Oaken

[bananamilkshakes]

Yes it is from frozen but I'm sure no one will care about that. I know someone with a girl called Oakah, so I'm considering Oaken for a boy.

I really like how it has a nature sound but also sounds quite solid. And can't be mispronounced easily.

Thoughts?

You could go Latin - Quercus. I always thought that would make a good name for a cat.

Not Oaken, please. It's awful. It's an adjective, not a name for a child. Oak is better. I love Rowan.

I said the name out loud to my DH to see what he thought because I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not, he misheard me and thought I said you wanted to call your baby ‘Open’, so I think I’m a no too.

Oh dear don't like it nor any of the variations.

They all sound like names of villages - which they are.

Why would you do this to your child?

Ahahahaha no

Sorry but i immediately thought of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post from frozen!

@bananamilkshakes I realise there are plenty of tree names and I suggested some in my post but Oaken is not a tree name but an adjective describing something made out of wood from an oak tree, rather than a living tree.

Oh dear. I thought Oakley was bad enough...

This is brilliant advice and should be pinned to the top of the baby naming board.

I'm sorry @bananamilkshakes but Oaken is horrible. I really feel that boys in particular need traditional names- much harder to get away with an airy-fairy name as an adolescent boy than as an adolescent girl. I'm a teacher and I've seen so many boys over the years literally cringing at their own names when the register is called. They always try and make whatever terrible name they've been lumbered with into something more traditional too (I knew a Lennon who took to calling himself Len for example, or a boy I once taught called Urban who called himself Herb because even that was better than bloody Urban).

James, Christopher, David and Henry are all good, solid names. Choose one of those or something like it and get a kitten to call Oaken instead.

You know I wish people would ever come on here and say, "should I call him Gary or Paul".

I prefer it over Oakley. I also think it’s better than Oak on its own. It’s not an established name so some people are going to be against it.

Im not in love with it but think it’s ok.

Me too! Now that really would be giving your child an unusual name.

This! 😂

I like unuusal names and think boys can handle them just as well as girls. Oaken sounds like a muesli-base breakfast cereal to me though. I think Oakley would be better.

Having people respond “What?” every time you say your name gets wearing. Sometimes you just want to get your car serviced, book an appointment, respond to being summoned at the dentist’s etc etc without having to have yet another conversation about your name.

Maybe Oakie, rather than Oaken op?

Paul oakenfold

@Deadringer I am glad I am not the only one who remembers Oakie Doke! From the 90s I think, my kids used to watch it.

The song pops into my head whenever I hear one of these 'oak' names. Yes they are different from Ash/Ashley, Rowan, Willow etc because those are established names and have a nice sound. 'Oak' is not particularly attractive as a sound, and just sounds like a tree, and Oakley etc like a brand or a place.

I'm quite liking the shift from Karen to Helen even though I like the name Helen. Helen seems more like an upmarket Karen to me.

Why, specifically, do you like this? "Karen" was misogynist, rape apologist, anti-black racist nonsense. How does adding classist nonsense to that offer anything to "like"?

hideous

Nope.

I think it’s called sarcasm.

Needs to be said on every 'unusual' baby name thread!!

Thank you @Suzi888 🙏🏼

Ok well Oaken is staying on the list but I appreciate the feedback and I will try to find other more well known names to consider instead. I want a solid sounding name. Maybe Oak on its own.

Also like Thor and Thorin. But maybe take out the h so people don't get it wrong all the time.