What do you think: Wesley or Julian?

[amitymama]

These boy names are not extremely common but also not 'out there' where I'm from but I wondered what their popularity and associations are in the UK? There have been names I liked that my (English) DH informs me are too poncy or too common or too weird so I wanted to run these two past some other UK natives for perspective.

DH likes both names but thinks one might be considered odd and the other too popular. What do you think?

Not sure about that pointydog - i used to someone whose middle name was Julian. He was a bit secretive about it - when I asked him why (because I thought it was a nice name) he said "Try growing up in Liverpool with a name like Julian"!

(Apologies to any Liverpudlians)

Am now trying to think of names in the same sort of genre but have only come up with Tristan and Sebastian.

IMHO Wesley is a bit wet and I cannot think of a baby called Wesley or a small boy or even a teenager being called it.

Julian is slightly better but not my personal choice.

do the test.......

'this is Wesley Foster, News at Ten, in the Gulf....'

'this is your Captain Wesley Shaw speaking...'

they dont do it for me, Im afraid......

Aha cyteen. Only that one is married (newly, in his 40s) and the other is a serial shagger (of women)

collision, I have never heard of 'the test' that's hilarious. Though if you can imagine a newscaster or pilot being named that, doesn't it mean it will be quite common and/or boring?

Try the test from the other angle: 'Wesley Stanley Fletcher, you are an habitual criminal...' OR 'Julian Stanley Fletcher...'

I think Wesley sounds more of a likely candidate for the name of a character in Porridge.

PMSL at Edam. (Are you feeling better, btw?)

I know a rather nice Julian (secretly I quite fancy him) but he doesn't go with his name IYSWIM.

Julian - I wanted to use Julian but I wasn't allowed

You are right, grapefruit.

I am thinking more or southern softyville, like London or Bristol

I have been here all along under a different name!

ooh gobble....havent seen you for ages!

I like being a namechanger for a while but always go back to collision!!

Sometimes I think you have to put names into a situation ie Pilot or journalist

someone on here did the test as

'Thank you, Wesley Dodson, our new Prime Minister......!!'

Julian

or Jude

Hello MI, no, sadly still not well. Just my luck to get the winter vomiting virus when it's not even winter any more!

Wesley is dreadful

Julian is ok has nice shortened versions ie Jules
(my brother)

Wesley is my favourite boyus name but DH wouldn't have it at all

I really like Julian think it is a great name and has good shortenings. Where we live it would not be odd in the slightest.

Not keen on Wesley but biased by a bad boy in our town whilst I was growing up!

Wesley is really awful. And Wes is even worse.

Julian is ok but does sound a bit wet and reminds me of the famous five.

Ds2 is called Wesley.

at the comments on this thread

makealist, i'm sorry you have been offended. people can be quite blunt about names. i expected people to say they preferred one name or the other (or neither) but not to say things like "it's horrid" or "dreadful." don't let it get you down. i'm sure we'd think others' kids names are horrid. :p

makealist,

I am shocked too that so many people have said they don't like the name Wesley. I am very jealous that you managed to call your DS Wesley, as it is my favourite boys names

I like Wesley; I used to teach a gorgous one.

I also like Westley, a la The Princess Bride.

I don't like Julian - I think a) Famous Five and b) hairdressers. Sorry!

Wesley really is lovely though.

Not keen on either for a child, but out of the two, Julian is slightly better than Wesley IMO.

I prefer Julian.