The name River...

[mamah2019]

Hey!

What's people's honest opinions on the name River for a boy?!

Is it too popular/ normal these days?

@Tillygetsit @BabyDust13 thank you both!

@Twinklelittlestar1

I don't knoW why people bother asking for input on here as so many people are downright nasty. I can understand a 'not for me' comment but some of the comments on here are horrible. Ignore them OP and go with what you want

Well said

I think it's a name that sounds marvellous on a kid growing up in Wyoming or Idaho or on a giant ranch who will likely be a rancher.

It doesn't travel and translate that well into Norwich or Bristol.

I have worked in primary schools for many years and have two older teenagers. I have never come across a child named ‘River’ and neither have they so to say it’s normal is pushing it. The only person I’ve heard of with this name was River Phoenix and just lately Jamie Oliver. One an American actor and the other has children with unusual names that have been ridiculed. Some of these names are cute but please think about your child and also carrying the name into adulthood.

You did ask for “honest opinions” OP. I’d never do anything but politely smile and nod at someone’s name choice IRL but an anonymous Internet forum is where you’re going to get uncensored brutal honesty, especially if you ask for it. If the PP thought the name was chavvy then I’d assume you’d want to know that, hence the ask?

Apart from River Phoenix, I only know of little girls called River.

Only River I know is a girl.

@Benjispruce2 there's over 500 babies a year named River these days so you'll be coming across a little River soon enough. It's obviously way out the top 100 still but wouldn't shock me at all to meet a River - I know boys called Fox and Wolf.
You say your children are teenagers so I'm not surprised they don't know a River as in 2008 for example, only 38 babies were called River.

To me it's a great choice: easy to spell, not too 'out there' and not too common either but familiar enough that it doesn't feel try hard. Great name

It’s not a name. I’ve no idea why people insist on giving their children a noun rather than a name.

It’s a bit like ‘Angel,’ though at least angels have something in common with humans.

A river is a geographical feature. You might just as well use ‘glacier’ or ‘valley’ or any other inanimate object like ‘teapot.’

Fix and Wolf???!!!

500 is nothing out of 750,000 births pa.

I’ve no idea why people insist on giving their children a noun rather than a name.

Blame Jesus, didn't he start the trend by renaming Simon as 'Stone' (Cephas in Aramaic)? Which was translated to the Greek Petros. I don't suppose you mind the name Peter?
Many 'names' started as 'nouns' or descriptions or whatever.

River is a good name. It’s heard of and easy to spell. I tend to think of it as a girls name thanks to doctor who but you would get that with any unisex name.

I don’t think it’s popular, never met one.

I like it. Coincidentally started watching a Netflix series called 'The Politician' last night. One of the main characters is called River and he is a boy.

@Benjispruce2 the name is in the top 200 names now for both boys and girls.
In 2008 for example the name was outside the top 700 names. It's certainly not common (and I've never met a River either despite my kids being v young) but it's getting increasingly mainstream and on the rise so I would expect I'll come across a little River soon.

I really like it, I loved River Pheonix.

I don't know any children called River.

it's getting increasingly mainstream
That's what Rivers do.

I think it's a beautiful name but wouldn't give it to my child because of judgment I am afraid. I agree it could set them back for opportunities and I wouldn't take that chance on my kid.

I think people who name their kids due to their own need to be seen as quirky and out there, rather than their child's need to have a name that will see them through life scream of narcissism.

@BilboBercow but River is not quirky or out there these days - it's in the top 200 names for both girls and boys. If someone wants a really quirky unusual name for their child, they'd pick something else !

@FluffyEggsontoast I agree with this, I genuinely don't see it as quirky or 'out there'. I definitely think if parents WANTED to be really quirky they wouldn't pick anything where around 200-300+ babies a year are being named that.

I was a big fan of River Phoenix so I think of it as a boy's name. However the only River I know in real life is a teenage girl.

• and River is on an upward trajectory too so it'll be top 150/120 for boys and girls in the next few years. Can't see it ever being top 10 but it's really not obscure or "out there" at all these days.

Well olive is a name too

On a scale of weirdness, I find Olive way weirder than River, and genuinely cringe when I meet an Olive. Sounds horrible, makes me think of olives, olives are vile things.

imagine choosing weird names for their offspring makes them seem cool and edgy to others.

Or they were going through baby name books/websites and... Shock horror... Liked it? River is in baby name books, you know. Or maybe they wanted a nature name so Google "nature name for boys" and River would have been on there.