Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Opinions on a baby name please!

70 replies

CookieMonster2025 · 08/03/2025 10:49

Hello lovely community! I would appreciate your thoughts on a name I have in mind for my baby boy.

The name is Costello.

Its a fairly popular Irish surname (BTW I am Irish) and numerous articles online suggest it is a first name too, but Ive never come across anyone with it as a first name.

That got me wondering if Costello as a first name is a terrible idea?

Or is it just the case that its not that popular yet?

What do you all think? Cool first name? Or bad idea?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CoffeeWithHer · 08/03/2025 13:43

Ooooo I personally love it, and I like it shortened to Cos (as it will be!).

I never told anyone our baby names as I knew I wanted them and I didn’t want anyone to turn their nose up - my thought process was that they wouldn’t say they hated the name whilst holding my DD.

What I’m clumsily saying is, if you like it, go for it and if you’re not sure, have a couple of back ups and see what fits him when he arrives!

Vestigially · 08/03/2025 13:46

CookieMonster2025 · 08/03/2025 12:56

Wow that message is really quite rude. I am actually Irish so please don’t be so presumptuous.

I kindly asked for opinions, not rudeness

Yes, you said you were Irish in your OP. As I said, it sounds like the kind of thing a certain kind of Irish-American with no ties to Ireland would do.

For English, Mners, it would be the equivalent of calling your son Atkins or Jones or Barker.

rainbowstardrops · 08/03/2025 13:56

I really like it!
Mind you, I prefer less popular names. I've worked with children for over thirty years and it's standard to have countless Olivia's, Noah's etc etc in a class. It's each to their own though, so if you love it then go for it!

Scrabbelator · 08/03/2025 14:11

I think it would be shortened to nicknames among his friends, which you'd have no control over. Cost, etc

username462025 · 08/03/2025 14:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Iamthemoom · 08/03/2025 14:40

Love it. But the important thing is that you love it. If do go for it!

TheCryingTheBitchAndTheFloordrobe · 08/03/2025 14:46

It sounds like a budget supermarket

Crunchymum · 08/03/2025 17:44

I actually don't hate it. My DC go to a very international and predominantly MC primary school and it wouldn't be out of place there.

Feels very 'on trend' for want of a better description.

Moreteaandchocolate · 08/03/2025 17:52

AubernFable · 08/03/2025 11:25

I don’t like it personally, feels like a character name not a persons name, but Constantine is lovely and I actually like Stellan even though I haven’t heard it before.

Similar vibe:

Cassian/Caspian
Cedric
Lysander
Evander

Irish C names:

Callahan
Carrigan
Caelan
Cashel
Cillian
Cormac

I don’t like Costello, but love some of these ideas!

Pemba · 08/03/2025 17:53

It sounds like a bit of a joke name really, I suppose I am thinking of the old comedy duo, Abbott and Costello, heard of them?

Like pps said, it is nice for a last name, not so great as a first name. It's long-ish, but there's no natural shortening. Some surnames work fine as first names, eg Ryan, Elliot, but Costello doesn't really.

AubernFable · 08/03/2025 18:03

Moreteaandchocolate · 08/03/2025 17:52

I don’t like Costello, but love some of these ideas!

Thanks! I’m a total name nerd.

Pinkelephant66 · 08/03/2025 18:04

I like it!!

FlatWhite78 · 08/03/2025 18:05

I’m sorry but Costello is awful. Cringeworthy to use a surname as a first name and just makes me think of the Paul Costelloe range in Dunnes!

Sassybooklover · 08/03/2025 18:14

All I can think of is Elvis Costello! It's a surname. Constantin or Konstantin is a nice variation (with or without the e on the end).

Chuchoter · 08/03/2025 18:16

Wins would be good

Abbott and Costello.

SunshineAndFizz · 08/03/2025 18:19

Sorry, but it's a no from me.

YourAmberFawn · 08/03/2025 21:59

Personally not for me - although not as bad as a lot of names I’ve seen / heard.

If you love it go for it. A lot of babies of his generation are going to have unique names.

Yummydindins123 · 08/03/2025 22:11

I’m Irish and I’m sorry I don’t like it. I don’t think there are many nice Irish boys names that sound nice… all a bit 90s I think.

Waterlilysunset · 08/03/2025 22:13

I don’t like it

Yummydindins123 · 08/03/2025 22:19

Moreteaandchocolate · 08/03/2025 17:52

I don’t like Costello, but love some of these ideas!

@AubernFable im Irish and never heard of half of those Irish names, where have you heard of those?

DramaAlpaca · 08/03/2025 22:28

No, not good. Also, I'd point out that if OP is Irish in England the pronunciation will do her head in.

The pronunciation of Costello in Ireland (at least in my part of the country) is with the emphasis on the first syllable, so 'COS-tello'.

In England it will usually be pronounced with the stress on the second syllable, so 'cos-TELL-o', as in the singer Elvis Costello.

Either way it's not good.

GiddyCrab · 08/03/2025 22:30

Not a fan. Reminds me of Costa tbh.

AubernFable · 08/03/2025 23:08

Yummydindins123 · 08/03/2025 22:19

@AubernFable im Irish and never heard of half of those Irish names, where have you heard of those?

Same lmao, I have some of these in my family! A good few are other surnames though.

I assume you’ve met a Callahan or Callaghan family. Had a lovely english teacher with this surname.

Carrigan is a surname and a town name. I have a cousin Carrigan but he goes by Carri.

Caelan is a decently common name.

Cashel another place name and I grew up with a guy with this name. Not sure of anyone else notable though.

Cillian and Cormac i’m also pretty sure you know.

Also I’m adding Colm- my least favourite name but it fits the C theme.

Yummydindins123 · 08/03/2025 23:21

AubernFable · 08/03/2025 23:08

Same lmao, I have some of these in my family! A good few are other surnames though.

I assume you’ve met a Callahan or Callaghan family. Had a lovely english teacher with this surname.

Carrigan is a surname and a town name. I have a cousin Carrigan but he goes by Carri.

Caelan is a decently common name.

Cashel another place name and I grew up with a guy with this name. Not sure of anyone else notable though.

Cillian and Cormac i’m also pretty sure you know.

Also I’m adding Colm- my least favourite name but it fits the C theme.

Yea heard those above as surnames but sound ridiculous as forenames.
Cashel must have been from Tipp… strange to be called a ‘castle’/‘fortress’ which is what it means. I think that name would get odd looks in Ireland.

AubernFable · 08/03/2025 23:31

Yummydindins123 · 08/03/2025 23:21

Yea heard those above as surnames but sound ridiculous as forenames.
Cashel must have been from Tipp… strange to be called a ‘castle’/‘fortress’ which is what it means. I think that name would get odd looks in Ireland.

It’s pretty common everywhere at the minute to use surnames as first names, I think they’re prettier than english surnames as first names.

I like it but it could be because he was lovely, it has positive connotations. I also work with a guy with the last name Castle!