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

Laurent?

93 replies

atthebottomofthehill · 19/07/2023 00:09

Can't use Laurence as it clashes with surname but love the name. Is Laurent an option?

OP posts:
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ChocChipHandbag · 19/07/2023 00:10

Are you French? If not, no.

24Dogcuddler · 19/07/2023 00:13

Sorry just makes me think of perfume. YSL.

Jongleterre · 19/07/2023 00:14

No.

Loren is a unisex name but not common for a boy nowadays.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 19/07/2023 00:16

With a silent 't'? And with a French-style 'r'?

People would call them 'Lorrent', to rhyme with warrant - do you like the sound of that? Plus they'll probably end up saying to people "It's like Laurence, but with a 't' in place of the 'ce'"

As PP, I wouldn't unless you are French or have French heritage.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 19/07/2023 00:19

Geraint is the closest British equivalent I can think of for a boy, but even that will be regularly mispronounced if you don't live in Wales!

BlameItOnTheGoose · 19/07/2023 00:24

I actually think that people will in general recognise the name and pronounce it correctly. I like it

CallieQ · 19/07/2023 00:32

No... awful

kcy · 19/07/2023 00:59

No I don’t think so, sorry

ColdHandsHotHead · 19/07/2023 03:10

Love it.

ikno · 19/07/2023 03:18

It sounds like a surname to me, and like you literally named after YSL which is as cringeworthy as calling your child Gucci

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/07/2023 03:19

It will sound silly if pronounced incorrectly and pretentious if correct. Which means you've reduced your child's social circle to the very posh or French people.

Pollywoddles · 19/07/2023 03:50

Emily in Paris.

If you’re not French then I wouldn’t.

ApolloandDaphne · 19/07/2023 05:31

How would you pronounce it? I go straight to the YSL pronunciation which is very French but I'm guessing that's not how you want it said.

PurpleReindeer2 · 19/07/2023 05:34

No it's awful. Would get mispronounced.

Tiredjoanna · 19/07/2023 05:36

Reminds me of character from Twilight. Nothing against the name though, rather hear that than yet another Charlie😂

oldnorsesaga · 19/07/2023 06:36

I love it. I would pronounce it Laurent, because I doubt anyone would pronounce it English way. I also like how it looks.

FayCarew · 19/07/2023 06:48

Awful

atthebottomofthehill · 19/07/2023 07:52

Hmm a mixed bag of opinions! I agree the pronunciation could be a problem even though we do have some french background

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 19/07/2023 07:56

What’s your French background? If one or both parents are french then you could get away with it - if one of your grandparents or great grandparents were then not so much.

I agree that the pronunciation would be problematic and the link YSL is a bit off putting

MrsMoastyToasty · 19/07/2023 08:09

I have a relative called Lawrence, but everyone calls him Lance. Would that work for you?

sawnotseen · 19/07/2023 08:16

My friend has a Loren pronounced Lor-en, as in Sofia Loren but it's always being mispronounced as Lauren. He's 20 now and goes by Lol !

HeadacheEarthquake · 19/07/2023 08:16

I knew a Laurent, nobody had a problem pronouncing it, ever.

FayCarew · 19/07/2023 08:18

@HeadacheEarthquake , did they say Lorrent or Laure-ohn (my attemptat a french accent)?

HeadacheEarthquake · 19/07/2023 08:52

French speakers (me, his family, some of our friends)

Lau (rhyme with now) uan (with a gutteral) like - Laow-uan

English - Laurr-ON with a mostly silent T. Stress on the second syllable

narrichi · 19/07/2023 09:19

I think it's okay, but I do think you will get a lot of people pronouncing it like Lauren with a T.

@HeadacheEarthquake are you a native French speaker? The French speakers I know would pronounce Laurent with an audible gutteral R, and the first vowel sounding more like "low" than "now", though maybe there are accent differences.