Another berry suggested these names (or at least one of them!), and I really like them and think they fit well on our short list. However, I cannot decide which one I like more… [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] or [name_m]Anders[/name_m]? Which do you prefer?
My [name_m]Set[/name_m]-In-[name_m]Stone[/name_m] Super Short List:
[name_m]Iver[/name_m]
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m]
There is no changing the above two names on our short list. Now I’m just trying to find names that fit their overall “[name_m]Noble[/name_m] & masculine, but soft” style!
Wow! Everyone seems to really be on board with [name_m]Anders[/name_m]. I for sure thought there would be some “[name_m]Ansel[/name_m]” lovers! My husband and I were both leaning towards [name_m]Ansel[/name_m], but we may have to consider [name_m]Anders[/name_m] more seriously
[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t consider [name_m]Anders[/name_m] more, [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] is far superior!
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_m]Ansel[/name_m]. It’s soft, unexpected, strong.
[name_m]Anders[/name_m] feels more commonplace because it’s similar to [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] (and [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]) and I don’t like the meaning at all (‘manly, masculine’). To me it feels a little like naming your child [name_m]Man[/name_m] or Male.
(As a side note, I’m Norwegian and [name_m]Anders[/name_m] is a very common name here, so my opinion is a little coloured by that, as well as the terrorist attack in Norway in 2011 where [name_m]Anders[/name_m] Behring Breivik killed 76 people (youths mostly) in [name_m]Oslo[/name_m] and Utøya. The name has dropped significantly in usage in Norway since then…)
I prefer [name_m]Anders[/name_m] of the two. Neither are really my style. [name_f]Do[/name_f] people use [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] as a first name, and that could be [name_m]Anders[/name_m] for short? I would guess so. My brother is called [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], known as [name_u]Andy[/name_u].
I also prefer [name_m]Ansel[/name_m]! Especially if you two are leaning towards it. I think [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] is much more interesting than [name_m]Anders[/name_m]! I think it captures that soft and string feeling you are going for - while [name_m]Anders[/name_m] is more tough and harsh.
Oh wow, I was not aware of that association. That is definitely a huge turnoff of that name, for me. What a very sad situation, and one I would not want my child to be connected to.
As a side note, others have mentioned “[name_m]Ansel[/name_m]” having the strong, yet soft quality and it being “more interesting”, which I totally agree on all fronts. I believe it matches my other names in those ways, more so than “[name_m]Anders[/name_m]”. However, I wanted to give “[name_m]Anders[/name_m]” a chance and see what others thought about it before completely dismissing it and choosing “[name_m]Ansel[/name_m]”.
I love [name_m]Ansel[/name_m]! Soft, beautiful and uncommon
To me, also from Norway, the name [name_m]Anders[/name_m] makes me think about [name_m]Anders[/name_m] Behring Breivik. I don’t know if the association would mean anything to the name internationally, but at least in Scandinavian countries - it would.
