Is it that terrible?

[harriet465]

I was at the hairdressers yesterday and was asked what we was calling DS1, I said front runner is Franklin. The hairdresser genuinely looked at me like I had said the name Engelbert or something to that style.
Neighbour also said oh why not Francis or just Frank as Franklin is very surnamey.

Is the name really that bad? It is making me doubt the name choice

Not a name I would use but it's certainly not a terrible name !!

@MrsClarkandPercy

You have to be very careful with names, because they are usually for life, snd affect how others see snd treat the person.

My honest reaction to Franklin is that it sounds quite harsh and slightly affected and overall, I have a negative reaction to it.

Of course it doesn't matter, and it's your choice. If you like it, that's fine. But I do get why your hairdresser reacted, because I felt the same, even though I'm not sure why. So it may be worth factoring in to your choice.

This is why makes names so subjective. I think it sounds like a lovely soft name!

It's not a name I would choose personally but then I really dislike Frank/Frankie/Francis, but theres nothing wrong with it, your baby your choice

Loads of surnames are used as first names. Yes, it's more American, but so what? I know loads of people with the surname George, but George is so a first name. It really doesn't matter at all

My DS is Franklin. It's an old English name and I'd guess (although can't be sure!) that it was a first name before it was a surname. We've never had any negative reaction to it. In fact, most people we speak to say how much they love his name. It suits him down to the ground, and it hasn't been weird calling it him when he was a newborn or now he's older.
Obviously I'm biased but Franklin is a great name! I think you should go for it!

Franklin and Englebert get level pegging IMO!
I really like Frank and Francis but not a fan of Franklin at all.

I’d put it up there with Englebert! I’m really not a fan of either and Franklin sounds much more like a surname.

Both names of Francis and Franklin are fine but one thing to keep in mind is for a lot of Francis/Franklins go by Frank as they get older. Something to be mindful of if you don't like Frank on its own.
Both Francis and Franklin are nice names.

It really is that bad. Franklin is a 90 year old.

It reminds me of a tortoise because of a book I used to read as a kid. A pleasant enough tortoise iirc.

They might have misheard you. I worked with a Franklin for several years. For the 1st few weeks I thought he said his name was Frankly.

It’s not a name I would personally choose but there’s nothing offensive or objectively awful about it at all! She was being very rude to comment.

Franklin is a good name, not just a surname. I've known a couple and also a child, now about ten, called 'Franklin', who is known as 'Frankie' or 'Frank'. Nice!

It’s not hideous, it’s just one of those names where I’d think ‘why - when there are so many other lovely names out there’.

@Charette your comment made me think how much things change - my parents were harangued out of calling me Olivia back in 1989 because all the extended family thought it was a weird, pretentious name!

I'd rate Franklin as average btw

It’s not exactly common but nor is it wildly unusual. Your hairdresser’s opinion probably doesn’t need to feature in your decision. Nor does my opinion but fwiw, I like it

I like Frank/Frankie, but not Franklin.

It's not terrible at all, it's a real name.

There's a bit of a trend at the moment for sort of nerdy "American grandpa" names - I've met baby Chester, Ronnie, Errol and Franklin recently. Not everyone is keen on it.
I don't know what Grandpa's name was on The Simpsons but I bet it would fit!

I think it’s fine? It’s not what I would choose but I also wouldn’t think it was weird if I heard it? Sounds like a surname to me but then so do lots of popular names!

I do not feel I agree with chat here.
I also don't think Franklin is bad name, and FDR association will fade the moment people meet the guy and ultimately won't matter.
But if people opinion is important to you (and to some people it does) it kind of helps to "test run" some names, because it will hurt more when child is born and you ultimately realize what people have bad opinion about your child name behind your back.