I absolutely adore the names Archimedes (nn Archie) and Nicodemus (nn Nico) but I wonder if they’re just too much?
They’re long, which can usually be solved by cute nicknames and a classic middle name to fall back on. However, I’m not sure if that’s the case for these two.
I was wondering what everyone thought about them, and if anyone had any middle name suggestions.
Another name that I would put with them is Minerva (nn Minnie) though I do feel like that one is more doable. I’m in need of middle names for this one too.
In the case of all of these, I would consider moving them to the middle name, but I personally would call them by their middle names, and worry about confusing them since others will likely call them by their first name.
Thank you in advance.
I feel like they’re trying a little too hard.. [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is a bit more doable.
[name_f][/name_f]
What about some modern versions of [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] and [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m]?
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_m]Archer[/name_m], [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Alden[/name_m], [name_m]Archie[/name_m] or [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m], [name_m]Dominic[/name_m], [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m], [name_m]Cody[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]
Some middle names for [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]:
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]- [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]June[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]- [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]- [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]- [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]- [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]
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But are they wearable? Are they names that will give them trouble their whole lives? [name_m]Or[/name_m] make them a target for bullying in school? [name_m]Will[/name_m] they make it difficult for them to find a job? Are they too pretentious? I love them, and I think they’re beautiful with wonderful meanings, but are they wearable?
kids will bully each other over anything. I think these have very wearable nicknames, and sound very respectable. like, an [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] or [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] could be doctors or professors or lawyers. so could anyone, of course, but if my lawyer was called [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] I’d feel as if I was in good hands.
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I knew an Archelaus called “Archie”, which I feel is similar levels of unusual and to be honest, I think it suits him. He worked in entertainment, where having a very distinctive name is a benefit, so I can’t speak for how he’d feel if he were an accountant. But having a friendly, approachable nickname adds a lot of flexibility to a more out-there first. His distinct name made him memorable professionally, but he could also be just [name_m]Archie[/name_m] day to day.
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I wouldn’t think bullying would be a huge issue. The only way I could see [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] “Nick” being an aid for bullies is if [name_m]Nick[/name_m] himself dislikes his full name and the bullies insist on using it, but the same situation could happen with [name_m]Nicolas[/name_m], [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m], [name_m]Finnick[/name_m], or any other full name. [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] doesn’t have any inappropriate sounds or rhymes. And tbh, the idea that bullies will target a kid for having an unusual name because it’s an unusual name doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. The naming landscape is so diverse at the moment (even more so as a lot of kids are choosing their own names and nicknames) most kids aren’t going to clock a distinct name the same way.
[name_f][/name_f]
I’d say they’re familiar enough to be useable, though definitely distinct and some people might be thrown off. If you want a name everyone will love, [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] and [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] might not be right, but if you love them, I think they’re a great blend of distinct and approachable.
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I’ve actually known an irl [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] “Nick”! I think it’s definitely doable, as is [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]. [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] gives me pause, it does feel a little harder to wear.
What about [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] makes it less wearable compared to [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] and [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]?
I’m a huge fan of big, bold first names that have a really every day sort of nickname. I would be over the moon[name_f][/name_f] to meet a little [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m]. That said I do agree it’s a tad[name_f][/name_f] less usable than the other two, but still not the end of the world?
[name_f][/name_f]
[name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] is only a short hop from [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m], really, and [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is perfectly wearable. [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] does feel a little ‘kookier’ [name_f][/name_f]- might get the odd ‘eureka!’ from people who know the story. It always makes me think of the owl in The Sword and the [name_m]Stone[/name_m][name_f][/name_f] (with great affection! But it was obviously chosen as a batty ‘mad professor’ sort of name for him, so it gives you a sense of the potential vibes).
[name_f][/name_f]
I also agree with the point above, that the ‘naming landscape’ is getting more varied all the time and frankly kids are probably going to be less fazed than adults.
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I think they’re all much, but not too much necessarily.
[name_f][/name_f]
If they’ll be using nicknames as children anyways, it shouldn’t matter at all. As adults they’ll each decide if they want to go by their full names or not.
[name_f][/name_f]
I also believe that once a child has a name, their personal world who knows them and interacts with them gets used to their name, and it becomes less unusual. I’ve had students, and my kids have had friends with very unusual names, but after a little while they just become normal and expected on them because that’s what they’re used to. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter had no idea her peer’s name was so, so uncommon because she grew up with her in her class.
[name_f][/name_f]
Might your friends think you were ‘trying too hard’ when you name them? Perhaps. But once the name in question is actually a real person, it’s not as big of a deal.
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Good luck!
[name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] is very much tied to one person, that’s why he feels less usable than the other two to me. When I think of [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m], I don’t think of it as a name first, I think of the Greek mathematician/inventor. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone thought naming your kid [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] was a little try hard. Though personally I would be thrilled to meet a little [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] “Archie!”
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To me, all three are tied to specific people. [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m] was a Pharisee who sought out Jesus’ teachings and helped give [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] an honorable burial. [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] goddess of wisdom, military strategy, and the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] equivalent of Greek goddess [name_f]Athena[/name_f]. I can see though how many people might only recognize [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m], which makes it stand out.
I can see what you mean, I know those references as well, but to me [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] stands out as being a one person name, where as I know lots of people with Biblical names (Jericho, [name_m]Noah[/name_m], [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] and beyond) and personally love mythology names so a goddess name doesn’t feel as tied to just one person to me. If you’re looking at purely public perception, most people are going to think of [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] as one person. I haven’t known an [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m], I have known a [name_m]Nicodemus[/name_m], and with [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] also being a [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] character, I think she’s more familiar. [name_m]Just[/name_m] my two cents.
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I think they’re too much in the sense that their pronunciations won’t be intuitive for everyone. (aside from [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] which is pretty straightforward I think). I actually thought [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] was pronounced Arch-ih-MAY-des (since I’m not familiar with him) and I think [name_m]Nikodemus[/name_m] could run into similar issues (Nihk- vs. Neek- and -deemus vs. daymus). Maybe I’m just underestimating others’ ability to pronounce them, it may depend on where you live. But for me, they would be too much. Which is unfortunate, because they are great names. And to be fair, the broader the variety of names out there, the more people will come across the unique ones and eventually learn how to say them. I’m just not sure if I would want to personally sign my kid up for that. [name_m]So[/name_m] yeah… they would make fantastic[name_f][/name_f] middles though!