Impressions of these names? Help!

My husband and I can’t seem to settle on a name for our boy. His favourite is [name_m]Rupert[/name_m], my favourite is [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] and the one we both like is [name_m]Theodore[/name_m].

We are interested to know what your first impressions of the names are. What kind of boy/man do you picture for each one (particularly [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] as it’s the one we agree on) What qualities first come to mind?

Is [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] ([name_u]Theo[/name_u], [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] as it will inevitably be shortened) seen as posh, chavvy or somewhere in between in the U.K.?
That’s my main worry, that [name_u]Theo[/name_u] has become a chavvy name or will date (no offence to anyone, I obviously like the name, but it’s just a niggle I have.)

Opinions are very much needed especially uk ladies!

Thank you!

I’m from the states, so my opinions are from the Yankee point of view. :wink:

Rupert is not my fav. It’s very english, which means I don’t see it anywhere outside the UK very often. It reminds me of a name that is a bit nerdy. It reminds me also of Rupert the Bear, an english cartoon I knew as a kid.

Sebastian is better, I only know one and he was born in England. It’s not common in the states, but it’s a bit more worldly and a nice strong name.

Theodore is a great compromise. It’s not trendy, it’s a traditional name that has roots in history all over the world. I love Theo, and it grows well. Good on a boy or man.

Thank you for the reply!

I think the problem is that no name feels like ‘the one’. And I don’t know anyone with any of the names (apart from [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]) so I struggle to picture what they would be like.
Why are boys names so difficult!

Anyone else?

I’m from Australia so can’t comment on situation in the U.K, but I’m having the exact same hesitations with [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. I feel like [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_u]Theo[/name_u] on its own has become relatively trendy here and don’t think we would use it, such a beautiful name though. Is [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_u]Ridley[/name_u] the combo you’ve picked? I truly love that, not something I would’ve come up with but oh so sweet and quirky!

I have known a couple of [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]'s in my time and the name reminds me of a sweet, cheeky, silly little boy. A [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] to me doesn’t take things too seriously and loves making other people laugh.
[name_u]Haven[/name_u]'t much to say about [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] - the only one I know is a Labradoodle, and it’s clouding my judgement.

I can’t really comment on trends in the U.K. but [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] is getting quite popular where I live. I do love it though. I also really like [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] and it isn’t as common here but a great name [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] reminds me of [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] which I prefer. Maybe it is one you’d like?

I’m Eastern European but Ill try to help!
Well [name_m]Ive[/name_m] never liked [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] because in literally almost every single movie with a butler in it the butler is named [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], and I could never shake that association off. It also sounds a little old fashioned to me, for some in a bad way and for some in a good way. In my case its the bad way
[name_m]Rupert[/name_m] sounds like an old man name and there are no cute nicknames I can think of
I used to like theodore a lot- but i got tired of it since literally everyone on this website keeps talking about it which kind of ruined its charm for me and made it boring and dated
i definitely dont find it posh or chavvy though
i am of the belief that if you love it, and you can imagine being named that and not hating it, use it

I love [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]! It makes me think of [name_m]Rufus[/name_m] and [name_m]Rudolph[/name_m], the latter of which brings to mind [name_m]Rudolph[/name_m] Rassendyll. It’s a copper-coloured name to me, gentlemanly, sportsmanlike, and well-spoken.

I also love [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] - I know someone with this name and he wears it really well - he’s very sporty, very academic, good-looking, sociable, etc., etc. - so I do have a positive association with it. The nn [name_m]Seb[/name_m] is great too.

I am less enthusiastic about [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. It’s a wonderful name - handsome, sophisticated, classic - but I’ve seen it so often on NB recently that it’s starting to feel trendy to me. And it was #99 in the States in 2015, so I guess there’s some justification for that impression.

Australian here.

[name_m]Theodore[/name_m] seems super popular on Nameberry (it’s the 16th most popular boy’s name on the site) , but I haven’t actually met anyone with the name. That said, I don’t know many children. According to Nameberry, [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]'s 45 in [name_f]England[/name_f] and 66 in Aus, so it’s not too surprising that it seems more common to you than me. I like the name [name_u]Theo[/name_u] , but I understand your concern about its popularity.
I guess there’s always Ted? Perfectly nice name, and I imagine it’s fairly un-Chavvy?

I have met a few Sebastians, ranging in age from about 30 to 7 or 8. I feel like I heard a lot of borth announcements for Sebastians a few years ago (all from University-educated parents, since you asked about class associations). Nameberry says it’s at 35 in the US and the [name_f]England[/name_f], 37 in Australia (and 15 on NB). So if it feels popular here, it probably does in the UK too.

I actually really like [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]. [name_u]Rue[/name_u] is a sweet nickname. It feels very English (#143, unranked in the US and Aus), which adds to its charm for me, but might not be your thing. Reminds me of [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] [name_u]Everett[/name_u], [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] [name_m]Friend[/name_m] and [name_m]Rupert[/name_m] [name_m]Graves[/name_m].

Some thoughts:
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] (maybe too uncommon for you? )
[name_u]Roscoe[/name_u] (ditto? )
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] (outside the top 100 in the UK now)
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]

Good luck, and congratulations!

Thank you for the replies!

Yes we will be using [name_u]Ridley[/name_u] as his middle name after my father.

My brother and husbands names are [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] and [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] so they’re not useable even though I love them!

I know [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] is popular on this site, but I’ve never met one in RL. Other names that we’re on our shortlist were [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]. But we know people with these names which is why we weren’t sure about them.

I’m from the UK and I’ve never met anyone called [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] either. A few Theos, but never a [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. I don’t think it comes off as chavvy at all? It sounds a bit more on the posh side to me.

There’s something really charming about the name [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_u]Ridley[/name_u]! It sounds really good!

US here. I like the 3 names in this order: [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]. I love the suggestion of [name_m]Reuben[/name_m].

I love [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. NAF of [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]. I don’t know why. I think [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] would be a good compromise since you both like it.