[name]Hi[/name],everyone…
We found out, just today, that we are going to have a boy!
So, with that, we’ve now narrowed the name search and are looking for names that work well with our last name, which is [name]Graves[/name]. Not an easy name to work with, I know…
Dad=[name]Tad[/name]
Mom=[name]Megan[/name] (mee-gun)
[name]Baby[/name] boy=?
What do you think?
I don’t know that your last name is particularly a challenge, unless you were hoping to name your boy [name]Doug[/name] or [name]Robin[/name]. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) Can you give us a better idea of the kinds of names you like/loathe?
I agree, [name]Graves[/name] is not so bad! In fact, being only one syllable, you have both two or three syllable names to work with. Did you want the name to fit with your name and your husband’s?
I agree, [name]Graves[/name] is not so bad! In fact, being only one syllable, you have both two or three syllable names to work with. Did you want the name to fit with your name and your husband’s?
I think when you have an ever so slightly challenging last name (like yours) it is good to pick up a sound in the last name and use it in the first name. By the way [name]Graves[/name] is not so bad. I think there was an actor named [name]Peter[/name] [name]Graves[/name]. He had an “r” in his first name like the “r” in the last. Also it’s good to have the first name be more than one syllable. Then [name]Graves[/name] will sound like a very nice last name.
Here is an example of what not to do:
[name]Dean[/name] [name]Graves[/name]-see how [name]Graves[/name] really stands out?
Now here is something that works better:
[name]Oliver[/name] [name]Graves[/name]- now the [name]Graves[/name] doesn’t stand out so much. [name]Oliver[/name] has both the “r” and "v’ sounds. “V” is a really stylish letter right now, and so if I were you, I would consider choosing a name with a “v” in it. [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] wrote a blog called “Is V the new Z?” There are some great suggestions for names with “v” in them in that blog. I also love [name]Vincent[/name] and [name]Victor[/name]. But then he might be [name]Vince[/name] [name]Graves[/name] or [name]Vic[/name] [name]Graves[/name]. [name]Vince[/name] is okay with [name]Graves[/name], but I don’t like [name]Vic[/name] [name]Graves[/name].
Some other ideas:
[name]Isaac[/name] [name]Graves[/name] - “s” in common
[name]Otis[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
[name]Rufus[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
[name]Devon[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
I just looked up the blog I was telling you about and found:
[name]Calvin[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
[name]Harvey[/name] [name]Graves[/name]
They are both so cute! I think the way they are consonant rich (the “lv” in [name]Calvin[/name] and the “rv” in [name]Harvey[/name] also help them to take attention away from the meaning of [name]Graves[/name] and makes [name]Graves[/name] sound more like just a last name.)
Wow, [name]Susan[/name], you are so good with sounds! I never would have thought to repeat a sound in order to make a name stand out less. But you’re right - it works!
Brilliant! 
Yeah, [name]Susan[/name], you are a genius with sounds! It’s like your super power or something! Your suggestion of [name]Oliver[/name] is just perfect.
thanks, fellow posters! I wish I could have been the one to come up with starlets’ stage names back in the day.