Hit me. WDYT?

I don't like it at all sorry. It also reminds me of the suburb.

It's a lovely suburb in Sydney, but not something I'd name a child. Sorry not at all keen...

not my style. At. All

it sounds very pretentious and wannabe and would most likely get shortened to Will. I like Will, go with Will

I do actually like it. It's unique and I'm sure that the child (he/she?) is not going to have three others in their school class with the same name.

I used to live there?

I actually think its a nice sounding name. A bit Jane Austenish though. And I don't generally like surnames as first names.

I quite like it! Saying that though I could never use it as it is a well known surname in my hometown.

My train of thought:
a) the suburb
b) the rogue in Sense & Sensibility
c) surname.

None of these endears the name to me.

I couldn't do it.

I grew up there, gorgeous suburb. However, an interesting name choice, I think I like it! Very different.

Not a fan.

Not my style, but if you love it them go for it!

Personally, I'd go with Darcy before Willoughby. Aside from the suburb in Sydney thing it does sound slightly pretentious and the character in Sense and Sensibility was a bit of a spineless cad.

It's very Sense and Sensibility I think it is possible with nn Will but Willoughby to be used all the time may be a but much.

Yvette

love it couldnt do it myself, but being a huge jane austin fan, if i met a little willoughby i would say aaawwwww! dont forget though, willoughby was his surname,i believe he was a John???

Thats assuming that you are thinking of willoughby from Sense and sensabilty though

I don't mind it at all!

I used to live in that lovely suburb in Sydney, But Darcy.

I agree with PP's and go with Darcy over Willoughby

I don't mind it - I think it could grow on me

I live in Vic, and my first thought was Willoughby, NSW......must be something from T.V a long time ago

I think of Sense & Sensibility.

Hmmmm, bit to try hard.

Willoughby is a suburb.

Willow is a lovely name.

Willoughby, Wallowby Woo,
An elephant sat on you.

Willoughby, Wallowbe wee
An Elephant sat on me.

I don't mind it actually, but it's not an 'adult' name to me

I'm from the uk originally and our local pub was called the Willoughby.....that's all i keep thinking of so not my choice for a child.

Not if you live in Sydney.

I actually really like it. Ive never heard of it before, well except for the suburb but I really like it. Will is such a cute nickname.....I hate Willy though.

Um, awful. It's a suburb and a surname. I'd cry to see this on a beautiful child.

Yep - its where Channel 9 is so you would always hear the address after game shows LOL!!

I like it! I have never seen Sense and sensibility nor lived in the suburb so to me it's an appropriate name.

It's up there with names like Rafferty and Jebediah for me.

But its a surname in Sense and Sensibility. I have to say I don't like it as a first name, maybe as a second.

Read The Egoist by George Meredith. Sir Willoughby Patterne is the protagonist. He's a bit of a self-obsessed control freak (not unlike myself) so it's a bit offputting from that point of view.

Having said that, I quite like the name. And there's scope for just using the nickname "Will" if you choose.

Like others I couldn't use it because of Jane Austen connotations. If I disassociate myself from the 'baggage', I actually like the way it sounds as it rolls off the tongue.

Sounds like the name of a Butler to me...LOL

Reminds me of a wallaby!

Someone got in before me

FINE! I'm getting the message!

Never mind. I have been dreaming about Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility all day.


...I'll be asking you all what you think of Brandon next!

It reminds me of the suburb...


Brandon is nice though

I posted the same thread in 2005....I'm claiming it
Still love it....everyone in Sydney mentioned the suburb but I think it's very pretty for a girl

Good luck...we may use it for our 2nd

Ohhhhh Alan Rickman can ring my bedroom bells anyday! That voice! Those eyes! Ohhhh, my toes feel all funny now

Hmmm ... Alan Rickman What was Col. Brandon's first name? And, what other options are on your list Devi ?

I don't think Col Brandon has a first name.

Brandon is nice.

I think Willoughby is nicer than Brandon!

Another with the Syd/S&S thoughts....

...Ahhh But Col.Brandon.... very funny character change from the bad guy in Die Hard to the Col. Brandon .

I not have Alan Rickman's voice on the brain. May be time to educate the DSs in Austen by putting it on this afternoon.

Well, I am going against the trend and saying I love the name Willoughby, Will for short. However, DH has said a definite NO!
I already have a Brandon, didn't realise Sense & Sensibility had made such an impression on me

Just had to put my 2cents' worth in:

I LOVE it. Very individual, and you actually spell it correctly, Devi! It does, however, sound a tad, "Womble-ish" although I have just checked all the Wombles' names and there are no Willoughbys.


(You get the drift, though: Wellington, Tobermory, Orinoco, Alderney, it kind of fits in!)

I wonder if I could convince my husband to have 5 boys, all named after the Wombles. They are all nicely quirky and individual aren't they? Thanks Flimsy*But*Fun. I will have fun with those.


Blancheneige, a girl is likely to be called one of the preposterously Gaelic or frightfully old fashioned names I've thrown around here (Meredith, Judith, Sinead, Martha, Sarah, Siobhan, Salome, Saoirse, Iris) and a boy...well...I dunno. Was going to be Benjamin or Eamon but we've cooled on both choices.

Love the choices for girls - particularly the ones starting with 'S' ! Eamon is lovely and so is Benjamin - some of my faves in a similar vein are Seamus, Kieran, Eliot and Liam.

I really like it!!! I think its a great name!

Everyone else is just being boring!

K

I just wanted to thank the PP for reminding me of the Wombles. I can't believe you know all their names.