What do you think of [name]Clive[/name]?
Too old-fashioned?
Not very intelligent sounding?
On the contrary! It suggests high intelligence ([name]Clive[/name] [name]Barker[/name], [name]Clive[/name] Cussler, [name]Robert[/name] [name]Clive[/name], [name]John[/name] [name]Clive[/name], etc.). I think you have it mixed up with [name]Clyde[/name] (of the Clydesdale horsey set).
I like [name]Clive[/name], but I actually prefer [name]Clyde[/name].
I would prefer [name]Clay[/name].
More short C names
[name]Chet[/name]
[name]Casey[/name]
[name]Clint[/name]
[name]Craig[/name]
[name]Clive[/name] kind of reminds me of an English butler.
[name]Clive[/name] definitely does not remind me of an English butler. It reminds me of the handsome actor, [name]Clive[/name] [name]Owen[/name].
I want to like this - but all I think of is a middle aged man! Sorry!
Definatly sounds intelligent.
Go for it!
I am kinda liking [name]Clive[/name]. It is unusual but not too unusual, very masculine and strong. The only problem is I am finding it hard to see a cute little baby boy bundle and calling him [name]Clive[/name]? It is definitely not a soft sounding name. Although, neither is [name]Wyatt[/name] and that is the name of my second son. My first is [name]Nolan[/name]. I am name hunting as well, and will put [name]Clive[/name] on the maybe list:)
Clive definitely does not remind me of an English butler. It reminds me of the handsome actor, Clive Owen.
Completely agree, It’s a masculine & intelligent name to me. I do adore [name]Clive[/name] [name]Owen[/name] so I could be biased.
I like the name [name]Clive[/name]- the only problem I have with it is that it looks slightly like the word/name [name]Olive[/name] - like the pen wasn’t working properly.
I can’t see the word [name]Clive[/name] without seeing the word [name]Olive[/name] - maybe that’s just me.
I actually really like [name]Clive[/name]. It makes me think of an old Western, a bad ass cowboy or something… Not sure why. I have never seen it used either so I definitely like that aspect. Plus, it doesn’t open itself up to nicknames which is good for a child.
I also like [name]Chet[/name]. Good suggestion. 
I can’t help but think of Clydesdale horses when I see [name]Clive[/name]. And while I also think of [name]Clive[/name] [name]Owen[/name], it’s not a big enough association to get away from the horse.
Are horses a horrible animal to have a slight association with?
jenniferjane –
This is a true story. When I was in high school, I applied to four colleges. [name]Yale[/name], [name]Princeton[/name] and Dartmouth acknowledged receiving my applications by replying to ”[name]Olive[/name]”. Only [name]Harvard[/name] got my name right. By the spring, when I received their answers, the first three finally had my name correct. But the acceptance letter from [name]Harvard[/name] was addressed to ”[name]Olive[/name]”!
In those days, what were called ”girls” attended [name]Radcliffe[/name], so I assumed the college was not making a gender mistake. But having grown up in boys boarding schools since the age of 8, I was amazed to find out what an ”[name]Olive[/name]” actually looked and tasted like ” and wound up with a Cambridge education of peppered martinis when I should have been soberly attending class.
By the way, my mother named me after the handsome, stately British actor [name]Clive[/name] [name]Brook[/name] (of Shanghai Express, 1932; [name]Sherlock[/name] [name]Holmes[/name], 1932; On Approval, 1944), whom she saw as a gentleman, though I think of as a stiff.
It turns out [name]Clive[/name] [name]Brook[/name]'s birth name was actually [name]Clifford[/name]. And I still get lots of letters and phone calls addressed to ”[name]Olive[/name]”.
I like [name]Clifford[/name], but my husband does not. We both like [name]Clive[/name], though.
On the [name]Chet[/name] suggestion: that name wasn’t really on my list before, but I kind of like it. I could never use [name]Chester[/name], though. [name]Do[/name] you think [name]Chet[/name] works as a nn for [name]Charles[/name]? [name]Charles[/name] is a family name, but there has already been a [name]Charlie[/name] and a [name]Chuck[/name] and I would want a different nn. [name]Do[/name] you think [name]Chet[/name] is more or less old mannish than [name]Clive[/name]?
Well, I’m in the minority here. I am not a fan of [name]Clive[/name]. I don’t like the sound of the word. Too close to chive and I don’t like saying it. BUT, [name]Clive[/name] [name]Owen[/name] is a great association.
I do like [name]Chet[/name], and yes, I know a [name]Charles[/name] that goes by [name]Chet[/name]. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch! [name]Charles[/name]/[name]Chet[/name] gives a lot of options when he’s grown. A baby [name]Chet[/name] is also adorable!
I feel like [name]Chet[/name] is more old mannish than [name]Clive[/name], and actually a little hickish. I don’t think it’s unusable though. And I think it works as a [name]Charles[/name] nickname.
It sounds like it should be a name from a book called the Hunger Games. But I do like it, it reminds me a boy I went to high school with named [name]Alden[/name] who very smart and generally well liked. Although, because of that association I can’t picture it on a little kid or an adult, just a teenager.