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Baby names

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

Original poster

We're hippies at heart, and I regret choosing such a 'normal' name for DS1 - help please for DS2?!

142 replies

sushistar · 31/08/2009 21:49

DS1 is Ethan. We gave him a really really rare hippy-sounding middle name, but I wish we'd been braver and gone for something more unusual for his first name. I don't want to do the same this time...

I like Asher but I think it's about to become really popular. We also love celtic / old english names.

Suggestions?

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thisisyesterday · 01/09/2009 21:17

i always thought Isa was a girl's name. but that's only based on the vegan with a vengeance book being written by an Isa. who is a girl.,

Soren rocks doesn't it? ds3 was very nearly Soren (he is Asa btw(at the moment))

how about Noam?

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 21:23

Hmm, like Noam Chomsky? Hang on, i'll look it up.

DH likes Ashwyn with a y.

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Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 21:26

Noam means 'pleasantness' which is lovely.
It goes on the list!

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seeker · 01/09/2009 21:44

Go ahead. I'll write out the words of the renaming ceremony we used with my brother's step children so that they could officially change their "wonderful, imaginative, unique names" to something they were prepared to start Secondary school with, and keep them ready for your dcs.

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 21:54

Seeker, I think you are being a bit unkind. I live in London and when I go to baby groups names are everything from 'Archie' and 'Ben' through to 'Merlin' (yes really) and 'Jayananthi' and everything inbetween. Based on this I think lots of parents now don't go for the Matthew / Mark / Luke / John options. There is nothing wrong with more traditional names, but we would like a name that is more unusual. That is our choice. If you'd like to suggest some I'd love to hear them - if not, please stop criticising me for it.

The names boards are for asking for names right? Thanks for everyone's good ideas!

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seeker · 01/09/2009 22:14

sushistar - I'm sorry, I don't mean to be unkind. But I really think that people, like my brother's step children's parents, often don't think of the impact that the name they choose will have on the child as he or she grows up. Yes, there are lots of unusual names at baby groups - but babies don't mind what they are called. Older children, teenagers and adults do. It's a big responsibility, choosing a name for another individual unique human being who isn't even here yet! My step nephew was a school refuser largely because of his name and ONLY went to Secondary school when we worked out a way for him to change it.

LadyoftheBathtub · 01/09/2009 22:19

Seeker as I've said my DS has an unusual name, and all we/he ever get in response is "what a lovely/cool name". And you can tell they mean it, no looks of shock or suppressed snurks. It depends on the name. There is nothing wrong with unusualness in itself, yes some names are silly but you can have a wonderful unusual name. We also chose carefully so that DS could shorten it/amend it to something more normal, but I'm happy for him that he has a name that is just for him.

Fitting in and not being laughed at are not the be-all and end-all anyway. What about learning to be true to yourself and valuing individuality? It is really better to make sure you child is one of 5 Adams or Jacks in the class and never dares stick their head above the parapet in case anyone notices them, because you've made it so very clear that being laughed at is for losers? Snore.

2girls2love · 01/09/2009 22:20

Sorry sushi, I'm with seeker on this one, there are unusual names and UNUSUAL names, that is names that may make their lives difficult in school.

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:24

Gosh, it sounds like he had a VERY unusual name!

But I am not your brother's sep-children's parents. We want a name with links to either old english, because that is mine and DPs heritage, or a bible name, because that is part of our heritage too. And we want a name with a 'good' meaning because we think the meaning of a name is very important. It is a big responsibility - that's why I've come on here for more suggestions!

I think really, unless you are called 'poohead' or something, a lot is how you FEEL about your name rather than the name itself. If your parents love you, and explain that they chose the name because it meant something to them, or it had a meaning they wanted to give you (like 'happiness' or 'beautiful' or something)and give you confidence in who you are, then I think you will grow up feeling happy in yourself and in your name. My mum has quite an unusual name and she loves it because she was named after her mum's best friend. In a way, I think an unusual name that's been thought about is more loving and more of a gift to a person than a bog-standard name chosen just because it sounded ok.

But that's just me - I would far rather have an unusual name than one 4 other people in my class have. Hopefully my dc will feel the same. How can I tell before he's born, though? This parenting lark is just about doing the best we can.

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2girls2love · 01/09/2009 22:25

Also Axel is hebrew name meaning 'peace' perhaps not such a great gladiator name then?

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:27

Oh, and maybe 2girls2love's distinction between unusual and UNUSUAL names is a good one. I would count Toothpick, Rabbit and Princess Lala Trixibel Glitterpink the Fourth as UNUSUAL names fo my unborn DS, and a bit cruel. It's all about where you draw that line, I guess!!

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thisisyesterday · 01/09/2009 22:29

seeker, there are also plenty of people out there with names that you would consider unusual who absolutely love them. regardless of their background or heritage.

you know a couple of people who changed their names. big deal.
that doesn't mean that anyone with a name that isn/t john or jane will hate their name does it?????

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:30

DH informs me Axel was in some other TV program - not Gladiatiors! There's an Axel in Guns'n'Roses isn't there? Anyhow, it sounds a bit too much like a car axel I think - not one for me!

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seeker · 01/09/2009 22:31

There is a big difference between choosing a name that there are likely to be 5 others in the class and calling your child Nebula. Both of my children were the only ones with their particular names in their primary school of 420 children, and now my dd is one of 4 in a school of 1400 girls.

It's not Jack/Chloe or Halcyon/Sequoia. There is lots of middle ground.

thisisyesterday · 01/09/2009 22:31

and there are also plenty of peop;le with "normal" names who change them too.

you have a biased view on this topic, based on the people you know. it probably isn't true of the population at large.

2girls2love · 01/09/2009 22:32

DD1 (4) has a pretty traditional name however she has recently informed me that she wants to be called sarah alice madame fififou so call them whatever you like but they will definitely have their own opinions!

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:36

at your dd1 2girls

Halcyon is a nice name I think!

I guess I think there are so MANY names it seems a shame for them to be repeated so often. Mind you I remember hearing about somewhere - is it Greece? - where everyone has the day of the week they were born as one of their names. Imagine yelling 'Tuesday!' in the park and one seventh of the kids looking round!

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Sazisi · 01/09/2009 22:36

A few Irish or Irish-ish names which might suit:
Tiernan
Aran
Óran (also spelt Ódhran)

Unusal names I just really like:

Bram (as in Stoker) - DD2 might have been called this had she not been a dd

Wolf

Albion

Aldous

Sazisi · 01/09/2009 22:37

There was a Merlin at my school 25 years ago, it's a bit passé if you ask me

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:38

I like Tiernan and Aran. We thought about Aaron for DS1 but I like Aran better.

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Sazisi · 01/09/2009 22:39

Oh there's a world of differnece, Aran infinitely nicer

Original poster
sushistar · 01/09/2009 22:40

How many Gandalfs are there I wonder? I think that's even more far out than Merlin. I suppose Merlin is a bird of prey as well as a wizard, perhaops that was the inspiration?

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seeker · 01/09/2009 22:41

"you have a biased view on this topic, based on the people you know."

But I do actually know real life people who've had very unusual names in their pre and early teens. Does anyone else?

thisisyesterday · 01/09/2009 22:41

and bear in mind by unusual names are increasingly popular... our kids aren't oing to stand out. there will be classes full of kids with weird and wonderful names.
it will become normal

BikeRunSki · 01/09/2009 22:43

Gaia