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Yea or Nay: Larkin

December 3, 2009 By appellationmountain 16 Comments

Monday’s reaction to Lark for a girl was lukewarm. But Larkin for a boy seemed to attract some interest – and a comment from a mom who had already bestowed the name on her son!

It’s a surname choice and an old school diminutive for Laurence. If parents are cautiously reconsidering Robin for their sons, why not this one?

And so I put it to you, dear readers: Larkin, Yea or Nay?

More names you might like:

  • Lark: Baby Name of the DayLark: Baby Name of the Day
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  • Lawrence: Baby Name of the DayLawrence: Baby Name of the Day
  • Baby Name of the Day: DouglasBaby Name of the Day: Douglas
  • Baby Name of the Day: LawrieBaby Name of the Day: Lawrie

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Comments

  1. Jen says

    February 19, 2012 at 4:50 PM

    We have a nine-month old girl named Larkin Ruth. It was my best friend’s name in kindergarten, who apparently was named after Larkin Street in San Francisco. Phillip Larkin is my husband’s favorite poet, so it fits. Most people really love it, except the ones that say…”Like Larkin Car Dealership??”
    I like the name because it’s unique but not too off-the-wall.

    Reply
  2. Juliet says

    December 23, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    I really like Larkin. The -lark name sound I find very attractive.It’s just very distinctive, crisp and interesting. Larkin is the Anglo version of Lorcan if I remember correctly. So, the name has roots

    What is odd, is that I have mentioned these names of Yahoo Answers and people say that Lark sounds like a male name and is a male name, yet, when you google it- it is very clearly feminine in use.

    Larkin is a lovely, interesting name that is intriguing without being weird. It is much more of a male name for me. There was a male Larkin in the Nora Roberts ‘Circle’ trilogy.http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/nora-roberts/dance-of-gods.htm
    There was a female Larkin in the show Invasion

    I think the -in or -en ending makes it sound more feminine to people. The -en sound seems to be viewed as more feminine

    Lovely name

    Reply
  3. Sebastiane says

    December 4, 2009 at 6:18 PM

    Yes, it is a bit trendy, but I must admit I can’t help but find it rather adorable on a girl. I’d never use it, but if I ever actually met one it would probably make me smile.

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth says

    December 4, 2009 at 12:58 PM

    I had a good guy friend whose middle name was Larkin. He was killed in a car crash when he was 17, and a few years later his sister named her daughter after him- Mary Larkin. I think it’s a lovely name for a boy or girl.

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      December 4, 2009 at 1:11 PM

      Mary Larkin is lovely! What a meaningful way to commemorate a loved one.

      Reply
  5. Charlotte Vera says

    December 4, 2009 at 3:40 AM

    I really like Larkin, but could never use it since I grew up in India and the name sounds similar to the Hindi word for boy (roughly transliterated “larka”) and — even worse — for girl (“larkee”).

    Reply
  6. Julie says

    December 3, 2009 at 7:48 PM

    I’m not a fan of surnames as first-names, but since my dad’s middle name is Lawrence and Lawrence doesn’t work with my surname… it’s a real possibility.

    Reply
  7. photoquilty says

    December 3, 2009 at 5:33 PM

    Still not a fan of surnamey first names.

    Reply
  8. Bewildertrix says

    December 3, 2009 at 4:43 PM

    Can’t get behind it but then I’m juvenile and like larkin’ about.

    Prefer to see on a boy though. So far, I’ve only seen it proposed for girls. I was pleased that a mother of a boy Larkin popped in on the Lark post.

    Reply
    • Bewildertrix says

      December 3, 2009 at 4:44 PM

      Replying to myself. So awesome.

      Speaking of Robin, I would use it if I could summon the courage. It would be a very bold and refreshing choice for a boy around here.

      Reply
  9. Corinne says

    December 3, 2009 at 4:38 PM

    Larken nn Lark on a girl is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. If I did meet a boy Larkin/Larken, though, I’d be pleasantly surprised!

    Reply
  10. neva says

    December 3, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    My son is Larkin, and to be honest most people respond about Philip Larkin as who he must be named after. He wasn’t, but it is a nice association, especially since I am a Librarian:)

    Reply
  11. caroline says

    December 3, 2009 at 4:00 PM

    Thumbs up if its a family surname. If not…meh.

    Reply
  12. Bek says

    December 3, 2009 at 2:07 PM

    I’m not a big fan, though it certainly doesn’t fall on the “What were they thinking” list… For me, the strong -ar sound is just not attractive. Gets all caught up in my throat.

    Reply
  13. British American says

    December 3, 2009 at 1:56 PM

    I think I do like it, but probably wouldn’t use it myself. I’m sure if I met a little boy called Larkin I’d think it was a really cool name. 🙂

    I had to look it up, but there was a British poet called Philip Larkin – I guess I must have read his work in school – so that’s a good poetic association.

    Reply

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