I know that this has happened to others of you, but I’m still upset.
We had originally come down to two names for a boy and had finally decided on [name]Malcolm[/name] as our boy’s choice. Yesterday we heard that my cousin, who has been planning on naming her little boy [name]Liam[/name] [name]Jackson[/name] since before she was even expecting, has named him [name]Malcolm[/name]! [name]Liam[/name] was to popular suddenly.
I don’t know if it is a coincidence or I mentioned the name to her. We are trying to keep the names quiet.
So, [name]Malcolm[/name] is out of the running, leaving us with [name]William[/name] [name]Walker[/name] ([name]Walker[/name] is my maiden name and [name]William[/name] is DH’s father who passed when he was fairly young.)
The name has wonderful personal meaning, but while [name]William[/name] [name]Walker[/name] [name]Lewis[/name] sounds great I am still unsure about [name]Bill[/name] [name]Lewis[/name] and really don’t like [name]Billy[/name].
What do you think? Use [name]William[/name] [name]Walker[/name] or start again?
I’m so sorry, that’s really rough. I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Walker[/name]. What about [name]Will[/name] or [name]Willem[/name] to avoid the [name]Bill[/name]/[name]Billy[/name] nickname?
So sorry! I have a semi-similar situation but not quite as dramatic and direct as yours. My husband and I have liked the name [name]Declan[/name] for YEARS. We heard that “[name]Deke[/name]” was more or less the “official” nickname used, but have also heard [name]Dex[/name] (Decs). We liked it much better. Well, a close friend of mine just had a boy and named him Maddax but call him [name]Dax[/name]. It has totally turned me off from the name and I’m so disappointed. Although, I’m not pregnant yet and it’s not the EXACT name we were going to use like you.
I don’t like [name]Bill[/name] or [name]Billy[/name], either. I prefer [name]Will[/name]. Although, with the popularity of [name]Liam[/name], he could end up being called that when he’s older and his peers choose a nickname for him. I really like [name]Liam[/name], but again, the gaining popularity may turn you off?
Anyway, [name]William[/name] [name]Walker[/name] [name]Lewis[/name] sounds really cool, in my opinion. However, I think you need to still go back to the drawing board. To me, it sounds like you really loved [name]Malcolm[/name] and while you really like [name]William[/name], it doesn’t quite give you that same “oomph” that made you know that [name]Malcolm[/name] was the one.
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Reid[/name]
[name]Duncan[/name]
[name]Miles[/name]/[name]Milo[/name]
[name]Marcus[/name]
[name]Graham[/name]
[name]John[/name]
[name]Wesley[/name]
[name]Dean[/name]
[name]Dexter[/name]
[name]Nolan[/name]
[name]Warren[/name]
[name]Byron[/name]
[name]Benjamin[/name]
[name]Elliot[/name]
[name]Isaac[/name]
[name]Emmett[/name]
[name]Vincent[/name]
[name]Simon[/name]
[name]Philip[/name]
[name]Preston[/name]
[name]Ian[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Will[/name] is my preference for a [name]William[/name] nn. Also, I love the name [name]Cabot[/name] lately. And for some reason, I associate [name]Desmond[/name] with [name]Malcolm[/name], at least it’s an alternative.
I prefer [name]Will[/name] as a nickname. Could you do [name]Walker[/name] [name]William[/name]? I know a few Walkers, I don’t think it’s too surnamey if that’s a concern. And then [name]William[/name] would just be a middle, no need to worry about potentially dreadful nicknames. I’m sorry you’ve lost your dream name, best of luck choosing!!
I do agree with pansy, though - I don’t think many people would call him [name]Bill[/name] unless that’s what you say. So I say go ahead with [name]William[/name]!
I’m so sorry, that’s very disappointing. I [name]LOVE[/name] the name [name]William[/name] but it is very popular (top 10) where I’m from. As is [name]Liam[/name]. I like nn. [name]Will[/name].
Perhaps some other alternatives to [name]Malcolm[/name]:
[name]Mason[/name]
[name]Maxwell[/name]
[name]Michael[/name]
[name]Matthew[/name]
[name]Lincoln[/name]
[name]Cameron[/name]
[name]Nolan[/name]
[name]Leighton[/name] [name]Walker[/name] [name]Lewis[/name]?
[name]Emerson[/name]
I’m favoring the name [name]Walker[/name] as a fn for this baby if it’s a boy, [name]Walker[/name] [name]Dale[/name]. I think [name]Walker[/name] is a terrific FN!
[name]William[/name] is such a lovely name. I’ve heard it my whole life (brother’s and dad’s names) but am not tired of it. [name]Bill[/name] is a very unlikely nickname these days. That’s my dad’s nn and honestly, the youngest [name]Bill[/name] I know is late thirties. It’s definitely a nickname that has passed it’s prime usage, and people don’t seem to automatically use those nns anymore (ie [name]Edward[/name]= ned, [name]Margaret[/name] = peg, where the nn is a result of changing the first letter and shortening). [name]William[/name]/[name]Will[/name] is what my brother’s always gone as and i really like it.
Oh and i agree, unless you and your cousin see each other at all, if you’re set on Malcolm, go ahead and use it. I have a cousin who named her daughter Katie and it’s not unusual at all. Heck, on my mom’s side I share the same name as a cousin born six months after me and it’s never been an issue either, and in your case these two babies will be second cousins or first cousins once removed, whatever it is. Don’t let that stop you from using a name you truly love!
[name]Walker[/name] [name]William[/name] [name]Lewis[/name] is perfect and a great name, id be rare to find another of him, way less than any Malcolms lol
[name_m]William[/name_m] is a gorgeous name and very meaningful choice for you. I love [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Walker[/name_u] [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]! And the nn [name_m]Will[/name_m] is awesome. I wouldn’t worry too terribly much about the popularity. My son’s name was #12 on the SSA the year he was born, and there is only one other [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] in his class of 120 (and that one goes by [name_u]Alex[/name_u] while he goes by [name_m]Xander[/name_m]).
You could call him [name_u]Walker[/name_u]. It’s very usable as a first name, and I especially like that it’s your maiden name. I doubt anyone would call him [name_m]Bill[/name_m] or [name_u]Billy[/name_u] unless you introduced him that way. Those aren’t common nicknames for a [name_m]William[/name_m] under the age of 40. Most people would default to [name_m]Will[/name_m] or [name_m]Liam[/name_m], but I know several [name_m]Williams[/name_m] who go by [name_m]William[/name_m] in full. It’s very doable.
[name_m]William[/name_m] can also go by [name_m]Will[/name_m], [name_m]Wim[/name_m], [name_m]Liam[/name_m], etc.
I like [name_u]Walker[/name_u] as a first name, and [name_m]Wilder[/name_m] had the same sort of feel as [name_u]Walker[/name_u] and [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] to me.
Thanks to everyone for suggesting flipping the names around. I feel silly for not thinking of [name_u]Walker[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m]. Probably because all my brain power to being diverted to baby making. It doesn’t flow quite as smoothly as [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Walker[/name_u] but wins on the “cool name” list. Thinking of nicknames if we used [name_u]Walker[/name_u]. We tend to be a nickname bunch.
anotherkate - Since so few of the family knew what names we had chosen, we would look like the copycats and that would be even more irritating than their using [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] in the first place. I am enjoying a bit of revenge though. They keep calling him “[name_u]Mal[/name_u].” I do feel for the baby but get a little snide joy hearing them refer to him as “Bad.”
For those who suggested [name_m]Marcus[/name_m]. We both really like the name but our last name is [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] and [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] is kind of silly. We also had to lose my all time favorite girl’s name, [name_f]Alice[/name_f], for the same reason. DH and I are still nuts over [name_f]Rosemarie[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f] for a girl though!
So right now I am leaning towards [name_u]Walker[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] for a boy. Maybe [name_u]Kerr[/name_u] as a nickname? Or hope something cute just happens. DH likes the nn [name_u]Romy[/name_u] if a girl.
It is a lot of L sound for last name [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]. Maybe stick [name_m]William[/name_m] in the middle and go with another name you like. [name_u]Walker[/name_u] as a fn is cute, I like the nn [name_u]Kerr[/name_u].
