Okay, think I have the name sussed but this doesn't mean you can't slag it off, please hit me with it...

[hobbgoblin]

Had already decided on Rafferty, now the middle name:

Blanchard

Don't like blanchard at all.

As an aside, the father of one of DS1's friends is a Piers and he's a cab driver.

Rafferty is fine. Blanchard is terrible imho, sorry.

Rafferty - yes

Blanchard - no

(did some family tree for someone a while back with lots of Blanchards, as a surname. if it was your surname and you wanted to pass it on then maybe.)

Rafferty - good. I like that quite a lot.

Blanchard - non.

The first thing that sprang to mind was that American sitcom - Golden Girls. Sorry.

Would agree with a classic in the middle - Jack, James, etc

yes Rafferty is a lovely name

Blanchard after it is I think a real jarring note. Rafferty is bright, lively, stylish - Blanchard is clunking and ugly.

not Blanchard

I really like your idea of an unusual middle name that has a meaning of survival or strength.
I dont like Blanchard though, sorry.

Is there any historical figure that sums up 'fighting spirit and survival' for you that you could borrow a name from as your DS's middle name?

Are you set on Rafferty as well? I do like Raffy as a nickname - have you thought about Raphael as an alternative full name?

just keep thinking about Deirdre's mum.

Rafferty is nice and unusual enough I would say. Blanchard sounds

ugly

queeny

pretentious

(sorry)

I don't like either name to be honest, although Rafferty is slightly better. Also it will get shortened to Raff.

Also without meaning to be hurtful, will you tell him that you chose his name because of the circumstances? That's quite a big thing to hang on a kid.

I love Rafferty, but I agree with earlier post that Blanchard seems like trying to hard. I think an interesting name balances better with a simple name.

Rafferty Bob I like

I have to say Blanchard sounds more like a girls name as it would shorten to Blanch, although I don't like to criticize name choices.

How about

Rafferty Brogan

Brogan = sturdy & strong (according to a website i'm looking at)

Hobbgoblin, I remember your other thread, quite some time ago now. I am really so that you are now onto choosing a name!

I really like Rafferty, Blanchard reminds me of a French singer from my teenage years. When I was looking for names for my own Dcs there was a name I really liked but did not choose in the end "Azim" which means "determined" in Arabic but on other name which seems to be Arabic to but surprised me a lot is "Basil" which means "brave". There are a few more names that I think would fit because of their meaning but would probably sound really to middle eastern for you.

Have a look here

Oh! and what about Victor as a middle name?

Rafferty is the surname of a friend of mine, so at first i could only see it as a surname, but actually i quite like it for a little boy! it's grown on me.

Blanchard is Orlando Bloom's middle name (Heat magazine informed me of this just 5 minutes ago - I'm not a stalker!! honest )

again makes me think of blanche from coronation street - i dont een watch it and that is my first thought?!?! and also the blanched almonds conotation
Doesnt make me think strong/survivor

I like the combonation Rafferty James, also just thought Rafferty Nolan has count a nice sound when said together - but no idea of the meanings of either name!

I regularly feed a horse called Rafferty

He likes carrots

not keen on blanchard in combo with rafferty
is it the meaning you like? or what?

Rafferty is a lovely horse BTW

only OCCASIONALLY tries to crush me to death

like Rafferty but not sure about the blanchard brogan sounds good with Rafferty though.

congratulations

Rafferty yes
Blanchard no

Raffertys good - I personally think Blanchard spoils it though...

Right, you've all done a pretty good job of steering me away from Blanchard!

Just as well I asked.

So cannot think of second name, and before you ask, yes I must have one for this boy!

LOVE Rafferty!!!

Andrew?
James?
Brodie?
Alexander?

rafferty is a bit..... primrose hill. one of jude law's dss is called this..... you may think that is a positive thing!

Rafferty is not to my taste, but it's not a bad name by any stretch. I agree with the others, a more traditional middle name would be better. Perhaps you could have 2 middle names Rafferty James (or something similar) Blanchard H....

I think you should defo go with Rafferty though! :-)