[name_m]Hi[/name_m]!
My husband and I are having our first baby, a boy, in [name_u]June[/name_u], but so far we haven’t really found a name that we both [name_u]LOVE[/name_u].
I tend to like old names with history. I also want the name to not be too popular, preferably outside the top 100. My name was super popular when I was born and I hated always having other people around with the same name. Some names that I like: [name_m]Edwin[/name_m], [name_m]Chester[/name_m], [name_u]Francis[/name_u], [name_m]Harry[/name_m], [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], [name_m]Louis[/name_m], [name_m]Walter[/name_m], [name_m]Simon[/name_m].
My husband usually likes word names, nickname-y names, popular names, and names that to me sound like dog names. Some names that my husband likes: [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_m]Ryker[/name_m], [name_u]Grey[/name_u], [name_m]Fox[/name_m], [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], [name_m]Nash[/name_m], [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u].
The only name on our list so far is [name_m]Grant[/name_m].
Middle name will be a name that honors our family members: [name_m]Paul[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_m]Johan[/name_m] or [name_m]Adam[/name_m]. We have also been entertaining the idea of two middle names, but haven’t decided yet.
If you can think of any names that we might like, we would love to hear it. Thanks in advance.
What about something in the line of a surname? Such as [name_u]Auden[/name_u], [name_m]Edison[/name_m] or [name_u]Emery[/name_u] or [name_m]Winston[/name_m]? They can have more tradition roots and history, but a lot have the potential for more updated nicknames or sounding more modern.
I tried to go for older names with a contemporary/familiar flair. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helped you a little. I also love @kipperbo1’s suggestion of using a classic name with a more modern nickname.
Some extras that might not be historical but might make the cut:
[name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_m]Gage[/name_m]
[name_u]Dean[/name_u]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_u]Memphis[/name_u]
Haha I’m glad to hear we’re not the only ones with different naming styles trying to find something we both like.
Thanks for the suggestions, keep 'em coming!
Names that I liked from your suggestions:
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] - We both like this one and have talked about it, but we know a couple kids named [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. And looks like it’s pretty popular outside just our circle of friends as well.
[name_m]Bennett[/name_m] - This might actually work. I suggested [name_m]Benedict[/name_m] earlier and DH kinda liked it, but wasn’t sold, so this might be a good alternative.
[name_u]Everett[/name_u], nn [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] - I’m not crazy about [name_u]Everett[/name_u], but I like the nickname [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] and I think DH would like it too. However I don’t want to use just [name_m]Rhett[/name_m]. Would [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] work as a nickname for something other than [name_u]Everett[/name_u]?
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u] - I like [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], but there are a few [name_f]El[/name_f]- names in our family/friends already that are all girls ([name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]…). So I wonder if [name_u]Ellis[/name_u] would sound too girly?
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] - I like this one. I’ll have to ask what DH thinks.
[name_m]Clement[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Clement[/name_m], but DH does not.
A surname name, history with a modern feeling - We’re open to using a surname name as a first name, but our last name ends in -son so names with that ending are out. We don’t want the baby’s name to sound like it’s all just surnames.
A classic name with a modern nickname - This would work, but I still want my husband to love the classic name as well.
[name_m]Ramsay[/name_m] - This is one of the names DH likes a lot and I kinda like it too, but I always think of [name_m]Ramsay[/name_m] [name_m]Bolton[/name_m] from Game of Thrones.
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u] - My little sister and her friends are crazy about this name (Twilight) and I like it too, but it also makes me feel like I’m a 16-year-old fan girl like them. Without Twilight I would probably love this name a lot more.
[name_u]Reid[/name_u] and [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] - DH loves these. I like them too, but I’m not completely sold.
[name_m]Clark[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Clark[/name_m] and I think DH will like it too.
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Desmond[/name_m], but I’m 99% sure DH won’t like it.
I second [name_m]Bennett[/name_m]! Here’s some focusing on the [name_m]Harry[/name_m] nn beyond the classic [name_m]Harold[/name_m]:
[name_u]Harbor[/name_u]
[name_m]Harden[/name_m]/[name_m]Hardey[/name_m]
[name_m]Harris[/name_m]
[name_m]Harlan[/name_m] (this one’s really an oldie!)
[name_f]Harlow[/name_f]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u] (becoming unisex, but also quite popular which may not be best for you)
I think I have the perfect name for you: [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]! I love this name.
Other names you both might like:
[name_u]Asa[/name_u]
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
[name_m]Baker[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m]
[name_m]Oswin[/name_m] or [name_m]Oswald[/name_m]
[name_m]Rafferty[/name_m]
[name_m]Wolf[/name_m]
Another thing I like to do is just think of what sounds best with the baby’s last name. Go through the bottom half of the top 1000 or a baby book and just think about what sounds best (coolest, most memorable, whatever) with that last name. I think it gets me to think in a new way about names I might have otherwise passed right over.
What about a classic name/name with a history of use that’s a surname or that has a more modern sound?
Russell
Murray
Ross
Kendrick
Wesley
Merritt
Milton
August (getting more popular though)
Julian
Cormac
Hayes
Jude
Oscar
Harrison (you can use Harry as a nickname)
Piers
Porter
Elliott
Magnus
I think Rhett can definitely stand alone- think of Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind And I don’t think the Twilight connection is very strong with Emmett anymore, it doesn’t seem like the kind of book that teens will still be reading by the time your son is a teen. Ellis doesn’t sound too girly for me at all- it’s similar to Elias which is all boy to me.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We have added a few of them on our list and would love to hear more!
Our list at the moment in no particular order:
[name_m]Grant[/name_m]
[name_m]Bennett[/name_m]
[name_m]Clark[/name_m]
[name_m]Clive[/name_m]
A few names we are thinking about adding on our list: [name_m]Aldous[/name_m], [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] and [name_m]Duncan[/name_m].
I would love to hear your opinions about the names on our list as well!
For the record, [name_m]Simon[/name_m] and [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] feel perfectly suited to this list as well. It’s a shame you guys couldn’t agree on either of them.
And I don’t think the Twilight connection is very strong with Emmett anymore, it doesn’t seem like the kind of book that teens will still be reading by the time your son is a teen. Ellis doesn’t sound too girly for me at all- it’s similar to Elias which is all boy to me.