Boys' names that intrigue me. Your thoughts?

Boy Names
1

A - [name_m]Algernon[/name_m], [name_m]Argus[/name_m]

B - [name_m]Barabbas[/name_m], [name_m]Belvedere[/name_m], [name_m]Borromeo[/name_m]

E - [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m]

F - [name_m]Filbert[/name_m], [name_m]Fulbright[/name_m]

G - [name_m]Geronimo[/name_m], [name_m]Goliath[/name_m], [name_m]Gulliver[/name_m]

H - [name_m]Hieronymus[/name_m], [name_m]Horace[/name_m]

I - [name_m]Ivanhoe[/name_m]

L - [name_m]Leonidas[/name_m], [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m]

M - [name_m]Massimo[/name_m], [name_m]Maynard[/name_m]

N - [name_m]Napoleon[/name_m], [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m]

P - [name_m]Palermo[/name_m], [name_m]Peabody[/name_m]

R - [name_m]Radcliff[/name_m]

S - [name_m]Sylvester[/name_m]

T - [name_m]Taddeo[/name_m], [name_m]Theobald[/name_m], [name_m]Tolliver[/name_m]

V - [name_m]Viggo[/name_m], [name_m]Vivaldo[/name_m]

W - [name_f]Winsome[/name_f]

Z - [name_m]Zebulon[/name_m], [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]

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3

I like [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m], [name_m]Gulliver[/name_m], [name_m]Ivanhoe[/name_m], [name_m]Leonidas[/name_m], [name_m]Tolliver[/name_m], [name_m]Viggo[/name_m], [name_m]Zebulon[/name_m] & [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]. I’d actually use [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] if I could get Hubby on board with it! [name_m]Napoleon[/name_m] is a great name too, though entirely unusable by association. I think [name_m]Barabbas[/name_m] and [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m] have to be out for that reason too - the former was a notorious murderer, and the latter’s name is associated with being unintelligent/stupid “what a [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m]!” The others don’t particularly appeal to me, though I do find [name_m]Algernon[/name_m], [name_m]Borromeo[/name_m], [name_m]Taddeo[/name_m], [name_m]Vivaldo[/name_m], & [name_f]Winsome[/name_f] interesting.

4

[name_m]Algernon[/name_m], [name_m]Argus[/name_m] - I can’t get past the association with [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] with [name_m]Argus[/name_m]. [name_m]Algernon[/name_m] is interesting, but I’m not fond of the meaning. With unusual ‘A’ names I think I prefer [name_m]Aloysius[/name_m].

[name_m]Barabbas[/name_m], [name_m]Belvedere[/name_m], [name_m]Borromeo[/name_m] - I don’t like the biblical connection with [name_m]Barabbas[/name_m], and [name_m]Belvedere[/name_m] sounds a bit like a hospital or hotel name to me (not sure why!). I’ve never heard of [name_m]Borromeo[/name_m] before and I’m surprised to find I like it!

[name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m] - I’m not sure if I love it or hate it. I adore [name_m]Eben[/name_m] but I just can’t make my mind up about [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m]!

[name_m]Filbert[/name_m], [name_m]Fulbright[/name_m] - I know its not, but [name_m]Filbert[/name_m] feels like two nn’s pushed together and [name_m]Fulbright[/name_m] sounds like a lightbulb brand.

[name_m]Geronimo[/name_m], [name_m]Goliath[/name_m], [name_m]Gulliver[/name_m] - With [name_m]Geronimo[/name_m] and [name_m]Goliath[/name_m] I have too strong associations to see them as names on actual people (parachuting and giants!), but [name_m]Gulliver[/name_m] is really growing on me.

[name_m]Hieronymus[/name_m], [name_m]Horace[/name_m] - [name_m]Horace[/name_m] is old fashioned in a bad way and again has the [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] connection.

[name_m]Ivanhoe[/name_m] - In my head I see this as two separate words, and while I like [name_m]Ivan[/name_m]…

[name_m]Leonidas[/name_m], [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Leonidas[/name_m] and nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m]/[name_m]Leon[/name_m]. [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] is very much a book in the bible.

[name_m]Massimo[/name_m], [name_m]Maynard[/name_m] - [name_m]Massimo[/name_m]…Tassimo (Coffee machines). With [name_m]Maynard[/name_m] I immediately think of the singer [name_m]Conor[/name_m] [name_m]Maynard[/name_m] and Maynards Wine Gums, I prefer [name_m]Reynard[/name_m].

[name_m]Napoleon[/name_m], [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m] - I can’t get past [name_m]Napoleon[/name_m] the [name_m]French[/name_m] emperor and [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m] can be used as a slang term for when someone is being stupid/dense or doesn’t know something they should.

[name_m]Palermo[/name_m], [name_m]Peabody[/name_m] - I not a fan of these, especially [name_m]Peabody[/name_m].

[name_m]Radcliff[/name_m] - I had a horrible teacher with this as a surname and the accent where I’m from means it sounds a bit like ‘rat-cliff’.

[name_m]Sylvester[/name_m] - I had a cat called [name_m]Sylvester[/name_m] (after the cartoon) so I personally can only associate the name with that.

[name_m]Taddeo[/name_m], [name_m]Theobald[/name_m], [name_m]Tolliver[/name_m] - [name_m]Taddeo[/name_m] I like. The others not so much. I much prefer [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and plain [name_m]Oliver[/name_m].

[name_m]Viggo[/name_m], [name_m]Vivaldo[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Viggo[/name_m]. I see as a strong, masculine name. [name_m]Vivaldo[/name_m] isn’t my style.

[name_f]Winsome[/name_f] - Again I see this in two halves. I think of the saying ‘you win some, you lose some’.

[name_m]Zebulon[/name_m], [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u] - I really like [name_m]Zeb[/name_m] but I’m not sure about its longer form, it sounds ‘space-y’ to me. I like [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u] though I’d never be brave enough to use it!

5

“Unusable by association” makes me both sad and mad, because the only way to improve a bad name image is for good people to use it.

Very thoughtful and helpful feedback. Thanks, Saracita!

6

I’m not a [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] fan, so I was previously unaware of its association with [name_m]Argus[/name_m] and [name_m]Horace[/name_m].

My internal response to [name_m]Borromeo[/name_m] and [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m] mirrors yours.

Thank you, [name_f]Kirsten[/name_f], for your thoughtful and helpful reply.

7

E -
[name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m] - I love this actually. In the antique children’s book Five [name_m]Little[/name_m] Peppers and [name_m]How[/name_m] They Grew, [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m] “[name_m]Ben[/name_m]” [name_u]Pepper[/name_u] was the strong kind oldest brother. I like the meaning, too. But it’s got Dickens being, well, a dick…
Some of its root meaning is reflected in the obscure Ezriel, which I like but I have to assume very few other people do. :wink:

H -
[name_m]Hieronymus[/name_m] - Interesting. I’ll have to think about this more.

L -
[name_m]Leonidas[/name_m] - I like this. I’m not sure it’s actually as flexible, image-wise, as [name_m]Leonardo[/name_m], but it’s interesting, and I like [name_m]Leon[/name_m] a lot.
[name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] - Feels convoluted, an embroidery of [name_m]Levi[/name_m]? But I adore [name_m]Levi[/name_m], so 1/2 credit. A lot of people have issues with [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] though and it might be open to attacks.

T -
[name_m]Taddeo[/name_m] - I like this a lot.
[name_m]Theobald[/name_m] - I’d prefer [name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m] or Theodule, but it’s intriguing. [name_m]Alas[/name_m], -bald is not the greatest suffix.

Z -
[name_m]Zebulon[/name_m] - One of my very favourites. My husband has vetoed it, much to my sadness. It has a wonderful rhythm, the three-syllable-ends-in-n sound is one I really gravitate to for it’s solidity and strength, and a pleasant meaning. I love that it has Biblical clunk but without the -iah ending that can get really repetitive. I’ve heard from several people (including my husband) that it has a science-fiction sound to it but I actually wonder if that might not be good - unlike, say, [name_m]Zachariah[/name_m] or [name_m]Jedidiah[/name_m], it just reads as unfamiliar rather than specifically religious? And I do like the meaning, it resonates for me. With [name_m]Zach[/name_m] as a classic, [name_m]Zeke[/name_m] rising, is there room for [name_m]Zeb[/name_m]? I give it “a strong maybe.” :slight_smile:

8

[name_m]Belvedere[/name_m]-my first thought is of the vodka brand, then the bad 80’s TV show.

[name_m]Leonidas[/name_m]-love, it’s on my short list for mn, I would like it in the first spot too if I didn’t hate the nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m] and think he would be called by it

[name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m]- Scrooge

[name_m]Leviticus[/name_m]-Too bible for my personal taste

[name_m]Nimrod[/name_m], and [name_m]Napolean[/name_m]- I agree with Saracita, and [name_f]Kirsten[/name_f] on these

[name_m]Taddeo[/name_m], [name_m]Theobald[/name_m]- personally I prefer [name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m]

[name_m]Viggo[/name_m]- Intrigues me, I wouldn’t use it but would love to see it used

9

People have issues with [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m], as in book of the Bible?

Agreed on both counts regarding [name_m]Zebulon[/name_m]. -ew and -iah are two Biblical suffix sounds I really want to love for the sake of [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m] and [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m], but don’t all the way yet.

You really ought to get paid for this, Striped Socks. Your replies are exceptionally thoughtful and helpful; thank you!

10

Great observations, [name_f]Katie[/name_f].

Neither one ever crossed my mind.

Thanks so much for your helpful reply.

11

Yes, that’s what I’ve found. It’s often singled out particularly. Some people see it as the “angry rules and stoning people part of the Bible”* and negatively compared to other sections. Even by believers of some denomination or another. That’s aside from how it’s seen by people of non-religious backgrounds, where it definitely hasn’t got a particularly cuddly image.

You might not run into any issues, I’m not sure which communities/belief systems/denominations have the most beef. It’s just something I would be aware of. There’s a lot of little kids named Genesis though so perhaps I am over-concerned.

*I don’t see it that way but I’ve encountered the view more than a few times.

13

I [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] [name_m]Eleazar[/name_m] and [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m]! (Can’t use [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] with an M surname though, it mashes)

I wonder if [name_m]Lazarus[/name_m] would have fewer issues than [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m]? I like it but am not brave enough to use it.

14

[name_m]Algernon[/name_m], [name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m], [name_m]Hieronymus[/name_m] (as a middle name), [name_m]Horace[/name_m], [name_m]Leonidas[/name_m], [name_m]Massimo[/name_m], [name_m]Taddeo[/name_m], [name_f]Winsome[/name_f] (why is this only listed as a girl’s name?), and [name_m]Zebulon[/name_m] interest me. Some of these are just flat out bad though. [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m]? [name_m]Peabody[/name_m]? Never do that to a child.

15

[name_m]Ebenezer[/name_m] and [name_f]Winsome[/name_f] are lovely, and some of the others have potential if you can look past the pronunciation issues. But [name_m]Nimrod[/name_m] is far too much of an insult to use as a name.

16

@Striped Socks - I’ve made a mental note that [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] doesn’t have “a particularly cuddly image”. Your wording is adorable, and so is [name_m]Lazarus[/name_m].

@tfzolghadr - I do like [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m]. Thanks for the tidbit on [name_m]Leviticus[/name_m] :).

@Southern [name_f]Maple[/name_f] and @[name_f]Nellie[/name_f] - Thanks for chiming in!