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Baby names

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

something like Hector

179 replies

Copadelcarmen · 10/08/2024 19:16

I never thought I’d have a son, but hopefully I will if this pregnancy goes well and I have always liked the name Hector. I love the sound of it, it goes perfect with my daughter’s name, a nice namesake from mythology too.

Only issue is, my husband doesn’t like it. But I will continue to ‘hector’ him about it as he chose our daughter’s name and I very much compromised.

Daughter has a Greek name used in Shakespeare for no other reason than DH thought it sounded nice. I’m not looking for the perfect ‘sibset’ but do need something with a similar flavour. I can’t really have a Hermia and a Finley if that makes sense.

names I like that don’t really fit this hard and fast rule are:
Miles

Peregrine (yep- seriously)

names that are a similar theme that I do like are:

Atlas - but I think it’s been used for a lot of celebrity girls. Worried it will be the 2025 Harper

Lysander- I like Sandy as a nn too but just worried it sounds a little bit frilly

Paris- but that’s Hector’s less cool brother literally and figuratively to me. DH likes it but would be such a compromise for me.

DH doesn’t like hector because he has spent a lot of time in Mexico for work and sees it very much as a ‘Hispanic’ name and considers it basically cultural appropriation to name our child hector. But called our daughter a Greek name. Make it make sense. 😭

We are a Norwegian - British family and have no concerns about out-there names. our kids will be in international school with kids called Apple and Pepsi so I don’t need any panic about little Lysander getting bullied. 😂

i really love hector and hope DH will change his mind. 😔

OP posts:
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HoratioNightboy · 10/08/2024 23:00

I love Hector! I agree with you that it's nothing like the standard Anglo-Saxon old man names you listed. Everyone seems to know it's of Greek origin, and being most well-known for its popularity in Scotland and Spanish-speaking countries, it just doesn't scream England like those other names.

How about:
Leopold
Constantine
Basil
Anesius - a Latinised form of Angus.

Mitsky · 10/08/2024 23:03

Jude?

Moreteaandchocolate · 10/08/2024 23:12

Copadelcarmen · 10/08/2024 22:08

I like Ivo

thoughts?

I really like Ivo!

BirthdeighParteigh · 10/08/2024 23:16

Atlas, Achilles, and Ajax are great. I don’t think Apollo is too out there. I’d probably draw the line at Argos though, given the shop.

Hermes, Castor, Titus.

DelphiniumBlue · 10/08/2024 23:21

DoopSnoggySnogg · 10/08/2024 19:50

Not really on topic but Eric Bana was so hot as Hector 😍 That’s all I think of when I hear the name.

Quite so! And I do agree that Paris is a poor substitute!
How about Perseus ( Percy) or Darius? I think they are both strong names.

MavisPennies · 10/08/2024 23:26

DS has a friend called Hektor, he's Polish. Would a different spelling appeal to your DH?

BobandRobertaSmith · 10/08/2024 23:27

I love Ivo too! Hector, Ivo and August were all on my list but then so were Oscar, Felix, Cosmo, Benedict and Hugo, which you hate 😂

Doobsa · 11/08/2024 00:17

"I can’t really have a Hermia and a Finley if that makes sense"

I have two sons called Hector & Finlay, so don't see an issue with the above.

If we had another son, we'd go for Ivan or Edgar.

mathanxiety · 11/08/2024 01:29

Apollo
Nikon
Dion or Dionysus
Leonidas

Timon
Prospero
Caius
Cassius
Titus
Cato

Philemon
Nikodemos

I think you should keep on insisting on Hector though.

It's a great name, and though it's used in Mexico, and less frequently in the English speaking world, it is also a significant name from mythology, with no danger of accusations of cultural appropriation.

Trebol · 11/08/2024 12:16

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at the poster's request

MerryMarys · 11/08/2024 13:42

Why are you wasting energy posting this copied and pasted definition

I thought it would be helpful to point out that hector means to harass, bully!

Bignanna · 11/08/2024 13:58

Ilovelurchers · 10/08/2024 21:32

Some classical name ideas:

Xerxes
Julius (this would be my personal favourite)
Alexander
Tiberius
Brutus
Romulus
Remus
Cicero
Claudius (Claude)

Brutus sounds like a dog!
Others sound likethe Roman Senate!
Julius and Alexander are ok, but with the others I think the child would be teased
They are Jacob Rees Mogg like names!

Bignanna · 11/08/2024 13:59

MavisPennies · 10/08/2024 23:26

DS has a friend called Hektor, he's Polish. Would a different spelling appeal to your DH?

Hektor would suffer a lifetime of name misspelling!

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 11/08/2024 14:20

Victor.
Wilbur
Cedric.
Horace
Bruce
Victor.
Dexter
Oscar
Maurice.
Bruno.
Howard.
Clement.
Dennis.
Norman
Trevor
Herbert
Albert
Cuthbert.
Peter.
Vincent.

HoratioNightboy · 11/08/2024 14:48

MerryMarys · 11/08/2024 13:42

Why are you wasting energy posting this copied and pasted definition

I thought it would be helpful to point out that hector means to harass, bully!

So does harry. Most people can discern the difference when they hear such names.

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 14:52

I quite like Hector but can see hectoring could put you off..

I like Lysander too, and love Sandy

Alistair
Laurence (Laurie)
Josiah
Lucian
Atticus
Fabian
Ignatius (Iggy)
Sebastian
Cassian
Gideon
Francis
Philip (Pip)
Zachary / Zachariah
Abraham (Abe, Bram)
Tobias
Tristram
Uther
Marcus

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 14:54

HoratioNightboy · 11/08/2024 14:48

So does harry. Most people can discern the difference when they hear such names.

Blimey, who made you the thread police

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 14:55

Caius
Justin
Julius
Augustus..

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 11/08/2024 14:58

Nathanial. My favourite name which DH vetoed.

Similarly Felix.

HoratioNightboy · 11/08/2024 15:00

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 14:54

Blimey, who made you the thread police

You call that policing? Goodness...

merryhouse · 11/08/2024 16:21

You could tell your DH that Hector was King Arthur's foster-father, so if anything the cultural appropriation has gone the other way Grin

LynetteScavo · 11/08/2024 16:31

Morton

Lennox

Bay

Rufus

Trebol · 11/08/2024 16:42

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at the poster's request

Copadelcarmen · 11/08/2024 17:03

MerryMarys · 11/08/2024 13:42

Why are you wasting energy posting this copied and pasted definition

I thought it would be helpful to point out that hector means to harass, bully!

I know what it means. I have looked into it heavily as it’s my favourite boy’s name. It still comes from the original meaning of ‘holding fast’ It’s an archaic term and not something I associate with the name at all

john means toilet - I don’t think defecation everytime
i meet a John

I also don’t think ‘that’s an offensive term for an effeminate man’ when I meet a little Nancy or a Jessie

my thread wasn’t ’change my mind’ or ‘AIBU’…it was ‘names like hector’ 😂

OP posts:
Copadelcarmen · 11/08/2024 17:05

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 14:54

Blimey, who made you the thread police

I’m happy for more ‘thread police’ (not that this is thread policing in anyway) if it can stay on topic

obviously I can’t control what people post but I have no idea why people have taken time out of their day to express that they don’t like the name that I like

just utterly pointless to all involved

i’ve had some lovely suggestions and thanks to everyone who has posted in good faith

OP posts: