Kai or River

[PC18]

We are having a boy - due December.

I have always loved Kai but River is also so lovely!

Rowan is on my list! It’s also one of my favourite but I need to convince my DH lol

It’s a girls name though isn’t it? Never met a male called Rowan? It’s better than river or Kai though!

Rowan Atkinson?

What about Roman or Reuben?

No, it's used for both. It's historically a male name though.

OP - Out of the two I'd go for Kai.

I laughed at River Brown - child’s name or description of 2025 UK waterways?!

Showing him this thread should do it..

Go for Rowan - it’s a nice name

I don’t like either I’m afraid. Kai is associated with a certain socio economic group (Rooney called his eldest Kai) and River is only ok if you’re the Beckhams. Otherwise it’s a bit silly.

Both sound chavy. River has been done to death on here.

Kai is too early noughties and does definitely sound working class. River is too trendy and will age badly in twenty years. It sounds arty and hippyish, but you couldn't imagine a production manager or Director in a fridge factory being called that.

I'd say no to both I'm afraid.

If I had to pick it would be River. Kai has a certain reputation.

Rowan much better than either Kai (naughty boy) or River (try hard).

As someone whose job involves recruitment, I can assure you this idea that people won't get jobs because of their names is not true, at least in my experience. I have had CVs with all sorts of random names on them. If it's something really 'out there' I'd probably assume either someone who is not British or someone with slightly odd parents, neither of which are good reasons not to hire them. But I wouldn't class either Kai or River as particularly out there nowadays anyway.

Neither. Give your child a name thats not going to disadvantage them in life.

River is a very hippy name in NA. Kai is okay but slightly chavy.

I rather like River, as long as he is an outdoor nature loving person.

If he’s going to be hunched over a games console all day, then Kai.

Both are bad. I agree Kai is déclassé. Rowan is nice.

@PC18 , River is not lovely. It's wet and with the surname sounds like the name of a river.
Kai is as others have pp, a bit c**v.
Cai if you are Welsh is OK.

I wouldn't name my son either of those names.

@ToKittyornottoKitty , Rowan Atkinson and Rowan Williams spring to mind.
It's unisex but mainly used as a boy's name.
Babies called Rowan in England & Wales since 1996

Aweful

Rowan is gorgeous, hope your DH comes around.

River is nice enough, but it doesn’t suit every lad imo- seems more appropriate on artistic, bohemian personalities.

Kai feels quite downmarket as pp say (Welsh Cai doesn’t feel as bad or Ancient Roman Caius (can be pronounced as Kai-us or Keys) - the C vs K seems to make a big difference imo).

Gary is nice.

i like kai but it’s the maori word for food.

River sounds a little silly to me, sorry.

Rowen is good!

River is the better of the two but v much dependent on the surname