Paul - views please

[Playdough]

Six weeks to go until due date and DH and I really struggling for a boy's name. Our short list is all over the place but one that I keep coming back to is Paul. But is it too 60s/70s? Or is it due for a revival, perhaps? We like short, classic names as we have an unusual and quite difficult to spell surname. So what do MNetters think?

Like it, it is my brother's name. However I do tend to favour quite "middle of the road" names iykwim.

Easy to spell, no one says "ooh that's unusual" but everyone has heard of it and there aren't currently loads of little boys named Paul.

Dreadful

Not for me ...

Dull, dull, dull

What about John?

due for a revival

Sorry dont like it

dull and dated, sorrry.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooo.

Don't do it.

Butterfly Bessie, I do like John (predictably!) but it's the name of a significant ex-boyfriend so, not unreasonably, DH has vetoed it . The easy to spell bit is important as our surname always needs spelling and usually elicits the response: oh, that's an unusual name, where's it from? (To which I have no answer ... must get on Who Do You Think You Are?) It's good to get lots of views, and to know how for how many of you it is just a dull name. That's what I'd worry about: my sister has never really liked her name and has always slightly held it against our parents.

I really like the name Paul. Always have. None of them around nowadays either so it would be nice and uncommon.

Paul is lovely. Simple, classic and currently not very popular. Is therefore ripe for a revival, you could lead the way!

I like John too, for the same reason (and like Johnny)

and Andrew.

I don't know why it isn't popular at the moment-I think it is lovely. Due for a revival.(I love the names people often call boring or dull!)

The female equivalent would be 'Sarah' I think.

Sarah is my favourite girl's name!

Tis loevly.

No, no it's Steven and Sarah!

Sorry, not keen on Paul.

Would Saul be an option?

I like it.

Thanks for all the views. I think we'll be definitely using Paul for one of the names (maybe with Edward?). It was great to get so much feedback.

I love it.

My other half is a Paul, and if he weren't I'd strongly consider it for a little boy. I'm recently turned 20 and there were dozens of Pauls at school of around my age, and I know quite a few Pauls of 16/17 but that's where the usage seems to tail off a bit. Don't know too many little Pauls. Time for a revival!