Calling baby George

[Namesnamesname]

Hi all, I posted in baby names but a few posters who are Irish pointed out it could be too English / relatives might have a go etc so I thought I’d see what other Irish mumsnetters think!

Ironically it means ‘farmer’ so in my view a perfect Irish name but I don’t want to do the wrong thing and saddle the kid with a name it’ll hate!!

what would you think if you heard someone called their baby boy George?

My grandad was George (completely Irish). And it is a name that crops up a lot in my family - older cousins etc. All Irish.

I wouldn't think anything much. But since you mention it its pretty not Irish. Does that matter though?

According to National Archives of Ireland website, there were 33377 people named George in the 1901 Ireland census and 36763 in 1911 .

Go for it, my grand uncle was George and we grew up blaming his ghost (we lived in his old house) for anything odd happening at home. It's a family name here, hasn't been used in recent generations unfortunately, I'd use it and like it.

I think of it as a very English name, probably because there were a stack of English kings called George (but they were all actually German, so...!)

My perception is a bit skewed I suppose because although I've lived in Ireland for aeons I'm actually English.

I've known literally one or two Georges here, both middle aged now. I've never met a young George - though I know a couple of boys called Seoirse, the Irish version of the name which I like much better than George.

If I heard of a baby George in Ireland I'd think it unusual and might guess that one parent was English.

I'd think you probably had an English background and liked it and I would also link it to William and Kate and their George being in line to be King.

My Dad was George, as is my Nephew. A good strong name.

I like it, and it wouldn't seem strange to me.

Saying a name means farmer and so is suitable for someone Irish stands out much more than that for me!

It's a lovely, timeless name that he will grow with.

It's also traditionally a greek name, just popular in England.

Seoirse is the Irish equivalent if you want something more 'Irish'.

I would think it was quite English but there again, lots of names that I would think of as quite English are popular - I know of a few little Archies and Harrys which would also strike me as English names. But I also know some kids with, for example, Polish names so does it matter?

Thanks all! It looks like I’m overthinking it. There is actually an English connection with one of my parents being English so for that reason we won’t go with a name as gaeilge. The Irish for George is quite nice though and I suppose if the child doesn’t like George they can always change to that if they want.

We like George as we’re both from long farming backgrounds so it’s a nod to that as we’re not involved in farming ourselves and also as my Grandmother is Called Georgia so a nod to her too.

It’s a Greek name though? Not English?

Loads of Georges in my Irish family. I wouldn’t think it was English.

I would just think that you liked traditional names. I know several older George's or Georgies and I'm from a fairly working class Irish family so it's not at all unusual.