☽ Feedback on My Top Names ☾

Boy Names
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I started doing a complete overhaul of my lists six months ago when my daughter was born (beginning with the masc list) and for the first time EVER, I have a Top Ten Eleven! (It was supposed to be ten, but one combo ended up being split into two.)

I would absolutely love to get your feedback on my top masc combos! Anything and everything - what you think of the individual names, what you think of the combos, what feelings or imagery they give you, what kind of person you can see them being, whether they work in a sibset - whatever you want to share! I value honesty; just please do be gentle. This list was painstakingly, lovingly crafted, and I’m a big ol’ softie who is easily overwhelmed by criticism. :sweat_smile:

For reference, older sibling is Nimue Fern Lunaria and last name sounds like KAY-lahr.

Without further ado, here is the list!

☽ Caspian Sparrow Polaris ☾

☽ Rowan Taliesin Fox ☾

☽ Fiachra Nettle Atreyu ☾

☽ Emrys Valerian Meadow ☾

☽ Solomon Fable Alistair ☾

☽ Julian Baelfire Hazel ☾

☽ Tristan Nightingale Orion ☾

☽ Isidore Celestin Frost ☾

☽ Soren Tiberius North ☾

☽ Balthasar Lucian Wolf ☾

☽ Oberon Petrichor Moss ☾

Thank you for all your replies on my lists, questions, and moodboard posts, which were all utilized in the making of this list. I look forward to hearing your feedback! :purple_heart:

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I absolutely loved your mood boards and lists! Can’t wait for the girly lists :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

[name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] is just stunning :heart_eyes: and perfect brother name to [name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u]

[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] (meadow on a little boy :heart_eyes: ) and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u]

I have to say all of the combos you came up with are almost breathtaking!

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I love your names! They give me such warm vibes! [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u], [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Fox[/name_u], & [name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u] have to be my favorite, but they’re all so beautiful! [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] on a boy is adorable, and [name_m]Fiachra[/name_m] Nettle [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m] is a new GP love of mine!

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Nimue is six months old!! That’s gone so fast!

Caspian Sparrow Polaris is an aboslutely magical combo - ethereal, elegant and sleek

Rowan Taliesin Fox is warm, interesting and earthy! I really like it

Fiachra Nettle Atreyu is so bold and cool! It has a rugged yet gentle feel

Emrys Valerian Meadow is sweet, magical and gentle. It has such a nice mythical feel while also feeling grounded

Solomon Fable Alistair is so handsome and charming. Fable adds something gentle, Solomon feels rich and deep and Alistair is wonderful

Julian Baelfire Hazel is balanced and interesting. Julian feels a little safe compared to your other choices but Baelfire Hazel adds something bright

Tristan Nightingale Orion is absolutely dreamy. I am in love. It’s so powerful yet gentle, magical and lovely

Isidore Celestin Frost is so sleek and powerful! Isidore is such a beautiful name and Celestin Frost adds something whimiscal and lovely

Soren Tiberius North is so nicely balanced between strong and rugged and gentle and starry. It gives me imagery of mountains!

Balthasar Lucian Wolf is so poetic and lovely!! I adore Balthasar and Lucian together!!

Oberon Petrichor Moss has a literary and handsome feel. It’s bold and interesting

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I love the emotion your names elicit! [name_f]Beautiful[/name_f] choices

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Your lists are always such a joy to see!

Nimue is a stunning choice. It’s unique, mystical and rich in background. With it, my favourite combos are:

Caspian Sparrow Polaris - The imagery is stunning! The combo is a bit heavy in P sounds but that doesn’t bother me too much. Caspian is just a wonderful choice next to Nimue! They have very similar vibes to me.

Oberon Petrichor Moss - This is probably my favourite combo, I adore the feel of this name and the use of Petrichor and Moss. This name just feels like a cosy, rainy day, and Oberon is so much fun! Unique but fun with approachable nicknames.

Isidore Celestin Frost - Where Oberon is autumn, Isidore feels like winter with these middles! I think Isidore is different from Nimue in style while also working perfectly with her.

I also loooove your Emrys combo but I personally find it to be a bit matchy with Nimue, because of the myths. All your other combos are lovely too, but I think the three I chose have the first names that go the best with lovely Nimue!

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[name_f]My[/name_f] favorites with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] are [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] and [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]!

The reason is thematic cohesion. They are more subtle than just using the name [name_u]Arthur[/name_u] for example lol.

Honestly though, most of these names go well with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] to me. With their strong literary/mythological connections, they should all be a good fit!

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I personally wouldn’t use [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] or [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f], because they all have Arthurian legend connections and that’s what immediately jumps out to me. Not everyone would realize or care, but just the way my mind works it bothers me. Which is a pity, because they’re both gorgeous names. (I love your daughter’s name so much, by the way. It really blows me away every time). (Side note: just noticed the previous poster said they liked the Arthurian connection! Funny how people can interpret some things so differently).

I think [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Fox[/name_u] and [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] are both beautiful combos on their own, and [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] and [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] both sound very nice with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f]. [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] and [name_m]Soren[/name_m] or [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] and [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] also work wonderfully together.

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[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] – I love this combo! I also love each name individually. [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] is fantastical without being unknown, and I adore the nickname [name_u]Cass[/name_u]. I think [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] is the perfect middle name, and I have it on my own list as [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u]. [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] is unexpected and honestly kinda perfect.

[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] [name_u]Fox[/name_u] – [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is my number one name. I cannot overemphasize how much I adore it. [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] isn’t a favorite of mine, but I think it sounds nice in this combo. Playful [name_u]Fox[/name_u] is perfect here and stitches the whole thing together nicely.

[name_m]Fiachra[/name_m] Nettle [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m] – This combo is more unfamiliar to me, but I do like the sound of it. I also think [name_m]Fiachra[/name_m] sounds wonderful alongside your daughter’s name. Nettle is an unexpected nature name, and I love it! I am neutral on [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m], but I think it works well here.

[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] – This one is so much fun! I have never been a huge fan of Emerys, but I love it in this combo. I tend to embrace softer, more unisex names, and this whole combo fits that vibe well. Like Nettle, [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] is another name I didn’t see coming but really enjoy. [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] is delightful.

[name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] – I think this one ties with [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] as my favorite from your list. I adore all of these names individually, and the combination is truly stunning. I feel like this balances tradition, whimsy and edge in perfect harmony.

[name_u]Julian[/name_u] Bealfire [name_u]Hazel[/name_u] – I love [name_u]Julian[/name_u]. It has been on my list for at least 15 years. It is versatile, lovely and opens up great nickname options like [name_u]Jules[/name_u] and [name_u]Jude[/name_u]. I don’t love Bealfire, but it is fun in the middle. [name_u]Hazel[/name_u] is sweet, and I like seeing it in a masc combo.

[name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u] – I am neutral on [name_u]Tristan[/name_u], but I think [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] sounds great together. I like [name_u]Orion[/name_u] on its own, but it feels a little out of place in this combination when I say it out loud.

[name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] – I don’t really like [name_m]Isidore[/name_m], but I do like this combination of names together. I also like that [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] leads to cute nickname options like [name_u]Sid[/name_u], [name_f]Izzie[/name_f] and [name_f]Dorie[/name_f]. [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] is gorgeous, and [name_u]Frost[/name_u] is one of my favorite names to see in the middle. This combo as a whole has a very winter-y feel.

[name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u] – I like this combo a lot! If [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] is winter, [name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u] is summer. I am actually neutral on all three names alone, but something about this combination is just irresistible.

[name_m]Balthasar[/name_m] [name_m]Lucian[/name_m] [name_u]Wolf[/name_u] – I absolutely love [name_m]Lucian[/name_m] and [name_u]Wolf[/name_u], and I love them together! I have been on a big Lucian/Lucy/Luce/Lux kick lately. I am not a fan of [name_m]Balthasar[/name_m], but again, I think it sounds nice in the combo.

[name_u]Oberon[/name_u] [name_m]Petrichor[/name_m] [name_m]Moss[/name_m] – [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] is a nice name, and I love the nickname [name_m]Obie[/name_m]. [name_m]Moss[/name_m] is another one of those unexpected nature names that I love so much. I don’t love [name_m]Petrichor[/name_m], but it does work to pull the combo together.

Overall, this is a lovely list. [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] and [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] seriously took my breath away! Of all the options, I think [name_m]Caspian[/name_m], [name_m]Emrys[/name_m], [name_m]Fiachra[/name_m] and [name_m]Soren[/name_m] sound best with your daughter’s name.

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I’m on some pretty heavy medication today, so I’m not up to individual responses yet. But I wanted to at least pop in and tell you all how lovely your comments are, and how much I’ve thrilled reading them throughout the day. Thank you so much! Your kind words are making my day so much brighter! :purple_heart:

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With [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] I really like

[name_m]Emrys[/name_m]
[name_m]Balthasar[/name_m]
[name_u]Oberon[/name_u]

I love how meaningful these names are to your partners and family . All of these names feel intrinsically you !

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@angelastella5 - Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed them. I’m looking forward to the femme names, but I’m also nervous about them, because after naming my daughter, I feel like I’m starting from scratch.
I love [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] and [name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u] together - if I had masc-presenting twins, this is what I would name them!
I’m thrilled that you love [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] [name_f]Meadow[/name_f]! I had [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] on my list for ages, but I felt like [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] sounded too much like a [name_m]Roman[/name_m] emperor and the dreamy nature vibe wasn’t coming through. When I was building the moodboard for this name, I was typing “meadow” into search engines to find the right imagery, and it suddenly hit me that I could just use [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] in the second middle slot! It immediately softened the combo so much and brought out the sweet dreamy imagery I was looking for.
Thank you so much! This comment takes my breath away! :heart_eyes:

@joevermore - Thank you so much! I love that they give you warm feelings!
I’m so glad you love [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] on a boy - I’ve always been of the opinion that any nature name is unisex if you’re brave enough! :wink:
I’m also excited that you love [name_m]Fiachra[/name_m] Nettle [name_m]Atreyu[/name_m]! This one came together at the last minute, so it doesn’t have the same level of time and thought put into it, but I just love it with my whole heart.

@Greyblue - Oh my goodness, the time has flown. I can’t believe how big she’s getting! :scream:
I absolutely love that you went through each combo and gave me your impressions. That level of feedback is invaluable to me.
I do think [name_u]Julian[/name_u] is one of the “safer” first names, which is part of why I was a little more daring with the middles. I just have a lot of beautiful associations with the name - [name_u]Julian[/name_u] [name_m]Bashir[/name_m] from [name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek, [name_u]Julian[/name_u] Blackthorn from the Shadowhunters books, and, of course, [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u]!
I’m so glad you love [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] [name_u]Orion[/name_u]! It was one of the first combos where I really let my whimsy take flight, and many of the others flowed from that feeling.
[name_m]Soren[/name_m] [name_m]Tiberius[/name_m] [name_u]North[/name_u] came from my Stormborn [name_m]Stoic[/name_m] aesthetic, which does feature a lot of mountains!

@AmLou0311 - Thank you so much! I’m so glad you found the names to be emotional and evocative, because that’s what I was going for! :slight_smile:

@tallemaja - That delights my heart!
Thank you for your sweet thoughts on my daughter’s name!
I do think [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] is a little P and S heavy, but something about repeated sounds throughout a combo makes my brain very happy, as long as they’re not overboard. I’m so glad you think it pairs well with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f]!
[name_u]Oberon[/name_u] [name_m]Petrichor[/name_m] [name_m]Moss[/name_m] is one of the newest additions to the list, and I absolutely love that it gives you cosy rain-drenched imagery, because that’s exactly what I was going for, with Petrichor’s gorgeous meaning!
[name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] definitely came from winter imagery! I love the idea of [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] as a brother for [name_f]Nim[/name_f]!
I do think [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] and [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] alone would be a bit matchy, so I would likely want at least one sib between them who didn’t have an Arthurian name.

Speaking of [name_f]Nim[/name_f], she is very grump that I’m using the screen to respond to Nameberry threads instead of playing more [name_f]My[/name_f] [name_m]Little[/name_m] Pony or [name_u]Wild[/name_u] Kratts episodes :joy: I’ll have to come back and reply to the rest of you later. Sending you all my love and thanks for your beautiful thoughts on my list! :purple_heart:

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Of course! I’m sure it won’t be as easy but i have faith that you’ll be able to come up with another beautiful set of whimsical names and combos!

I definitely agree that [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] and [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] [name_m]Valerian[/name_m] [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] just have different vibes and [name_f]Meadow[/name_f] softens it so perfectly :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I like [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u] and [name_m]Balthasar[/name_m] [name_m]Lucian[/name_m] [name_u]Wolf[/name_u]! I also think those would work well with the sibling and last name.

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Oh, my. These names are absolute magic and I’m in love with each! :sparkles: :black_heart:

[name_f]Every[/name_f] single one has something wonderful about it, but if I had to choose favorites I would pick [name_m]Isidore[/name_m] [name_u]Celestin[/name_u] [name_u]Frost[/name_u] and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_u]Sparrow[/name_u] [name_u]Polaris[/name_u]. So enchanting!

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Okay, my lovelies, I’m back for the rest of you!

@juliem1912 - I love hearing your feedback that having Nimue, Emrys, and Tristan in the same sibset would be a positive for you! Most people find it too themey.
I also love that you described these combos as having strong literary and mythological connections, because those are important elements to me in naming!

@findemaxa13 - I, too, find it really interesting that for some people the Arthurian connection is a reason to use those names together, while for others, it’s a reason to avoid using them. Naming really is such a personal endeavor!
Thank you so much for your sweet words about my daughter’s name! I’m just as in love with it as I was when we chose it.
I think it’s really interesting that Solomon is one of the names you think pairs best with Nimue, because it’s the one name on the list that I sometimes worry doesn’t belong - partly because it’s the only name I kept when I left the religion I was raised in, and partly because it’s the only combo that doesn’t include a nature name.

@acoker95 - Ooh, I just love it when someone goes through the whole list and gives me their thoughts on each combo! It’s wonderful to see each one through a new set of eyes.
Caspian would absolutely have Cas as a nickname (due to one of my favorite characters, Castiel from Supernatural.)
In addition to loving the mythology associated with Taliesin, I have a very intense emotional connection to the name (that I talk about briefly in this post under the Rowan Taliesin combo if you’re interested - comes with a TW for violence).
I’m so glad to hear that you like Fiachra as a sibling for Nimue! I think it’s the most unusual of my first names, and it’s a more recent love, but when I fell for it, I fell hard. Swan transformation folktales and the patron saint of gardeners?? What witch could resist? :sweat_smile:
I never used to be a fan of Emrys until I learned that Myrddin Emrys was the real-life inspiration for the Arthurian Merlin. It was one of those names where learning more about the lore changed my whole opinion!
I love Valerian so much, in part because I’m an herbalist and it’s very powerful medicine, and in part because of a character in one of my favorite book series growing up. I was struggling with it in the combo because I felt like instead of the association with dreams and herbalism, I was getting too much of a Roman warrior vibe. The addition of Meadow turned the whole thing around, and I’m even more in love with it than ever!
I love the way you described Solomon Fable Alistair as tradition, whimsy, and edge :heart_eyes:
I love the nickname Jules for Julian! Baelfire is one of those stunning names that borders on GP even for me, but Julian strikes me as the perfect first name for a more adventurous middle. Baelfire also gives me crackling bonfire imagery, while Julian and Hazel both feel like autumn, so I love them together. Hazel is also a family name for one of my partners.
I’m so glad you love Tristan Nightingale! Nightingale was my first really whimsical middle, and once I had that combo fleshed out, it was like I found my “style,” and so many of the others fell more easily into place.
I’ve really struggled with nicknames for Isidore, because Sid makes me think of the horrible child from Toy Story, Dory / Dorie is so synonymous with the fish, and my synesthesia brain really hates the harsh buzz of the double Z in Izzy. I thought about Issy, but that seems like it would be rife with teasing potential.
I’m surprised and fascinated to hear that Soren Tiberius North reads summer to you, because for me, it’s just as wintry, but more rugged - stormy seas and foggy coastline and rocky cliffs - whereas Isidore Celestin Frost is all snow and ice and northern lights.
I’m glad you like Lucian and Wolf together! Balthasar is an honor name for me. One of my Beloved Dead is named Daniel, and I was trying to find a creative way to honor him without using a name that is so contrary to my… well, everything. The Biblical Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar by the Babylonian king, who also made him chief of his occult advisors, and the Greek variant of Belteshazzar is Balthasar. I love it because it gives me a way to honor someone who was important to me without using a name that is so common - or so very Christian.
I think Petrichor can be one of those very polarizing names. I’m just so in love with the evocative meaning - “the smell of the earth after it rains.” Swoon! I also think it is a great unisex name, with femme nicknames like Petra or Cora and masc options like Peter or Rick.
Thank you again for your in-depth feedback!

@Ehrob1 - Thank you so much!! I literally gave a quiet little giddy squeal when I read your comment. I love the idea that someone could look at these combos and go, “yep, that must be lavenderwitch.” :heart_eyes:

@angelastella5 - Thank you! I’m going to come re-read this whenever I get discouraged working on the femme list. :kissing_heart:

@Johannaa - Thank you for the feedback! I sometimes forget about my last name when making combos, so that’s good to hear.

@TheNightingale - I love your username, naturally!
Thank you sooo much! I’m so glad you love them, and that you think every one has something wonderful! That is such high praise :heart_eyes:

All my love and gratitude to you beautiful Berries for your kind words and thoughtful feedback. This thread makes my day every time I look at it. :purple_heart: :purple_heart: :purple_heart:

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To elaborate on [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] and make a further case for him—I think [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] works with [name_f]Nimue[/name_f] both in terms of having complementary sounds and because they have similar vibes to me. I think wisdom, magic, mystery, a kind of regal solemnity but a hint of wonder. They’re midnight blue and royal purple and quiet contemplation and mapping out the stars. I don’t usually go for really aesthetic descriptions as part of how I process names, but they both apparently brought something out in me!

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I love this sooooo much, and it’s very similar to how I visualize [name_m]Solomon[/name_m]! (This name was the seed for my Arcane [name_m]Scholar[/name_m] moodboard, so most of the images in that aesthetic are related to the colors and items and feelings I get from him.) Thank you for reminding me how much I love the name!

Maybe I need to rethink the rest of the combo? I’m so attached to [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u], and I think as a standalone combo, [name_m]Solomon[/name_m] [name_u]Fable[/name_u] [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] is glorious. But in the context of the rest of my combos, which are so drenched in nature names, it just feels like the odd one out (although, I do think it pairs perfectly with [name_m]Balthasar[/name_m] [name_m]Lucian[/name_m] Wolf).

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Top Three:
☽ Caspian Sparrow Polaris ☾
Ugh, SWOOOON, this one’s my absolute favorite

☽ Rowan Taliesin Fox ☾
#3, Rowan feels a bit common with Nimue, but the combo is wonnnnderful

☽ Fiachra Nettle Atreyu ☾
#2, looooove it

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