See the results of this poll: Classic boy name to pair with Sylvia
Respondents: 67 (This poll is closed)
- Edward (nn “Ned”) : 41 (47%)
- Alan : 2 (2%)
- Neil : 9 (10%)
- Lewis : 24 (28%)
- Nelson : 6 (7%)
- Vaughan: 5 (6%)
I voted for [name_m]Edward[/name_m]. I think it’s really cute with nn [name_m]Ned[/name_m] and I don’t think you need to worry about Twilight. [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] was a Twilight name and it has already gotten popular, so I don’t think there will be a big increase. My first thought was actually Game of Thrones since there is a [name_m]Ned[/name_m] in that series. Second choice would be [name_m]Louis[/name_m] or [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]. [name_m]Alan[/name_m], [name_u]Neil[/name_u], and [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] are too frumpy to me, and [name_m]Vaughn[/name_m] has a country club or super hero villain feel for me for some reason.
Other suggestions:
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Julian[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_m]Miles[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
I would second the suggestions of [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and [name_m]Miles[/name_m], both of which sounds great with [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. Of your list I prefer [name_u]Neil[/name_u] because I’ve never met one. I also like with [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]:
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_u]Charlie[/name_u]
[name_m]Harrison[/name_m]
[name_u]Seth[/name_u]
[name_m]William[/name_m]
I do like [name_m]Silas[/name_m] too and think it goes well!
.
I wouldn’t worry about the Twilight association. That reference has mostly passed, and I am quite confident that those who were big fans are not holding on to the name in significant numbers (plus, a large portion are in their late teens/20s and are already having children). In fact, my first association with [name_m]Ned[/name_m] is [name_m]Ned[/name_m] from the Buzzfeed Try Guys, but I wouldn’t be worried about that.
I quite like [name_u]Neil[/name_u] and [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] as well, but I feel that [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] as a first time isn’t quire the right choice for you, although I personally love the association with [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] [name_m]Mandela[/name_m]. [name_u]Neil[/name_u] would work well with [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], but I think I like [name_m]Edward[/name_m] “[name_m]Ned[/name_m]” a bit better. [name_m]Alan[/name_m], [name_m]Louis[/name_m], and [name_m]Vaughan[/name_m] don’t do much for me.
[name_m]Edward[/name_m] and [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] would be smashing!
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Arnold[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_m]Abel[/name_m]
[name_m]Abraham[/name_m]
[name_m]Bruce[/name_m]
[name_m]Cedric[/name_m]
[name_m]Cecil[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Callum[/name_m]
[name_m]Davis[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] “[name_m]Ned[/name_m]”
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_m]Fabian[/name_m]
[name_m]Ford[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_u]Howard[/name_u]
[name_m]Homer[/name_m]
[name_m]Harold[/name_m] “[name_m]Harry[/name_m]”
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] “[name_m]Hank[/name_m]”
[name_m]Ivan[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonas[/name_m]
[name_m]Josiah[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_m]Leon[/name_m]
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]
[name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_m]Mitchell[/name_m]
[name_m]Marcus[/name_m]
[name_m]Marius[/name_m]
[name_m]Norman[/name_m]
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_u]Percy[/name_u]
[name_u]Perry[/name_u]
[name_m]Ruben[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronald[/name_m]
[name_m]Stephen[/name_m]
[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
[name_m]Salvador[/name_m]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
[name_m]Travis[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilson[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Arnold[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_m]Abel[/name_m]
[name_m]Abraham[/name_m]
[name_m]Bruce[/name_m]
[name_m]Cedric[/name_m]
[name_m]Cecil[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Callum[/name_m]
[name_m]Davis[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] “[name_m]Ned[/name_m]”
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_m]Fabian[/name_m]
[name_m]Ford[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_u]Howard[/name_u]
[name_m]Homer[/name_m]
[name_m]Harold[/name_m] “[name_m]Harry[/name_m]”
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] “[name_m]Hank[/name_m]”
[name_m]Ivan[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonas[/name_m]
[name_m]Josiah[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_m]Leon[/name_m]
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]
[name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_m]Mitchell[/name_m]
[name_m]Marcus[/name_m]
[name_m]Marius[/name_m]
[name_m]Norman[/name_m]
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_u]Percy[/name_u]
[name_u]Perry[/name_u]
[name_m]Ruben[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronald[/name_m]
[name_m]Stephen[/name_m]
[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
[name_m]Salvador[/name_m]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
[name_m]Travis[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilson[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
Thanks to everyone who replied so far! [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] was on my short list for a long time because I had a childhood friend named [name_m]Nate[/name_m], and I always thought that was a cheery name. However, the “yull” ending doesn’t pair well with my last name, and I came across a couple of grown-up and kind of jerky Nates around town while I was pondering the name intensely–and the name got dropped.
My handle is a totally made up name, but I realized after posting that the sound of the “L” in [name_u]Baldwin[/name_u] is similar to that in my last name. It’s prominent and slows down the tongue. I wonder why all these first names I like have the letter L in them??? Anyway, for the sake of example, [name_u]Baldwin[/name_u] is a good substitute. Is [name_u]Neil[/name_u] [name_u]Baldwin[/name_u] too unpleasant to pronounce?
Does anyone else want to weigh in on the suitability of a [name_m]Silas[/name_m]/[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] pairing? The name [name_m]Silas[/name_m] comes from [name_m]Silvanus[/name_m].
I do think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_m]Silas[/name_m] are too similar, more in sound than in origin since I think about the biblical [name_m]Silas[/name_m] first. [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] is the standout from your list, in my opinion. [name_m]Edward[/name_m] is my least favorite of the [name_m]Ed[/name_m]-names, for no good reason. I like [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] and [name_m]Edmond[/name_m] better. [name_u]Neil[/name_u] isn’t a favorite name of mine but I would still be pleased to meet a baby [name_u]Neil[/name_u] 
My vote: [name_m]Nelson[/name_m] “[name_f]Nel[/name_f]/s”, followed by [name_u]Neil[/name_u].
Good luck!
[name_m]Edward[/name_m]/[name_m]Ned[/name_m] is my fav.
Thanks for all the votes and responses! I am surprised that [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] showed so strongly! I have some thinking to do…
[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! I love your style. I have a [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] as well and absolutely love her name. I voted for [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] but I like all of your options. [name_m]Just[/name_m] a note that may or may not sway your thoughts on [name_m]Edward[/name_m]. The [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] Plath associations are strong with the name [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], and [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_m]Edward[/name_m]/[name_m]Ned[/name_m] would instantly make me think of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] Plath and her husband, [name_m]Edward[/name_m] “Ted” [name_m]Hughes[/name_m]. I think it would be rare that someone would make the connection when they meet the kids, but it could seem theme-y. I love [name_m]Edward[/name_m], called [name_m]Edward[/name_m], [name_m]Ned[/name_m], or [name_m]Ward[/name_m], so I am by no means suggesting that you should drop it. But it’s something to factor in…
I adore the name [name_m]Silas[/name_m]. I can’t decide whether I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_m]Silas[/name_m] are sweet together or a bit of a mouthful (probably both, actually). I would think twice about it if you are planning on more children, as Child #3 (or 4, etc.) may feel left out if their name doesn’t match so well.
I know there was a bump in Bellas a few years back, but I think the Twilight moment is over. Most people I know who liked Twilight now regret it, anyway. I wouldn’t worry about the association with [name_m]Edward[/name_m], I don’t think it’s a big deal.
Wow, that is a really great point. Since I wasn’t considering “Ted” as a nickname, that association had not even crossed my mind, but a couple of people have asked me if I named my daughter after the poet since she is the most famous [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. I would never burden a child with such a tragic namesake, and I certainly wouldn’t want two children to commemorate that domestic nightmare. When I named my daughter, I was imagining a more bucolic theme of trees and flowers. There is an [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] in the recent family history, and I can’t use that name, and [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]/[name_m]Edmond[/name_m] would cause him to have to spell his name out all the time. I have to spell out my own name, and I would like to spare him that annoyance! Thanks again for bringing up Ted [name_m]Hughes[/name_m]! I am not ruling out [name_m]Edward[/name_m] yet, but it is good to be aware of this in advance.