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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Hector, Magnus or ?

39 replies

SunshineHello · 15/05/2022 15:26

A week to go and still unable to agree on a name.

Are Hector and Magnus too pretentious?

what other names are similar?

OP posts:
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Theoldwoman · 15/05/2022 15:29

Magnus is okay.

Not sure about similar but you might like:

Ayrton
Luca
Bentley
Weston
Jacques
Gordon
Fraser
Kent
Lionel

Happenchance · 15/05/2022 15:30

I love Hector. I don't think it's pretentious.

Other suggestions:
Jovian
Cedric
Simeon
Rafe

Snowiscold · 15/05/2022 15:33

I like them. I don’t think they’re pretentious, though Hector has the “nagging” side to it, which you mightn’t like. I know someone was debated over those names and went with Hamish in the end.

SatinHeart · 15/05/2022 15:34

Whether it's pretentious or not depends on your area I think - it would be where I am, but I know someone with a Hector who lives in a very affluent area and it doesn't stand out amongst the names there.

Hembria · 15/05/2022 15:35

Hector and Magnus were our choices too! In the end we couldn't agree so went with Casper.

Magnus for the win!

pinklavenders · 15/05/2022 15:37

Pretentious - what does that even mean?

I like Magnus. Hector has an unfortunate meaning (to hector) and nickname Heck isn't very nice.

How about Reuben, Quentin or Caspar?

DramaAlpaca · 15/05/2022 15:38

I wouldn't call either of them pretentious.

I dislike Hector (as a pp said the verb hector means to nag) but Magnus is wonderful.

User6761 · 15/05/2022 15:40

Don't think they are pretentious.

How about Fergus, Struan, Murdo?

Pearlyqueen21 · 15/05/2022 15:49

I like both, particularly Magnus. I’m in Scotland and both are pretty standard (if posh) names. Not pretentious IMO.

In the same ballpark:
Lachlan
Prentice
Struan
Sorley

JamMakingWannaBe · 15/05/2022 15:49

User6761 · 15/05/2022 15:40

Don't think they are pretentious.

How about Fergus, Struan, Murdo?

Like these suggestions.

Also:
Douglas, Lewis, Alastair, Alexander, Lloyd, Euan, Donald, Brodie

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 15/05/2022 15:51

Angus
Austin
Marcus
Reuben

elfran · 15/05/2022 15:53

I like them both and wouldn't think either are pretentious. Magnus was one we considered so I might slightly prefer that, but they actually sound great as names for brothers!

Musmerian · 15/05/2022 15:54

Theoldwoman · 15/05/2022 15:29

Magnus is okay.

Not sure about similar but you might like:

Ayrton
Luca
Bentley
Weston
Jacques
Gordon
Fraser
Kent
Lionel

These are a totally different genre of names! OP I love Hector - I taught one who was known as Hal.

toastofthetown · 15/05/2022 15:57

I don’t think either is pretentious. Hector would be my first choice for a baby boy so I’m potentially biased.

Other names I like with a not dissimilar feel to me are August, Felix, Raphael, Rasmus, Robin, Rufus, Stellan, Wilfred.

SmiledWtherisingsun · 15/05/2022 15:58

Hamish?

FrodisCapering · 15/05/2022 15:59

Hector comes from the Greek, meaning to "hold fast". It's a lovely name, and the character in the Iliad was a nice man too.

Mumofgirls2017 · 15/05/2022 17:29

I love Magnus!

marcus
felix
rex
fraser
august
maximus
cyrus
silas
linus
spencer
xander
orson
ernest
wilfred
digby
barnaby
louis
douglas
ralph
rupert
rufus
francis
stellan
victor
vincent

Sumstre · 16/05/2022 18:52

I have an 8 year old Hector (Hector Felix) and the other two contenders for him were Magnus and Edgar, so we have similar taste!

toastofthetown · 16/05/2022 19:05

Sumstre · 16/05/2022 18:52

I have an 8 year old Hector (Hector Felix) and the other two contenders for him were Magnus and Edgar, so we have similar taste!

@Sumstre out of curiosity, what's the reaction to the name Hector, and does he like his name so far? Hector is our front runner for a boy's name and just wondered.

PeterPomegranate · 16/05/2022 19:10

Edmund
Fraser
Donald (although might have been spoiled by Trump)
Angus
Dougal

FrodisCapering · 16/05/2022 19:18

@toastofthetown my Hector is 3.5.
People tend to think the name is cute. It really suits him too. We sometimes call him Heccie, and I call him Hector Smoosh!

lunar1 · 16/05/2022 19:21

I really like Magnus, not so much Hector but I don't know why.

Sumstre · 16/05/2022 19:23

@toastofthetown Mixed reactions really. Lots of positive reactions but some people seem really surprised by his name. This happened more so when he was 0-3 years - midwife/HVs and at baby groups. Maybe it's more popular of late, as people don't seem to bat an eyelid now, and there is another Hector in his one-form-entry primary school. We're not posh and we live in Zone 3, not very trendy/nor wealthy part of SE London. He really likes his name and I've not once had any regrets. I see it as more of an international name as opposed to posh.
Go for it! We need more Hectors :)

Happenchance · 16/05/2022 23:19

Jonas
Lorcan

Loginmystery · 17/05/2022 09:16

I absolutely love hector