Nameberry had a great blog post titled just this, but I’m looking for more masculine yet friendly/boy next door style names. We already have a DS, [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] [name_m]Bennett[/name_m]. Here are some faves and DH’s FB.
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] “[name_m]Wes[/name_m]” - My ultimate favorite. DH is hung up on the “ley” ending for a boy, though
[name_m]Holden[/name_m] - I don’t like that the boys would share the same name ending sound – “an” and “en”
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] - DH has bad taste in his mouth due to a not-so-nice coworker
[name_m]Ford[/name_m] (maybe short for [name_m]Bradford[/name_m]) - DH said [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] was antisemitic (even though that would NOT be his namesake)
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] - Our last name sounds similar and is one syllable with double “e”
[name_m]Kurt[/name_m] - Very short last and first name. An issue?
[name_u]Everett[/name_u] “[name_m]Rhett[/name_m]” - DH didn’t like a kid from school growing up (to which I say “get over it”)
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u] - [name_u]Love[/name_u] the strength but approachability. DH won’t even react.
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] “[name_m]Wes[/name_m]” - [name_m]Wesley[/name_m] is cute, but if your husband is hung up on the “ley” ending for a boy, perhaps [name_m]Weston[/name_m]? I know it has the similar ending you don’t prefer, but it certainly doesn’t sound bad.
[name_m]Holden[/name_m] - I am not a fan of this one. I’m not sure why. Never really have been. [name_u]Hudson[/name_u], however, I do like and it has a similar sound.
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] - [name_m]Leo[/name_m] doesn’t seem to go with [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] to me. It doesn’t strike me as boy-next-door either. Perhaps [name_m]Levi[/name_m] or [name_m]Luke[/name_m]?
[name_m]Ford[/name_m] - I really like [name_m]Bradford[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ford[/name_m]. I don’t know why [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] should have anything to do with the name. I don’t personally think of [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] specifically when I hear the name and I don’t think it would be an issue.
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] - While I love this name, if your last name is one syllable with the double “e” as well, I think it might end up sound too matchy.
[name_m]Kurt[/name_m] - Not a huge fan of this one, but it is down to earth and boy-next-door. Although, it also makes me think of the character on Glee who was definitely not either of those things. lol
[name_u]Everett[/name_u] - I adore this name. It’s one of my top boy names. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the nickname [name_m]Rhett[/name_m], too. [name_u]Everett[/name_u], however, doesn’t strike me as down-to-earth or boy-next-door. It has a more sophisticated, classic sound to me.
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u] - This one is really cute. I think I like it the most with [name_m]Nathan[/name_m]. It’s a little similar to [name_m]Bennett[/name_m], but I don’t think that would ever be a problem unless you intend on using the boys’ middle names all the time.
Suggestions:
[name_m]Eric[/name_m] (my DH’s name…older brother is [name_m]Nathan[/name_m], so they just sound right together to me lol)
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m] nn [name_u]Sam[/name_u] (very down-to-earth/boy next door to me)
[name_m]Jackson[/name_m]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Whitaker[/name_m] nn [name_u]Whit[/name_u] (or just [name_u]Whit[/name_u] as a stand alone)
[name_m]Madden[/name_m]
[name_m]Trent[/name_m]
[name_m]Booth[/name_m] (similar to [name_m]Ford[/name_m], although if [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] is an issue, I can only imagine what your DH would think of the potential connection to [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Wilkes[/name_m] [name_m]Booth[/name_m]. haha)
[name_m]Cole[/name_m]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Jacob[/name_m]
[name_m]Foster[/name_m]
[name_m]Tripp[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathan[/name_m] and [name_m]Wesley[/name_m] sound great together [name_m]Westcott[/name_m], [name_m]Weston[/name_m], and [name_m]Westley[/name_m] could be alternatives (though [name_m]Westley[/name_m] still has the -ley ending, and I’m guessing -leigh would be even worse . . . !).
Other than that, I think [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] seems like the best fit. I completely agree with you on the “strength but approachability”. I like [name_m]Kurt[/name_m] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m], too. Short FN + short LN needn’t be an issue.
Suggestions:
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucius[/name_m]
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Carew[/name_m]
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m] (though it’s very like [name_m]Bennett[/name_m])
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] “[name_m]Seb[/name_m]”/“[name_m]Bas[/name_m]”
[name_m]Drake[/name_m]
[name_u]Corey[/name_u]
[name_m]Philip[/name_m]/[name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
[name_m]Lewis[/name_m]
[name_m]Antony[/name_m]/[name_m]Anthony[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_u]Finn[/name_u]
[name_m]Deveraux[/name_m]
[name_m]Luke[/name_m]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u]
[name_u]Campbell[/name_u]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m]/[name_m]Rupert[/name_m]
[name_m]Ryder[/name_m]
[name_m]Walden[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]
[name_m]Bernard[/name_m]
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_u]Barrett[/name_u]
[name_m]Lorcan[/name_m]
[name_m]Kirk[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Jock[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] “[name_m]Fred[/name_m]”/“[name_u]Freddy[/name_u]”/“[name_u]Red[/name_u]”/“[name_m]Rick[/name_m]”/“[name_m]Derick[/name_m]”/etc. ([name_u]Red[/name_u] as a nickname is SO COOL!)
[name_m]Andrew[/name_m]
[name_m]Simeon[/name_m]/[name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Julius[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m]
[name_m]Morris[/name_m]
Thanks! Funny how the names on your lists are EXACTLY what I had in mind – in fact – I have [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_u]Jude[/name_u], [name_m]Caleb[/name_m] and [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] (close to [name_m]Foster[/name_m]) on it. There are so many great names already taken by close friends and family – ones that DH and I love, like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] (my nephew), [name_m]Luke[/name_m] (my best friend’s son), [name_m]Cole[/name_m] ([name_m]Nathan[/name_m]'s best bud). And “[name_m]Bennett[/name_m]” is actually named after my grandfather [name_m]Benedict[/name_m]
I can’t get over the same sounding ending – which stinks – bc there are so many likable names that end in the same way – like [name_m]Weston[/name_m] or [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] or [name_u]Logan[/name_u] or [name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] or [name_m]Bronson[/name_m]. Oh well.
[name_u]Love[/name_u] the recos of [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], [name_m]Foster[/name_m] and [name_m]Tripp[/name_m] (plus the ones above). Thank you!
First name i thought of as “down to earth” was [name_u]Reece[/name_u] (also spelt [name_u]Reese[/name_u] or [name_u]Rhys[/name_u])
But i also like [name_u]Jensen[/name_u], [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], [name_m]Connor[/name_m], [name_m]Cole[/name_m], [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m], & [name_u]Wendell[/name_u].
Thank you @kjh466. I have a feeling [name_m]Wesley[/name_m] will eventually win him over. [name_m]Thatcher[/name_m]! Cute!
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] but my niece is [name_u]Brooke[/name_u]
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Tucker[/name_m] but dearest friend’s sons are [name_m]Cole[/name_m] and [name_m]Tucker[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m] is absolutely perfect, but my friend is on her 3rd child and her last was [name_m]Graham[/name_m].
And I still can’t get on board with an “on” “in” “en” “an” ending with big brother [name_m]Nathan[/name_m]. To matchy-matchy.
I’m one of the last to have kids. With 2 sisters, 3 S-I-Ls, 1 B-I-LS – nine nieces and nephews – and most of my friends with 2 or 3 kids, already, we are so limited. I still can’t believe [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] was available. It’s his great grandfather’s name, so we’d have used it regardless, but – anywho – takes the fun out of it when you keep having to say “love it! but [name’s] son…” every two minutes.
I tried to think of names that haven’t been mentioned, do not begin with the letter N, do not end in the N sound and that are more than one syllable. I hope this list is helpful.
[name_u]Hudson[/name_u], however, I do like and it has a similar sound.
[name_m]Westcott[/name_m], [name_m]Weston[/name_m], and [name_m]Westley[/name_m] could be alternatives (though [name_m]Westley[/name_m] still has the -ley ending, and I’m guessing -leigh would be even worse . . . !).