Brian?

[DonnaHaroldson]

Is this good?

I think it's the perception of it as an old man's name rather than the sound of it itself. If you'd asked about Bryony for a girl, reactions would be a lot more positive. Or Ryan, for that matter.

I think it's one of those names that's probably more popular with Irish parents (or those with Irish heritage), like Mary, Margaret, Bridget etc - names that are considered old fashioned in much of the UK, but which are still common everyday names for younger Irish people.

No. Very outdated.
Nigel
Terry
Trevor
Jeremy
Keith
Martin
All of a similar era.

I love it. remind me of Brian May. kind, talented and intelligent.

It's absolutely awful. Sorry.

I love it

I used to teach a lovely lad called Brian. Unfortunately I was forever mixing up the letters and writing 'Well done, Brain' in his books.

NOOOOOO please don't

I misheard a friends baby name Ryan a few years ago and thought she said Brian. She seemed offended

Prefer Bryan

It’s great for a middle aged man.

I like old fashioned names and do like the sound of the word Brian but looking at it written down “Brian” looks too much like Brain in the same way Colin looks too much like Colon for me 🙈

See I don’t like Ryan either so I don’t think for me it’s just that it seems an old man name.. I just don’t think that Ryan / Brian are nice sounds.

Like a lot of PPs I really struggle to read the name too and usually just read Brain. I genuinely thought that the Monty Python thing was The Life of Brain until recently ( I’ve never watched it, I assume it would have been obvious within the first few seconds that it wasn’t some weird comedy about a brain!)

My exh is called Brian and is is a very intelligent kind nerdy sort.

No! There was a Graham thread recently too, what's going on

No!

@Cookit agree with all you’ve said

I also read it as “Life of Brain” !!

I like Gary

I quite like it and those dated names will come back into fashion, you'll be ahead of the curve!

Names like Malcolm, Paul, Keith, Nigel etc. And for girls Gillian, Linda, Sharon... They'll all come back!

It's like all the old man/lady names that are fashionable now, a few years ago many would have baulked at Arthur, Pearl, Ivy, Albert etc.

@ILookAtTheFloor yes it’s interesting isn’t it. I think the reason Brian and Paul etc haven’t made a comeback yet is because it’s a bit too soon.

Names like Arthur and Albert are people’s grandparents name and that generation is now mostly not alive anymore so we picture them as glamorous in black and white photos. Romanticise it all.

Whereas Darren, Paul, Dave and Brian are all just thought of (by the next generation) as overweight uncool dads waiting at the school gates.

I grew up in the 80s and had a Sue and a Jane in my class, which already seemed really dated to me and felt like the names were better suited to the dinner ladies. I think it’s why names like Kate and Gemma and Rachel aren’t used that much anymore. They’re so strongly associated with 80s babies (who are now all dowdy uncool mums).

Before I get any abuse I put myself in the dowdy uncool mum category too! I’m just picturing how our children must see us and perceive these names at school. Anyone called Brian is highly likely to be the only boy called Brian in the school but will get a lot of comments of “oh my dads called Brian” “oh my uncle/grandad is called Brian” “oh my dads called Barry” etc etc

Not to mention Brian the Snail in the magic roundabout