If you have a son ask him what he thinks of...

[Drunkenmonkey]

Gabriel. And I don't mean ask your 4 year old
I'm interested in what older boys (like 8 plus) think of the name as my DH thnks it will invite bullying and also sounds too feminine for a boy and that our future DS (if he is a DS) won't thank us for it.
I disagree but I'd like some opinions. I know it's very popular on here generally as I've done some searching and seen other threads.

"Like heath ledger in the patriot film? Cool" was the reply here OP...

I don’t think Angels have a sex (or exist).
They are Male traditionally but then so are most “good”things. In the movie Constantine Gabriel is played by Tilda Swinton and is pretty androgynous

I love Gabriel and want it on my list my partner hates it

Two of my three sons have friends called Gabriel , Both get called Gabe but one also gets his full name. I think it’s perceived as quite a cool name

My Gabriel is 18, he is as cool as fuck, despite his clearly awful name. [Grin]

Mine are primary and early secondary.

A Gabriel in both their classes/form classes.

No bullying. Gabe is cool.

I think your DH is a bit behind the times. I'm less plugged in to the secondary school scene but in pimary - there were at least 3 we knew/know of! It's a popular name. Pretty much always Gabe. It's just not a name that is seen as even unusual now.

My ds is 16 and has two friends called Gabriel. I'm not aware of either of them having jokes made of their names; they both appear to like their names. One is known as Gabe and the other Gabriel.
I think that at ds's school "gay" "jokes" would be treated with contempt though as people are generally accepted for who they are.

Just checked with ds and DD. They looked at me as though I was odd and said "why would anyone make a joke like that? It would just be stupid".

My ds (19) says he likes it and said he wouldn't get bullied for it

Ds(15) looked at me like I was stupid and said "I don't have feelings about names! All I can think of Brazil because there's lots of Brazilian footballers called Gabriel"

We have a 13yo Gabriel in our family. Doesn't get bullied or called gay. Switches between Gabriel and Gabe.

Im using it for my boy if I'm ever lucky enough to have one.
Years ago i may have said it was a risky. However its very popular run of the mill name now. He's likely to be one of 3 in his class.

18, fine with it, knows two

My nephew is Gabriel and he doesn't like it. Gabe is such an ugly sound, and he gets called "gay", which he's not a fan of.

I really love the name and Gabe for short..

My cousin's child is called Gabriel because her DH is Polish and it works in both languages.
He is 8 and has not been bullied but lives in a very multicultural area where DC have names from many languages. He is Gabriel at school and Gabi at home.
He is also a confident and outgoing boy who is good at sports. I think this has more of an influence on bullying then a name really.

My 13 year old says its fine. I think these days kids are used to their peers having a very wide range of names from different cultures etc that they just accept the kids name is their name. Its not like back in the 90s where there were loads of Mark and Paul's etc and anything different stood out a mile.

I wonder if it depends a bit on the area you live in.
Maybe. In more socially and ethnically diverse areas there will be a greater spread of names. Names from other cultures and names that middle class people wouldn't dare to use.

I've done a lot of supply teaching and sometimes you will get a class of thirty children who are called about five names. Grace, Ella/Eva/Isla Lilly-May, Alfie and Stanley. That's it.

Me: Do you know anyone called Gabriel?”
DS2: No, because I’m not 2000 years old..
Me: What would you think if you met someone and his name was Gabriel?
DS2: Why do you have such a weird name?
DD: What if he went be Gabe?
DS2: Ergh
DD: Or D-slice?
DS2: That’s better than Gabe.

As a teacher, I’ve taught several Gabriels and not been aware of any bullying because of it.