Harry........

[Vicsleighbob]

DH and I are expecting our first DS together early next year. We've discussed baby names many times and the ONLY name we both love is Harry, BUT.....it's currently no 4 on the most popular list, I personally know at least 12 people socially with a DS called Harry and I also know of a few other pregnant women that are due before me and have chosen to use the name too. We've not told anyone our name yet as I prefer to wait until the baby is born.

I'm really concerned that is just too popular. I don't want DS to end up in a class full of Harry's. DH always refers to my bump as baby Harry now though and I'm really torn. We have 4 other DS's between us, all with traditional bible names so want something traditional for our DS too. Harry was perfect until it became so popular. What would you do? DH is very picky about names too which isn't helping

Harry isn’t biblical. And I think of it as pretty done to be honest. Sorry.

Have you got NO other names, biblical or otherwise, that you both like?

Hector
Lenny
Oscar
Adam
Max
Charlie
Daniel

Harry is popular for a reason - it’s a strong classical name, has meaning in several languages, etc etc. If you like it use it

Not a fan, Harry Potter killed it for me. However! It's a name you both love SO I say go for it! I don't think any of the MANY Lindseys and Michelle's from my generation are damaged in any way and I had a known but unusual name growing up and I can't say I really cared and ended up going by my MUCH more popular middle name in my adult years anyway.
Pick the name you love.

How about Henry (stronger and more classic and mature, IMO) and you can call him Harry as a nickname?

It's perfectly fine. It is quite popular, but there won't be a whole class full. These days there are just so many more names that people are using, that there's much less likelihood of having several children with the same name in a class, even if you're right at the top of the popularity list.

Harry is popular for a reason - it’s a strong classical name, has meaning in several languages, etc etc

Classical? I wouldn't think so.

Meaning in other languages? Which languages do you mean in particular..?

Actually when you google the meaning of 'Harry' it says 'to harass'!

Personally I find Harry overused and quite dull.

Agree with pp that Henry with nn Harry is a good option, although if you love a name then I wouldn't be put off my popularity as such.

Agree - Harry is not a strong or classical name. Henry is, and Harry is the pet form of Henry. Larry? Short for Laurence?

I like it and wouldn't be put off by the popularity. But if that is an issue for you why not consider some other names too?

I have a Harri, so I obviously love it! I don’t think there are any other boys called Harry In his reasonably sized secondary school, but I do know a few younger ones. The Harri spelling is quite popular around here (SE Wales).

Go with Henry.

I'd have what you like and not worry about what people think. I'd also not mention it, so folk can't put you off it. Once the baby is here and you tell them his name, nobody will put you off it then.

My concern with very popular names is that if there are a few in one class, people find a way to distinguish between them. Hence you get "fat Harry", "ginger Harry" etc. I do love the name Harry, but wouldn't use it for that reason. When I was at school there were lots of Johns and Matthews, and they were distinguished in this way.

My two boys have names that were chosen with the following criteria: not so popular that there could be several in the class, not so unusual that it could incite ridicule, easy to spell and pronounce, any nicknames would still be ok, and initials didn't spell anything dodgy! Obviously I had to like the names too. I guess my criteria were heavily influenced by the fact I was bullied as a child.

Of course Harry is a classic name.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_(given_name)

Harry has been popular for ages and ages, it's hardly like you thought of it then it suddenly got common.

I don't like nicknames as names so I would go for Henry n Harry personally. Henry is a classic name. I know a few Harrisons - I personally hate it, don't like surname names and find it very of the moment - but it's an option.

I met a(nother) Harry recently and my first thought was what a shame his parents didn't have a bit more imagination. It's such a bland name and so many people are called it.

Pick something else!

Wow, diddle, you’ve got me over a number of barrels: my DS name is ‘bland’, I lack imagination and worst of all it’s a nickname- in his case...short for Harrison!!

@AlliKaneErikson 😂 just personal taste! And anyway, if it's short for Harrison then you haven't given him a nickname as a proper name on his BC. I don't mind people having nicknames as long as they have a proper name too. So that's one of my bugbears to tick off the list... 😬

There are no Harrys at all in my dc primary. I like it.

I don't know any young Harrys. If it's really popular where you are, then use it anyway - no-one will think anything of it.

There are 3 Harrys in our cub scouts group of 12 and 2 of them have a similar surname. It can be tricky to differentiate between them.

I find it dull from overuse.

If it's really popular where you are, then use it anyway - no-one will think anything of it.

What an odd recommendation...?!

The op herself is concerned about popularity and her son may hate having to add his surname to his name.

It's unlikely you'll get two in a class. Even the most popular names are still something like 1 in 300 children. So it's possible but not that likely.

I have a Harry who is 4. Of his 2 reception classes (so 60 kids) there is no other Harry. But there are multiples of Leo/Theo/Milo/Reuben and other names parents have chosen not to be ‘bland’. It is ageless and classless, a great name for a little boy and a grown man. Choose a couple of more unusual middle names he can use if he is one of many. I still love it, love shouting it across a playground.

Thank you for all your replies.

I know Harry isn't a bible name like the others, but it is very traditional. I'm not a fan of 'trendy' names and would like something classic.

People saying use Henry, it's just not the same name as Harry and I really don't like it - personal choice - sorry.

My DH keeps saying we can use Harry and it doesn't matter if it's popular because it'll be 'OUR Harry' which is quite sweet.

We have a short list of other names that are 'OK' but we don't love: Noah, Isaac, Edan, George.....

Our middle name is Lee because it has special meaning, so Harry Lee......I still just don't know 😫