I’m 28.5 weeks pregnant and my husband and I have been set on the name [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] for our son. I love the name - it’s perfect for us… almost. Problem is that along with our son [name_m]Peter[/name_m], the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] connection is really bothering me. My husband and I like CS [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] and I’m somewhere between neutral and positive on the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] series, but the naming link is completely unintentional. I’m really worried that it makes both of my boys more of a “set” than I would like. I would never, for instance, have two sons named [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] and [name_m]Felix[/name_m].
Anyway, we do plan on calling [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Ned[/name_m] much of the time, but I know how I am and I know I often use my children’s full names. I’ve brought this problem up before and most have said it isn’t a major issue but I really need to know just how matchy this sibset would/will be.
We’ve gone through every possible name and the only 2 fallback options really are [name_m]Edward[/name_m] (preserves [name_m]Ned[/name_m], loses [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] connection, but we’re not as enthusiastic about it) or [name_m]Bernard[/name_m].
Our name requirements:
Very classic. Must have been in general use for at least a thousand years.
Not too “soft.” We tend to prefer consonant-heavy, clunkier names to the easy flow names. [name_m]Albert[/name_m], [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] were a few other contenders early on.
Bonus points if it is the name of a prominent saint.
Must go with sibling names.
Popularity is not most important, but names that avoid anonymity ([name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m]…) and names I’m not tired of hearing ([name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]) would be best.
Am I crazy? Am I making too big a deal about the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] thing and risking the perfect name for our family? Or would this always come up? Should I fall back on another option? [name_m]Edward[/name_m]? [name_m]Bernard[/name_m]?
Sorry for the long post. I’m not sharing the name with friends and family so I can’t talk this stuff through anywhere else.
Names we’ve tossed around as middles:
[name_m]Bernard[/name_m] (if not used as a first name)
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m] (husband loves, but a bit too romantic for me)
[name_m]Clement[/name_m]
I don’t think the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] connection is a big deal, personally. Especially since you have other children without [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] names… I would stick with [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]!
I don’t think the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] connection is one to be too worrried about, I don’t think most people wouldn’t aurormatically make the connection. Some ideas though …
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m]
[name_m]BeNEDict[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ned[/name_m]
[name_m]Charles[/name_m]
[name_m]Cuthbert[/name_m]
[name_m]Derek[/name_m]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Edwin[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ned[/name_m]
[name_m]Edgar[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ned[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]Frederik[/name_m]
[name_m]Gregory[/name_m]
[name_m]Harold[/name_m]
[name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
[name_m]Montgomery[/name_m]
[name_m]Rupert[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]
[name_u]Stanley[/name_u]
[name_m]Silas[/name_m]
[name_m]Timothy[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m]
X
Thank you. I like a lot of the other names: especially [name_m]Vincent[/name_m], [name_m]Ralph[/name_m], [name_m]Charles[/name_m], [name_u]Francis[/name_u], [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], [name_m]Leopold[/name_m] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]. Mostly, you’re making me feel a bit better about [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], which I still love more than any replacement.
To be honest, yeah, I think you’re overthinking it! Which is understandable, naming a child can be a lot of pressure. But [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] really does seem like the perfect addition to your family! He’s sweet, classic, timeless and I love nickname [name_m]Ned[/name_m]. I’ve watched [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] and wouldn’t have made the connection, and most kids my age (I’m 16) I know haven’t even watched/read [name_f]Narnia[/name_f], I doubt kids as young as your sons would think of it. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if they did, it’s not a bad association at all, and just a fun thing to share names with!
That said, if you decide not to go with [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], I prefer [name_m]Bernard[/name_m] to [name_m]Edward[/name_m].
[name_m]Angus[/name_m]
[name_m]Alfred[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]/[name_m]Augustus[/name_m]/[name_m]Augustine[/name_m]
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m]
[name_m]Arnold[/name_m]
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]/[name_m]Caspar[/name_m]
[name_u]Constantine[/name_u]
[name_m]Chester[/name_m]
[name_u]Dexter[/name_u]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Edgar[/name_m]
[name_m]Fergus[/name_m]
[name_m]Garrett[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_m]Ignatius[/name_m]
[name_m]Kenneth[/name_m]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m]
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Maximus[/name_m]
[name_m]Percival[/name_m]
[name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
[name_m]Roland[/name_m]
[name_m]Roderick[/name_m]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m]
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_u]Wendell[/name_u]
[name_m]Wilford[/name_m]
Wilbut
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
I’m not sure if this is helpful to you: I just wanted to say I don’t know the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] series and thus would never make any kind of connection. Unless the combo is a bad kind of combo in the series, I would also encourage you not to worry if [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] is otherwise the perfect name for your family!!
Its not that big a deal as you have other children who do not have [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] names. Also, I think [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] flows with his siblings an is generally a nice name.
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m] would be my top.
I like [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] for a first name if you are going to drop [name_m]Edmund[/name_m].
I’m not familiar with [name_f]Narnia[/name_f], so I have no association. But I agree that 2/4 having “themed” names is not something I would even notice. If it was more than that, maybe. I think [name_m]Peter[/name_m] and [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] are great together but if it really really bothers you, maybe don’t use it. Or maybe do a specific poll here as to whether people automatically associate the two with [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] and see what the numbers say.
I read the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] books and I don’t think the connection is a big deal as your girls aren’t [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] and [name_f]Susan[/name_f].
I think if my girls were [name_f]Susan[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], I’d kind of have to go with [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]…
Overall, it’s good to know that most people don’t think the brothers will be too matchy. I’m likely to stick with [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]. I’m still a little shaky on it and I’ll still be reading these comments closely, but at the moment I’m inclined to go with the name we love and the name we’ve been calling him.
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] is so handsome and strong. I’d love to see it used as a first name, and I don’t think the [name_f]Narnia[/name_f] connection is a bad one, or too strong to make it unusable.