Help! Can I get away with this name or should I forget it and move on?

[Welikethemoon]

Birth of our second baby is imminent, we don't know the sex. We have decided on a girls name but have been struggling with a boys name. The other day we suddenly decided upon "Stanley Oliver". We both loved it, it works well with our surname, the initials aren't a rude word or otherwise enbarising acronym. We can yell it easily when he's naughty and shorten it to Stan when he's older. For 5 minutes we had it cracked. Then I remembered they are Laurel and Hardy! So we immediately vetoed it. Now we can't think of anything else. We loved that name. But neither of us are particularly fans of L&H and I don't think I can do it. He would be constantly asked about it wouldn't he? Could you name your child that?

My cousins son is called Stanley and Laurel and Hardy has never crossed my mind in the 6 years of his life.

It didn't even occur to me until you pointed it out then someone mentioned the recent film.

I think although everyone has seen them or at least heard of them they are just far enough back in time that not everyone knows or remembers them clearly enough to remember everything about them.

I personally wouldn't use that name especially Stanley but it's not my baby so it's nothing to do with me!

There are lots of children and adults running about with names I dislike but if I meet one of them or are friends with one then it just isn't important!

I made the connection straight away.

Also Stanley always reminds me of Stan Ogden in Coronation Street. But I am old!

I like Oliver Stanley - don’t make the connection to Laurel and Hardy so much in that order.

I made the connection ,although it wouldn’t bother me, they’re just not two names I’d put together. I think Stanley Oscar flows better.

As long as your surname doesn't begin with an S .

FWIW, I worked with a Chris Evans (not
the DJ). No one batted an eyelid or sniggered. People don't always twig connections.

Jane Seymour has had a decent career desour being the namesake of one of Henry VIII's wives....

Love the names, did not make the connection. Prefer the suggestion Oliver Stanley though as @DontCallMeShitley suggested, Olly/Ollie as a nickname is nicer than Stan.

The laurel and hardy connection wouldn't be noticed by anyone under 40 imo and even then it's not obvious. A friend called her daughter lauren Olivia and was worried people would think Laurence Olivier.Noone did.

I've never watched it so have never heard of the name. It's a good name go for it

It was my Grandfather's name so I am fond of it. It is also the name of my lovely old uncle.

Stanley makes me think of a crusty old man its horrible. Oliver is nice.

I‘m under forty and made the connection immediately.
It sounds lovely but I think one of the reasons it sounds so good is the
However, it’s not like middle names get used very much so you could still go for it.
But why not keep Stanley and find something else for a middle name, or add another short middle name in between. Not John, though!

*familiarity

Went missing for some reason.

I made the connection immediately and I’m a fan, but I wouldn’t go with it. Oliver is lovely, as is Ollie. Go with that. Middle names are hardly spoken so go with DHs middle name or first name.

I didn't make the connection and can honesty say no one will know or care about the middle name anyway.

I don't know any of my friend's or my DCs friend's middle names

I don't think I can have Oliver as the first name. Our surname begins with an L, Ollie L... Is too much of a mouthful for me.

I love Stanley
Oliver very popular
I did make the connection, immediately.
And thought ‘no!’
And it isn’t a generation thing, no one on MN watched L&H as contemporary films.
My teens know full well who L&H are!

Keep Stanley but ditch Oliver. Middle names are pointless anyway, just pick something at random out of a naming book for a middle name.

What do you think of Sidney instead of Stanley, OP? There’s a Sid in my son’s class and I love it
PS don’t think there’s an actual issue with Stanley or Stan + Oliver. I just think of the fun kids book I read as a child called Flat Stanley, when I hear name Stanley. And I am yet another not to have made the L&H connection.

I didn’t make the connection (in my 30s) lovely name and love Stan. Go for it, middle names are hardly ever used anyway!

Nobody except you will know the middle names apart from the recipient of some government forms.
So go for it

I'm 29, I have heard of but never seen L&H and would certainly have never made the connection. Your son will grow up in a generation that won't know L&H, I say if you love it then go for it!

I wouldn’t. It’s not the worst by any means but I still wouldn’t.

Gorgeous name. So what if people make the connection? I teach two very lovely Stanleys.

L&H are the first thing I thought of. Have a vague recollection that I read somewhere recently that there is to be revival film, docudrama or such like made.
What about Stanley Oscar?
Stanley Orlando
Stanley Olaf