While our femme list of names we’re taking to the hospital is pretty solid, I am still all over the place with my backup list of masc combos. Previous thread was getting convoluted, so I’m starting fresh here with updated parameters. Fair warning: I am apparently physically incapable of being concise, so this is a very long-winded post!
For a little fast-becoming-standard context blurb: I am in a long-term polyamorous relationship with two live-in partners, and we will all be co-parenting together. I’ve called them T and S to avoid confusion. We’re also super pagan, hence all the witchy names!
Combo Guidelines
- We’re planning to use two middle names (which is part of why these combos are in such shambles).
- For each combo, we are looking for at least one masc name, at least one unisex word or nature name, and at least one name that has an easy femme nickname in case as Nugget gets older, they do not identify with their assumed gender. (T is intersex and non-binary, so having gender flexible options built into the combo is hugely important to us!)
- Our last name spelled phonetically is KAY-lahr.
And now, on to the names!
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] has been one of my and T’s top names for many years. We love the Narnian references and the oceanic connection, and nickname [name_m]Cas[/name_m] is a nod to one of our favorite fictional characters, [name_m]Castiel[/name_m] from Supernatural. [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] also comes with a built-in femme nickname, [name_f]Cassie[/name_f].
Considering: [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f]
I’m really leaning into the nautical vibes for [name_m]Caspian[/name_m], and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] has them in spades. I love that [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] evokes both the jaunty roguish vibes of incorrigible pirate captain [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u], as well as a sense of innocence, gentleness, and whimsy from the association with the lovely little bird. [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] is also chock full of magic and meaning, because the reference to the [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_f]Star[/name_f] is not only a gorgeous celestial reference and nautical tie-in, but it also has connotations of following your inner compass, and trusting your own light to guide your way. It reminds me of The [name_f]Star[/name_f] card from tarot. The only thing that’s holding me back from calling this The One for [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] is that there is another combo below that uses [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u], [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u], and I can’t seem to choose between them!
Other options: [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Atlas[/name_u] ____ or [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] ____ [name_u]Atlas[/name_u] and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] ____ [name_u]North[/name_u].
I love the imagery of [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Atlas[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f], and my synesthesia gives me such a lovely combination of colours: all ocean blue/green/greys next to leathery brown and rich bronze against a background of navy and midnight with golden stars. But those two S endings back to back make the flow really choppy and give the whole thing a hissing sound that I don’t care for. By comparison, [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] feels very lilting and melodic. I’ve also entertained the thought of [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Melchior[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u], but I feel like [name_m]Melchior[/name_m] takes [name_u]North[/name_u] in a very wintry direction, and the combo loses some of those beautiful blues and browns that I get from the other two possibilities, becoming more subdued and silvery.
I’m really stuck on this one! Would you choose [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] over [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]? What suggestions do you have for an [name_u]Atlas[/name_u] or a [name_u]North[/name_u] combo?
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is another name that has been on our list for years. It’s a beautiful tree associated with fairies and witches and steeped in magical folklore. We also like the similarity to [name_m]Ronan[/name_m], in a nod to one of our favorite fictional characters, [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_m]Lynch[/name_m] from [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] Stiefvater’s series The [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Cycle.
[name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] is a name with very intense personal meaning to me, in addition to the connection with famous bard, wizard, and seer of Arthurian legend. A few years ago, there was a young man in my town who was killed while defending teenage girls from an attack by a white supremacist. This happened on the train I used to ride every day, and his last words were, “tell everyone on this train that I love them.” I will never forget his courage and compassion.
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] and [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] are both set for this combo, so we would just be looking for a second middle. [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] provides the unisex element and [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] the masc name, as well as possible femme nickname [name_u]Tally[/name_u]. So free rein can be had with the third name slot.
Considering: [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] Iroh and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]
For a long time, I was set on [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] Iroh, chosen for Uncle Iroh from beloved animated series Avatar: the Last Airbender, but lately I’ve begun to question my choice for two reasons. The first is that Iroh was invented by the creators for the show. It’s comprised of the character for mugwort and the character for the Luo [name_u]River[/name_u] in [name_f]China[/name_f]. I cannot find any information on whether it is used as an actual name in [name_f]China[/name_f]. I love this name, but I’m hesitant to use something invented only for one character that isn’t used anywhere else. I’m also concerned about using a Chinese name when none of us have any Chinese heritage or other ties to the culture.
Someone on my previous thread suggested [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] as an alternative, and I absolutely love this combination. It’s dripping with druidic energy and imagery of the Welsh and [name_f]English[/name_f] countryside, bringing to mind [name_m]William[/name_m] Worthington’s artwork from The Wildwood [name_u]Tarot[/name_u], one of my most beloved decks. I can so clearly see a bright-eyed sparrow perched among the scarlet berries of a rowan tree, while nestled among the roots of the tree is a doorway to a fairy mound. The only drawback to this combo is how much I love [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f]! I obviously can’t use them both.
Which of these two combos speaks to you more, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] Iroh or [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]? Which would you choose between [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]?
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m]
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] is a breathtakingly magical name just steeped in Welsh, druidic, and Arthurian folklore. He’s the Welsh variant of [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], and Myrddin [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] is the Welsh name of legendary wizard [name_m]Merlin[/name_m]. There’s also a tale about a mysterious castle called Dinas [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] that was caught up in a mystical battle between dragons, which is the origin story behind the red dragon on the Welsh flag.
[name_m]Valerian[/name_m] is a powerful medicinal herb with a sedative effect. The name also references a [name_m]Roman[/name_m] Emperor, a badass legendary swordsman in disguise from the Codex Alera series, and the main character in the magical comic-turned-space-opera, [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] and the City of a Thousand Planets.
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] and [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] are both set in this combo. [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] is a masc name with a femme nickname option of [name_f]Em[/name_f] or [name_f]Emma[/name_f], while [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] can be considered unisex because of the herb, and comes with the femme nickname of [name_u]Val[/name_u].
Considering: [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] ____
I am just absolutely stumped with this one. I received many lovely suggestions on my previous thread, but none of them really sang to me. I’m tentatively thinking of dreamy, green, shepherd-in-the-rolling-hills vibes for this one rather than doubling down on [name_m]Valerian[/name_m]'s more warrioresque interpretations, but that’s as definitive as I’ve gotten.
What suggestions do you have for a second middle to [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m]?
[name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u]
[name_m]Solomon[/name_m] is one of the few names that stayed on my list when I left the [name_u]Christian[/name_u] faith. I love the look, the feel, the sound, and the way it rolls off the tongue, but I am especially drawn to the associations with wisdom and peace. I also love that there’s at least as much occult lore around [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] as there is Judeo-[name_u]Christian[/name_u] mythology!
[name_u]Fable[/name_u] is a word name that I’ve loved for ages, laden with a sense of magic, story, and mystery. It’s a nod to one of my closest friends who I met playing the eponymous video game series, as well as a reference to S, who is a prolific writer, and even myself, a former children’s librarian.
The combo of [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] is set, with one masc name and one unisex name. [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] also provides a possible femme nickname in the form of [name_f]Lola[/name_f]. (We can’t use [name_f]Faye[/name_f] from [name_u]Fable[/name_u], as S has dibs on this one for her first daughter).
Considering: [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]
I love the celestial, mystical, wizardly vibes I get from this combo. [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] is one of those names that does not often spark my synesthesia on its own, but in combination with other names, it can give me gorgeous colours or imagery! In this case, [name_u]Fable[/name_u] is sort of a lavender shimmer, while [name_u]Orion[/name_u] is sparkles of starry silver, and next to them, [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] takes on this velvet deep indigo shade so that the three of them together make me think of wizards’ robes and celestial magic. Once again, I think this combo would be perfect… if I didn’t also love [name_u]Orion[/name_u] in another combo, [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]. I just cannot seem to choose between them!
Other options: [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] and [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m]
The thing I love about [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] is that it feels both dark and light at the same time. [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] has this warm golden meaning, but it also feels just a touch wicked and shadowy to me. In combination with [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] and [name_u]Fable[/name_u], these names give me the imagery of golden candlelight glancing off a raven’s wing and revealing deep purple-black shadows in the feathers with lavender edges to them. I’m also swooning over nickname [name_f]Luci[/name_f]! But again I have the problem of also loving [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] in another combo further down, with [name_m]Faramir[/name_m]. I don’t know how I keep doing this to myself. [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m] came about because I had to drop [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m] from his original place in a [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] combo, and I can’t seem to find a new home for him. I feel like he almost fits with [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u], but something about the three of them together is a little underwhelming.
What do you think, Berries? Would you choose [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u], or [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]? [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] or [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m]? [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] or [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] ____? And is [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m] worth considering, simply because the other two options have me locked in internal stalemates?
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u]
In addition to being the protagonist of one of our favourite movies, Stardust, [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] is also a character in [name_u]French[/name_u] and Celtic tales who ultimately found himself a dragon-slaying hero and [name_m]Knight[/name_m] of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. The story of his star-crossed love affair with [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] is believed to be the precursor of [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]'s [name_m]Romeo[/name_m] and [name_f]Juliet[/name_f].
[name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] is a magical word name meaning “night singer,” which never fails to overwhelm me with gorgeous imagery. Nightingales are associated with dualities such as love and loss, melancholy and joy, life and death. As an herbalist, I also like the connotations of healing the name gets from famous nurse [name_f]Florence[/name_f] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u].
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u] and [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] are set for this combo, as I adore these two names together. Their imagery is so complementary, both deeply romantic and tinged with sorrow. There is one masc name and one unisex name in this combo, with possible femme nickname [name_u]Tris[/name_u].
Considering: [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] and [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]
When someone suggested [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] on my previous thread, my first thought was, “that’s it, that’s The One.” This combo is just absolutely drenched in soft, shadowy, romantic, wistful, starry, dramatic energy. [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] is another of those names that gives me strong feelings and vibes, but not necessarily colours or images on his own. But paired with the velvety darkness of [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] and the starry silver-white of [name_u]Orion[/name_u], he’s suddenly alive with images of night-blooming flowers under moonlight and delicate vines winding up crumbling pillars to romantic balconies perfectly poised for a secret lovers’ tryst. This combo is so perfect…and yet I’m also in love with [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u], and find it maddeningly difficult to choose between them!
Also on my previous thread, someone suggested [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u] [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u], which my brain transposed into [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]. I love the way [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]'s gentle breezy softness combines with [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] and [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] to create this dreamy sensory rush of night-blooming flowers and birdsong carried on a breath of wind and moonbeams.
I’ve done it to myself again, Berries. What would you choose between [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] and [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]? What about between [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] and [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]?
[name_m]Faramir[/name_m]
Because I hadn’t already made this combo thing difficult enough for myself, I had to go and fall in love with another first name option: [name_m]Faramir[/name_m]. [name_m]Long[/name_m] one of my most beloved of Tolkien’s characters for his keen insight and gentle, compassionate nature, [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] is also one of the few characters in the series who point-blank rejects the One [name_m]Ring[/name_m], which I love, because it demonstrates that gentleness and strength are not mutually exclusive, and self-awareness is a powerful thing. Also, on a shallower note, every time I say this name, I hear “far-and-near,” and for some reason my strange little brain just absolutely loves this.
[name_m]Faramir[/name_m] is a masc name that also comes with a couple of femme nickname options, like [name_f]Farrah[/name_f] or [name_f]Miri[/name_f]. The combo would just need a unisex nature or word name to fill all the guidelines.
Considering: [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] ____, [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] ____ [name_u]North[/name_u], and [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_u]Winter[/name_u] ____
Because [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] hasn’t been on the shortlist very long, I don’t have a set combo picked out for him, though I do have a very strong sense of the imagery I’m looking for. [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] is another one of those names that give me deep velvety blues and silver sparkles, as well as imagery of slender, bare-branched trees with white bark, like birches or aspens; hushed carpets of snow; and the shimmering iridescent colours of northern lights in the night sky. I want to pull out all the wintry stops for this name, so I am gravitating towards combos like [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] [name_u]Silver[/name_u], [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Melchior[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u], and [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_u]Winter[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f]. I think [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] [name_u]Silver[/name_u] is just quicksilver smooth on the tongue, with snowflakes falling like silver stars and candlelight on drifts of snow. I love the imagery of [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Melchior[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u], which is all iced-through lakes and frozen hush and nothing but snow as far as the eye can see, under the clear brilliant light of an enormous star. The downside of this combo is that I feel like the M sounds in [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] and [name_m]Melchior[/name_m] are a bit close together and that muddies things a little. [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_u]Winter[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f] has very similar imagery, but the snow here is not only actively falling, but coming thick and fast, while the sky is awash with northern lights punctuated by one bright star (improbable, I know, since snow means clouds and clouds mean no aurora or stars).
Once again, I have the problem of loving a name in more than one combo. Would you choose [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m], or [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m] [name_u]Silver[/name_u]? [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_u]Winter[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f], or [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_f]Polaris[/name_f]?
What suggestions do you have for a [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] combo? What about a second middle for [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_m]Lucien[/name_m]? A first middle for [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] ____ [name_u]North[/name_u]? A second middle for [name_m]Faramir[/name_m] [name_u]Winter[/name_u]?
A word on [name_u]Julian[/name_u]
[name_u]Julian[/name_u] was one of the original shortlist names from the previous thread, and I want to reassure all my [name_u]Julian[/name_u] lovers that he is not gone, merely temporarily shelved. After falling head over heels for [name_u]Julian[/name_u] Baelfire and realizing my love of [name_u]Julian[/name_u] Baelfire Au___ names, I realized this was no name for a Pisces baby. I may post a separate thread just for [name_u]Julian[/name_u], but for now, he’s being saved for a future little one into which I can pour all those delicious autumnal vibes.
And that’s the current state of things! I swear, every single time I sit down to write a post, I tell myself, “Okay, this time, I’m going to KEEP IT SHORT.” Lies. This might be my longest post yet. I am allergic to brevity, it seems. If you’ve stuck with me this far, you’re an absolute TROOPER, because I am indecisive, scattered, and verbose, and the pregnancy brain is REAL.
Thank you, once again, for all your help, my beloved Berries. You are truly the reason I have made it this far with my sanity (relatively) intact.