Help! Baby boy due today! Gabriel Matthias or Silas Jacob?

Boy Names
1

Hey Nameberries,

I can’t believe it’s been almost 10 months of dreaming and scheming about our baby boy and his name! Well, we’re down to the wire here and haven’t 100% made our decision yet. We’re wavering mostly between two names. We thought we had more or less settled it (in part due to feedback from you all from an earlier post–thank you!), but recently we had some experiences that made us not so sure.

We thought we’d decided on [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]. [name]Gabriel[/name] is hubby’s grandfather’s name (whom hubs sadly never got to meet because he passed away before he was born), and [name]Matthias[/name] is a [name]German[/name]-born ancestor of mine who went down in family lore as a pioneer who was scalped by Indians but survived. I like it aesthetically but I also like it because although [name]Matthias[/name] was on my dad’s side, it’s a [name]German[/name] name, and my mom is from Germany. In the U.S. it’s pronounced “Ma-thye-us” but in [name]German[/name] it’s “Ma-tee-as” and is pretty universal. My family history connection is important me because I’m all into family history. All grandparents like the name [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name].

Here’s the problem: as I’ve posted before, I really really really don’t like the nickname “[name]Gabe[/name]” due to an unfortunate experience with someone I once knew who creeped me out. Several Nameberries (and more people) assured me that if we called him “[name]Gabriel[/name]” and not “[name]Gabe[/name]” then others would too. Well, we’ve since told a few friends and family we liked “[name]Gabriel[/name]” and almost everyone has said, “Oh, [name]Gabe[/name]! Nice!” (Sigh.) I’ve had to explain why I don’t like [name]Gabe[/name] because of a guy I once knew, and it’s cumbersome/awkward.

So…now we’ve thrown another name into the mix: [name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name]. We like [name]Silas[/name] because it’s kind of old timey/literary (English major over here!) and the nickname “[name]Sy[/name]” is badass but it also means “forest,” and we’re greenies. [name]Jacob[/name] comes from a [name]German[/name] ancestor on my mom’s side but Jewish hubby likes it too because it’s an old testament name and counters out the new testament-y [name]Silas[/name]. Our families don’t seem to love it as much as [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name], but it’s OUR baby, dangit, so there.

Meanwhile, I had gotten so used to the idea of [name]Gabriel[/name] that I’ve started to call our baby the silly nickname “Gubby” and he’s become Gubby to us. It’s a bit too goofy of a nickname to be a public nickname, so he’ll probably end up being “[name]Gabe[/name]” to a lot of people. Argh. But if we name him [name]Silas[/name], how can we call him Gubby? But maybe that’s ok because it’s just a silly at-home nickname.

Finally, we thought of “[name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Silas[/name]” (probably our favorite aesthetically–a nice mix of angelic and slightly sinister) or “[name]Silas[/name] [name]Gabriel[/name]” but then my family presence is missing, and as our family’s historian, that makes me a little sad.

Anyway, that’s the story. Sorry to write a novel. Any insight/thoughts/nickname experiences are much appreciated!

2

I love both names but I vote for [name]Silas[/name] just because it is a little more different than [name]Gabriel[/name]. [name]Silas[/name] [name]Gabriel[/name] is strong handsome name!

3

I definitely vote for [name]Silas[/name]. It just feels a little different and edgier than the more classical and traditional [name]Gabriel[/name]. Where I’m from there are a lot of [name]Gabriella[/name], [name]Gabriela[/name], [name]Gabrielle[/name], etc. running around and I just think it could be confusing for a [name]Gabriel[/name].

4

[name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] hands down. Is practically perfect in my eyes! I love the nickname [name]Gabe[/name]. I really dislike the name [name]Silas[/name] (Sorry!) only because I watch a television soap which had a murderer named [name]Silas[/name] in it and it’s put me off for life. But [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] has a 10/10 from me :smiley:

5

I love the name [name]Gabriel[/name]. Either paired up with [name]Matthias[/name] or [name]Silas[/name] sounds great. I am not a fan of [name]Jacob[/name], it is a nice but too trendy.

I would wait until you meet your son and then decide if he is a [name]Silas[/name] or a [name]Gabriel[/name]. If you really hate [name]Gabe[/name] as a nn, I would go with [name]Silas[/name]. You can dictate what nn people use when your son is young, but as soon as he is in school that might start to change. Your son might not have the same negative association with [name]Gabe[/name] that you do and as he gets older he might really like the nn.

6

It sounds like you’ve already easily replaced the hated nickname “[name]Gabe[/name]” with the cute Gubby. Honestly, I’m not sure how badly Bad [name]Gabe[/name] creeped you out, but unless it was really heinous (like an assault or a prolonged campaign of abuse or genuine stalking), I think the sweet little [name]Gabriel[/name] you hold in your arms will very, very quickly become your dominant association of the name and Bad [name]Gabe[/name] will fade away.

But if that’s not the case, and you really feel Bad [name]Gabe[/name] will stick around: it seems like [name]Matthias[/name] is a very important name to you, and acceptable to your husband’s Jewish family. If you’re drawn to [name]Silas[/name] only for its far-back meaning of “forest” (via [name]Silvanus[/name]), why not pick a smoother version of [name]Silas[/name] that will work well with [name]Matthias[/name]? You’ll still get the old-timey pioneer vibe via [name]Matthias[/name], but something like [name]Silvan[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] or [name]Matthias[/name] [name]Sylvan[/name] would flow beautifully.

Lastly-- in Jewish naming traditions, you often honor deceased family members by giving a name that starts with the same initial (G), rather than the name itself. Are there other G names you’re drawn to? Some possibilities:

[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Galen[/name]
[name]Garrett[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]
[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Gatsby[/name]
[name]Gavin[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]
[name]Geoffrey[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]
[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Gerard[/name]
[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Gershon[/name] (this is a nice Jewish name)
[name]Gideon[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] (old timey + Jewish + G name + smooth sound)
[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Gilead[/name] (old timey + Jewish + G name + smooth sound + nature associations via ‘balm of [name]Gilead[/name]’)
Goodwin [name]Matthias[/name] (old timey, means “good friend”)
[name]Gordon[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]
[name]Matthias[/name] [name]Graham[/name] / [name]Graeme[/name]
[name]Grant[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]

I think my favorites are [name]Gideon[/name] & [name]Gilead[/name]. [name]Both[/name] are given in modern [name]Israel[/name] too.

7

Thanks, everyone! Really great feedback (and ideas, [name]Blade[/name]!) I may give [name]Gideon[/name] and [name]Gilead[/name] a second look…

8

I love the name [name]Matthias[/name] it’s so strong and handsome. I’d go with that.

9

My vote is for [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]. I do not think that all [name]Gabriel[/name]'s are destined to be called “[name]Gabe[/name].” My friend has a little brother who has always been [name]Gabriel[/name].

10

[name]Gabriel[/name] Mathhias! I have [name]Gabriel[/name] on my list and I would never call him [name]Gabe[/name]! I think once he is born it will be very easy to look at people and say well actually he prefer [name]Gabriel[/name] and that should end any NN issues that you have :slight_smile:

11

[name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name] is a perfectly nice name, but I prefer [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name]. [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] is an enviably handsome and substantial name. A nickname is not inevitable. (My son, [name]Daniel[/name], does not go by any nickname. I’ve never heard anyone outside our immediate family call him anything else.) If necessary, another potential nickname besides [name]Gabe[/name] is “[name]Ree[/name].” Maybe capitalize on the /s/ at the end of [name]Matthias[/name] and call him “[name]Rees[/name].”

You can’t go wrong with either name, but I just think [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] is exceptional.

12

Great, let us know what you decide!

13

Personally I prefer [name]Silas[/name], but it is your opinion that matters! To me it sounds like you are trying to talk yourself out of your favorite and into liking something else just as much just because of a bad memory associated with the nn [name]Gabe[/name]. I’d stick with your original favorite that you and family love so much. If someone tries to call him [name]Gabe[/name], gently correct them to [name]Gabriel[/name] or Gubby, they don’t need an explanation. And if some people just don’t remember, or your little boy chooses to be [name]Gabe[/name] in the future, chances are pretty good that those bad memories of the name will quickly be replaced by the cute memories of your little one, the sweet hugs he gives you around the neck, him yelling “Mommy” across the house, and the list goes on. [name]Little[/name] boys are the greatest! Good luck with your decision!

14

I’m a sucker for [name]Silas[/name]! I think [name]Silas[/name] [name]Gabriel[/name] is a fabulous combo! [name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name] is nice too, but I prefer [name]Silas[/name] [name]Gabriel[/name] :slight_smile: I do think you could get people to call him [name]Gabriel[/name] (vs [name]Gabe[/name]), but I also think you’d be telling new people ALL the time (“Actually, we call him [name]Gabriel[/name]…” “We prefer you not call him [name]Gabe[/name]” “My name is [name]Gabriel[/name], not [name]Gabe[/name],” etc).

15

I like [name]Silas[/name] but think [name]Jacob[/name] is boring, even though it sounds nice. If you can’t bring yourself to do [name]Gabriel[/name] as a first name, I’d go with [name]Silas[/name] [name]Gabriel[/name].

However, I think [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] is great and you should go with it despite your [name]Gabe[/name] hesitations. I really think you can determine the nickname to a good extent. A couple people have tried to call my daughter [name]Lucy[/name] (which is SO not her name!) and it hasn’t stuck at all. [name]Just[/name] keep reinforcing the whole name. Also, I have a nephew named [name]Gabriel[/name] and to my knowledge he is always called [name]Gabriel[/name]. I don’t think nicknames are inevitable, and I know plenty of teens/adults who go by their full name despite there being obvious nickname options.

16

Thanks so much, everybody! Really appreciate your help and feedback. Looks like this boy is taking his sweet time, so we may have a little more time to mull over it. The key will be meeting him, I think, and letting him tell us which name fits him best. [name]Will[/name] keep you posted!

17

I do like [name]Gabriel[/name] [name]Matthias[/name] a bit more than [name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name]. [name]Both[/name] are great names though. Can’t wait to learn what you decide!

18

[name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name]

19

[name]Silas[/name] [name]Jacob[/name] is a great name! [name]Gabriel[/name] has always struck me as NOT masculine.