]

Am in SE and think it’s chavvy.

@olenna

Oh no, I think I must subconsciously be dying to name a baby after an F1 driver! I like but can’t use Daniel (Ricciardo), Marcus (Mark Webber) and even suggested Jenson at one point too !

I think of the boxer Lennox Lewis.

Isn't it such a pain having to consider the royals' baby? Not their fault it starts a trend but I remember DS being due a couple of months before Princess Charlotte was born. We were stuck between the name we eventually picked and James. But I was worried James might end up being the royal baby name so we avoided it (obviously didn't matter in the end as they had a girl!). Just annoying you have to factor it in. (Unless it doesn't bother you of course!)

I think Lewis is a lovely name. However, out of the three Lewis's I know/have known (1 in each DC's class and 1 fostered by friends), 2 have had pretty severe behavioural problems and all 3 have come from disfunctional/chaotic families. Incidentally, I also know a Louis (French pronunciation) who is a model student and all round lovely boy.

It's hardly a statistically significant sample though!

Lewis is a good solid name.

Louis, if named after Louis Vuitton, may be a little chavvy.

It is a massive pain @koala! It’s not their fault, but any name they choose is probably going to get super popular OR it will look like we’ve copied them, when that’s not something we’d do.

They got married the same year we did as well and we had always planned for my DDad to drop me off in his car and then we’d drive ourselves off to the venue. We got married after the DoCs and it looked like we’d copied them! Pfft.

Haha @Captain my DH proposed around their wedding. I feel like they keep jumping in before me with everything!
But yes, not their fault but I was worried people would think we had copied or there would be ten boys called James in his class or something! Easier if we were due after them but a couple of months before meant we had no way of knowing. Went for something much less traditional in the end!

My brother is a Lewis. Now he was a naughty little boy! If the type that spent every lunch time at the head teachers office. I can’t wait to show him this thread. He’s a very successful adult now.

For me the name has connotations of ‘always landing on your feet’ or even ‘could land in shit and come up smelling of roses’.

I’m not bitter.

Sebastian is fairly downmarket. It sounds posh but it isn't.

@weekfour

I’ve got one of those too! Not a Lewis though...

Peter is a great name. Classic and very underused.

I wouldn't choose Lewis as it is quite a soft sounding name - no hard consonants. I quite like it though. The popularity of Lewis Hamilton might make it appear downmarket.

Not sure, but a friend in North of England called his son Luis i.e. Spanish spelling. Maybe that was why?

Oh and I should add, neither parent has any particular connection to Spain!

There were 341 babies named Lewis in Scotland in 2017 (up until 2nd Dec) and it is the 4th most popular name. Harris was 7th (284 babies).

In England, Lewis peaked in popularity in 2001 and 2007, and last year it was about 70th in the rankings.

If you like it, go for it. Sounds lovely in a Scottish accent.