What do you think of when you hear these names?

[Warrickdaviesasplates]

I'm down to my top three boys names for DC3, both DH and I have different favourites although I do like all three and could see myself using any of them.

A little inspired by the Jasper/ James / Jonah thread, I was wondering what kind of person you would picture when hearing these names:

• Heath
• River

-Ragnar

@Palavah

i do see a Heathcliff as arty, intelligent and handsome

You've not read Wuthering Heights then?

Not since my A-levels (where I DEFINITELY read the entire book and didn't just skim it enough to write my essays)

My memory of that Heathcliff is that he was a bit of a dick and I was surprised at how people went on about him like a romantic lead. I guess I just always think of nature names as being more gentle. Would just going with Heath be less Wuthering Heights associative do you think?

@WannabePilot thank you 😊 what a lovely reply. Ragnar is definitely the one I'd just go for if I'm being brave, I know I don't really care about any negative comments or anything like that, and always wish I had a more unusual name, but then I think "I might not care, but the baby isn't me so is it a bit much to put on them?"

@SnottyLottie I was a bit surprised at all the posters saying the names were pretentious, as I've never thought myself posh enough to be considered pretentious. Maybe I should be proud I'm clearly going up in the world 😂

I do love that someone knew a Ragnar who was a rogue, that made me smile.

Surprised by the two posters knowing dogs with the name, is it the same dog? Round my way all the dogs are called Bella and Teddy. My animals are always called stupid names like Meatloaf or Nemos Dad.

I didn't realise the celebrity association would be strong with River and Heath. Obviously I know of Heath Ledger and River Phoenix but my mind doesn't go straight to them. With so many celebrities called John or Chris you don't automatically think John Lennon when you hear the name John. (Although I do go straight to Ted Bundy when I hear of a baby Ted).

Please do keep the comments coming. Even the negative ones are good to read as I can see just how put off I am by them or if it changes my opinion at all.

Heath - cliff
River - what a shame
Ragnar - lothbrok

Please don't name your child after a Viking - Ragnar is truly atrocious I'm sorry.

Yes absolutely Heath is less Wuthering Heights than Heathcliff. Certainly don't call him Heathcliff for the sake of it if what you actually want to call him is Heath

Obviously I know of Heath Ledger and River Phoenix but my mind doesn't go straight to them. With so many celebrities called John or Chris you don't automatically think John Lennon when you hear the name John.

That's because John is one of the most common boys' names there has ever been whereas River...

Heath - Heathcliffe, Wuthering Heights
River - hippie
Ragnar - Viking, kind of love it though

Surprised so many people haven't heard of Ragnar, pretty common Norse roots name

Pretentious and not original .
I would think you were celebrity obsessed.

Heath - Ledger
River - Phoenix
Ragnar - Thor Ragnarok

I think with the River thing as well as the heartbreakingly beautiful River Phoenix it's recently become a name of choice for celebs. I think Jamie Oliver has a son called River and I'm sure there are others too. Similar to when they all started calling their sons Bear.

With those choices I would ASSUME avid tv/film viewer parents who are a bit tryhard when it comes to naming their kids. This comes off the back of having met child siblings in the late 1990s called Demi and Keanu and had a feeling of pity for them due to their parents choices. But we all know what assuming does!

• Heath - hippy, surfer, good looking and knows it
• River - parents were wannabe try-hard hippies, River has rebelled and now works in accounts

-Ragnar - rock. Marvel films. Vikings.

@IsThePopeCatholic agreed. Sorry OP.

Death by suicide
Death by overdose
Pretentiousness

I like Heath but in London and surrounding he'd be called Heaf by lots of people and that would do my head in. River is cute but fairly popular now I think (which is not necessarily a problem) Ragnor is giving m definite Balonz vibes.

Heath also sounds like somewhere suitable for dogging. Or Hampstead.

Heath - upper class, no taste

River - middle-class lentil hipster, possibly Steiner

Ragnar - Harry Potter goblin

Ragnar - but what if he grew to be a funnel-chested weedy type.

I would assume the parents were a ‘type’ 😬

Heath-went to school with one. Blonde, sporty, nice chap
River-looked after a toddler one. Sweet, gentle little boy with long curls. I would choose this one.
Ragnar- I would assume Scandinavian parents

Ragnar is ok. I like the idea of little Raggy.
The others, I'm not keen on.

Heath - brooding, romantic/poetic parents
River - surfer, hippy/bohemian parents
Ragnar- Scandi, Viking- loving, risk -taking parents

I love all the names, but I don't think I'd be brave enough for Ragnar unless I had obvious Nordic heritage.

• Heath - mother had the actors picture taped to her wall as a teen
• River - ditto, but also trend name of moment, so maybe he has a sister Harper

-Ragnar - parents who spend weekends doing Viking reenactment