Art - as a stand alone name... thoughts?

[BoyInTheOven]

Art - I came across this as a stand alone Irish name (we're not Irish). I like the meaning. And o like that it's a real name but not common but also not strange.

However a stumbling block would be having friends and family in Essex dropping the 'T'... thoughts?

MEANING: In Ireland a seperate name from Arthur it comes from an ancient word for “”a bear,”” used in the sense of “”outstanding warrior”” or “”champion.”” A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.

Where I come In the Midlands people would think you were dropping your aitches and pronounce it Hart

Yea I’m under 30. Staggered that you’ve never heard of Garfunkel??!

Art Malik (short for Athur) is a top actor

@Grandmaswagsbag I didn't realise his first name was Arthur... I'd heard Simon and Garfunkel. Some uber known songs there!

@SkivingSnackbox haven't heard of him either... back to the google. Thanks

I’m Irish and only know one, too. I like it, but it sounds far better in an Irish accent with a rhotic ‘r’and a softer ‘t’. I don’t like it as much with a non-rhotic English pronunciation as ‘Aaht’.

I love it... but would assume it was a diminutive form.
Could be seen as a bit pretentious as a name in its own right, perhaps.

@IrmaTooth tbh doesn't everything sound better with an Irish accent?

@Lycanthropology thank you, I'm thinking the same. My dd has a name that could be seen as a diminutive - but as a rule I would always prefer the longer version on a birth certificate. I feel I could make an exception here too. Scrolling through the mn boards it does seem that I quite like pretentious names 😬

@SkivingSnackbox oh I know him! He's a great actor.

Ah! I think if you don’t mind the garfunkuler reference (I don’t think I would) it’s a nice name!

Art is fantastic! I love Garfunkel too. I think the Irish actor from the IT crowd also has an Art (I could be wrong).

@Susannach Yes I found that he does, I think him and his wife are both great!

I'm Irish and most Arts I know get called Artie.

@Chapterandverse yes I think Artie for a baby/young boy would be quite cute. Do you know many?

Horrid

@BoyInTheOven I think it was just regarded as a nice, unusual name. Certainly I don't remember anyone making any negative comments - he stood out among the Thomases and Jacks but in a good way!

Thanks @DickensianHysteric that's good to know 😊

My child's middle names are Arthur James. It's lovely. It was a close call between the name we settled on and Arthur. If he was Arthur he would've been Art, to differentiate him from his great grandfather. I obviously love it and think it's in great taste!

Thanks everyone for your input (positive and negative) I've told OH I'm really 'feeling' it, especially Art as a stand alone name. So will leave it with him to see how it lays for a while 🤞🤞🤞

Do I know many?

My uncle and his son. A neighbour and I had one in my class at school.

I know an Arto and have always loved Arto, not sure if you've heard that before ? X

Too easy to put an F at the beginning and have a lifetime of slagging off for it.

Perfectly fine as a stand alone name in my opinion, he may have an artistic flare...

Art? That's like calling a child Sport or Music!

I would go for Arthur on the birth certificate even if you always call him that.