Gilbert

[Tassiemouse]

We have a baby boy on the way and really like the name Gilbert, however upon googling we found there were some negative connections here in the U.K. with the name. Apparently a 'green gilbert' it is slang for spitting snot that started in the '50's and there was a snotty green '80's alien children's T.V. character called Gilbert. We'd not heard of either, but just wondering how many people on here actually have? Is it likely to be widespread knowledge and would a little Gilbert be forever tagged with these yucky connections?

Never heard of either of those, will most definitely be before classmates time so wouldn't worry.

Reminds me of the fictional Gilbert Blythe, and Gilbert O’Sullivan. I love them both so it’s a thumbs up from me!

Gilbert is a very unusual name in our area. We had a temporary worker last year with that name. He wasn't local and for some reason no one could say his full name with straight face.
He preferred to be called Gill, which people semed to cope with better!

@Shockers Great - Me too! A big fan of 'Anne of Green Gables' growing up and also like G&S. It's also a family name which is nice. Glad you haven't heard of either @MammieBear. True - hopefully not something his age group would know. It's more we wondered if the 'green gilbert' expression had been passed down or older people couldn't say his name without thinking of the above! @notacooldad I think it's an unusual name in most places. Was the reason the workers thought it funny, because of any of the above lovely connections or simply because its unusual? Yes we too thought Gil would be a good nickname as a teen/adult and Bertie cute for a little one. We like it and don't want a very usual name, but on the other hand we don't want to give the poor kid something people find just too unusual as he has to be the one to go through life with it after all!

I like Gil & Bertie but no so keen on Gilbert. However, I’d never associate it with snot. If asked, my first thought would be Gilbert Grape (as in the Johnny Depp film ‘what’s eating Gilbert grape) or Gilbert & Sullivan.

I like Sullivan as a name though

If you like it, use it. It doesn’t have negative snotty connotations in my mind :)

You kinda answered your own question with EIGHTIES TV character.

I have heard of green Gilbert and it was always quite commonly used around the area I lived in.

I meant this one Tassie. I had a bit of an innocent crush on him as a youngster .

@Shockers Haha Oh misread that! Don't know this one, but he looks very crush worthy! 😀

If you call a boy Gilbert, he is going to have a hard time at school.

I'd choose something more mainstream.

@Kate123cl Ah thanks...Good to know. I wonder if it's a regional thing?

I'm not too sure! It was definitely used among the older generation more so. It was quite a common surname, too!

Thanks @HeyDolly Good to know no snotty connections for you! Yes heard of the film, but not seen it. Glad you like the Gil and Berty nicknames anyway. Yes this baby boy name thing us hard! To go with our fave or think about people's reaction to the name that the child will encounter!? Too unusual you think for a comfortable school life @PatriarchyPersonified or do you mean the snotty thing?

@Kate123cl Thanks 😊 Yes - don't want the grandparents and older generation to be appalled when we announce his name! Interesting about Gilbert as a surname...

I don't think many people would make the 'snot' connection to be honest.

It's just a very unusual and old fashioned sounding name, and children can be pretty cruel about things like that.

I have a friend whose grandfather was called Donald. He named his first son after him. All fine until he went to school, then the poor kid got tortured so much that he has ended up using his middle name since the age of 8.

Gilbert is far more unusual and old fashioned than Donald.

I think it depends where you live. In multicultural areas I've never heard of any child being teased over their name in school. Plus nn Bertie follows current fashions anyway.

I like Gil, but not Gilbert. It just sounds uncool to my ears, like Norman, Nigel, Norris.

But there are so many old men names being used now that he probably won't stand out in a class of Ralphs, Alberts, and Arthurs.

Thanks for the input everyone. Good to know most of you don't think the snot/alien connection would follow anyway. Yes it is old fashioned, but as has been said that's quite in now, with all the Alfies, Rafes, Wilfreds and Arthurs etc so shouldn't stand out too much in the old man name way in a classroom. And yes it probably does depend where you live and the kind of names children in the area have. There are so many very unusual names about now - more so then Gilbert I think 😊

I love the name Gilbert. I had it as a suggestion for my son when I was expecting him, and a friend said the child would get teased so much. The same friend went on to call his child Albert (Bertie). I was really surprised, as personally can’t see that Albert and Gilbert are that different, and Bertie is a great nn for both. I love the name Gilbert, and nn Gil too, being a massive AofGG fan also.

Never heard of the slang term. But Prince Albert slang is pretty bad, but Albert is still a popular choice.

I’d go for it!

Great @sidonie1 Glad you love it too! What did you call youe son in the end? Perhaps Gilbert's one of those Marmite names. It seems to be not very popular (@ 800 and smg in the charts) but for me, names like Albert, which your friend called their child, which is in the top 100, seem just as old fashioned if not more, so not sure why really!? And yes heard about that Prince Albert thing when Prince Louis was on the way. I prefer the Gil sound to the Al sound though and like anything you can turn into Bertie 😊Also like Alfred and Walter which are both more popular than Gilbert, though also on the old fashioned spectrum!

I think you have to be just the right age, but the snotty alien is the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the name Gilbert.

Love Gilbert. Never heard of the negative connections.

Whats eating gilbert grape (gilbert played by johnny depp)

And george and gilbert (artists)

Ooh and love Gil for short also.

Cool name.

Never heard of Green Gilbert, but the name Gilbert just makes me think of rugby balls. Not a bad name though, I think it could be quite cool.