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Original poster

Boys names: Arran or Dacre? Help please!

67 replies

onetowatch · 22/04/2008 14:17

We are trying to decide between calling our baby boy Arran (after the scottish island) or Dacre (pronounced Daker - after a cumbrian place name) what do you think?!
We like the sound of both names, have links to both places, have a second name ready and are confident all names go with our surname...BUT are they too unique or do you know lots of Arrans?!!! Also, I've heard that boys are more successful if they have 'harder' sounding names so is Arran too wishy-washy? We're really stuck and keep changing our minds! Will anyone be able to pronounce/spell Dacre?

Thank you!!!!

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misdee · 22/04/2008 14:18

Dacre is the ward i gave birth to dd2.

nailpolish · 22/04/2008 14:19

Arran

sarah293 · 22/04/2008 14:19

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Megglevache · 22/04/2008 14:21

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Greensleeves · 22/04/2008 14:22

'more successful'?!?!

just choose a name you like

frogs · 22/04/2008 14:23

Neither.

seeker · 22/04/2008 14:23

Arran.

Dacre is too unpronouncable/unspellable/sorry-what-was-that-ish.

Blu · 22/04/2008 14:24

Arran sweater? Arran knit?

No, neither would be a personal choice of mine.

Butif you really like them, go fro it.

PuppyMonkey · 22/04/2008 14:25

Don't much like either either. Arran will just get miss-spelled Aaron too. Sorry.

themildmanneredjanitor · 22/04/2008 14:25

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hippipotami · 22/04/2008 14:28

More successfull with a harder sounding name?? Really?
Mind you, everything is possible, I have heard that boys with softer sounding names are more popular.

Personally I would go for Arran. But it does look like you did not know how to spell Aaron.

As for Dacre, no, as someone else said your poor ds is going to have to spend the rest of his life explaining how to pronounce his name.
And people will see it written down and go 'what-is-this-how-do-I-pronounce-it.

Personally I would not want my child to be know as 'the one with the strange name'.

Sorry, but you did ask

frogs · 22/04/2008 14:30

Both sound like the Y2 class tough-nut imo..

Spidermama · 22/04/2008 14:31

I really like both. I would be happy with either of those if I were you. They're both really nice and not too out there for the more conventional amongst us. IME MN is very conventional when it comes to names and you're best taking it with a pinch of salt otherwise everyone will be called Jack or William.

Spidermama · 22/04/2008 14:32

hippi 'wouldn't want my child to be the one with the strange name' . That entirely depends upon where you live and what the other kids are called. It's in these situations I count my blessings that I live in Brighton.

hippipotami · 22/04/2008 14:33

See, names are highly personal. But some names indeed do make a child shound like the class tough nut. (and they are usually harder sounding names, so much for successfull, perhaps they are just scary).
And to me Arran does fall into that catagory a little bit (my opinion is softened because I know the sweetest Aaron ever), but Dacre is definately, as frogs said, the Y2 class tough nut.
Not what I would choose for my boy.

hippipotami · 22/04/2008 14:34

Fair point Spidermama, I guess it is what you are surrounded by. Here in (conservative) Surrey, we are surrounded by Thomas's, Jack's, Mia's, Lily's, Amelia's etc.
Eybrows were raised when a child called 'Bailey' arrived. (He has since left, I think it was too boring for him here

collision · 22/04/2008 14:35

both are horrible.

Dont go for either.

He will be spelling it for the rest of his life.

What about Ned?

Spidermama · 22/04/2008 14:40

Arran is a particularly nice name. How anyone can say it's 'horrible' is beyond me. Not that I necessarily have an Arran in my extended family or anything like that.

Seriously though, don't be so rude about peoples choices. It's fair to say you don't like something but to call it horrible or to be too poetic in your dislike is hurtful.

savoycabbage · 22/04/2008 14:40

I really love unusual names but neither are very attractive names at all and I DO want my child to be 'the one with the strange name'.

Spidermama · 22/04/2008 14:44

Do you savoy? Good on you.

A couple of mine have unusual names too. I did my research before lumbering them. I asked people I knew with unusual names how they;'d felt about it and I even called an actor who has the same name as ds3 to ask him how he has enjoyed it.

I really do think Arran is beautiful but maybe that's because of my Scottish upbringing and because the Isle of Arran is so, so gorgeous.

collision · 22/04/2008 14:45

sorry!

But I just cannot understand why people want to be so different all the time and if you ask on a public forum then expect to be told.

I do think they are both quite hard names and that people will think that she has not been able to spell Aaron properly and that Dacre will probably get lots of and have the r pronounced.

Didnt mean to be so rude and sorry if I offended but what about Ned?

RosaLuxembourg · 22/04/2008 14:47

There are a lot of Aarons around atm and the name inevitably does seem to be pronounced Arran - and they tend to be on the more challenging end of the behaviour spectrum ime. Dacre on the other hand, although unusual, might prove a bit of a cross to bear.

PuppyMonkey · 22/04/2008 14:53

Ned's a great name!

mejon · 22/04/2008 14:57

I went to school with an Arran - but it was a she! (may have spelt it with one 'r' though)

2point4kids · 22/04/2008 14:58

I vote Ned as well