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First names for boys

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Priscilla (U14315550) on Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

  The spread of baby pics in a local rag recently depicted many little boys and almost all had Irish first names though their parents have no Irish link.
  
  The spelling of these varied but there were at least eight called Calum and there were five Rileys.
  
  There was not one traditional English name in use there. One reason, so I was told , was because there being fewer boys' names than for girl's, and most of those had been used for a toy/ cartoon character/ bear etc or had unpleasant associations.
  
  There can be few Anglo Saxon names used now - if any - and Norman names are on the wain too. Yet people like to tell you what the name means - if they know it. So the old association of name and hope for a similar quality is still there. What, for instance, does Calum mean?
  
  Though I would have liked to, I had no part in the naming of my grandchildren who each have the oddest string of classical names and which will be a trial when they have to fill in forms.
  
  Are there any old names that could stand a re run - none ending in bert though, perhaps.
  
  Regards, P.
  
  And I chose the Priscilla for the boardse because that is what my mother wanted me named but when being registered my father couldn't spell it so I was named after his mother - and he mispelled that too.

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  Posted by islanddawn (U7379884) on Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

  Calum is Scottish P, and according to here is the Scot form of Columba. Colum or Colm is the Irish.
  
  I dare say the craze on "Celtic" names will eventually pass and another naming fad will take it's place.

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  Posted by jane (U14068200) on Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

  My son is called Cian and i love the name. I have researched its roots and it turns out he wasa poet, 6th century, from what is now Powys, and very close to where i was born in Shrewsbury!

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  Posted by Caro (U1691443) on Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

  In New Zealand, individuals can trace their ancestry, but generally (apart from Maori) communities don't, and we have a very homogenous accent, so we are not very aware of which names are Irish, English, or Scottish, unless they are names like Joseph or Alfred or Angus. (Probably most aware of ones linked with Scotland.) So I don't specially associate Liam and Calum with Ireland. And certainly not Rylie.
  
  I see the most popular boys' name down where I live this year (for first names only) are Liam and Lucas. Liam with one spelling, Lucas with three including Lucasz (people fancy 'z's these days, I've noticed and pop them in any old where). The next layer of popularity tend to be either what I call English names (though not necessarily there before the Norman Conquest) or Biblican names. They include George, Thomas, Samuel, Noah, Jacob, Jack, Mason, Max, Ben, Connor and James. The Scottish Lachlan and Irish Aiden are also well used. I have noticed occupation names in recent years too and assume they tend to be English - Cooper, Fletcher, Marshall, Hunter.
  
  My nephew called his son Calum, and we all wondered why it didn't have the usual second 'l', but apparently it is more authentic with just one. My sons were Roderick for my Scottish heritage, Kent for his father's birthplace, and Louis for his father's possible long-term heritage (on one side of his family). And we liked those names too, and they weren't too common.
  
  But if you want good English names, I think Gabriel is good (though is it really English?), and I was amazed to see a Randall living in our district. Randall would be posh and English enough. But if you are looking for older ones sans 'bert' what about Giffard, Benedict, Hamond, Madok, Laurence, Clement, Roger or Hugh, all used in the Middle Ages, though perhaps too many half a rather French feel to them. Seems hard to avoid French or Hebrew in "English" names. Gilbert is nice, but has 'bert' in it.
  
  Cheers, Caro.
  
  PS: I was up at the local Playcentre today (parent-led Kindergarten) and there were just three girls on the roll, two called Jade.

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  Posted by somewhatsilly (U14315357) on Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

  This has prompted me to have a look at the 2010 list of babies names here and it includes:-
  YoYo, Victory, Unique, Twinkle, Starlet, Star-Kiera, Sierra, Shiloh-Joy, Serife, Seraphim, Praise, Paisley, Zed, Mignon, Thor, Tiger, Merit, (oh I'm bored now, that'll do), and a poor wee Tory whose parents must really have it in for him!
  And one parent who can spell Priscilla!

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  Posted by Silver Jenny (U12795676) on Thursday, 3rd November 2011

  I suspect in UK 2011 will have William and Catherine being popular names. Names used in older generations have come back. I know of Jacob, Adam, Samuel, Ben - for Benjamin or Benedict, Ethan, Lucy. Lily, even a Susannah, known as Sue. I presume Jack is instead of John or James. Then there will be pop star and sporting personality names.
  
  If Jade: a pretty name, is back as a name perhaps we will have Pearl, Emerald, & Sapphire returning.

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  Posted by Silver Jenny (U12795676) on Thursday, 3rd November 2011

  My grandmother's name was Drusilla. She was one of 7 sisters and amongst the next generation there were 3 Olive's and 3 May's. Somewhat lacking in imagination I feel.

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  Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Thursday, 3rd November 2011

  
  My aunt was named Veve. I wondered where it came from until I found her mother was born in Canada, so thought it might be French Canadian. Discussing this with some people on another FH forum, one person came up with the idea that it might be a shortened form of 'Genevieve'. That certainly makes sense. My grandma may have had a childhood friend named Genevieve but known as 'Veve', and either she didn't realise it was a diminutive, or she simply named her first daughter after her friend.
  
  Caro, don't forget that here in the UK we are such a mix of nations there is not a 'really English' where names are concerned. I think the name Gabriel was used for a long time as were other Biblical names. One of the main characters in "Far from the Madding Crowd" is named Gabriel. The heroine is Bathsheba, and there is also Jabez and Cain. He should have been Abel, but his mother got the two confused, as is earnestly explained to Bathsheba. His friends called him Cainy, to soften the blow of such an unlucky name.

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  Posted by Priscilla (U14315550) on Thursday, 3rd November 2011

  Reply to Jane.
  
  Cian is new to me - but how is it pronunced? Names like Siobhan pronounced as Shivawn, for instance floor.
  
  An someone please tell me, the actor who played Sgt Harper to Sean Bean's Sharpe has a name that starts Dar........ how is his full name pronounced? ( I can manage the Dar bit.(
  
  My daughter had a Thai girl in her class who was known as 'O' - her real name would be used in her teens. This caused all manner of problems and her teacher was in a spin until they asked for the child' other name to be used.
  
  There are others - rather snotty little girl - from Perth, where I am told diction is particular that Mr Stratchen was not the Chieftain of our Caledonian Club. ''He is Mr Straawn and he is Chefton."
  
  With spelling being my usually trial, diction is often too.
  
  Regards, P.

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