Boys names... Reuben or Raphael/Rafael or Rafferty... Or something else entirely???

[Mammiemoo]

So I'm pregnant with my second and I'm pretty sure it's going to be a boy... And I find boys names impossible!!!! I much prefer traditional names (Harry, George, Jacob, Isaac, Archie, Theodore, Noah) but these are all super popular names and would prefer they weren't in a class with 5 children with the same name. I also really don't like the trend for really unusual "cool" sounding names... I imagine my little boy being cute like prince George rather than cool 😂 (you watch, he's going to be a whirlwind that would much prefer a cool name now!)

When I was pregnant with my first, I loved the name Rupert for a boy but I think I've gone off that now and thinking more along the lines of Reuben, Raphael or Rafferty. Now I feel like these could be real marmite names... My daughter already has a marmite name (Amelie) and so I now feel embarrassed when I have to tell people her name due to some mixed reactions and apparent difficulties pronouncing (I would have thought it was very obvious but apparently not!) so I'm not sure I can handle another marmite name (and I'm pretty sure Rafferty definitely falls under that umbrella even though I think it's cute!). What are peoples thoughts on these names? Too marmite? Any other suggestions? I also love Zachary but one of my best friends has a Zachary so that ones out unfortunately.

Please help me out!! Are these good names or has anyone got any other suggestions for fairly traditional names that aren't everywhere.

Rafferty is divisive, Mumsnet hates it! I have a teen one and he goes by Raff, he likes that more as he finds Rafferty babyish. He likes his name and is glad to not be one of the multiple Louis/Lewis/Thomas/Charlie/Sam which we always had multiple of through primary school!
Having said that I do think Rupert or Reuben go nicely with Amelie.

I really like Reuben ('Roo' is so cute and the full name is lovely too). Raphael and Rafferty both feel very different to each other despite being quite similar - I personally like Raphael but not Rafferty (it just sounds a bit... try-hard posh to me?).

What about Nathaniel (Nate), Alexander, Caleb, Sebastian, Laurence?

Raff is lovely as a shortening for either Raphael or Rafferty 🙂

Rafael - I prefer the Spanish spelling rather than the Italian

I don't like Rafferty or Rupert.

I do like Reuben a lot or how about Quentin or Ronan?

Raff is lovely as a shortening for either Raphael or Rafferty

I think many would disagree - Riff Raff comes to mind...

Yeh Roo is what I like about Reuben. My little girls nickname is Moo (Amelie Moo, Millie Moo, Moobear) so quite liked the idea of a Moo and a Roo... Or a Moobear and a Roobear 😂 (in all honesty she gets called Moo or Moobear far more than Amelie... I catch myself calling her in public and think people must think what a strange name to give a little girl 😅)

Between Rueben, Raphael and Rafferty I prefer Rueban the most.

Just to add, out of the 7 names you listed in your Op that you prefer, both of my sons names are included in that list and they are the only ones in their year. I also don't know any children with the same name, so although on baby name lists they are classed as common. It doesn't always mean there's going to be loads of them in the year ☺️

More likely to be in a class with a Raff now!

I know it is, I've noticed this and can't understand why, I think it's adorable. But Amelie is also very divisive on mumsnet so clearly I like divisive names!

I like Raf or Raffi for a nickname and can see how your son prefers Raf as a teen as I get Rafferty could sound too cute. I felt the same about my name growing up and hated that it sounded too cute but there was not really anything I could shorten it to. Now I'm an adult I like my name so maybe your son will also embrace it again once he's older?

Why not look at some of the “traditional but not so often used”names

David
Christopher
Benjamin
John
Michael
Simon
George
Matthew

All great names, have decent nicknames if that is a priority, and almost guaranteed not to be as common as muck in five years when your child starts school with all the little Raphaels and Raffertys, Coopers and Woodies.

I love your daughter’s name - Amelie is gorgeous 😊

I really like Reuben - it goes so well with Amelie and isn’t at all divisive. I also like Rafferty / Raphael nn Raffy / Raff - great names, but I know what you mean about people having mixed opinions.

How about

Rory
Luke
Leon
Nathan
Dexter
Max / Maxim / Maxwell
Isaac
Finley

Love the name Reuben. Other alternatives: Ralph, Roman, Rory, Reginald

Thought I had deja vu for a moment there but found the thread from earlier in the month!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/baby_names/5157360-which-one

Aww thank you, I hadn't considered Amelie a marmite name but apparently it is 🫣 older generations reaaalllly don't get it. But she does really suit her name, couldnt imagine her as anything else so that's all that matters.

I love Rory (I clearly have a thing thing for names beginning with R!) but one of my friends had a Rory when I had Amelie so I never like reusing names that friends have used. I do like Isaacs, just don't know if it's too popular? But it definitely is a name I've always liked so would make it to the list. And I liked Finley for my first too but my partner wasn't keen (it was not long after love island where there was Paige and Finley so I don't think that helped... Luckily we've not watched love island in recent years so less opportunity to grow a dislike to names!) Maybe he's forgotten his dislike for the name though and I could reintroduce it ! Thanks for the ideas 😊

I love Reuben.

A million reubens about at the moment! How about Rafe? Not dissimilar to rafferty.

Other people's opinions don't count, as you are not naming your child for them.

nothing to do with the names you are discussing, but I love Whimsey as a girl's name but I'm sure it's hugely decisive

I agree and I know others opinions shouldn't matter but it just feels like it does because of my experience with my LG. All my family hated my daughters name when she was born and continue to do so (my dad can't even be bothered to learn how to spell her name and puts Amily in her cards 😫), but my partner and I liked it so we stuck with it because we had the attitude that we liked it so that's all that matters. But knowing my family didn't like it really knocked my confidence when introducing her so I used to introduce her as Millie when she was a baby and now I hate it when people call her Millie (like friends I don't see often) because it's not her name. I can see it gets mixed responses when I introduce my daughter (maybe I'm extra paranoid though because of my families opinion) and I'd just really like it this time if I didn't feel uncomfortable introducing my LB.

Rafferty is dreadful Reuben is quite nice. Raphael is nice but a bit to unusual for the UK IMHO.

I don’t love any of the R names you are considering (probably the marmite thing! The only duplicated name in my 3yo’s preschool class is Reuben, so presumably lots of people like it…), but my preference would be Raphael.

I really love Harry, George and Isaac from your longer post. Amelie and Isaac would be gorgeous, IMO.

I don't like Rafferty at all. I'm not keen on Raphael. Raff is awful.
Reuben gets misspelt a lot and I know a few of them.

I'd go with one of your other names.
Rufus is ok.

Amelie and Isaac go well.

Love Raphael and wanted it for my son. Too many Reuben’s now and rafferty sounds like something out of Enid blyton.

How come all these names popped up on the twin boy thread earlier? Traffic pushers?

I really like Reuben. It’s classic and yet underused.

If he REALLY hates it when he’s older and wanted something less distinctive , he could always be straightforward Ben. I knew a little Reuben ( well quite big now ..,) and he was Roopy-Roo!

Why is Amelie marmite? I always see it high on popular name lists so that surprises me. It’s pretty.

ETA I knew a very effeminate Raphael who was completely obsessed with his appearance and I cannot now get that out of my mind because in all honesty … it really suited him.