The name "Henry"

[BakersDozen]

Is this name too "old"? Yesterday the name popped into my head and I cannot get it out! Don't know where it came from but am considering it now for baby (middle name Jameson/Jamison). Is it completely nerdy? The other contender is "Seth". Thoughts?

 

I know this isn't a baby/pregnancy forum but the forum I'm on seems to be filled with moms who can't get past anything "aiden" based or from Twilight. No offense to moms here who have used such names but I want something different. ;)

[AK_Mom4]

I like Henry. All four of our children have "old fashioned names".

[Mergath]

I love the name Henry. To me, it's a very warm, solid name, and I like the way it sounds spoken aloud. The name has a lot of history behind it, and it sounds wonderful with Jameson, too. I much prefer Henry Jameson to Seth Jameson.

[MotherMayI]

I like Henry. I have a friend with an 11 year old named Henry. My only concern would be the nickname "Hank"-I'd want to nip that in the bud!

[Cammie]

I like Henry! Plus I have a dear friend with a son named Henry and he is a sweet, intelligent, loving boy. So I guess I have good associations with it! It is old fashioned but that doesn't make it bad!! If your gut is telling you Henry...then Henry it should be!

[SproutMamaK]

I love Henry. I know I'm going to sound like one of those Moms who like names based on movies, but when I hear it I flash to the movie Ever After, where the Prince tells Drew Barrymore to "call me Henry". That right there makes it a romantic, classic name for me. ;) Honestly though, I do like it. It's more "classic" than "old" to me.

[Erica in OR]

We know a six year old Henry here. It's a likable name, and also fits the bill of being a name that not everyone will have.

 

Erica in OR

[abbeyej]

Henry's a great name, and while it was most popular at the beginning of the 20th century, it's a classic name and it has been rising steadily in popularity for the last ten years. I think it's pretty safe.

 

Personally, I think Jameson/Jamison has a much greater likelihood of seeming "trendy" (and thus, eventually, outdated), so I would avoid it unless it's a family name.

 

Of course, if you go with "Henry James", which I think it more likely to stand the test of time, you'll have people assume he's named for the author.

 

I do like the name "Henry" very much though.

 

And you can play around with nicknames as well. "Hal" is rather hip, and "Hank" is retro-cool, and I think one can pull that off with a more classic given name.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

My 9yo is named Henry. :001_smile:

Edited April 1, 2010 by Dulcimeramy

[Annie]

I don't think it sounds old fashioned at all, but take my opinion with a grain of salt because we're planning on giving our little boy (who is welcome to join us anytime after Sunday :D ) a name which is about as far from trendy as you can get.

 

Actually, my initial reaction was that Henry is starting to get fairly popular. I've heard of a few babies call Henry recently. I doubt, however, that you're likely to see three of them on the playground. :)

 

Here's the listing for Henry on Nameberry - my favorite baby name site.

 

http://nameberry.com/babyname/henry

[orangearrow]

I LOVE the name Henry. Absolutely adore it.

Edited April 1, 2010 by orangearrow

[Margo out of lurking]

I like Henry. It's like Jack and Sam, to me--would have been hugely nerdy when I was a kid, but now they're cool names. (I guess the word "cool" gives away my age, haha.)

[GWOB]

I too like Henry.It is a classic name, which I tend to like.When I name my kids I think "Would I want my brain surgeon/CPA/lawyer named ______?" Henry meets that requirement.

 

I agree with a pp that a nickname of "Hank" would be less than desirable, though I would not mind Harry (Think Prince Harry and try not to swoon).

 

ETA: Our dc's names are Cora, Samuel, and Jillian. We love classic names. Love them!

Edited April 1, 2010 by wendilouwho
adding names

[staceyobu]

LOVE Henry!

[Melissa in Australia]

one of my children is called Henry.

[elise1mds]

I know a 3-yo named Henry. He's a sweetie! His twin sister's name is Lucy. My son's best friends are Jack and Frederick (Freddy). My kids are Michael and Margaret. I love "old" names!

[sparrow]

I really like Henry and we considered it 10 years ago for our son.

 

I don't feel it's terribly uncommon, as we know a few, but I also don't think it's super popular. IMO, just right :).

[SonshineLearner]

I think it's like Wyatt and Levi... soon to be popular :)

[KatieJ]

Time Traveler's Wife......wasn't his name Henry?????

[seriousmom]

I know of 2 little boys under the age of 2 named Henry! It's coming back! :)

[hornblower]

I adore this name ;)

[Slartibartfast]

I like it :)

[King Alfred Academy]

LOVE it! :D

[EthiopianFood]

I know a seven-year-old with that name. He is lovely and intelligent. Not "old" at all. :)

[BakersDozen]

Thanks for the replies, ladies! I don't know even one Henry of any age so reading that it may be making a comeback is surprising.

 

I was going to use "James" as a mn but our last name is that of 007 so I thought that would be a bit hokey. My dad's name is James so I thought Jameson/Jamison could honor him without bringing to mind a secret agent. ;)

[Wendi]

I love the name Henry. I considered it for my ds. Here's what the name Henry makes me think of:

Wendi

[Corraleno]

I have a Henry. :D

 

I thought the name was really unusual when I chose it 12 years ago ~ I didn't know anyone under the age of 60 named Henry, and most of our friends and family said "Oh, that's an....interesting choice" when they first heard the name. I'm shocked to hear how many other Henrys there are now!

 

Jackie

[nd293]

My only problem with Henry would be if you had a lisp. I have met a few Henwy's (all British, incidently). I don't exactly understand why you would call your child Henry when you can't actually say the name, kwim?

[amy g.]

I picked out the name Madeleine for my oldest when I was 8 years old. At that time, NO ONE was naming there children that. Well, you know what happened.

 

My 14 year old is named Henry. When he was born, it was considered such a dorky name that I thought it would never be popular. Now, my brother has 2 nephews named Henry.

 

Based on my track record, I expect the names Louisa and Vivienne to reach the top ten in the next 15 years.

[elegantlion]

I like Henry. Seth is a great name too, but it's more popular. The name Henry exudes strength, imo.

[Jennifer in MI]

LOVE Henry!! We wanted it for our kids, but our last name ends with the same "Y" sound. Too singsongy.

 

My nephew (and godson!) is Seth. So,I love that one too!

[Laura Corin]

Henry's good. Harry is used more here, however.

 

Laura

[aggieamy]

Henry's a great name, and while it was most popular at the beginning of the 20th century, it's a classic name and it has been rising steadily in popularity for the last ten years. I think it's pretty safe.

 

Personally, I think Jameson/Jamison has a much greater likelihood of seeming "trendy" (and thus, eventually, outdated), so I would avoid it unless it's a family name.

 

Of course, if you go with "Henry James", which I think it more likely to stand the test of time, you'll have people assume he's named for the author.

 

I do like the name "Henry" very much though.

 

And you can play around with nicknames as well. "Hal" is rather hip, and "Hank" is retro-cool, and I think one can pull that off with a more classic given name.

 

I think Henry James is also the name of the oldest boy in the Boxcar children. Not many people might pick up on that though.

[hsmom3tn]

Time Traveler's Wife......wasn't his name Henry?????

 

Yes! It's a great name :)

[Nakia]

My husband's middle name is Henry. I love it!! If Cora had been a boy, she would have been named Henry.

[Giraffe]

My nephew is John Henry. Now that's a heck of a name! My dad is Henry and is called Hank. It's ok for my dad, but I'd definitely go for Harry for a younger Henry.

 

I love the name!!

[BakersDozen]

 

I think Henry James is also the name of the oldest boy in the Boxcar children. Not many people might pick up on that though.

lol, my dc would love it if I used that name as they adore the Boxcar Children set. :D

[Impish]

I love it!

 

Personally, classic names are lovely. I'll probably get myself in trouble here, but for me, its unisex names I dislike. And names with made up spelling. 'Distiny' for 'Destiny', 'Justis' for 'Justice', etc.

[mom2jjka]

I love Henry. It was my great-grandfather's name, and it's what we named the child that I miscarried - so it holds a special place in my heart.

[kokotg]

I love it!

 

I'll probably get myself in trouble here, but for me, its unisex names I dislike.

 

Most "unisex" names start out as boys' names and then people STEAL them for girls, and they eventually turn into girl names. As if people with girls don't have enough names to pick from already! It's hard enough coming up with boy names as it is! Says me, with three boys and too many encounters with girls named August and Ariellas nicknamed Ari.

 

Ahem. Where was I? Henry is a great name. Henry nn Hank has been on our short list all three times. I think it's fairly trendy amongst a certain subset of the population (celebrities, urban hipster types), but I don't think it's in any danger of turning into Aidan.

[woolybear]

Love the name Henry. I don't know if this would bother you or not, but the first thing that comes to mind is King Henry the 8th.

 

Woolybear

[myfunnybunch]

I have a 10 y.o. nephew named Henry.

 

Henry is a fairly popular name around here. It's not unusual to go to the playground or library and hear "Henry!" directed at a little guy in the 6-and-under crowd.

 

If you love it, go for it. My sister was a little worried about the name Henry, but once he was born, he was just Henry, kwim?

[BakersDozen]

I love Henry. It was my great-grandfather's name, and it's what we named the child that I miscarried - so it holds a special place in my heart.

 

:( I'm so sorry.

 

I woke up last night and for the first time had a name for this little one...and I cried. sniff sniff :) I really appreciate the responses because choosing a name is such a privilege and I am always afraid of not choosing the right one.

[BearWallowSchool]

I was just considering this name this morning and then I saw this post!

 

I'm really starting to like it!!! :)

Edited April 1, 2010 by tiffkeeton
grammer

[Saille]

Henry is one of the four boy names my husband and I could agree on. Ever. Will, Graeme, Miles and Henry. That was it. Good thing we quit having boys before we ran out of names.

[3littlekeets]

According to the SS website, it is #103 for the 2000s, so it clearly isn't too "old fashioned," but not too popular either :D

[Mom-ninja.]

Henry is actually making a come around here. I know several baby Henrys at the moment.

 

I like it. :001_smile:

 

Seth is not bad either, but I like Henry better. I like classic names that stand the test of time.

[Desert Rat]

I love Henry but not when it's shortened to Hank.

[Crimson Wife]

I like both Henry and Seth, but the latter sounds very Jewish to me. Maybe because it is very popular among my Jewish friends :)

[KrissiK]

Henry is an older name, but I do see it making a comeback. I know a boy about 7 named Henry (after his dad) and they shortened it to Hank. I think Hank's a cute nickname, too!