[name_m]Hi[/name_m] again! We are about halfway through our pregnancy with a baby boy! My husband and I have narrowed down our boys names to three: [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], and [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]. I added two to the list that I really like, but was hesitant to use initially: [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_m]Alexander[/name_m].
Our last name is two syllables and ends in a “y”.
I created a poll this time around. Please help! Thank you!
They are all nice but I am personally drawn to [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]. [name_m]William[/name_m] would be my second pick 
I think those are all strong, classic names. [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is pretty trendy now (top boys name in BC last year) but I still love it. I also like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] but only choose it if you also like nicknames ([name_u]Alex[/name_u], [name_m]Xander[/name_m]).
[name_f]Do[/name_f] any of the names have more meaning than others for you?
All the names are nice, but my favorite would be [name_m]John[/name_m]. I feel like it is really unexpected and simple these days. It’s unfussy, nice, really only lends to one nickname if you don’t care for nicknames, and isn’t uber popular. So many kids are named [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] and whatever else these days that they sound tired and worn out…[name_m]John[/name_m] feels really fresh in comparison.
If you don’t mind popularity [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is a great name! I really like the shortened form of [name_u]Olly[/name_u]. [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] seems quite dated and hasnt really continued as a classic. I prefer [name_m]Jack[/name_m] to [name_m]John[/name_m]. I find it hard to see [name_m]John[/name_m] on a baby but I can really see [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] or [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] on a baby or grown man. !
Thank you all for your replies. [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_m]Robert[/name_m] are all family names. My husband’s name is a variation of [name_m]John[/name_m] as well as our nephew. I thought to call [name_m]John[/name_m], “[name_m]Jack[/name_m]”, but my husband just does not get it. Thinks it would be too confusing. I have a great association in my family to [name_m]William[/name_m], but a few bad ones as well. [name_m]Robert[/name_m], great association in family all around, but do not like as first name.
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], not popular where I live at all, but worry that it is not as classic as the others. My first child is a trendier name and wanted to avoid it this time.
My husband is a horrible decision maker in this area and I am as well. I will ultimately make the final decision. This is really hard and I appreciated your feedback.
Other names I had considered were: [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_u]Evan[/name_u], [name_m]Nathan[/name_m].
I absolutely love [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. It’s definitely my favorite of the ones you mentioned. Next would be [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]. I do think [name_m]Henry[/name_m] has more of a timeless feel to it, but [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] does have a relatively long history to it too (think [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] Twist - that was published in the 1800s).
I don’t know if you were considering using the family names as middles or not. With middle names, I really like [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]. I don’t particularly like how any of the family names sound as a middle name to [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] though.
If you like [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], maybe you might like other O names? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like the name [name_m]Otis[/name_m]? I think [name_m]Otis[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_m]Otis[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m] sound very nice. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Otis[/name_m] and [name_m]Otis[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] sounds wonderful too.
Thanks for the suggestions! I really like [name_m]Henry[/name_m] but our last name ends in a “y” do I am not sure if that flows. Yes, I do want a family name in there somewhere if possible.
I love [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]! I’d use it if my last name didn’t start with C.
I adore oliver
I think it could work depending on what the last name is!
For example, I think the following all sound fine (I just picked random y last names as examples)
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] O’[name_u]Reilly[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]McKinley[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Bailey[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Clancy[/name_u]
(I think those all sound good with [name_m]John[/name_m] as the middle name too, like [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] O’[name_u]Reilly[/name_u] or [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_u]McKinley[/name_u], etc.)
So I think it can definitely work with some y last names. But if you feel it’s unusable with yours, I would go with [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] out of the options you suggested.
I don’t think the family names flow as well with [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], but my favorite I think would be [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m].
Our surname is similar to the names you mentioned. I do think [name_m]Henry[/name_m] could work and may consider [name_m]Henry[/name_m] again.
I guess I am nervous to go with [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] and/or [name_m]Henry[/name_m] as they seem a little less traditional than the other names I chose…or is this just my thinking? Are they considered traditional names too? I guess I just want a classic/traditional name that my son will appreciate and will balance with my other child’s more modern name.
I love [name_m]William[/name_m], and adore the nicknames [name_m]Willem[/name_m]/[name_m]Wim[/name_m], so my vote goes to [name_m]William[/name_m].
[name_m]William[/name_m]/[name_m]Willem[/name_m] [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]