The short(er) list. Opinions please.

[LimeslemonsPomegranates]

We have a short(er) list. Not to everyone's taste but what would you consider the most to least objectionable of these names?

Ludo/Ludovic
Ranulph
Ivo
Cosmo
Hector
Edmund
Magnus
Rafe (or Ralph)
Augustus - Gus
Willoughby

Not sure I would actually use it but what do you think of Mungo? Dh's suggestion but I hadn't given it much consideration until now. It is quite marmite.

Undecided on the spelling of Rafe. It is likely to be in the middle if not the first name. Which spelling would you choose? On the one hand Ralph because it is a family name, but I also want to avoid his becoming ‘Ralf’ if that has become the standard pronunciation, in which case Rafe feels like a better compromise.

I am undecided on Ludo versus Ludovic. The shortened Ludo also works as an interesting alternative to Louis (lovely name, but I already know several young Louis).

How do people generally perceive Cosmo? Old Italian/Greek origin name or trendy bohemian space name like Nova?

Is Magnus quite widely used these days? Not really important, but is the Scandinavian or Scottish association stronger? Like Magnus some of the names are a Scottish nod but more subtle than Angus/Hamish/Euan etc.

Are any of these names heading towards the top 100 names? The right name doesn't need to be rare, but I would prefer something used infrequently enough that he won't be one of many with the same name at school.

Like:
Augustus - Lovely name and I love Gus for the NN.
Hector
Edmund
Willoughby- Unusual but surprisingly lovely.
Magnus

Okay:
Ludovic- If this name is from the child’s heritage it’s nice. Don’t like Ludo.
Ivo
Ranulph- Doesn’t have a nice sound to me but is okay.
Rafe

Dislike:
Cosmo- Very trendy, also the name of a buffet restaurant and magazine.
Ralph

Hate:
Mungo- I don’t actually have words for this one. I know the history of the name but it just sounds awful.

I like your list! Personally prefer the Ralph spelling but I know Rafe seems an increasingly popular alternative.

Perhaps not helpful when you are trying to whittle down your list but how about Fergus as a Gus alternative.

Also I love the name Sholto. Think it fits this list very well.

My favourite is Ranulph. I have a cousin Ranulph.

I love Ludo
Ivo
Cosmo
Hector
Rafe or Ralph (both lovely)

Not sure on
Edmund or Augustus - Gus

Not keen on Magnus or Willoughby.

Willoughby would be my least favourite.

I do like Mungo but not as much as some of your others.

I love Ludo, Ivo, Cosmo, Magnus and Rafe; though suspect they are all trending upwards. I know 2 x Ivo 2 x Rafe 2 x Ludo 2 x Gus and a Magnus. Though that is through 4 children. We are in England. Rafe is probably the most near the top 100 though none of them may reach it it’s difficult to predict.

I would pronounce Ralph as Ralf rather than Rafe (I'm from the NE so this might be a regional thing?)

Ivo is probably the most popular from your list in my area.

Willoughby would probably get shortened to Will - would you be ok with that?

Hector makes me think of The First of the Gang to Die by Morrisey. DS2 went through a phase of being obsessed with that song!

I like Magnus (I would think Scandinavian rather than Scottish) and Angus the best from your list.

Cosmo sounds like a pet's name to me and I'm not keen on Ludo (it's a game) or Ludovic (sounds clunky in my accent)

Ivo, Ludo, Hector are great but I’m not a fan of the others.

Ludo/Ludovic- no. Unless you have some cultural connection to these names they sound pretentious.
Ranulph - no. Awful.
Ivo - reminds me of Ivor and will forever be Ivor the Engine.
Cosmo - A different vibe from your other suggestions. Very ‘We are so cool and trendy, aren’t we?’
Hector - dislike it, just too old fashioned and boring.
Edmund - quite like this. A change to Edward.
Magnus - a bit dodery old man.

Rafe (or Ralph) - like this. Prefer the Rafe spelling but pronounced Ralph. My favourite from your list.
Augustus - Gus - not bad.
Willoughby - no, reminds me of Holly Willoughby whom I dislike.

In all honesty, they’re all quite strange and feel overly pretentious to me (except for Rafe and possibly Edmund). This makes it seem as if you’re choosing names based on how much they stand out rather than the quality of the name.

Sorry, I don’t really like any of them. Augustus WITH the nn Auggie or August is the least objectionable. Ivo is the second best.

I like most of them so we must have similar taste in names - several were on my boys’ list. I particularly like Ludovic, Hector and Magnus.

Raife and Augustus are the only names I like (also like the nickname of Gus). The rest are awful, sorry!

Rafe is ok. A lot of them sound like dog names in all honesty. Mungo might be the worst name I've ever read 😬

Ludo/Ludovic - prefer the full version shortened
Ranulph - too closely linked to the explorer
Ivo - ok. Eye-vo or Ee-vo?
Cosmo - like but makes me think of a magazine I read as a teenager
Hector- Heck, hectoring. Otherwise OK
Edmund - Ed. Narnia
Magnus - like but Mag, Maggie
Rafe (or Ralph) - Rafe makes me think 'rape' (sorry)
Augustus - Gus OK. Gloop. Auggie is awful.
Willoughby - Wallaby
Mungo - fine but makes me think of mung beans

To see whether the names are increasing in popularity, look at them on Darkgreener Baby name explorer.

Do you yourself have a very ordinary name?

I LOVE Ralph - pronounced either Ralf or Raif. Such a strong handsome name!

Also, even names in the top 100 don’t mean lots of kids have them. Names toward the bottom of that list usually only represent a few hundred children in the UK.

Rafe is lovely

I like Ivo, Cosmo, Hector, Edmund, Magnus and Augustus. August is getting trendy though.

Don’t like Rafe, Ranulph or Willoughby. Ludo makes me think of the game and also feels a bit like a dog name. Mungo is awful.

Hector, Edmund and Magnus are my favourites.

Ludo/Ludovic - Ludo is ok. Not a fan of Ludovic.
Ranulph - ok
Ivo - not a fan
Cosmo - trendy North London type
Hector - just makes me think of the cantankerous elderly patriach in monarch of the glen. I have heard of a few young Hectors though.
Edmund - I really like Edmund, feels like a warmer version of Edward.
Magnus - I like it
Rafe (or Ralph) - good name
Augustus - Gus - not a fan of either Augustus or Gus. I know a few young Gus but short for Angus (i do like Angus).
Willoughby - unsure.

I'd go Edmund, Magnus or Ralph.

Makes me think of the Cats musical.
If you're Spanish, Hector is nice. It will probably be used in the UK a lot more now though, as people are getting into Roman/Greek mythology.

Otherwise the best one on that list would be Edmund. But it's up to you, just be aware some kids get mad at their parents if they're teased for their name.

Magnus is the only one on the list that I like at all, it's nice.

Mungo is a very strong dislike.

Nice list. Really don’t like Augustus (too Gloop, surely?) or Willoughby and would probably not go with Magnus (what if he is short etc) but really like the rest, including Mungo. From my point of view, the most appealing shortlist I have seen dor a while.

Of your list I like both Edmund and Hector

Ill be honest, I don't like any of them. They are pretentious sounding and I wouldn't want to be born named any of those names. Id rather play it more safe as it's the child that has to live with the name.

I like your list!

My faves are Cosmo, Magnus and Ivo.

I also like Caspar, Quentin and Raphael which have a similar vibe.

Hector and Magnus are my favourites.

Mungo would be quite unusual - do you have a Glaswegian connection? You could really go for it and name him Kentigern instead 🙂