How dated is Colin?

[insidejobb]

We are trying to choose a name for our first baby which will be a boy. We are almost set on Colin and have made the mistake of telling other people. Most of them have asked whether we are having a baby or an 80 year old man and making comments about how dated it is. One of my friends even said "who looks at a baby and think it looks like a Colin?"

I like to think it's a very traditional and timeless name and I know comments could be worse but they still get to me.

What are your thoughts on it?

Really don't like it- all the colins I know are almost 60

It never fails to amaze me how a lot of posters on here often coo over names like Wilfred, Atticus, Alfred, Arthur, Harold and names of that ilk as so cute and lovely but when we get a Colin it's all oh it's a boring, bland 80's name.
I think I'd rather be Colin than Wilfred which is both hideous and very "old fashioned"

Each to their own though. For what it's worth OP, Colin is a perfectly good name and if you like it then go for it.

It’s a very unattractive name. And why give an awful name to your precious baby? I’d only choose a name that would enhance a child’s life not blight it.

Was quite shocked to read this thread. So vitriolic.

Colin is very dated, it's true. But why does it matter? It has nice sounds, an Irish feel without being one of the typical Irish names, easy to say and won't feel dated when he's 50 because the dated names will be Noah and Arlo.

Congratulations, Colin Alexander is a lovely choice.

Colin or Clive tho?

Interesting point above about the Noah’s and the arlo’s being the dated names in a generation’s time. Very true. I nearly went with Noah 30 years ago. So glad I didn’t as there are loads of them now. I had never heard it used when I was considering it.

I actually think some dated/parents generation names are lovely for babies and a great way to get an unusual but familiar name. And as names cycle around, people with names that were dated/associated with parent generation when they are young will end up sounding younger than they are when they are older adults which is quite cool (I know a Connor in his 50s which was an old man name he hated when he was younger but now there are loads of Connor’s in their twenties so people sometimes think he’s younger than he is/he doesn’t have an embarrassing dad name). So when Colin is 50 all the old farts will be called Noah, Arlo etc and young kids will be called Colin and Steve so old Colin will sound quite cool. And Ava, Eva, Grace will be the dated sharon/Tracey style names whereas a name like susie will be cool again. That’s my theory anyway.

Clive is worse that's the only positive thing I can say. The only reason I could now stomach Colin is because of It's A Sin and what a wonderful character he is.

You ask on here because you will get honest answers, everyone you meet will be thinking the same even if they don't say it. Hope you have a thick skin OP

Gorgeous choice OP x

I see it as a 60-70 year old’s name like Geoff, Nigel, Dave and Gary. But it’s also the name of a very delicious chocolate caterpillar

Wow there's some harsh comments on here. Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the name Colin

Congratulations @insidejobb

Please call your baby Alexander instead. Colin is a Nigel and Derek name. It’s a beige cardi, socks and sandals kind of name. Colin is not the future man that one would fancy, sorry OP.

Jesus there are some ridiculous comments on here.
Won't Alexander wear beige cardi dicks and sandals then?

Socks

@Lalliella

Please call your baby Alexander instead. Colin is a Nigel and Derek name. It’s a beige cardi, socks and sandals kind of name. Colin is not the future man that one would fancy, sorry OP.

The absolute nonsense people come out with.

That might be your personal perception, but it doesn’t map out in reality.

I don’t think of beige cardigans when I think of Colin Farrell or Firth.

I hope OP is finding this thread funny and printing it out to put it in young Colin's baby box so he can open in on his 21st birthday when he's a dashing and gorgeous young chap with a glittering career in front of him!

I'm glad you're going with it. It's hard to find a name you both love and it sounds like you've found one. No child will think it's 'dated' it will just be his name.
I love Corin if that's an option, but Colin is fine and will actually be totally adorable on a baby.

Tbf op says in her opening post that everyone they’ve told doesn’t like it either.

It’s actually growing on me now

I find that saying a name to myself a few times and trying to think of how it sounded to people's ears when it was a modern name, helps me reevaluate it. I went to school with quite a few Colins in the seventies, so it does seem old fashioned now, but it sounds pleasant when I say it, so yes I like it.

But a name like Archie, for example, sounds harsh and jars with me, so I don't like it no matter how many times I hear it or how many people are using it.

I named my son after my dad, a name I always thought was old fashioned. But it became popular again and when I listened to how it sounded in my mind, it was actually really lovely. If I hadn't liked the sound, I would never have used it as a first name.

This is my Colin hth