Yep I know of a Basil! Working in a nursing home you come across all those gorgeous old names!
Never watched Fawlty Towers so nope!
Yes I could name a child Basil. Call me crazy but I think it's quite cute, yet mature for an adult.
My DHs name is Vassilios or Vassilis. It is a greek pronounciation for Basil so maybe you could do something like that? Then you can call him Basil as a pet name and it wont be too much of a stretch iykwim?
Also I tease DH about being called Basil and he hates it because I whistle in the s bit lol...
First thing I thought was Basil Fawlty and Basil Brush.
When you mentioned Baz..I like that! Like Baz Lurham
If you are unsure then use it as a middle name.
My DS1 has a family middle name, same as his Dad's middle name, it's Parker. Not something we ended up calling him as a first name, it rolls of the tongue nicely when you say his full name.
My DH always said you need to give it the throw the ball round the circle try..not sure exactly what he meant and didn't really ask Lol, I assume it's that game where there is a teacher in the middle of a circle of kids and yells out a kids name and throws the ball to him??
Snap! My grandfather is Basil too!
For that reason I wouldn't use it, PMSL! I adore my grandfather, but to me Basil will always be an old guy who worships Alan Jones and has a fairly prominent tummy
Brutally... I love it. We can't have it as it doesn't conform to DH's "scrabble board" rule. I do think of that delicious leaf from the garden... but I also love the names Rosemary and Sorrel.
It's just that little bit different, but still a real name, very strong. Wins 100 points from me. (and you know it's MY opinion that counts )
I came across a pre-school aged boy called Basil, and to be honest I never thought about the Fawlty Towers thing, I think when you have a living breathing young Basil right infront of you, your visions are different than if you just hear the name in passing IYKWIM? Anyway I don't think I would use the name personally, but when I met that Basil I thought he was a cool kid with a cool name
The very frustrating scrabble board rule states that if you can legally play it on a scrabble board, then it is not even allowed on the list of potential baby names for our family. Infuriating.
Fortunately have found some names that we both like.
I think the world could do with some more Basils I don't mind the name. Having been a teachers' assistant in a very multicultural area of Melbourne for 5 years I've heard and worked with some very unusual names. I can't remember who said it but it's true: you might hear of an unusual name and make a judgement... but when you are interacting with them daily the name takes on an individual meaning relating to THAT person. I'll never forget the start of one year and being shown the class list for the students that were about to begin. My eyebrows were certainly raised! But it only took a few days before I thought absolutely nothing of those names... it was all about the child. We even had one child that was given the name of a number. I couldn't believe it. But it soooo suited this child and now I even LOVE that as a name. Oh and teachers will probably be quite grateful... unusual names are MUCH easier to work with than having 4 kids in the same class with the same name... which has happened before and really turned me off those names.
Baz is quite a nice nickname, but for me personally, i wouldn't use it. For one thing, my dad's name is Basil, and his entire life he has said how he hated that his parents called him that. And yes, I do think of Fawlty Towers when I hear that name. One time my mother yelled my dad's name (unintentionally) like Sybil, and he did THE walk across the shop to her!
Sorry if i sound harsh, just from experience of actually knowing a Basil in real life, he wasn't happy with it.....but that's just me. I like the idea of it as a middle name, maybe. If you and your hubby are happy with it, though, you shouldn't really care what other people think about it, it's your choice, not theirs. HTH
I love the name Basil. I actually suggested it as the no1 name for our bub if its a boy as DH wants a family name and his Dad is Barry (Baz) for short so I though Basil was perfect however unfortunately for me DH does not feel the same way.
OK - yes I think of Basil Fawlty. But I think that John Cleese is a freaking genius so that's a good association LOL.
Couple of positives - it goes fantastically with your surname, and sounds pretty cool and edgy in a retro way. It's also a name that has a definite personality - one that I imagine that any child of yours would fit into beautifully.
Have you thought about spelling it Bazil? That way it's got the nickname built in. Or do you prefer the traditional spelling?
I thought of Basil Brush when I saw the thread title
But I agree with Bath in the sense that neither the Fawlty Towers reference or the Basil Brush cartoon reference will be big with his peers... so really its probably a non issue
I think it sounds fabulous with your surname... and agree with Suse - its definately a little retro & its also a name for someone with a definate personality
FWIW - I think its amazing if it has special meaning for you and its an older name.
We named our little man Carmelo as its tradition in DH's family to name the first born son after the paternal grandfather. If we had elected not to give him that name, we would have broken 76 generations of 'Carmelo's'... there was no way I was going to do it - but also, its lovely that he has DH's dads name - and it means a LOT to DH that we chose to give it to him.
And we both like it anyway... it was a decision we didn't even think about! (Probably wouldn't have been so easy if his name was Bruno or another Italian name similar )
If you & DH both like it, do it
He will get different things anyway (like Baz... or like you said with Harriet getting Harry, Barry, Larry etc :lol)
FIL gets Charles instead of Carmelo a lot... and a lot of my family refer to our Carmelo as Charlie...
I knew it was a male name.
I didnt immediately think of anything until i read other responses in the thread
I woudnt pick it but thats because its not my family name! If it was and it meant something and dh agreed i would use it.
My last ds was named Freddy after my precious grandfather who had a very importent role in my life, so i know exactly where you are coming from.
I have my last bub tomorrow and it looks like he will be given another centimental family name, as long as it suits when i see his face
when I fist say the thread title I immeaditly thought faulty towers or spaghetti bolognaise lol.....but then I really thought about it and I really like it. My friends Grandad was Basil and he was a lovley man too, so maybe the name has a bit to do with it!
I love Baz as a nick name. I would call my child Basil, but I know DH wouldnt like it
Its pretty tame compared to some of the names out there :P
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And it would be first name or bust I reckon, no middle name second chances.
It’ll be a girl though.
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