Apparently my sons have ‘naughty boy’ names…

[Perplexed0522]

A friend made a light hearted comment (supposedly) about my two children’s names last week and I am convinced she’s a MN member seeing as she used to the term ‘naughty boy name’.


My husband has got Scottish roots and before we TTC the plan was always that we would honour his history. He used to live in Scotland but moved to England to settle down with me and as all his family are still in Scotland we felt Scottish names would be a nod to them.


We had a son first and called him Arran (pronounced Arun) after one of the Isles and we joked that if our second child was a girl we would call her Skye.


Second child turned out to be another gorgeous boy so we called him Lewis, after one of the other Scottish Isles.

My friend is pregnant which is why we were taking about names and that’s when she said (with a giggle) that it was really brave of me to give both my sons names that are associated with being naughty. She laughed it off but it really hurt.

I’ve since come on here (we have been thinking about TTC number 3) and I have seen Lewis be labelled as a ‘naughty boy’s name ☹️

I know a child’s name doesn’t define them but I feel so guilty that I may have given both my boys a name that has negative associations ☹️

Has anyone else been in a similar boat and how did you move on from it?

[pinklavenders]

Had you called them sensible, aspirational, names they'd be barristers or heart surgeons.

Potentially but not necessarily - it's not the name itself but the parenting the child receives.

(I know you were joking, but there may well be a correlation of preferred names linked to the style of parenting)

[pinklavenders]

I'll go against the flow of the thread and say there are 'naughty boy's names' and 'mean girl's names', in that certain names will appeal to certain parents

Exactly.

[Perplexed0522]

Aaron/Aaron/Arun/Aron/Aran is borderline. Arran with a connection is let off the hook. Lewis is slightly because of the association with a celebrity, but again there's the scottish connection to let you off the hook

So generally my son’s names mean they should be naughty but because they come from a Scottish background they won’t be?

[Ishacoco]

I thought you were going to say some truly terrible names! Arran and Lewis are lovely - especially when you mix the heritage in. Ignore said friend!

[pitterypattery00]

OP, Arran and Lewis are both lovely names - I considered both myself. I do not associate them with 'naughty boys' at all. Is that code for 'lower social class'? I don't know. It baffles me to be honest, but it often seems to be Irish/Scottish names that are labelled 'naughty' by English people on MN. Your 'friend' does not sound a kind person. I hope you choose a third lovely Scottish name for your third child 😊

[PrimarilyParented]

I’m a teacher and there are names I associate with naughtiness but neither of these would be on my radar at all. I don’t agree with the class based comments either and some of the ‘naughty’ names I have taught are names I love, like Dylan. But honestly every Dylan I have ever taught has been very naughty, in a somewhat cheeky sort of way rather than a horrid one, but drive you round the bend naughty nonetheless. Still love the name though.

[pitterypattery00]

And OP, many English people are probably not familiar with the Island of Arran - is your friend assuming you've used a weird spelling variation of Aaron? It's a completely different name. Can't imagine she's come across many Arrans with which to base her naughty assumption (I'm Scottish and only know of one. He's definitely not a naughty boy!)
(Not that there is anything wrong with Aaron either).

[DuchessOfSausage]

If you had named them Arran because you wanted a 'unique' spelling of Aaron, then yes a bit naff. If you named Lewis because of a F1 driver then a bit naff. But you didn't so it's ok. They are half-scottish - it's not liked you called them Cristiano and Sebastian or something

Both are nice names. I think Aaron got tarred with the Darren/Karen/Sharon association but it's a biblical name that's been in use over the centuries.

[SeanChailleach]

This is why I think people should be more polite in online forums. If you think ugly thoughts, sooner or later they will pop out of your mouth.

[nicky2512]

Lovely names op!
lovely to know too that I am most likely branded as a “certain type of parent” thanks to my funny, helpful, friendly and brilliant 16 year old Kyle!
As it happens it’s the name of an elderly, much loved and respected member of my church and that is what drew me to the name in the first place - no reflection on my parenting style!!!

I will continue to “judge” children on their behaviour and not a name that they had no say in.

[DuchessOfSausage]

Dylan - definitely NBN
It has it all doesn't it - hipster (Bob Dylan, Dylan Thomas), different culture/language and mispronounced too - classy

Very dull as a welshman's name - he's probably just this side of 60 and says it as DULL-ann.

[Kanaloa]

She doesn’t sound much of a friend. I wouldn’t bother too much with her. I mean what next - your sons have ‘geeky kid’ haircuts? Or ‘toff looking’ clothes? It’s rude. You don’t make disparaging comments on choices your friends have made.

It’s a common thread on mumsnet. Usually about perfectly normal names. It’s especially prolific if the name is not traditional English, and especially if it is popular among the working classes. It’s racism and classism. Nothing more. I mean look at the ‘Layla’ thread running right now. Laughing posts about how it’s a ‘stripper’ name or a ‘porn’ name. It’s an Arabic name. Same with any Irish name. It’s a horrible ‘naughty’ name. No, it’s just Irish. Or American, African, anything that isn’t William for a boy and Olivia for a girl is disgusting and horrible.

I would count yourself one ‘friend’ down and enjoy your lovely boys who aren’t defined by or influenced by their names in any way.

[Geranium1984]

They're not what I'd think of as naughty boy names!
Not that there is such a thing officially but I think of names like Nathan and Kane as naughty boy names but I probably because of the boys in my class at school 😉

[Squirrelsnut]

Both lovely, strong names with a connection to their heritage.
Ignore silly friend

[xJoyfulCalmWisdomx]

I love those names! I would love the name Skye for a third.
Inis is an Irish Island too, ''INNish'' we'd say. I like it.


I think England is a very classist country still and there's a lot of fear among people who are terrified they'll give their child a name that doesn't revere the one and only accepted culture. ie, kings and queens' names. If the name sounds wrong with Prince or Queen before it then it's chav! Or maybe it's, you know, spanish? or Indian or Irish. Nope. It's chav.

Princess Beatrice named her daughter Siena which I don't think would have passed the very high bar on mumsnet. So ironically when you know that nobody is judging you for being chav you can go ahead and use whatever name you like.

[mibbelucieachwell]

What nonsense from your friend.

Thinking of the top of my head about people in the public who were fined recently, for being naughty, the first two names that come to mind are Boris and Rishi.

[DuchessOfSausage]

@SeanChailleach , Why? The threads usually ask for opinions. IRL people say things like 'oh that's nice'. Not are you sure you want to call your child Ian or Sean with no scottish or irish connection, because in 50 yrs time those names will have dated badly.

[SleepingAgent]

Also Scottish and think they are wonderful names! Pretty classic and definitely not weird in any way! I know many many boys named Lewis here, there were at least 3 in DS year.

I have seen snobby remarks on forums before about names but they've been of the Kayden/Jayden/Nevaeh/Chardonnay type.

[xJoyfulCalmWisdomx]

yes @Kanaloa I agree, I think there is far more fear of ''foreign'' in the uk than in other countries. I feel a bit sorry for the ordinary people in the UK still treading that tight rope so carefully. There's a lot of travel in and out of the UK so although it's an extremely diverse country, it's still a place where there is one establishment at the top really. One correct accent.

In Ireland I feel like there are at least three, the traditional political or catholic establishment, academic or intellectual elites, and the artsy /wealthy / well known elites. There's less sense that there is one right way of doing things. One way of speaking. ONE ideal to idealise.

[Calphurnia88]

There are certain names I consider to be 'naughty' but it has nothing to do with the name; it's entirely down to my experience of the person (school bullies, bad flatmates, etc). For that reason I wouldn't have called my child any of these names, but I wouldn't bat an eyelid if one of my friends chose one for theirs. If anything it would create a lovely new association.

Agree with other posters that on Mumsnet 'naughty names ' usually means working class or chavvy.

Anyway, Lewis and Arran are lovely names, with a sweet backstory.

[pitterypattery00]

It’s racism and classism.

@Kanaloa completely agree.

It disgusts me that the bigotry and discrimination that my Irish ancestors first faced when they migrated to the UK over a century ago is still evident in 2022. And the fact that many are completely oblivious as to its existence. But that's a whole other thread!

[MrsFerguson]

Tis a load of nonsense- i remember being told that Dylan was the naughtiest name (although I quite like it!)

[MrsFerguson]

Oh wow, didn't realise other people had mentioned Dylan too 😂

[MeenzAmRhoi]

Why do people feel the need to bring others down with nasty little snide comments?
Gets on my goat.

Personally think that Arran and Lewis are lovely names, op.

[pinklavenders]

There are certain names I consider to be 'naughty' but it has nothing to do with the name; it's entirely down to my experience of the person

And if you meet several naughty Xs then you associate X as a naughty name.

Of course it's not the name itself that determines someone's character!!