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Hmmm, I like Benedict. It's a very dignified name. I have to say, it makes me think of popes before Benedict Arnold, but even the Arnold connection can be ignored if the kid's called Ben.

I think it would be fine as a middle name, but I'm not too sure about it as a first name unless he always went by his full name. I kind of like it, but there aren't any nicknames for it that I can think of that I like. Ben and Dick are definitely not for me. It's also difficult for me to not think of Eggs Benedict.

Even though I'm American, I don't think Benedict is that bad. It actually sounds refreshing compared to Benjamin. I like it.

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However, the association with the current pope is also kind of negative. Even though I'm Catholic, I don't really like Benedict XVI. He seems to be too much of a traditionalist.

This message was edited 2/20/2011, 8:15 AM

I really like Benedict, actually enough to consider using it in real life. I don't have any associations to the Benedict Arnold you mention and I certainly don't care about the Pope. I think Benedict is such a handsome and sophisticated name. I would love to see it used more often. It's very underrated in my opinion.
I don't like the nickname Ben for Benedict at all. It kind of ruins Benedict for me. I don't dislike Ben in general but I think it has a completley different feel than Benedict so I prefer just Benedict without any nickname.

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I'm considering using it as a middle name for Hugo! The Arnold thing is only an issue if you are feverntly proud of American history. I wouldn't worry about the Pope thing either all Vatican Popes and officials have always had radical ideas and he'll be dead in about 10-15 years!

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Kids will poke fun at anything so wouldn't bother about that

I like Benedict Cumberbatch and all, but the name is definitely strongly related to Benedict Arnold for me. Too much imo It's not a name that's moved beyond the traitor association in America, I think, even though Arnold lived a very long time ago.

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Some names are just forever strongly associated to a famous bearer or two - Jesus, Cesar, Brutus, Cleopatra, Abraham, Elvira, Jemima, Adolf, Cher, etc...

This message was edited 2/19/2011, 8:25 PM

While I do think of Benedict Arnold, that's not too strong of an association for me (he was a traitor, but he was a good, successful general before that; I don't think he's a good namesake, but there have been much worse). It's also been used by many popes including the current one, so take that as you will. The only other connection that I have is that there's a great character in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing named Benedick, and, being the huge Shakespeare fan that I am, I love that play. I don't mind Ben as a nickname, although most people would assume it's short for Benjamin (obviously).

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As for how to poke fun of the name, I can't think of any ways in which really young children would do it, but as they got older they'd just go for "Benedict Arnold", I'd imagine. Oh, and as I mentioned, an alternate spelling is Benedick. Yeah. (Edit: Eggs Benedict. Duh. Thanks, Alcyone!)

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For combos, I'd definitely avoid anything with an A as a middle name. Other than that, here are some that I like:

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Benedict Caleb
Benedict Conrad -- Conrade (spelled that way) is also a character in Much Ado About Nothing, though
Benedict David
Benedict Evander
Benedict Felix -- means "blessed and lucky" when put together; I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing
Benedict Galahad
Benedict Graham
Benedict Leander

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This message was edited 2/20/2011, 10:49 AM

Benedict is alright. I like Ben as a nickname for this over Benjamin. But Benedict Arnold feels like it should have a lot of associations. I don't really know my American history, but I think I've heard this name before. Besides the Pope, I mean. I'd change up the middle name.

Not a fan in the LEAST. There's the Arnold association, which is pretty bad, but what really seals it is the syllable "dict." Not a fan. And then there's the current pope, who I do not like AT ALL.

This message was edited 2/19/2011, 8:08 PM

My only association with is the current Pope, which is why I've taken it of my list.

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I like Ben as a nickname, but prefer it as a full name.