Is Johnny still too associated with condoms as a baby nickname?

[DannY97]

Hi all. We are currently expecting baby #2, a little boy after our girl. My husband’s late grandfather was called Johnathan and we think we are likely to name him Johnathan James. I love the name James but my husband doesn’t like it as a first name.

I like the idea of him having a ‘cooler’ nickname, as Johnathan is quite formal. I’ve always liked Johnny.

My mum is really against this as says it’s the name of a condom, and my brother in his early 20s agrees. My husband and I are aware that it is an older slang term for one, but not something we’ve ever heard used. I went to school with a Johnny and it was never a concern.

What are everyone’s thoughts? And would you mind saying your age too? I’m wondering if this is an older term that’s maybe come back around, as it’s definitely not been used by any of my friends or my husband’s, although all are vaguely aware of it.

Thank you!

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

As I read your thread title I realised I have a neighbour called Jonny and it’s never, ever occurred to me that his name was slang for condom!
if you love it, use it ❤️

My 62 year old husband is a Jonathan and is often shortened to Jon. Nobody but me ever calls him Jonny. Sometimes I will pronounce it Jo Nathan 😁. When I was young condoms were called 'rubber johnnies' but I don't ever connect the two - not like calling someone Dick or Fanny.

There's also the variant Jonathon, which absolutely nu bugger except my brother has because my parents weren't sensible enough to look up the spelling before naming him.

We're in our 40's now, but he used to get a bit of condom based humour when we were growing up. My first girlfriend in particular was fond of calling him "little rubber Jonny". Never bothered him though, and I doubt it'll be as bad these days. Kids seem to be nicer these days. I accidently managed to name my daughter a name that backwards spells a very rude sex act. Only one kid in school ever picked up on it and wound her up about it.

Was quite embarrassing though when she decided to write her name in the sand on the beach, and then started doing it backwards, and I turned round to be greeted with a 10 foot high ANAL

I really like Jonathan (not so keen on it with the H) but I think Johnny is really dated and not cool at all.

Johnny isn’t great imo and has a few negative associations
but I also don’t know why you’d use it when you’ve got Nathan, Nate, natey, and JJ right there. I’d go JJ personally

I don’t know if younger people associate it with condoms nowadays, I am 50 and know it to be a condom but I also know a few Johnnys and don’t think anything of their name so I don’t think it matters

Jonathan James makes me think of the shoe shop (not sure if they're still going).
It has a good ring to it though and I don't think many people will associate it with the shop.

You don't really hear rubber johnnies being used much in slang nowadays so I don't think you'll encounter too many issues. As pps have said there's plenty of other nicknames he could choose if he does get teased. I'm in my 40s and at school I remember some kids went through a phase of saying 'can you pass the rubber, Johnny'? when they first learned what they are. It didn't last long though as it's not particularly funny after the first couple of times is it.

Yep
rubber Jonny teehee
i don’t like it
im 50, I know two Johnathans and both go by ‘Joe’ which I like