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What are some British names in your opinion?
What are some names that are popular in Britain and not that common in the US?
Which names usually would you personally consider British for boys and for girls?
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Gemma
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Seren, Carys, Ffion, Siân, Bethan, Catrin, Isla, Eilidh and Niamh for girls
Dylan, Rhys, Osian, Morgan, Rory, Fraser and Euan for boys(British: ≠ English!)
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Agrona, Andraste, Belenus, Cernunnos, Dwyn, Epona, Isolde, Lugus, Rhiannon, Taranis, Tristan, Aodhán, Ailill, Aoife, Bébinn, Bile, Bláthnat, Bran, Brigid, Conor, Dagda, Dáire, Deirdre, Ciarán, Cian, Diarmaid, Éber, Emer, Éogan, Étain, Fachtna, Fearghas, Fiachra, Finn, Fionnuala, Fintan, Goibniu, Gráinne, Maeve, Morrígan, Muirenn, Muirgen, Naoise, Neas, Niamh, Nuada, Oisín, Oscar, Ríghnach, Sadb, Urien, Morgaine, Merlin, Mabon, Guinevere, Gareth, Enid, Dylan, Brian, Rian, Arthur
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Not all of these are neccessarily common in Britain, it's just that they strike me as being more British than American, if that makes sense. Like, even if they aren't especially common in Britain they wouldn't neccessarily raise an eyebrow there, whereas in America they're unheard of or at least significantly less known.Archie
Alfie
Harry
Rupert
Piers
Walter
Arthur
Leo
Louis
Hugo
Noel
Jolyon
Peregrine
Caspar
Inigo
Morgan
Kai
Simon
Callum
KianImogen
Florence
Maisie
Philippa
Gemma
Matilda
Freya
Evie
Tamsin
Saskia
Verity
Romilly
Demi
Rosamund
Clemency
Felicity
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I think Jolyon, Peregrine, Inigo and Demi would definitely raise eyebrows here. Demi sounds very American to me - like Demi Moore.
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Yeah, I was a bit concerned about my phrasing. Jolyon, Peregrine, and Inigo, I think, would have definite connotations of pretentiousness or trying too hard in the U.K, I think, if that makes sense, but they would be a least somewhat peripherally recognizable, whereas in the U.S. they're just completely unknown? I know that none of those are in widespread use by any means. I think it's a bit difficult for me to explain what I mean. I do agree that they would rise eyebrows. My phrasing was poor.Demi definitely got way more use in the U.K. than in the U.S. The highest she's ever charted in the U.S. was the low 600's, but in the U.K. she was in the top 100 at one point.
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I wouldn't bat an eyelid at Jolyon as I know two, and was almost one myself. But I've never come across a Peregrine outside LOTR, or an Inigo apart from Inigo Jones & Inigo Montoya.
You're dead right about Demi though - I've seen far too many Demi-Leighs and variants in the UK baby name charts. It's a horrible fake-Emily name anyway, but what makes it worse is that I think it might have come via tabloids from the name of a child in some sort of abuse case.
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Boys:
Oliver
Henry
James
Richard
Phillip
Jack
Harry
GeorgeGirls:
Alice
Amelia
Molly
Eleanor
Imogen
Chloe
HenriettaVery rare to even come across these names in the US, in my experience at least.
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We have quite a few Jacks and Chloes, and I've seen some Olivers. The only Molly I've ever known was in elementary school, so she'd be around 30 by now.At the other name boards I visit, I can tell you right now that most of these names are well-liked by Americans :)
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Some names that are common here and not so much in the US: Poppy, Millie, Tilly, Gemma, Amelia, Alfie, Archie, Maisie, Harry, Henry, Oscar, Liam, Toby, Louis (LOO-ee), Harriet, Zara, Imogen, Molly, Isla, Evie, Ellie, Matilda, Niamh.

This message was edited 10/23/2011, 4:41 PM

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Polly and Alfie were the first ones I thought of!
Also things like Georgie and Charlie.
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Rose, Emma, Emily, Grace, Hannah, Victoria, Rachel, Elizabeth, Anne, Bella, Lauren, Lucy aznd Rebecca are all names I consider very english, being english myself.For boys, John, Jack, Robert, Robin, William, Harry, Michael, David, James, Henry, Matthew, Charles and Edward.
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boys
Alaistar
Cormac
Malcolm
Leslie
Ashley
Lynn
Beverlygirls
Hermione
Pippa/ PhillipaThat's all I can think of off the top of my head.
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There are still boys/men named Beverly??Ashley doesn't shock me, since I'm aware it's still a boys' name over there, even though it's been firmly in girl territory almost as long as I've been alive (with the exception of a stray one here and there). Same with Leslie.I think I heard of a man named Lynn recently. Not sure of age, but I think he was older than me.
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I don't know anyone in England, but those are names that if I heard on a boy, I'd say, "Oh, he's from England."
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I wouldn't say many of those are popular.I've never heard of a man named Lynn or Beverly. Cormac is more Irish, not really British.
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I'm from the US, never been to England, so some of this is just from literature/ movies/ what I've seen here on the boards from people in England.
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Names which are popular in UK and not US:
Boys:
Alfie
Archie
Freddie
Harvey
Callum
Oscar (not that unusual in US, but waaay more popular in UK)
Toby (see Oscar)
Arthur (see Oscar)
Finlay
Rhys
Stanley
Jenson (probably because of Jenson Button)Girls:
Maisie
Millie
Rosie
Evie
Tilly
Freya
Isla
Imogen
Matilda
Martha
Harriet
Florence
Esme
NiamhI don't really have an idea of "British" names, because I'm British anyway, but there are some names which I think American would consider British (because they're posh or a bit quirky), such as:
VioletTheodore
Archibald
Cecil
Cornelius
Quentin
CrispinHowever, none of these are actually popular any more!
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