See the results of this poll: Brother for Oakley Miles?
Respondents: 80 (This poll is closed)
- Lennox Ford Dickinson: 21 (26%)
- Ford Leo Dickinson: 12 (15%)
- Bennett Ford Dickinson: 47 (59%)
I love the name [name]Bennett[/name]!
I’m not surprised that [name]Bennett[/name] is the leader (probably due to the traditional “[name]Ben[/name]” nickname which is the only part of the name I don’t like)! But is [name]Ford[/name] really so disliked? Is it the brand name thing? Is [name]Lennox[/name] really a better more distinct name? Is [name]Ford[/name] destined to be a middle name due to the lack of nn potential?
I like [name]Ford[/name]! I think it needs a longer middle name eg [name]Ford[/name] [name]Bennett[/name]. I voted for [name]Bennett[/name] even though [name]Ben[/name] is super popular.
I know this is the final list but something like [name]Grantham[/name] [name]Ford[/name] with a nn of [name]Grant[/name] would be doable although I find [name]Grantham[/name] a little [name]OTT[/name]. Maybe [name]Grant[/name] Fordham [name]Dickinson[/name]?
rollo
None of them are my style, but they are all still perfectly lovely names. I voted for [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name], and here’s why.
[name]Lennox[/name] [name]Ford[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] – Honestly, I hear ‘[name]Lennox[/name]’, and I think vases. Plus, I don’t think it has very many nickname options. There’s [name]Len[/name] or [name]Lenny[/name], which sounds outdated, or Nox, which makes me think either of [name]Fort[/name] [name]Knox[/name] or noxious fumes. It does sound GREAT with your last name, but [name]Lennox[/name] [name]Ford[/name] is a little bit too brand-namey for me unfortunately.
[name]Ford[/name] [name]Leo[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] – I agree with a pp that this would be perfect with a longer mn, ie [name]Ford[/name] [name]Bennett[/name] or [name]Ford[/name] [name]Lennox[/name]. The only problem I see is that [name]Ford[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] sort of runs together with the two D’s so close together, it sounds a little like Fordickinson when I say it fast. But other than that, I absolutely love [name]Ford[/name]. As for nickname potential, I don’t see WHY people need to give a nickname to a name that’s already only one syllable, so no, that doesn’t put me off at all. I just think [name]Ford[/name] doesn’t flow with [name]Leo[/name] as well.
[name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] – I like [name]Bennett[/name], not as much as [name]Ford[/name], but I think [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] has better flow than [name]Ford[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name], and better nicknames/associations than [name]Lennox[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name].
I think if you swapped [name]Ford[/name] for a fn and made either [name]Lennox[/name] or [name]Bennett[/name] the mn for it, you would have a killer combo! GL with your choice, they are all good names!
I actually was almost going to vote [name]Ford[/name], but I thought for long-term that [name]Bennett[/name] w/ nn [name]Ben[/name] was a more sensible choice. I do like [name]Ford[/name] quite a bit, but I think if you caught me on another day I might only think of cars. I also like the idea of [name]Lennox[/name] but not the name. It reminds me of a New [name]York[/name], which is a plus, but with [name]Maddox[/name], [name]Knox[/name], [name]Max[/name], [name]Felix[/name] and other ‘x’ endings floating around, I think it makes it sound trendier than it really is. It’s a nice name, though.
Also, I love [name]Bennett[/name] for the Pride and Prejudice reference if you’re a [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name] fan!
Wow! Thanks for all your great responses and explanations! Now I’m torn between two: [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] or [name]Ford[/name] [name]Bennett[/name].
The only thing about [name]Bennett[/name] is that I have no really strong association with the name other than just liking it, while my other son’s name is loaded with intimate connotations. (Though I do like [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name], I never even noticed the name reference)!
[name]Ford[/name] is a river-related nature name (huge bonus for me) and a family name honoring my uncle. But then I agree that [name]Ford[/name] runs into the last name (double letter naming no-no, no?) and ends up sounding like Fordickinson.
Which goes better with #1 son, [name]Oakley[/name] [name]Miles[/name]?
I agree that [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] and [name]Ford[/name] [name]Bennett[/name] are the 2 best choices! Personally, I think [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] flows better, doesn’t run into your last name, and has the same rhythm as [name]Oakley[/name] [name]Miles[/name]. None of those seem like deal breakers against “[name]Ford[/name] [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name]” though. The downside to me of [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] is the nn [name]Ben[/name]. If you’re ok with calling him by his mn (some people are, some aren’t), then I say use [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name] for the overall flow, with the possibility of using either [name]Bennett[/name] or [name]Ford[/name] everyday. Or just wait and see what suits him best! Either way, I don’t think you can go wrong with these choices! 
It just occurred to me that [name]Ford[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] sounds very close to [name]Fort[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name] in PA. Not sure how familiar that is to you, but when I read the name with the last name, I read it as [name]Fort[/name] and not [name]Ford[/name] at first. [name]May[/name] not be an issue, just mentioning!
I voted for [name]Bennett[/name] [name]Ford[/name]. I like [name]Bennett[/name], though not so much the nickname [name]Ben[/name]. As for the other two combos, to me, [name]Ford[/name] (trucks) and [name]Lennox[/name] (crystal) are just too brand namey when paired with [name]Oakley[/name] (sunglasses).
I love the name [name]Oakley[/name]! Out of curiousity - what are the “intimate connotations” with his name for you? [name]Oakley[/name] has always been a name my husband and I like, but we’re not having anymore kids after this little girl. 
Oh, and I voted for [name]Lennox[/name], but I do think that [name]Bennet[/name] goes better with [name]Oakley[/name]. I’m not a fan of [name]Ford[/name] as a first name, but I like it for the middle (mostly because of the end in d/start with d).
You asked for it! [name]Hope[/name] this doesn’t sound overly precious.
Our [name]Oakley[/name] associations:
We are set on using English names that have been around a long time and [name]Oakley[/name] means “meadow of oak trees” in Old English which is symbolic of the rural landscape of Northern [name]California[/name] where hubby and I used to live and still love. Also, one of his many nicknames is [name]Oakie[/name] and the JJ [name]Cale[/name] album “Okie” is like our soundtrack to falling in love, AND hubby is South African and an oke is a guy in SA slang (from the Afrikaans “outjie” - prn okie - meaning friend in Afrikaans). Not to mention that he ended up being born in a hospital (was hoping for a home birth) on [name]Oak[/name] St!
His mn is [name]Miles[/name], which represents the many miles we traveled in labour land during his 3 day birth.
So you see, [name]Bennett[/name] (from [name]Benedict[/name]) just doesn’t have the same substance as we’re not religious and don’t know anything about Saints, though we like “blessed” as a meaning. [name]Ford[/name] at least honors a family member and alludes to a river crossing, which ties into the Northern [name]CA[/name] setting for me. So perhaps together the two names hold enough meaning.
As for “[name]Ben[/name]” as a nn, I’d prefer something much less common. Maybe he’ll go by [name]Bennett[/name] or even [name]Benny[/name] and not [name]Ben[/name] though I know I can’t control it. [name]Ben[/name] is a nice solid name, but I wish the go-to nn was something more original. DH and I are relentless nicknamers so he’ll probably be Benaroo or some equally silly nn at home.