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?

You’re probably having a girl after all this advice OP

Go with what you like, it’s your child.

Exactly as above.

I named my DD after her wonderful great grandmother

It's funny how our perceptions are driven by culture. I'm 37, 7 years in UK from mainland Europe, and made the connection immediately because they are known by the translated version of their first name in my country, and not by surname.

Also, I have given my son a traditional British name (which is in turn the translated version of my PIL's name), which sounds outdated according to MN threads. But I could never have used #1 Oliver and I don't understand the hype for it, as I was left traumatised by reading Oliver Twist as a child

I meant FIL obviously

Lovely name! 💖
I hadn't made the connection, but even now you've pointed it out i would definitely still use it! It's only when you say his full name together which you won't often, and even when you do i doubt most people would make the connection. And, even if they do, they'll say "Oh, like Laurel and Hardy!" and move on. It's not like it's the names of mass murderers or something!

I would try again for something nicer

I definitely wouldn’t have made the connection and can categorically guarantee nobody their age will at school. Don’t think it’s a bad connection anyway really.

34 & hadn’t the foggiest what you meant - had to read the post twice

Stan and Ollie are dogs names these days.