I was doing a baby name game recently when I had to find a unique occupational name for a MN. While searching, and finding nothing suitable, I stumbled across the the title cavalier while researching various names for pages and knights.
With the rise in occupational names and surnames (of which, this is both), do you think that this might be a good fit for some parents? [name]Do[/name] you think that this would work as a FN, or is it best left as a MN if used at all? What would you pair it with? What would be a good sib-set name?
I think it sounds cool but actually using it for a child might be too much. For me, it reminds me of a drum corps and that breed of dog. It doesn’t off much nickname wise so I’d have to pass on it being a first name since it’s a little cumbersome to say over and over again over the span of your life. As a middle name, I say why not?
If you were to use this as a first name, I think these could work as siblings:
Cavalier and [name]Callahan[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Cavanaugh[/name] (matchy)
Cavalier and [name]Baker[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Granger[/name]
Cavalier and Cartwright
Cavalier and [name]Chauncey[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Cedric[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Rome[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Connolly[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Wilder[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Tru[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Whit[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Sinclair[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Merritt[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Basil[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Britta[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Hermione[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Joleen[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Natasha[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Isadora[/name]
Cavalier would be a very cool middle name. It seems a bit grand as a first name, but if you like that style of names it could work as a first name as well. It reminds me of the book “The Adventures of Kavalier and [name]Clay[/name]” but that’s my only association. It has a very gentlemanly, chivalrous sound to it. I would pair it with something equally gentleman-like for a boy, or something pretty and feminine with a girl.
Cavalier and [name]Cornelius[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Augustus[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Leopold[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Lionel[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Sylvester[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Archibald[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Cyrus[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Julius[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Cordelia[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Aurelia[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Leontine[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Theodora[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Henrietta[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Althea[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Isadora[/name]
I would like to thank everybody for their replies - And assure everyone that I have no plans on naming a child this. Although… maybe a cat!
Personally, I think that this is one name best left in the MN position (if used at all)…
Here are a few of the suggestions that I liked:
Cavalier and [name]Chauncey[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Rome[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Whit[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Basil[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Archibald[/name] (Calvie & [name]Archie[/name]?)
Cavalier and [name]Aurelia[/name]
Cavalier and [name]Althea[/name]
Also: [name]Henry[/name] Cavalier (and really, any older-fashioned first name could maybe use this as a funky middle name).
Remind me of the car or the basketball team. Though Cav would be a fun NN. What about the name [name]Cleveland[/name] instead? [name]Cleve[/name] for NN?
For two reasons, I would avoid this. First of all, in contemporary English usage, this word is typically used as an adjective meaning: “Showing arrogant or offhand disregard; dismissive: a cavalier attitude toward the suffering of others.”
Secondly, it also reminds me of the Cavalier poets, which is just a random and weird association.
[name]Even[/name] in today’s adventurous naming world, sometimes it is better to error on the side of caution. This might be one of those moments.
To me a Cavalier will always be a sweet, big-eyed, red and white antique toy spaniel. Sweet – yes. Big-eyed – yes. Antique – yes. A human child? NO. A spaniel.
Also the dictionary meaning is daunting. The last thing a parent wants is a cavalier child, disdainful of the feelings of others.
I try to look at names through the eyes of the parents, respecting that my tastes are not everyone’s and some names I have hated have turned out to be pretty successful. But in this case, I can’t condone this. Use at your own risk. Your child could well turn into a [name]Henry[/name] C. after he grows up, meets Cavaliers living next door – which turn out to be big-eyed, sweet, red and white, antique toy spaniels, and then, adding insult to injury, your son faces down clever children who know the meaning of “cavalier” and use it against him.
