Am I going to call my baby boy...

[stalebananabread]

Francis (Frank/ie), Jude, Isaac or Patrick?

(Suggestions welcome, but I think we have considered every boys name that currently exists in the English language. At least, that's how it feels. Also, I am fussy)

Patrick

I have a 10 year old Isaac so I think that’s the best name

Otherwise I also really like Jude and Patrick. Francis not so much.

If you want other suggestions how about Reuben or Seth?

Congratulations!

Patrick is a lovely name. Then Francis. Not keen on the others.

Which one sounds best with your surname? That's very important.

Personally, I like Patrick as it's a solid, grown-up name with lots of nickname options. Over the years I've come across Patricks who go by Patch, Rick, Paddy and Pat. I don't think you particularly need an Irish heritage to use it and would put it in the same camp as Alistair, Nicholas, Nathaniel i.e. well-known but not trendy.

Jude already sounds like a nickname to me - I would assume it's a shortening for Julian or possibly Jacob at a push.

Isaac is often misspelt as others have pointed out. You could have Zachary, if you wanted Zack as a nickname.

Francis sounds a bit soft to me, but I like Frank a lot.

Patrick is my favourite and less common these days. Jude and Isaac are very popular.

Francis quite a wet name. It’s not a name many boys would choose for themselves.

Ah shucks, I just want Gabriel now and Mr Bananabread has very decisively shot it down. I asked him yesterday what name he'd choose if it were entirely up to him and he picked one that I have also very firmly vetoed, so I guess it's fair. Finding it hard to be generous when I'm being repeatedly kicked in the bladder by Not-Gabriel though, I won't lie.

Interesting how there is no clear frontrunner here, but I think Patrick has a slight edge?

@Runningupthecurtains I was briefly but memorably picked on at primary school by a little arsehole kid called Julian, which has completely tainted it for me I'm afraid!

Patrick Jude

Isaac

I like Frankie (but associate that with girls) and Jude

Francis is great, I've literally never considered it for a baby boy but it's really cool sounding

Isaac is my favourite

Are you happy for Patrick to be shortened? My son’s friend Patrick is nicknamed Patch and obviously some Patricks get Paddy.

Definitely Patrick

Patrick! Lovely name

[quote stalebananabread]@Forestcantrun ooh really?? I thought they'd stay bumping along outside the top 100 (Patrick and Francis anyway, I think Frank/ie is getting popular).

I don't want to call myself a trend-setter or anything but when we told the midwives our daughter's name several of the older ones said they'd never had one before. Now, I see it in many a MN name thread and it's slowly climbing up the charts albeit from obscurity[/quote]
Quite a few Patricks and Franks this year that I've noticed. I work in a clinical environment so between staff and patients new babies I've come across a few. Especially Frank. I love it. Very refreshing from all the Conors and Masons etc.

I really like them all! In order I’d go Francis, Patrick, Jude, Isaac

Patrick if you don't mind paddy for a nickname. Really not keen on any of the others.

Is Francis a unisex name? I have only ever known a female Francis. I actually think Frank is better than Francis, and that's saying something.

Francis is the male version, Frances is the female version

I really like all your choices, but Jude is my favourite. Such a lovely name.

The Francis I know was called Fanny from the age of about 6, which was 30 years ago...

Frank