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Baby names

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

Help with Boys Names!!

29 replies

MegSJC · 22/11/2025 20:31

How do you feel about these 2 names? My husband loves Sonny, but I am worried it's really popular in the UK now. Sibling to Nora Margot. We are based in Yorkshire!

Sonny Frederick
Otto Frederick

Its taken us months to even get to this point as we just have such different opinions!

OP posts:
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MissyB1 · 22/11/2025 20:34

I don’t like Sonny sorry. Otto is a lovely name and goes well with Nora.

Pearlmaster500 · 22/11/2025 20:39

I haven’t heard sonny in years. I’m in London and I don’t think it’s particularly popular here?

SkaneTos · 22/11/2025 22:21

I think they are both good names.
I voted for Otto.

LivingTheDreamish · 23/11/2025 00:00

Love Otto and Nora together, definitely go with that.

CalliopePlantain · 23/11/2025 00:02

Sonny is fine. Prefer Otis to Otto

user1492757084 · 23/11/2025 09:05

I prefer Otto.

Whatever name you choose, your DH can always call him a nickname of Sonny. It's a versitile nick name for anyone's son.

Some other suggestions..

Samson Frederick
Orson Frederick
Lawson Frederick
Jason Frederick

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 23/11/2025 09:08

Actually calling him Sonny just sounds to be like you can't be arsed to think of a proper name - it works fine as a nickname for anything, so just use it like that if you want to

I don't like Otto either but better than Sonny

GoldenNuggets08 · 23/11/2025 09:33

Sonny has grown in popularity near me recently and I'm not really a fan to be honest.

Zitroneneis · 23/11/2025 09:49

Sonny is fine. It fits the recent trend of names like Teddy, Alfie etc.

I strongly dislike Otto.

Looperoo · 23/11/2025 17:11

I like Otto, but I personally think it's a bit nickname-y.

RecordBreakers · 23/11/2025 17:19

I really don't like either.

'Sonny' to be is a pleasant thing you call any child you don't know, whose attention you want to attract. It isn't a name to be given to a person, for me. I am really surprised that you think it might be too popular.

Otto, to me would be fine if you have Germanic heritage. Seems a strange pick if not.

MayaPinion · 23/11/2025 17:22

Is Sonny not just another way of saying Son - like calling someone Junior? In The Godfather Sonny was short for Santino.

bellocchild · 23/11/2025 17:50

Imagine being a staid middle-aged manager, and called Sonny! Or a High Court Judge! At least he can lose Sonny and revert to Frederick.

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 18:26

Zitroneneis · 23/11/2025 09:49

Sonny is fine. It fits the recent trend of names like Teddy, Alfie etc.

I strongly dislike Otto.

But does it? Teddy and Alfie are diminutives of Edward and Alfred, so very traditional old names.

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 18:27

MayaPinion · 23/11/2025 17:22

Is Sonny not just another way of saying Son - like calling someone Junior? In The Godfather Sonny was short for Santino.

Yup I think it's just a version of "my son" so very informal as a name origin. It's a bit like Lassie for example.

Fingernailbiter · 23/11/2025 18:32

Sonny sounds like a daft name to me. (It makes me think if the character in The Godfather, but there it was short for Santino.)

Imagine a sixty-year-old man called Sonny. I’m not that keen on Otto but it’s preferable to Sonny.

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 18:36

I think Otto is fine and goes ok with Norah.

I think Sonny is much more "off piste."

I like Frederick a lot.

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 23/11/2025 18:37

I love Otto but we live in Yorkshire too and most people would pronounce it O-Oh

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 18:42

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 23/11/2025 18:37

I love Otto but we live in Yorkshire too and most people would pronounce it O-Oh

You mean a bit like "Uh-oh, what's happened here!" 😂

MegSJC · 23/11/2025 19:32

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 18:42

You mean a bit like "Uh-oh, what's happened here!" 😂

This is my exact concern, we live near Hull so.....

OP posts:
MegSJC · 23/11/2025 19:34

Thanks everyone! So much negativity 🤣 Sonny is #52 in England and Wales in 2024 so was not expecting that level of dislike! 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 19:37

MegSJC · 23/11/2025 19:34

Thanks everyone! So much negativity 🤣 Sonny is #52 in England and Wales in 2024 so was not expecting that level of dislike! 🤣🤣🤣

Mn is quite conservative with names.

I don't dislike Sonny, but I think it will have "flash in the pan" appeal and I'm not sure it will last the distance into his adulthood.

Any reason you wouldn't use Frederick as a first name? I think it's a great name!

MegSJC · 23/11/2025 19:41

Calliopespa · 23/11/2025 19:37

Mn is quite conservative with names.

I don't dislike Sonny, but I think it will have "flash in the pan" appeal and I'm not sure it will last the distance into his adulthood.

Any reason you wouldn't use Frederick as a first name? I think it's a great name!

I like Frederick and Fred but It would just get shortened to Freddie, which is so popular! There's 5 in our LOs nursery class and there's only 24 kids in there!

But its a family linked name and IF he really didnt like Sonny when he was older like most are suggesting he could use it as a first. My father in law uses his middle name, as does a couple of our close friends!

OP posts:
Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 23/11/2025 19:51

MegSJC · 23/11/2025 19:32

This is my exact concern, we live near Hull so.....

He’ll be oh-errrr then 😂😂

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