Will people understand?!

[mariaallen]

Hi! My husband is American and he recently brought up a name for our son due in September I actually quite like: Zero, as in the actor Zero Mostel. I've researched the name and it has a significant amount of meaning and history, it means so much more than just the number. We love it and think it's a strong name with an interesting history, but not everyone will feel that way---any thoughts? Thank you so much.

I don't think most people will have heard of the actor or have any idea that it's a name. Not in the UK anyway.

I'd be worried about zero being equated with loser - "big fat zero", 0 out of 10 sort of thing.

I think the number of people who appreciate the name as anything other than a number will be vanishingly small, if not zero

But seriously, most people aren’t going to ‘get’ it - whether that matters is up to you.

The thing with names like that is that you might think it's quirky or brave or interesting, but it's not your name and poor old Zero has to live with it for the rest of his life. You have to imagine him at school or job interviews or work meetings or whatever, he's going to be an adult way longer than a baby and personally I would be embarrassed to have such an 'out there' name.

I've never heard of that actor and would just feel sorry for a child being lumbered with such a name .

Not a good idea, I think.

Awful.

I’ve never Coe across it other than Ada mathematical conceipt (because it’s nit really s number), and associsted meanings of worthlessness. Not something i’d want to give my child!

Do not like.

I wouldn't like the link with meaning nothing.
He'll have a lifetime of people commenting on it and having to repeat and spell it as people will likely presuming someone wouldn't be named after a number. Its like calling a kid eight or three.

Zero Mostel wasn’t actually named Zero though. He was given that nickname as a child for not doing well in school. Bit of an odd choice to name your child after in that case?

0/10

Hate, don’t understand it and also think its so negative

I have to say that I quite like Zero!
I have a very unusual name myself and I'm so glad my parents gave me something different.

I wouldn't its not you that will have to explain it and live with it as your name, think about it would you change your name to Zero, the answer is obviously no so why do you think your son would like it?

In addition the very first search result for Zero name is this:
The name Zero is an Arabic baby name. In Arabic the meaning of the name Zero is: Empty.

What a great name meaning [hmmm]

Finally if you need any more convincing that this is a bad ide the actor you're supposedly naming him after (whom I had never heard off prior to a quick google, probably because he died in 1977) is actually called Samuel!

holes.wikia.com/wiki/Zero_(Hector_Zeroni) Holes is a set text in year 8 in many schools - Zero gets his nickname due to everyone assuming he is not intelligent (for all he turns out to be a great person and as intelligent as anyone, it illustrates what the nickname Zero implies).

Zero Mostel was actually called Samuel; his mother nicknamed him Zero because she thought he'd amount to nothing (nice).

Don't call your baby Zero.

Beyond awful, don't do it

@HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone - I've lived in the middle East for over 5 years and never known anyone called Zero. That's how bad the name is. Even the origins don't regard it as any good. Don't do it OP. It's dreadful.

I love unusual names, have one myself as does my child but agree with everyone’s feedback above sorry OP.
What about Zeroni as someone linked to above?

It's such a negative name.

I think a good basic premise about names is, if you have to consider whether people will understand a name, then don't use it.

I was just reading about Zero Mostel yesterday, The Producers being one of my favourite films.
Zero was his pet name, OP, not his given name. His family called him this because he was failing school.

Personally, I think it’s cool and I like it AND I do ‘get’ where you’re coming from, but you can’t really do it. It’s basically calling your kid a schmuck.

Terrible, awful idea. Going by the responses here, I think that people "understand" full well.

Zero is the name of the ghost dog in a Nightmare Before Xmas

Hideous. Don't do it to the child.

No. No no no! Please don't inflict such a negative name on your child. "Big fat zero" is what I thought of immediately.