I was talking baby names with a friend and mentioned our top two choices for a boy, [name]Linus[/name] and [name]Ephraim[/name]. [name]Both[/name] names to me are strong, established names that sound fresh again and will age well. She gives me a “side eye” type of look then goes on a spiel about how I need to take my kids’ childhoods into consideration because kids are so mean and I shouldn’t give them names that will make them targets for playground bullying. So, berries, what do you think? Are [name]Linus[/name] and [name]Ephraim[/name] handsome, respectable names or targets on my future childrens’ heads?
In my opinion, [name]Linus[/name] and [name]Ephraim[/name] are both handsome, respectable names. However, I would have reservations about using [name]Linus[/name] because of the “Peanuts” character. I really have no idea, though, if a [name]Linus[/name] starting kindergarten five years from now would be teased by his peers about whether he had his blanket. Maybe kids aren’t that familiar with “Peanuts” anymore.
I can’t think of a reason why an [name]Ephraim[/name] would be teased. It might be a little hard to learn to spell, but kids (and teachers, we hope!) are smart.
Best wishes!
I think they’re plenty respectable and no more a target for bullying than any other name or attribute about a child. I recently met a teenager named [name]Obadiah[/name] and he seems to be a popular kid.
I think [name]Linus[/name] is a perfectly fine name and very nice. Li is cute. For [name]Ephraim[/name], with a good nickname for childhood, I think it would work fine. Also it depends on if you’re pronouncing it EFF-rum or EE-free-em/EE-fray-em…or something along those lines. I’ve seen both pronunciations on here)
Nicknames for [name]Ephraim[/name]:
Ephy/[name]Effie[/name]
[name]Rem[/name]/[name]Remy[/name] could work
[name]Free[/name] (with EE-free-em)
Fray (with the EE-fray-em)
In my opinion, I think kids can tease whoever they want and it shouldn’t make or break a name unless there’s some really unfortunate connotation. I think [name]Ephraim[/name] and [name]Linus[/name] fall under “old man” names which people tend to either love or hate. Your friend probably feels they’re kind of dusty and not cool. (Not saying all people will think that) I think you should go with what you like. I think [name]Cedric[/name] has a wider base of use right now though. I know Cedrics of various ages, and there’s a major [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] character with the name.
I think they are both really cool names that any boy would be lucky to have! I like names that aren’t the norm, it’s just some peope are afraid to go against it. Makes a change from hearing [name]Jayden[/name], [name]Rylan[/name] and [name]Mackenzie[/name] every five seconds anyway.
[name]Linus[/name] is a dirtbag name, no? [name]Ephraim[/name] is great!
I think [name]Ephraim[/name] is a perfectly lovely name for a little boy. Granted it might need a shorter nn when he is young and learning to speak/spell, but it has no bad connotations that I can think of nor any blatant teasing qualities. [name]Linus[/name] is still a tough name for me to get on board with because it is just nms, but I can vouch for the fact that nowadays children hardly even know who [name]Charlie[/name] [name]Brown[/name] is. My son has only ever seen the Peanuts [name]Christmas[/name] Special and they hardly ever even use his name or do much teasing regarding his blanket, so I honestly doubt he (or the rest of today’s children) would even recognize the name [name]Linus[/name]. He only knows who Snoopy is, haha. Anyway, yes on [name]Ephraim[/name], maybe on [name]Linus[/name]. =]
I can’t think of anything to make fun of [name]Linus[/name] or [name]Ephraim[/name]. [name]Both[/name] are great names. I think your friend just doesn’t have the same taste in names as you. Once your baby is here and named she should let up on the subject. Maybe even grow to love your style of names.
Um, how exactly is [name]Linus[/name] a dirtbag name?
I think either one would be fine these days. [name]Ephraim[/name] is one of those “Grandpa” names that’s coming back into style.
As for [name]Linus[/name], I agree that kids are not as familiar with the Peanuts characters. Older people, who will eventually be interviewing your son for jobs, probably mostly have positive feelings for the name. ([name]Linus[/name] was a likable character.) I’m always surprised [name]Linus[/name] isn’t more popular, especially as a confirmation name for Catholics, since [name]Linus[/name] was the second pope.
They ARE a lot to carry. In certain areas (more upper or upper-middle class areas) those kinds of names are relatively commonplace. In others, it would be quite challenging. I love some out there names, but it is definitely a lot easier to be named [name]Ava[/name] or [name]Benjamin[/name] than [name]Agatha[/name] or [name]Boaz[/name]. It’s a tricky thing to negotiate- you want a name you love, but if your tastes lean towards the unique (or outlandish) you don’t want to burden your unsuspecting child. In the end, you’ve just got to go with a name you love. In the end, that’s really the only thing you can control.
I like [name]Ephraim[/name] tremendously but it has a couple issues:
- I don’t pronounce it like any of the pronunciations listed up-thread.
- It’s probably more popular or at least more known amongst people I know than on average. It’s not one of the hugely mainstream Biblical names. I don’t think [name]Ephraim[/name] is a huge amount to carry but my perspective is that of an [name]East[/name] Coast USA Jewish person. Context counts for a lot; [name]Ephraim[/name] ain’t no thang, but, in contrast you don’t want to hear what my mom would do to Gaelic names. lol
[name]Linus[/name] isn’t bad but isn’t a big favourite of mine.
I love [name]Linus[/name] and it had a lot of positive connotations for us as a Finnish-American family working in IT with roots in Oregon. A little tow-head [name]Linus[/name] would have been perfect in our family.
I knew we might be moving to [name]France[/name] and so just in case I logged on to a Nameberry equivalent there and searched around. There have been 2 [name]Linus[/name] here since 1901. That struck me as odd because it is a Catholic country and he was the second pope. Turns out they call the second pope “[name]Lin[/name]” and [name]Linus[/name] here is considered far too close to ‘l’anus’ to be a reasonable name. The pronunciation is different in [name]America[/name], but it ended the name, sadly, for our little one.
I met an adorable four year old [name]Linus[/name] last year and it completely changed my opinion of the name. He carried the name well, so I think it’s totally wearable on the right kid.
I have recently met a little [name]Linus[/name] (but it was here in [name]Sweden[/name] so it was pronounced something like [name]Lee[/name]-nus). It was the first time I had considered it on a real little child and I actually really liked it.
As for [name]Ephraim[/name], it is nms but I don’t think it is too much at all. Definitely a respectable name.
Sadly, kids today don’t know who [name]Linus[/name] is. My husband dressed up as [name]Linus[/name] one year at the elementary school he works at. He had a red t-shirt with the black stripes and a baby blue blanket.
The kids asked if he was Spiderman.
When he told them he was [name]Linus[/name], they had no idea who that was.
I like [name]Ephraim[/name] and [name]Linus[/name] a lot. Older people assume kids make fun of each other’s name like they did when kids. Honestly, there is so much variation in children’s names now it’s not a big teasing point. (My huband and I both work at schools.)
[name]Pepper[/name] sprout is spot on. Kids are pretty brutal, but these days they’re used to uncommon names. I don’t believe a name makes or breaks a child, but rather a child makes or breaks a name.
Sadly, a child is going to be popular or bullied regardless of whether his name is [name]Jack[/name] or [name]Jupiter[/name].
Also, I’m 26 and have no idea who [name]Linus[/name] is as I am on vaguely familiar with the comic.
I would say the [name]Berrie[/name] who said [name]Linus[/name] was a dirtbag name has had a bad personal experience. I think both [name]Linus[/name] and [name]Ephraim[/name] sound like college professors. And while they’re nms I think they’re a great choice for someone else. I particularly love the nickname [name]Remy[/name] for [name]Ephraim[/name].
Go for it!! And let your friend call her own children jack and [name]William[/name].
i dont know about them being difficult to carry. I gave my son a name that gets mispronounced a lot and ppl also told me it was a lot to carry. I personally do not like the “lie” sound in [name]Linus[/name]. [name]Ephraim[/name] in pretty common in latin america as they choose many f their childrens names from the bible. I once knew a [name]Ephraim[/name] who i did not like so i am biased on that one.