See the results of this poll: Which one? Long-time love or New Obsession??
Respondents: 126 (This poll is closed)
- Gabriel Patrick : 97 (77%)
- Owen William: 29 (23%)
It sounds like [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is not the name for you. If he is unwilling to agree to [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], I think you should come up with a new option altogether. I hope you can sway him back to [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] though!
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] stands out to me much more; plus, it seems there’s much family drama behind the name [name_u]Owen[/name_u]. I do, however, think that [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] works well, even better than [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. Might this be a possible choice for you?
Alzora, thank you for your support!
You know, that is actually a good suggestion. I might need to consider it; at least ask what he thinks. Bibliophile, you might just be on to something here! hmmm…
I love [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] both, but I really dislike the name [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]… so I chose [name_u]Owen[/name_u]. But really, both first names are lovely.
Can you and your husband compromise? Can you use [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u]? Or [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m]?
[name_f]Edit[/name_f]: [name_m]Just[/name_m] saw someone else suggest this. [name_m]How[/name_m]'s it goin?
It seems like [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is your perfect name. I say always go with the name you’ve loved the longest instead of committing to the name you’re infatuated with in the moment.
[name_u]Owen[/name_u] and [name_u]Logan[/name_u] do not really sound that similar to me all all and have different feels as well. its not like a pair of [name_u]Mason[/name_u] and [name_u]Carson[/name_u]'s.
i think that [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is more common now and [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] isnt as heard of anymore, though just [name_m]Gabe[/name_m] is.
of your names i like [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u], or [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] better than your original combos.
ps out of all of them i think there are better names you can discover out there, scrap everything and go with something totally different.
I’m loving [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u]… 
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] all the way! Of course I am biased with your choice but I also love [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] as a middle x
I like all the [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] and [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] combos.
[name_m]William[/name_m], while classic is rather over done these days. [name_m]Michael[/name_m]… well a nice link to his daddy, but still prefer the other 3 names.
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] would be a great compromise!
Please keep in mind that, while [name_m]Michael[/name_m] and [name_m]William[/name_m] may be filler middles, if you’re using a name for a reason, it’s anything but filler! It’s only a filler middle when you just pick a random name because “it sounds good”.
I can see how “loosing” a name after two years can be tough. It’s like you have a whole relationship with that name and now are being told it’s not going to happen. I’d say if you he really can’t be swayed back, give yourself a little time to morn and then start the name hunt all over again. I’d start a fresh and figure out with your hubby what criteria you both agree on. (I personally really liked the biblical name to match his. Very sweet.)
If he’s stuck on wanting [name_m]William[/name_m] as a mn because it’s a tradition and its too common for you how about suggesting and alternative you both might like. [name_m]Willem[/name_m], [name_m]Wilhelm[/name_m], [name_m]Liam[/name_m] etc. ([name_m]Liam[/name_m] would be a cool Irish link as well).
Same here!
The way you described your passion for the name [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] I feel you need to stay true to yourself. I think the compromise suggested by bibliophile of [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is a good one. For what it’s worth, I almost didn’t stay true to my heart with a name I had always loved for ds2 just because dh was unsure about it but I went with it anyway, and dh came round eventually and now loves his name as much as I do! I would have lived with serious name regret if I hadn’t followed my heart. GL.
I chose [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] - [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] is my son’s middle name - but I do think [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is the perfect compromise.
I do think [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] is a better choice than [name_u]Owen[/name_u] for a first. These long-held name loves that have really stood the test of time aren’t really in the same league as the pop-up fads of the moment. If you’re pregnant again in two years with another boy and your husband is still mad about [name_u]Owen[/name_u], then that would be the time to consider it as a first. However in the spirit of compromise, I suggest the following options:
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m] (as an updated version of [name_m]William[/name_m] that is also similar in style to [name_u]Owen[/name_u]. I’d also suggest [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m] but the L sounds run together)
I do love your original combo of [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], but I have to say, [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] and [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m] would make a smashing set of brothers!
I chose [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. 1) You clearly love it, and it sounds like your husband did too until he changed his mind on a whim. Unless he has a good reason, I don’t think you should have to compromise. 2) When I saw the name “[name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m]”, at first I thought it said [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Wilson[/name_m], like the actor. I know it’s not that similar, but I can’t get past it.
Personally, I prefer the names [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] (and even [name_m]William[/name_m]) over [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]. People keep saying [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] is less common, but at least where I live and substitute teach, I regularly encounter little boys named [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]/[name_m]Gabe[/name_m]. That wouldn’t stop me from using it if I loved it, but I don’t.
Edited for privacy.
This is wonderful!! I’ve never had so many hits on a thread before! Thank you, we’ve had so much to discuss because of you all! (And for those of you who asked about compromise and communication, yes, we do work things out pretty well - we had two years of long-distance practice before we wed
Of the suggestions, he really likes [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] and [name_m]Liam[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. Like [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_m]Liam[/name_m] was another name I had suggested at the beginning of my search, while trying to find our style. I remember him saying, “What is the purpose of using only half the name to honor a [name_m]Wil[/name_m]liam?” LOL. I guess even his horizons have broadened since I’ve been involved on Nameberry! haha. I honestly had never heard of [name_m]Liam[/name_m] until a few years ago. I can appreciate it as a great name, but just don’t know if it has that I-could-fall-in-love-with-you-everyday-for-a-lifetime factor, if you know what I mean.
Thanks, ella17, I actually really love [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u], but you know [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] will undoubtedly be shortened to [name_u]Pat[/name_u]. Blah. That totally ruins it for me. That’s why I originally chose [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. Oh, so many names to love, but you honestly have to factor in how you feel about the undeniable, undesirable version. I think I prefer the flow of [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] to [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]Owen[/name_u] though - I suppose anybody can go by their middle name…technically speaking. Although if you plan to call [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] “[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m],” why wouldn’t you just put [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] first?
There is really so much I want to say to you all: lexiem, I appreciate your sympathy and understanding about “mourning” a name that has become a part of you. And casilda - thank you for the comment about the “filler” names. I hate to use that term, and that is really good insight you’ve offered - “it’s only a filler if it is chosen just because it ‘sounds right’; but if used because it really means something to you, then no, it’s not a filler.”
@ legalbeagle: I see you have a little [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] of your own; do you find that his name gets shortened to [name_m]Gabe[/name_m] more often than not as orphanedhanyou said? ([name_m]Gabe[/name_m] is one nn I actually like!) and kyemsma, glad to hear you are so happy with [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] as a middle
@ sleepysessha: I simply love everything you said!! And @ thatkathryngirl: I’m not one to love outlandishly popular names, but even if [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] should be in the top 3 (it’s not in the 3 states I’ve lived in), I really could care less… I’d still be head-over-heels for it. I think this is the true test of love. I know [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] has such potential, but like mom3 said, I don’t want to have babynamer’s regret (so glad it worked out for you, mom3!!).
Seriously, I appreciate all your suggestions and insight sent our way!
Are there actually people who go by [name_u]Pat[/name_u] instead of [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]? I’m just asking because I’ve never met a [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] who went by anything other than [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. The only [name_m]Pats[/name_m] I know are older ladies (60+) whose full names are [name_f]Patricia[/name_f].