Opinion on the name Rawdon

[Booklover137]

I’m very strongly for this name and have loved it ever since I first read Vanity Fair in my teens. I just want to gage reactions before announcing it to family and friends as I’m aware it may sound a little too old-fashioned or even pompous for some (or perhaps I’m overthinking it!)

We would use the nickname Rory, and middle names would be Michael John.

Rory is cute though

OP, we very nearly called DS1 Rawdon - like you, inspired by VF. I thought/think it is an amazing name and have occasionally felt wistful that we didn't go for it. I feel quite relieved we didn't now, given the hate it is getting on here! I'm quite surprised!

But Rawdon Crawley was a bit of a buffoon, from my memories of the novel -- he's a Jack the Lad dragoon, then Becky's loyal fool, and then he's porky and submissive and ashamed.

I don't mind the name, in fact, but it seems a bit mad to give your child that name and call him an entirely different name that is neither an obvious shortened version nor an accepted nickname or familiar version, like Jack for John or Harry for Henry. If you like Rory and want to call him that on a everyday basis, why not simply call him Rory?

@cheeseismydownfall

OP, we very nearly called DS1 Rawdon - like you, inspired by VF. I thought/think it is an amazing name and have occasionally felt wistful that we didn't go for it. I feel quite relieved we didn't now, given the hate it is getting on here! I'm quite surprised!

See, I quite like it, but I'm a bit puzzled as to why someone would give the character in Vanity Fair as a reason for liking it, when the character is a bit of a twit. And you would presumably have called him Rawdon, rather than an entirely unrelated nickname...?

Poor kid.
Why, if you’re going to call him Rory anyway?

Nope.

I've not read Vanity Fair nor heard of the town. It just sounds like a made up surnamey type of name to me, not posh or pompous in the slightest.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I’m so sorry, but it’s truly awful. It sounds like ‘rawed on’ for a start, which is slang for unprotected sex. It’s an ugly sound. The word ‘raw’ at the start looks bad. It’s pretentious.

Normally I take a ‘do what you like’ attitude to most things but I would have to implore you to reconsider with this one - it’s such a shocker.

Why would you call him Rawdon but use Rory on a day to day basis? I don't understand folk who do this. If you don't like the name enough to use it as his name, what's the point? Rory isn't even a natural nickname.

I'm not z fan of Sunday names and then a nickname as the normal name. Just give him a name that can stand up on its own. Rory is a very nice name. Just go with that.

If you want a posh boys name beginning with R go for Randolph or Rupert.

I just don’t like it. Some of the reasons given here provide some explanation for that but I think it’s just not one that appeals to me on any level.

That said, if you love it and it feels like the one go for it. People like me will get over it and associate it positively with your ds quickly enough.

It's got an ugly sound to me

I know it as a suburb of Leeds.

Doesn't grab me as a name, but if you love it, use it.

But don't be surprised if at school it got shortened to Raw, Rawd or Rawds, all of which are horrible, IMO.

Rawdon is a surname and a place name, not a first name.
Rory is nice!

Sounds like a Pokémon.

It's horrible! Much prefer Rory.

Awful, as is Rory. Really dislike the 'roar' noise. Also pronounced as 'wor wee' by some.

Yep I’ve been to far too many funerals at Rawdon crematorium to shake that association. Rory is lovely.

Rawdon in VF is a bit thick, isn’t he?

I think they use Rawdy as nickname in the book.

Sounds like a way a steak is cooked

Do you want your steak raw or well done? Nah I'll have it Rawdon

@DamSky

I'm not z fan of Sunday names and then a nickname as the normal name. Just give him a name that can stand up on its own. Rory is a very nice name. Just go with that.

If you want a posh boys name beginning with R go for Randolph or Rupert.

Not Randolph! ( For obvious reasons)

I dont like it personally. Rory slightly better.
Cant you switch it around to Michael John Rawdon or similar

It's awful.

It sounds like some kind of tool company selling screws and rawlplugs and plasterboard.

It's a place near Leeds. Or a surname.
Rawdon Crawley's more than a bit dim witted, so that wouldn't be a recommendation for an unusual name.

How do you like your steak?