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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Gabriel - teased?

24 replies

wicks · 15/10/2009 12:10

Currently expecting DC no. 2. One of the names high on our list of boys names is Gabriel. Almost everyone that I've mentioned this to as a potential name has cautioned against it on the basis that he would get called "Gay" and teased in the playground accordingly.

I wouldn't necessarily be put off a name by what my friends think, but I take their point on board. Do you think this is a name that invites teasing? Does anyone have a Gabriel and can share their experiences?

I can see another thread about the suitability of this name with a particular surname - but I'd be interested to know what the thoughts are on the name itself. Thanks!

[Other options at this stage are Jude, Theo and Joseph.]

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IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/10/2009 12:15

I like it!!

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/10/2009 12:16

meant to add that we didn't tell anybody our names when I was pregnant, as you're bound to get a negative reaction. If you like it, go for it!!

ZZZenAgain · 15/10/2009 12:18

I don't think the name invites teasing as such. It does kind of depend on where you will be living, which circles your child might be moving in etc, I mean if you live in an area where boys can be quite tough or wanting to seem tough is the prevailing male youth culture, it might not be the most tease-proof name out there.

I met a boy whose dp were Turkish and his name Ufuk - pronounced ooh - as you'd expect, got him some giggles but he was not relentlessly teased.

ZZZenAgain · 15/10/2009 12:19

He has since changed his name to Tom btw

midnightexpress · 15/10/2009 12:22

Oh I love that name (fave for an entirely hypothetical ds3), and it had never crossed my mind, though now that you point it out...

I like all the others too, though wouldn't use Jude because of his being the patron saint of lost causes and because of Jude the Obscure . Joseph v common these days, so I'd probably go for Theo.

ClaraDeLaNoche · 15/10/2009 12:24

I think it is a beautiful name, but when I was growing up in Ireland, all Gabriels were called Gaybo or Gay. Not really in a hostile way, it was just a shortened version.

MissClavel · 15/10/2009 12:24

I have a Gabriel, who's now 8. I don't think the teasing thing is an issue really (certainly it hasn't affected mine so far) - Gabriel is a beautiful name and I don't expect many people call Gabriel Byrne 'Gay', for instance, and I can't imagine he's bothered if they do.

The other day, I walked past a group of teenage boys, who were calling one of their number 'Danny the Fanny'. If they want to tease someone, they will.

And I agree with IMoveTheStars - don't canvas RL friends for opinions. I love Gabriel and if you do too, I would go for it.

TwentiethCenturyHeffa · 15/10/2009 12:25

I know a Gabriel and he's never been teased about his name. He's 8 btw, so has been at school for long enough that it would have happened by now if it was going to.

ancientgeordiegirl · 15/10/2009 14:35

hi I'm pregnant with DS#2 at the moment and as he is due at Christmas we've considered Gabriel. We both really like it and never considered Gay as a nn/ teasing point - I suppose I think of Gabriel Byrne when I hear the name and he's quite a tough guy. Also I'm a massive fan of the pre-raphelites and having watched the BBC bonkbuster period drama earlier this year think of the sexy actor who played Gabriel Rossetti too!

diddl · 15/10/2009 14:49

Love it.

Never heard of Gay, only Gabe as a shortening, tbh.

Gabriel Byrne-yum, and also loved the Gabriel Oak character in Far from the Madding Crowd(?)

Agree with not telling anyone until after the birth.

I didn´t.

Good job as mum didn´t like chosen name & think I would have been upset whilst pregnant.

Original poster

wicks · 15/10/2009 21:18

Bit late in me not telling anyone! I know what you all mean though. I haven't told family - I think I just mentioned to some friends that it was a name we liked and everyone liked the name but was dubious about using it.

It's not that I care whether someone else likes or dislikes the name - more that they've got me thinking about the potential for teasing.

Someone I know was at school with a Gabriel who got called GAYbriel all the time.

Yes, we would probably use the nickname Gabe.

OP posts:

Jodyray · 15/10/2009 22:12

I love it and it was definately on my shortlist last time round.

Rindercella · 15/10/2009 22:17

I love it and it is on our shortlist if we have a boy this time. I think I actually prefer it to the name I have had picked out for a boy for the last couple of years (Cassius).

It could get shortened to Gay I guess, but Gabe is a very cool nickname

I have learnt from experience never to tell people in rl what your potential names are going to be - there will always be someone who makes a negative comment. Present the new (gorgeous) baby Gabriel as a done deal and you will not have a single soul making 'Gay' comments

alarkaspree · 15/10/2009 22:19

I knew a Gabriel growing up, don't think he was teased about it. I know another who is the most supercool 5-year-old in dd's school.

ohfuschia · 15/10/2009 23:15

I have a gorgeous 10 week old Gabriel and thought long before naming him, but having grown up with an unusual name myself (much more unusual than Gabriel) the pride I feel in my name now far outweighs any difficulties at school. In fact I went to my 20 yr school reunion on Saturday and my name was mentioned as being 'cool' which would have been news to me at the time.

School is not your whole life, and ultimately I figured I could only do my best and name him with the best of intentions. I thought about Thomas which is a lovely name I think but Gabriel just seemed right somehow. I've actually had a lot more genuinely positive reactions than I expected, and my family are Irish so it's not that uncommon to them.

And funnily enough Gabriel Byrne has just popped up on an advert (DP and my sister remain convinced that my soft spot for him had something to do with the naming ), and I have to agree with the others that posted, he is too cool for school.

Gabe is the nickname we use, though it seems more common to be Gay in Ireland - anyone who would use this to tease him it would say more about them tbh. I understand it's easy to say that while he's a baby but as I said all we could do is our best and we think it's a beautiful name for our beautiful boy .

cat64 · 15/10/2009 23:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nooka · 16/10/2009 06:00

My cousin's called Gabriel and I'm not aware that he was ever teased about it. His nn is Gabe, like most other Gabriels. He's always been both popular and cool (and very good looking too). It is also getting quite popular (no 24 last year, with Gabrielle/Gabriella coming in at around about 130 or so) of course that doesn't really say anything about your area.

I think you have excellent taste in boys names. Theo is the most unusual of your choices (funny because it comes up here quite regularly) Jude has had a big rise in the last couple of years and Joseph is a bit of a perennial favorite.

rolledhedgehog · 16/10/2009 11:06

I have a toddler Gabriel. It is getting popular believe it or not! The nickname possibilities did not cross my mind when choosing the name and would not have stopped me to be honest.

The only thing I will warn you about it the amount of people who pronounce it Gabrielle even when they know he is a boy. It is very irritating.

Original poster

wicks · 16/10/2009 16:18

It IS a cool name isn't it (and Gabriel Byrne is a bit of a dude!). I love "Far from the Madding Crowd" too - so like the Gabriel Oak link. Yes, I realise it is getting more and more popular now, isn't it.

Of all the boys names that we've come up with so far, it's the one that feels the most "right" - just as you say Ofuschia.

I also think that if kids what to find a nickname for someone, they'll find one anyway.

I totally take on board the "Gabrielle" mispronunciation though - that must be really annoying. Funnily enough, I'm not keen on the girl's name Gabrielle at all, despite being such a fan of Gabriel. (no offence to anyone who is called that/has a DC with that name!).

Nooka - thanks for saying that you like our taste in boys names. DS is called "Harry Clement" after 2 of our grandfathers. I almost wish I hadn't used Clement already, as I'd love to use that as a first name (and wish I'd had the nerve to use it as a first name last time! Having said that DS is most definitely a Harry now!)

OP posts:

scaryclaireyboo · 16/10/2009 16:32

My husband is Gabriel and EVERYONE says Gabrielle. Doctors, receptionists, people calling from the bank, estate agents; doesn't matter who they are they all say Gabrielle.

Other than that irritating the hell out of me I like the name

ramonaquimby · 16/10/2009 16:53

Jude SO much better

crazycat34 · 17/10/2009 08:29

My 11 year old is a Gabriel. Most people call him Gabe. It's a gorgeous name and I still love it. He's grown up knowing it is a name he should be proud of.

He ALWAYS gets called Gabrielle at the doctors, etc, but he knows that's other people's ignorance and either answers to it or corrects them, depending on how he's feeling and he always has a lot of respect for people who get it right first time!

Only one person has said, "oh. Oh, that's, um, interesting". I think the nicest comment has been, "oh, what a good strong name for a man". And they were right!

And now with his pale skin, shoulder length auburn hair and artistic tendancies, he's grown into his name beautifully and i am very proud of him.

It's a beautiful name.

aLittlePatience · 18/10/2009 23:42

I have a 7 year old Gabriel, who also answers to Gabrielle. This is because we have more than a few French speaking parents at the school gates, and he seems to understand that they pronounce his name differently.
It's never been a problem, but yes, English speaking receptionists always seem to say Gabrielle.
No, he's never been teased, but then he does attend school with a few others whose names I can't pronounce properly either. I wonder what those children think of me?

My family is Irish, and he was born Christmas Day. I hadn't considered it as a name until I saw him for the first time, and then that was it.

It is a beautiful, strong and ?stand-up? name to give to a man, and one a boy will grow into. His best friend calls him both Gabe and Gabriel.

pranma · 19/10/2009 12:18

I know a lady [Irish] named Gabrielle who is called Gabriel by all her family.My son is guy and at school there was some attempt to make the u into an a but he coped.He used to say,'cant you even spell a 3 letter word?'

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