[name]One[/name] of our top choices if this baby is a boy is [name]William[/name] [name]Patrick[/name]. The thing is, my mother’s name if [name]Patricia[/name], so if we go with [name]William[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] and have another boy in the future, it seems only fair to use my father’s name, which is [name]James[/name]. [name]Don[/name]'t get me wrong – [name]James[/name] is a good, solid name, and it goes great with our second choice name ([name]Alexander[/name]), but [name]Alexander[/name] [name]James[/name] is just…well, a bit boring. I bet about 40% of the Alexanders out there probably have [name]James[/name] as a middle name (especially since, at least in my experience, it is rather hard to find a middle name that sounds good with [name]Alexander[/name]).
However, our third boys’ choice is [name]Benjamin[/name]. [name]Benjamin[/name] [name]James[/name] is obviously out of the question due to the repeating “jam” in both names, but if we use the nickname [name]Jamie[/name] for [name]Benjamin[/name], do you think that would be enough to claim he was named after Grandpa [name]James[/name]?
Using Dad’s middle name instead is out of the question for me. It’s a surname name, and I am definitely not a fan.
I used [name]James[/name] as a middle to honour family, and though it is a very handsome, lovely name, you’re right that it’s very plain and overused. As far as [name]Benjamin[/name] >> [name]Jamie[/name], that’s a big stretch. Unless you love that nickname a lot, [name]Benjamin[/name] also seems the hipper name (over [name]Jamie[/name], I mean).
Here are some other suggestions for honouring [name]James[/name]: [name]Jamison[/name]/[name]Jameson[/name], [name]Seamus[/name], [name]Jacot[/name], [name]Diego[/name], [name]Hamish[/name], [name]Jacob[/name]
Hmm, [name]Jacob[/name]… That’s actually my husband’s favorite boys’ name, but I vetoed it for a first name because even though I normally don’t care about popularity, [name]Jacob[/name] is just too popular. But I wouldn’t mind using it in the middle. [name]Alexander[/name] [name]Jacob[/name] has a nice ring to it, and it’s a bit more interesting than [name]Alexander[/name] [name]James[/name]. I’ll think about it. The other names aren’t my style at all, but thanks for the suggestions!
I agree that if you use [name]Jamie[/name] as a nn for [name]Benjamin[/name] it’s a stretch, but could work. I like [name]Jameson[/name] to honor [name]James[/name] more, though. (Really like [name]Benjamin[/name], it’s just hard to honor [name]James[/name] with it.)
[name]Benjamin[/name] [name]James[/name] is perfectly fine. Yes, the letters ‘jam’ are in both names but they don’t sound alike (it’s juh-min and [name]JAY[/name]).
I also wouldn’t see a problem with using [name]Benjamin[/name] [name]James[/name]. Is it the best sounding combo ever? No, but I don’t think it’s terrible. And given that you hardly ever really say the full name, I would go for honoring the family member in the middle spot.