# Can we get away with naming our kid this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570 "2005-10-17T06:58:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/21 "2005-10-17T21:55:25Z")
I’d say people are probably not going to pick up on it, but even if they did - what are they going to say? “Haha… you died in 30 days and were succeeded by John Tyler?” The kids who’d be likely to tease them are the least likely to know who William Henry Harrison is. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/22 "2005-10-17T22:00:48Z")
Rereading my last post, I guess someone could say “You were a mediocre President.” Still… I wouldn’t worry. A few people like me might wonder “Of all the people to name your kids after, why him?” But they probably won’t get teased. > [@asterion](#): > > But I must admit that I don’t get the “Up” thing. Imagine this photo caption: **The Royal Family** , from left to right: Up, Chuck and Di. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/23 "2005-10-17T22:04:45Z")
You’ve all made me feel much better about it. I tend to think about these things. We recently met a couple who had two small children named Will and Grace. After all our consideration about this, we’ll probably have a girl (who won’t be called Harry, don’t worry 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/24 "2005-10-17T22:06:49Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Michael and Ralph Who?? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/25 "2005-10-17T22:12:40Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > That’s much better than giving one kid the name William Henry Harrison [LastName]. But I must admit that I don’t get the “Up” thing. Charles is also known as Chuck. So the family would have been Up, Chuck, and Di. Upchuck (throw up) and die. Incidentally, most kids in the Lafayette area know who William Henry Harrison was. One of the local high schools is named after him, and its students join me in being residents of [Tippecanoe County,](http://www.tcha.mus.in.us/battlehistory.htm) the site of the battlefield that gave rise to the “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!” campaign slogan. On preview, I see that **Marley23** beat me to the “Up, Chuck, and Di” explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/26 "2005-10-17T22:17:06Z")
I was hurrying to make sure nobody posted “Up Chuck and Di” before I did, so I neglected to add one other thing: I actually went to college with a guy named Harrison. He used his middle name at all times. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/27 "2005-10-18T02:25:37Z")
I have a friend called Harrison, and he goes by that, refuses to shorten it–he’s proud of his name and it suits him. Of course I sing “H-A-double R-I, S-O-N spells dickwad!” because, well, that’s the kind of friends we are… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/28 "2005-10-18T04:13:19Z")
Another American who had no idea what you were talking about until you pointed it out. I keep up with current events and such, but if someone asked me the names of Lady Di’s sons, I’d be hard put to come up with them. And by “hard put,” I mean “unable.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/29 "2005-10-18T04:35:34Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > This American had no idea what you were talking about until you pointed it out. :smack: I didn’t think of modern royals but past kings, which made me wonder if anyone would make an issue of it before they added Edward, Henry and Elizabeth to the family too… ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/30 "2005-10-18T05:38:27Z")
Although it sounds like you’ve already had your fears allayed, I will add in another view that there’s nothing wrong with the pair of William and Harry. They’re perfectly nice, dignified names and I doubt that most kids their own age would think of making fun of them for the royal family connection. Considering all the bizarre names that people are using nowadays, I don’t think you can really go wrong with traditional names like those! ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/31 "2005-10-18T06:01:48Z")
Well, my name is Elizabeth (like the Queen) and I named my son Charles (like the Prince of Wales). I always go by Elizabeth (no nicknames) and my son always goes by Charles (not Chuck, Charlie) in public. Both are family names, so we weren’t trying to be cute about it. The only comments we heard were when we were in London. And those were to the tune of “Oh, cool, just like the Royals.” I really don’t think it’s going to be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/32 "2005-10-18T07:03:25Z")
I’ve been thinking about this some more and I guess it’s just because William and Harry (the royals) were both born during my own childhood that their names seem like a pair to me. But if I had come across two brothers named Charles and Andrew when I was a kid (or even now), it wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. I’m glad some American viewpoints were added. I don’t think there’s more coverage in Australia about the royal family, but I do think more people are interested, so I think if they were going to grow up here, it may be very slightly different. Either way, I think we’re going to make it the official #1 boys name (with a middle name of James, probably). ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/33 "2005-10-18T08:19:04Z")
> [@C3](#): > > I think we’re going to make it the official #1 boys name (with a middle name of James, probably). Which would make him [Harry James](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_James). So you’ll not only get asked about the Royals, you’ll get asked about the musician. Why do you hate your unborn so? Just kidding, no one your kid’s age will know who the hell harry James was. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/34 "2005-10-18T09:15:58Z")
Obviously no F1 fans. That would be Michael and Ralph Schumacher, and I only thought of it because a couple in my parents’ church ARE big F1 fans, and that is what they called their twin sons. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/35 "2005-10-18T12:43:38Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Obviously no F1 fans. > That would be Michael and Ralph Schumacher, and I only thought of it because a couple in my parents’ church ARE big F1 fans, and that is what they called their twin sons. Okay, then. What’s F1? ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/36 "2005-10-18T12:46:54Z")
Sorry. Formula 1 motor racing. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/37 "2005-10-18T12:53:18Z")
[F1](http://www.formula1.com/) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570/38 "2005-10-18T13:30:07Z")
I would not worry too much, but there is a boy in our year called Harry Williams. I noticed. I am 16. I live in Australia. Make of it what you will. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-away-with-naming-our-kid-this/326570.md?page=1)