Rupert, Wilfred or something else

[Minibea]

Please help! I’m booked for a section in a fortnight and we still don’t have a name chosen

Current faves are Rupert and Wilfred - middle name probably Henry but neither of us feel totally convinced about either of the front runners and we can’t seem to make a firm decision, now we’re not sure whether that’s because neither is “the one”. We already have a DD called Clara and we chose her name early on, never wavered and still love it.

Mumsnetters please cast your votes! I know neither are top 10 names and might be a bit marmite so if you hate both and have no helpful suggestions for alternatives feel free to keep your opinions to yourself!

Wilfred is lovely and has a vintage/retro feel like Clara to me (and it also has an excellent variety nn choices if he wants - Will, Wilf, Fred/Freddie and even Wolf/Wolfie!)

Rupert is nice enough, but still suffers a bit from upper class stereotypes and "softer" feel I think (maybe because of the bear?).

I love Henry by the way! Similar classic names I like are Alfred, Hugh, Edward, Edmund, Frederick, John, Robert, Nicholas, Peter, Michael, Philip, Samuel, James and Alexander.

Very unusual names. I think that's quite good, but something to be aware of, a lot of the time kids just want to fit in. Unusual names can stand out a bit, but I guess they could always use 'Will' as a nickname for 'Wilfred'?

Thanks all, seems like Wilfred is the more popular choice which DH will be pleased about as it’s his favourite. I find the Boris connection a bit off putting and would hate people to think we’d copied them intentionally 😕 but it is a name we both keep coming back to.

Of the two names my favourite is Rupert but I do worry a bit about the “posh boy” connotations which is the thing that stops me being certain about it.

I have considered Wilbur but the Charlotte’s Web connection puts me off, also liked Percy but Percy Pigs and Ralph reminds me of a book i read as a teen where it was a name for a male’s appendage... lots of the other suggestions people have made are close family and friends’ names which we can’t have unfortunately. Might have to toss a coin on D-day!

Thomas goes nice with Henry as a middle name

Boris will be pretty much a footnote in history in a few years and many people couldn't tell you his child's name right now.

I wouldn't let that put you off.

What about Marmaduke?
Harold

Of the two names my favourite is Rupert but I do worry a bit about the “posh boy” connotations which is the thing that stops me being certain about it.

They both have 'posh boy' connotations. As do most of the suggestions that other posters have offered. To be honest (and nothing against posh people!) I don't like either/any of them.

I definitely wouldn't let Boris put you off, Wilfred is a very established name. It would be different if you were calling the baby "Boris" though. I'd avoid that.

I don't know the names of former prime ministers children, do you?

Wilfred is perfect

Wilfred is great.

Wilfred or Rupert?
Hmmm; A year ago I'd have said Rupert but I now know 3 under 18 months so I wouldn't. For a name with similar vibe/ associations consider Gregory, Sebastian, Lucien or Julian currently much underused).
Wilfred also seems to be very much in favour at the moment. Similar (but slightly less popular) names to consider include Alfred, Albert, Archibald, Frederick, Roderick, Edward, Jonathon (Jonty).

I love both! But I prefer Wilfred a little bit more. He could be shortened to Wilf which is very sweet!

I like both but have a slight preference for Rupert

I much prefer Rupert.

How about Toby /Tobias? Or use Henry as a first name?

Rupert and Clara is lovely. Wilfred is ok but not a fan of Wilf

Rupert for sure . Hope everything goes well for you.

I don't really like either, sorry.
Frederick?

I love both but SLIGHTLY prefer Wilfred.

Henry is lovely.

Rupert and Wilfred, not so lovely. Sorry.

This is so difficult! So many of the names people are suggesting Edward, Sebastian, Frederick, Toby, Thomas etc are all names we love but we can’t use because they are already in our close family/friendship groups.

I like Julian and will be adding that to the list. Albert is already on the long list (love Bertie as a nn) but DH isn’t a fan - something about a Prince Albert ?

It is so interesting that people seem to think both Wilfred and Rupert are getting quite popular - we don’t know anyone in real life with either of them; Rupert is outside the top 100 and Wilfred is low down on the list whereas the some of the suggestion made are much higher up - there must be so much regional variation in their use.

Good points re previous Prime Ministers’ children @Whatsyourflava - couldn’t name any!

I prefer Wilfred, but if you're concerned about popularity, I know more Wilfreds than Ruperts (unless you count adults, then it's the other way round...I think).

I also know more little boys called Rufus than Rupert.

I know quite a few little Wilfreds who are certainly not posh. I think it will be the new Arthur but I could be very wrong.

We nearly called DS Rupert. We went with Edmund in the end. It’s surprisingly rare.

@MinnieMountain

We nearly called DS Rupert. We went with Edmund in the end. It’s surprisingly rare.

I also love Edmund but we have an Edward in the family already and I worry that it is too similar if they both end up with Ed/Eddie nicknames