Feedback on these names?

Boy Names
1

I’m in my early 20s and changing my name. I feel justified in my reasons for changing it (named for an abusive family member, it’s unisex-leaning-strongly-feminine and causes confusion on a semi-regular basis, I’ve always felt very detached from it), but I have a harder time picking a name I feel justified changing it to.

I know a name like [name_m]JOhn[/name_m] or [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] would be easy and not really objectionable, but I don’t fancy the idea of sharing a name with someone I know, and I’ve spent my whole life hating my name so I want to really love the one I change it to, and getting the strong feeling I want tends to lead me to names that are more unconventional. But, you know, since the people who know me now will know that I chose the name myself, I’m very cautious about how it would be interpreted, and I am especially very concerned about looking pretentious. I don’t like I’m too good or special for a name like [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], I just want a name I feel strongly about, but I am concerned about looking like I’m trying to be different.

That said, this is not my entire list, but it is many of the more controversial ideas. Assume you know a guy named, for example, [name_u]Courtney[/name_u], and you found out he changed his name to:

[name_m]Havelock[/name_m] ([name_m]Lock[/name_m]?), Meriwhether ([name_f]Meri[/name_f]), [name_m]Sacheverell[/name_m] ([name_u]Sasha[/name_u]), Merrimack ([name_f]Merri[/name_f] or [name_m]Mack[/name_m]), [name_m]Cutler[/name_m], Kierkegaard ([name_m]Kirk[/name_m]), [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] ([name_m]Milo[/name_m]) (personal fav, as [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] has been my favorite founding father since I did a project on him in 3rd grade, but with the popularity of the musical I’m just super concerned about it), [name_u]Concord[/name_u], [name_m]Hancock[/name_m], [name_m]Arlington[/name_m], Revere

And just to prove I’m not crazy, a couple more conventional ones:

[name_u]Sinclair[/name_u], Townes, [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m], Strauss, [name_m]Lafayette[/name_m], [name_m]Calhoun[/name_m], [name_m]Alois[/name_m], Haytham/Haitham, [name_m]Latham[/name_m], [name_m]Laith[/name_m], [name_u]Shaw[/name_u], [name_m]Absalom[/name_m], Credence, [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m], [name_m]Luther[/name_m], [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m], Braith, Stratton, [name_m]Alphonse[/name_m], Daveth, [name_u]Joss[/name_u]

And just for the record, the safe names I’m okay with but don’t feel strongly about:

[name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_u]Seth[/name_u], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_m]Jason[/name_m], [name_m]Damien[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m], [name_m]Stuart[/name_m], [name_u]Percy[/name_u]

Thanks in advance!

2

I was actually going to say that [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] was the best out of these choices, so I’m glad it’s your favourite. [name_m]Milo[/name_m] is a decently mainstream nickname for it as well. You could also choose one of your lesser-loved names for the first with [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] as the middle?

Meriweather is too pretentious for me and I don’t think a nickname that rhymes with [name_f]Mary[/name_f] is what you’re after.

3

I really like [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] “[name_m]Milo[/name_m]”! I also think [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] and [name_u]Shaw[/name_u] are great, but [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] is definitely my favorite. I’m glad to hear it’s yours too! I think [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] “[name_m]Milo[/name_m]” is the way to go, since neither are too common but both are heard of and easily pronounced and spelled.

4

I like [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] “[name_m]Milo[/name_m]”, as well! [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] is a bit old-fashioned, but still a recognizable name. I feel like [name_m]Milo[/name_m] gives it a more ‘homey’ feel to it. I do not mean this as an attack or anything like that at all, but many of the names you have listed do give off that ‘trying too hard’ feel, and others (like Meriwhether) lend to nicknames that are feminine, which isn’t a bad thing, but it does seem to be something you are trying to get away from.

Aside from [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] “[name_m]Milo[/name_m]”, I think [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m], [name_u]Shaw[/name_u], and [name_m]Luther[/name_m] are usable. From the ‘safe list’, I love [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m], [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], and [name_u]Percy[/name_u]!

5

I really like both [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] and [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u]! I think you would be happy with either of those choices. (Or both? You could use [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u] as the middle. And seriously don’t worry about seeming pretentious. (My son’s name is [name_m]Archimedes[/name_m] so seriously, don’t stress it.)

My neighbor is named [name_u]Courtney[/name_u]! He goes by [name_m]Jake[/name_m] though, but has never bothered to change it.

6

[name_m]How[/name_m] about:

[name_m]Ramsey[/name_m]

Familiar enough, but not very common

7

Not a big fan of [name_m]Ramsey[/name_m]. It’s alright, but it doesn’t feel like me, and it reminds me a lot of both [name_m]Gordon[/name_m] [name_m]Ramsay[/name_m] and [name_m]Bolton[/name_m] [name_m]Ramsay[/name_m] from GoT.

8

I’m sorry, but if you don’t want to seem pretentious, then [name_m]Arlington[/name_m], Meriwhether, Merrimack, [name_m]Sacheverell[/name_m] (I thought you were trying to break away from feminine names?), [name_m]Havelock[/name_m], Kierkegaard, and [name_m]Lafayette[/name_m] would all be out for me.

I’m all for unique names, but those are a little much in this day and age. I like [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m], as everyone said, but I would worry about the popularity of the musical as well. [name_m]Hamill[/name_m] or [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m] might be alternative options. Or you could just go by [name_m]Milo[/name_m].

If you like the Merr names, what about [name_m]Merrick[/name_m] or [name_u]Merritt[/name_u]? Those seem more wearable to me and are both very handsome names.

I actually like Revere, [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u], [name_u]Shaw[/name_u], [name_m]Laith[/name_m], [name_m]Luther[/name_m], [name_m]Alphonse[/name_m], [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m], [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m], and [name_u]Joss[/name_u]. Any of those would do. I’m not a fan of Daveth but Davor is a cool name.

[name_m]Cutler[/name_m], [name_u]Concord[/name_u], [name_m]Hancock[/name_m],Townes, [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m], Strauss, [name_m]Calhoun[/name_m], [name_m]Alois[/name_m], Haytham/Haitham, [name_m]Latham[/name_m], [name_m]Absalom[/name_m], Credence, Braith, Stratton would not be on my list, personally, but I guess they could work as names. I knew a [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] in college, we called him [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] Scholar (ironically because he was a partier).

[name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_u]Seth[/name_u], [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_m]Jason[/name_m], [name_m]Damien[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m], [name_m]Stuart[/name_m], [name_u]Percy[/name_u] are all fine, some more interesting than others (like [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m] and [name_m]Stuart[/name_m]!) but they could all work.

9

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there! I’m [name_m]Sean[/name_m], and I too changed my name about half a year ago. Like you, my former name was technically unisex but leaning strongly feminine (a bit girlier than [name_u]Courtney[/name_u] though; think [name_f]Lauren[/name_f]). Also like you, most of the alternatives I had originally considered were highly unusual. In the end, I decided to choose something that most people would be familiar with, but that also had a personal meaning. (It’s short for a Gaelic word meaning “storyteller” that I read in a book almost ten years ago and have been using online ever since.)

Naming yourself almost feels like a unique opportunity to choose that one weird name that you love but wouldn’t give to a child in case they end up hating it. However, changing your name as an adult comes with the disadvantage that everyone who already knows you by your current name will have to get used to calling you something different. Having to suddenly remember a new name is a little inconvenient already, but it’s exponentially more inconvenient if it’s a name they’ve never heard before. Personally, I think my choice to use a more traditional name has been helpful to my friends and family who have been calling me by my former name for years.

It also could help your friends and family out if the new name sounds a bit like the old one (e.g. [name_u]Cory[/name_u] for [name_u]Courtney[/name_u]) but I hated my old name too, so I chose something very different from it and I wouldn’t blame you for doing the same.

Anyway, for the sake of the people in your life currently, your “safe” names like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_u]Seth[/name_u], or [name_m]Jason[/name_m] would be the best choices. But since you’re not totally sold on them, I do want to add that I think [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] is actually a pretty solid choice. It’s not a common first name, sure, but it is a widely known surname, closely associated with your favorite founding father, very easy to spell, and the nickname [name_m]Milo[/name_m] is a nice bonus. Speaking of nicknames, [name_m]Kirk[/name_m] and [name_m]Mack[/name_m] are also very familiar names, so even if no one can remember how to spell Merrimack or Kierkegaard, they’ll have something to fall back on.

Another thing you might want to think about is that some of the names and nicknames you’re thinking about are still more feminine than masculine. I assume that kind of confusion is one the major things you wanted to avoid, so I would be careful with names starting with [name_f]Merri[/name_f]- or [name_f]Meri[/name_f]- (and especially the use of a nickname that sounds just like [name_f]Mary[/name_f]), [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] (used more often for girls than boys), [name_u]Joss[/name_u] (I love [name_u]Joss[/name_u] Whedon, but I assume that he wouldn’t be everyone’s first association), or even [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u] (not a common name, but it could be reminiscent of [name_u]Clair[/name_u] to some). Really, almost any of the unconventional names you listed could be somewhat ambiguous just because most people wouldn’t have a gender association for them. I personally love gender-neutral names, but if you would prefer to be assumed male by everyone who sees your name, then you are best off choosing a traditional male name.

This has been a bit long, and I know I talked a lot about being considerate towards your friends and family when making this decision, but ultimately, changing your name is more about becoming comfortable with yourself than it is about trying to please other people. This is all just some food for thought; in the end, it’s your choice and no one else’s. Best of luck, I hope you find something that you’re 100% happy with!

10

If you feel good wearing a “controversial” name, go for it! You need to feel good in your body and with your identity. You can still pick a classic middle name if you don’t have one.
That being said, I like [name_m]Havelock[/name_m], Merrimack & [name_u]Concord[/name_u]. [name_m]Kirk[/name_m] and [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] are interesting names too. You seem to tend towards [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m], go for it. I see nothing wrong and I think it’s actually easy to wear.

In your other lists I like:

  • [name_u]Sinclair[/name_u], [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m], [name_u]Shaw[/name_u], [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m] & [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
  • [name_m]Levi[/name_m], [name_u]Seth[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] & [name_u]Percy[/name_u]

A few combos with my favorites:
[name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] [name_u]Percy[/name_u]
[name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m]
[name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] [name_u]Shaw[/name_u]
[name_m]Kirk[/name_m] [name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Kirk[/name_m] [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m]
[name_m]Havelock[/name_m] [name_m]Rhett[/name_m]
Merrimack [name_u]Shaw[/name_u]
[name_m]Rhett[/name_m] [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m]
[name_u]Percy[/name_u] [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m]
[name_m]Rhett[/name_m] [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m]
[name_u]Percy[/name_u] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
[name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] [name_m]Rhett[/name_m]
[name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m]
[name_u]Concord[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]

11

I think [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m]/[name_m]Milo[/name_m] perfectly fine and lovely. [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] and [name_m]Luther[/name_m] are also cool. Personally, I might think some of the other name were a little stylized if a friend/coworker suddenly decided to change his name. But your safe names are all, obviously, perfectly objectionless. However, it is YOUR name so you should be happy with it.

12

You’re wonderful with words so I think [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] - “[name_m]Milo[/name_m]” is a PERFECT fit! The [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] craze sure is in full swing right now, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing to be associated with either.

[name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] is a bit lofty and prestigious, sophisticated even, while [name_m]Milo[/name_m] brings it “back to earth”. A perfect mix. Plus you have an established history of appreciation for the namesake, I don’t see how you could go wrong!