So, my older son is [name_m]Basil[/name_m], and his younger brother is due shortly. While I still [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the name [name_m]Basil[/name_m], I do admit that it gets really old answering the question, “Wow that’s different, is that a family name?” and it also gets old when people call him “[name_u]Bay[/name_u]-sil.” So, this time, part of me wants another unusual choice, but part of me hesitates to go quite so far out there in terms of pronunciation, and the reaction factor.
I love [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and [name_m]Giles[/name_m] together - both have a dignified old British man vibe! [name_m]Graham[/name_m] is also really nice, and you may not get as many comments about it being “different.” I don’t like [name_m]Clive[/name_m] as well, possibly because [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and [name_m]Clive[/name_m] looks too much like [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and Chives.
[name_m]Basil[/name_m] has been my top boy’s name for a while - it’s a family name for me, my great-grandpa who went by [name_m]Baz[/name_m] for short. I’m so happy to see that somebody has used it and still loves it. I’ve worried that the comments and mispronunciations would be too much.
I really like [name_m]Basil[/name_m]! From your list, [name_m]Clive[/name_m] really jumped out at me as a name that I like. I think both names have a similar vibe and are really underused. Unfortunately, [name_m]Clive[/name_m] is really visually similar to the word “chive”, and if you’re already getting “bay-sil” with [name_m]Basil[/name_m] (I know a [name_m]Basil[/name_m] who has the same problem), it might exacerbate it. That’s where my brain went, at least. My first thought was that I like [name_m]Clive[/name_m], and then I saw “chive” and my mind went to herbs.
[name_m]Graham[/name_m] and [name_m]Giles[/name_m] are both very nice as well!
[name_m]Basil[/name_m] and [name_m]Clive[/name_m] remind me of basil and clove so I’m not liking those two names as siblings. I think [name_m]Giles[/name_m] has the same English gentleman vibe so it’s my first choice. [name_m]Graham[/name_m] would also be fine.
I agree with the other posters: [name_m]Basil[/name_m] is wonderful.
I also agree that [name_m]Clive[/name_m] (wonderful as it is) has some problems alongside it.
I don’t think these have been suggested yet (apologies if they have):
[name_m]Gordon[/name_m]
[name_m]Edgar[/name_m] (I have always loved, loved, loved [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] as a pair)
[name_m]Fletcher[/name_m] / [name_m]Flint[/name_m] / [name_m]Clint[/name_m]
[name_m]Boris[/name_m]
I absolutely adore [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and [name_m]Giles[/name_m] together. Like the others [name_m]Clive[/name_m] makes me think of Chives and [name_m]Graham[/name_m] makes me think of [name_m]Graham[/name_m] crackers.
If [name_m]Basil[/name_m] IS a family name for you then you should definitely go for it, Isoleith! I will say that a lot of people also tell us they think the name is really cool or they really like it. So, you just have to get over all the others who give you that weird face when you say it : )
Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. I love some of your suggestions, too, but my hubby does not : (
So, I think we will seriously consider [name_m]Giles[/name_m] with [name_m]Graham[/name_m] as our back-up. Thanks, again!
I just wanted to chime in and say how much I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the name [name_m]Basil[/name_m] and how I dearly wish my fellow southern Americans could pronounce it correctly. Kudos on picking a great name! I like [name_m]Giles[/name_m] and [name_m]Graham[/name_m] as contenders for [name_m]Basil[/name_m]'s brother.
[name_m]Basil[/name_m] is awesome.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] a note on [name_m]Giles[/name_m]- in basically every interview with a cast member from [name_f]Buffy[/name_f], they complain about fans not pronouncing “[name_m]Giles[/name_m]” right- as in, it’s SUPPOSED to be said
“J-eye-ul-s” with a heavy “G” as in “Jelly”, but people keep saying “G-eye-ul-s” with a dulled “G” like “Gothic” or “Gumball”… If that makes sense at all… people use the wrong “g” sound all the time.
If you don’t like having the pronunciation problem with [name_m]Basil[/name_m], you might not like the stupid people who get [name_m]Giles[/name_m] wrong…
[name_m]Basil[/name_m] is beautiful. It’s so effortlessly chic and classy. I love it.
These are names I consider in the same category as [name_m]Basil[/name_m]:
[name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_m]Alfred[/name_m]
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_u]Asa[/name_u]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Bruno[/name_m]
[name_m]Cecil[/name_m] (albeit a little too close to [name_m]Basil[/name_m])
[name_m]Charles[/name_m]
[name_u]Constantine[/name_u]
[name_m]Cosmo[/name_m]
[name_m]Dominic[/name_m]
[name_m]Edgar[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_m]Percival[/name_m]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m] (I love this one with [name_m]Basil[/name_m])
[name_m]Rupert[/name_m]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_m]Virgil[/name_m]
I like [name_m]Graham[/name_m] or you could spell it Greame. I like [name_m]Giles[/name_m] too but wonder if you will have pronunciation difficulties. [name_m]Basil[/name_m] is very nice.
