Orlando?

[oxcat1]

I love the name, DH isn't sure, but just wondering how it was likely to be shortened?

A good name, or too pretentious?

Lurve it- reminds me of a very gorgeous chap I was at uni with swoon

It's my dh's name.

I actually know an Orlando who is 19 and he loves his name and thinks it's cool! And no, he certainly wouldn't prefer to be called Jack.

I had Orlando the Marmalade Cat on tape and it was played on long car trips. I loved it despite the fact that I usually heard it with my head in a bucket of hanging out the window panting like a dog (was rather car sick as a child).

Hmm, this has got me thinking I might run Orlando past DH tonight for DS2. He's pretty stuck on edward though so I don't like my chances

I like it

It's just this side of OTT. I love it, but then I always loved Roland and when I floated it DH looked at me like I'd suggested "Dickcheese" for a boy.

God Orlando was a good film. I think one of the few films I've ever seen that was as good as the book on which it was based. Great soundtrack too.

MKG - snap!

He is fine with it. TBH I think kids live up to unusual names, toughens them up and all that.

"TBH I think kids live up to unusual names, toughens them up and all that."

You are joking. Please tell me you're joking?

Yes, of course I'm joking.

My kids have relatively conventional names - because I see that it can be irritating for DH to have to explain his name and deal with people's expectations about you based on something that seemed like a good idea to your parents at a time when they were hormonal and sleep-deprived.

Why on earth would a name like Orlando seem any different or teaseworthy to a child than a name like Oliver? I can understand if the name is Dickcheese or Poohead... that IS teaseworth, but what is wrong with a perfectly normal (albeit slightly less common) name?

Actually, I don't think most children have problems with each others' names at all - any name is normal to them. It's adolescents and adults who make assumptions about who you are based on your name.

And what people forget is that their cute little baby will become an adolescent and an adult. AND they have to deal with adults and adolescents. And people will judge. They shouldn't - but they will.

But hopefully by the time they are an adult they are confident enough to deal with other people's pre-judgements and insecurities...

In fact every adult with a unique (i.e. relatively rare) name is very happy with not having a common name. They feel 'unique' and will be remembered more easily (for good or bad ).

I certainly would remember an Orlando more easily than another Mike or John....

I guess I'm not against common names, but we shouldn't worry about giving our children less common names - there are thousands of lovely names, and I feel it makes life more interesting than meeting 5 Jacks and 4 Emilys in one day

"In fact every adult with a unique (i.e. relatively rare) name is very happy with not having a common name" Really? Prove it!

And you can't learn to deal with people pre-jusding you if you're judged the minute someone sees your name on an application form. It happens. It shouldn't, but it does. Life is hard enough - why make it harder?

Sorry, I meant every adult that I know with a less common name seems very happy with it.

And I would not want to work for a company who pre-judge applicants on the basis of their NAME .

But are you sure your adult child wouldn't? Why make life harder?

It's a sad fact that judgements are made all the time on criteria as tenuous as this - have you read a book called Freakonomics? There's a whole chapter about how "unusual" names hold people back.

I like it. And what is wrong with being pretentious. Lots of people name babies from characters in books.

I'm married to an Orlando [waves at Ladidadi - how are you m'dear?] He says he's always liked it and it's never really been shortened. He does sometimes get Lando though because that's what friends kids called him and it sort of stuck. I think Orlando Bloom means there are going to be more Orlando's around for a few years.

Hello SmudgeyDoodle!

How are you doing? I see that you had a little girl, congratulations . Hope you are all well x

If he will be going to a major public school, fine. If he'll be going to the local comp, I think he might get some teasing.

I like it. It was on our list if dd had been a boy.

Our cat is called it now. He was already named it when we got him from the RSPCA.

I love it.