Hey!
So [name_m]Niles[/name_m]… thoughts??
We think it’s cute and a bit spunky, but are there any negatives? We did wonder if it sounds s bit pretentious?? (not sure if that’s an issue, but curious as to others thoughts)
[name_f]TIA[/name_f]!
I think it’s both cute and spunky, but I do find it a little pretentious. Lol I can’t hear the name without thinking of the character in the American TV show [name_m]Frazier[/name_m]. He was a good guy, but neurotic and pretentious. I don’t think the name sounding a bit pretentious is necessarily a bad thing, though, because your son’s personality would shape the feel of the name on him.
I can’t shake the connection to [name_m]Fraser[/name_m]'s brother - he wasn’t a bad character, but I did find him rather annoying at times, and he was definitely pretentious. As PP stated, I don’t think the pretentious sound would necessarily be bad, but this is my only association, so I’m afraid I’m not keen on it!
There’s [name_m]Frazier[/name_m] and there’s the butler from The [name_f]Nanny[/name_f] so it’s got major 90’s sitcom connotations for me, but that will definitely not be a problem for a kid growing up nowadays (wow I feel old!)
A bit pretentious and no nickname potential, but overall it’s a nice name with no real downside!
I do remember it from The [name_f]Nanny[/name_f] as well, but honestly, the butler was a hoot so it’s a positive association for me. In any event, your [name_m]Niles[/name_m] would be his own person, so I don’t think it’s unusable at all. I rather like it.
I have no idea what the other poster’s associations are! For me with no associations, I really like it. Very handsome.
[name_m]Niles[/name_m] is 100% British butler for me. 
Hahahaha my gosh! I totally forgot about The [name_f]Nanny[/name_f] connection! [name_u]Love[/name_u] it. Truthfully, it makes me like the name even more. 
It reminds me of the butler from The [name_f]Nanny[/name_f] as well, but he was an amazingly sarcastic, witty character that I don’t find that a negative for the name However, it does carry the butler connotation, regardless of the character’s traits, and that’s where my issue with it lies. It’s like Jives or something similar…a name that somewhat stereotypical for the situation.
I think it is definitely wearable and the TV associations will just lie us, not our children’s generations.
I still watch [name_m]Frasier[/name_m] re-runs so I heavily associate the name with the character on the show. I think it’s a decent name though. The biggest downside is that it might get misheard as [name_m]Miles[/name_m] quite a bit. If I remember correctly, there was even an episode of the show where another character kept calling him [name_m]Miles[/name_m].
I agree with the above posters, it reminds me of the characters from the 90s sitcoms, mostly the butler from the nanny but the people your kid associates with won’t be effected by it and they’re not necessarily bad links to have. It is a British sounding name but I don’t think it’s too pretentious, especially since your son will shape it with his own personality.
Also it’s similar to [name_u]Niall[/name_u] Horan from One Direction so if the younger generations relate it to anything they might think of him which again isn’t bad. I myself considered [name_m]Niles[/name_m] for my short list but in the end it was the [name_u]Niall[/name_u] association I didn’t care for that made me shy away from it but I’m rather picky.
I think it’s a lovely name and old enough to be new. And [name_m]Miles[/name_m] is becoming an IN name so there Might be some mishearing of [name_m]Niles[/name_m] as [name_m]Miles[/name_m] but on the upside it’ll fit in with the trends while still having a unique edge.
Overall my vote is to go for it, it’s usable.
I met an old man named [name_m]Giles[/name_m] (pronounced like [name_m]Jiles[/name_m] ) today and thought that was a super cool name! Very similar but without the sitcom connections.
No associations for me but I quite like it. I prefer [name_u]Nile[/name_u]/[name_u]Niall[/name_u] or [name_m]Miles[/name_m] but [name_m]Niles[/name_m] feels cool and clipped and definitely wearable.
I really like it!