Timeless and elegant names - Liam or Reuben?

[SweetMeadow]

Hello, this is my first post but I’m an avid Mumsnet post reader!

I’m feeling quite stuck about deciding on names for our little boy arriving imminently!

I am really keen on a timeless and elegant name and so far, I’m only seriously considering either Reuben Oisín or Liam Oisín. Oisín would be the only middle name and I have always loved that name. I also want a name that’s not too popular - probably asking for a lot here!

I’m Irish but live in the UK. My daughter is Rosa.

Do you have a preference for those names and do you think they meet the criteria of timeless and elegant?!

Thank you so much for any thoughts!

I love Liam, I always have done. DH unfortunately doesn't like it.

Reuben is a bit meh to me and I really dislike the Roo or Roobs nn.
Rosa and Reuben sounds a bit like CBeebies show.

I really like both. I prefer Liam as I think it's more timeless actually. But probably Reuben does go better with Rosa as PP have mentioned.

@PegasusReturns

Being as my Liam has been the only one in the school the whole time he's been there I think they'll agree with me

Who will agree with you about what

People who judge on name alone are just judgmental twats. End of Story

You’re conflating issues. No one is talking about judging people based on a name. They’re talking about judging the name itself. And of course people make judgements. Its human nature. You can rail against it but you won’t stop it.

I’m sure your Liam is very nice, but people are going to view him differently to how they’d view a Harry or Barry or Carry. All different names, all different connotations.

You said ask any teacher. Did you forget you said that? You may need a memory test my dear.

I think that Reuben is likely timeless in the Jewish community, and I guess Liam is as a short form of William… but in general in the UK, neither would qualify as a classic.

Reuben is very popular, but it’s also very nice, and goes well with Rosa

Liam has a bit of downmarket rep in the UK as PPs have said, but is apparently becoming immensely popular internationally. If I wanted to use it I think I’d stick William on the birth certificate so he had options.

@lisajane46 absolutely agree with you, it is a lovely name and it suits my lovely boy, too.

I much prefer Liam, don't like Reuben.

No idea why people are talking about William .

Rosa and Reuben sounds a bit like CBeebies show.

I actually agree.

I'm also not so keen on nickname Rooby

I am really not keen on Rueben or Liam. Neither are classic names tbh.

The reason Liam is very popular internationally is that it is pronounceable in many European languages, unlike most typical English names which contain sounds which do not exist in Latin languages.

To me Reuben sounds like a very old person's name, probably due to my age and background, when I was a child I lived somewhere with many jewish ww2 exiles.

I think Liam and Ruben are the Sharon/Tracy/Debbie of this generation, so not classic timeless names like Elizabeth, Jane, Sarah, etc

I have an ‘of that time’ name and wouldn’t chose it now.

If you want real Timeless and elegant names then go through the monarch and pick one of those. Example: Edward, Charles, Alfred, Edwin, George etc.

Liam Gallagher is actually a William as well.

Reuben is ok but I don’t like it when people pronounce it “roo-bun”

I would just use Oisin. I have an Irish friend in England who has a son with this name. People don’t seem to have any issues pronouncing it.

Use Oisín it's a lovely name

I love the name Reuben and it would have been my first choice of name for a boy if DH hadn't vetoed it.

Neither names are timeless or elegant.

I'd say Victoria, Elizabeth are timeless (sorry can't think of boy examples!)

I do like both your names though but if not already some might say they're 'chavvy'.

Reuben is very popular for little ones in my area. M

I would name your baby what you like most though regardless of others comments!

@MairzyDoats

Can someone tell me how Oisin is pronounced please? My friend (whose partner is Irish) has a son called Oran which I think is lovely.

Oisín is Uh-sheen where I am in Ireland.

I think Liam is a lovely name and the Liams I know are all gentlemen. The name always seems to get bad press on these threads unfortunately, so I think it must be thought about differently in Britain.

I'm not as fond as Reuben - there's nothing wrong with it, but think it's a bit too trendy for me I do like Ben as a shorrt version though.

You said ask any teacher. Did you forget you said that? You may need a memory test my dear

Erm your comment still doesn’t makes sense unless none of your child’s teachers ever taught anyone or anywhere else before your child, but crack on with your snark - I guess it sounded better in your head?!

Liam

Reuben was on my list but two R names is a bit matchy matchy.

Liam is more classic, it won't sound as dated in forty years time.

@Monday55

If you want real Timeless and elegant names then go through the monarch and pick one of those. Example: Edward, Charles, Alfred, Edwin, George etc.

The OP is Irish! these names are classic and they are used in Ireland but to say that Liam isn't classic (''if you want real timeless and elegant names)

There is more than one kind of classic.

I'm Irish but not Catholic and to my ear, saints' names and popes' names sound classic, established.

I think Liam walks a very diplomatic line between Irish classic and British classic so I vote for Liam. Perfect for an Irish person in the UK.

''Ask any teacher'' is hilarious. As though teachers were the last arbiter of good taste.

I'd be more likely to consult a teacher in Ireland, but all over mumsnet you will read comments from posters claiming they are teachers, and prefixing their point with ''As a teacher' to give it extra weight and then putting an apostrophe in the wrong place. Saw it YESTERDAY on the ''Gotten'' thread.

@NameChange30

Interesting how differently people perceive the name Liam. I wonder if there is a bit of subtle (or not so subtle?) racism against the Irish that means the name has been seen negatively as a "working class" name in England.

Not trying to start a bun fight, just wondering out loud.

Not so subtle. See above comment about ‘70s council estate’, and the way in which Irish boys names are generally viewed as ‘downmarket’ on here, and make a certain type of lower-middle-class UK person shudder.

Yeh, any Irish name is considered downmarket by some uk aspirational types.

They need a rung beneath them and have decided in a very dated way that that's the Irish.

In my time in the UK though, I found that those sitting comfortably high up in the British class structure understood the concept of a foreign culture having its own traditions without viewing it only through an insular British lens.

I am agog at Liam being considered a common name, whatever that means. Agree that it is an Irish/ English divide as in Ireland it is a solid name. I know 80 year old Liams and baby Liams.

What about William nn Liam?

'Ask any teacher'' is hilarious. As though teachers were the last arbiter of good taste

You misunderstand me entirely…no suggestion that teachers are any arbiter, let alone the last, of good taste. They are however, in my experience, generally able to broadly asses personality based on name.

Josh - arrogant
Indigo - spirited
Tyler - challenging
Alfie - loud

Etc