Help me choose a first name for Nightingale!

Hello, berries!

I need help choosing a name for my baby boy. We’ve narrowed it down to four and we love them all equally! (We were even considering doing two middle names.) Our sweet boy’s middle name will be [name]Nightingale[/name], which is a family name on my husband’s side.

The choices are

[name]Jules[/name] - This one would honor my mother who passed when I was child. [name]Jules[/name] was her middle name.

[name]Henry[/name] - It’s been a favorite for a years but it seems like everyone has a little [name]Henry[/name] nowadays.

[name]Francis[/name] - I absolutely love it. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband likes the simplicity and practicality of the NN [name]Frank[/name].

[name]William[/name] - It’s my father’s name and I know he would be honored if we used it.

Help! Which one is your favorite?

I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] and [name_u]Francis[/name_u], but paired with Nightingale they are a little girly.

Perhaps [name_m]Julian[/name_m] / [name_m]Julius[/name_m] Nightingale nn [name_u]Jules[/name_u]?

I think [name_u]Francis[/name_u] Nightingale would be fine if you intend to call him [name_m]Frank[/name_m] a lot of the time, makes the name more masculine.

[name_m]Henry[/name_m] and [name_m]William[/name_m] are not my style but perfectly fine names. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is getting very popular nowadays though (if that bothers you?)

Sadly, I dislike [name]Julian[/name] and [name]Julius[/name].

[name]Francis[/name] would be [name]Frank[/name] most of the time.

To be honest I love all of the names. I voted for [name_m]William[/name_m], just because I love when family names get passed on.

I think [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is so classic that popularity doesn’t really matter, but it does feel common, especially since it doesn’t seem to have a particular meaning for you, apart from being a favourite name. You could always save it for an eventual second son ([name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] would be gorgeous!).

[name_u]Francis[/name_u] “[name_u]Frankie[/name_u]” seems the most unexpected name in the bunch. It would be refreshing to see a little [name_u]Francis[/name_u], and it’s full of great associations. I wonder if it will become more popular because of the Pope.

The American pronunciation of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] feels nickname-y to me, but being an honour name I suppose the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation isn’t an option. Too bad because the [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u] association is great.

[name_f]Honour[/name_f] thy father and thy mother so I would choose … [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] Nightingale nn [name_m]Will[/name_m].

I’m liking the sound of [name]William[/name] [name]Jules[/name] [name]Nightingale[/name]! I’ll run that one by H and see if it he likes it too.

I have a little [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. Yes it’s getting popular, but it’s still ranked in the 40s. [name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] and I was born in the early '80s. So whenever someone tells me that [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is getting too popular, I scoff. The popularity of [name_m]Henry[/name_m] will likely never touch the top 3 rank [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] was in the '80’s, therefore it doesn’t bother me whatsoever. I think [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]Francis[/name_u] Nightingale a great choice.

I prefer the flow of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m] Nightingale

I think [name_u]Francis[/name_u] is too close to [name_f]Florence[/name_f]. I love [name_m]Henry[/name_m] but it has become more common.

[name_u]Jules[/name_u] - [name_u]Jules[/name_u] Nightingale. Hm. This one doesn’t feel “namey” enough to me, although I love the suggestion of [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] Nightingale.
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] - [name_m]Henry[/name_m] Nightingale is my favorite. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is #65 in my state, and probably even less popular in my area, because I’ve yet to meet a little [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. You could call him [name_m]Hank[/name_m], [name_m]Huck[/name_m], or [name_m]Hal[/name_m].
[name_u]Francis[/name_u] - [name_f]My[/name_f] second favorite with Nightingale. [name_u]Francis[/name_u] still feels prissy to me, but I adore [name_m]Frank[/name_m].
[name_m]William[/name_m] - [name_m]William[/name_m] is a nice name, but I’ve never been a fan. It’s just super bland to me.

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_m]Louis[/name_m] (loo-ee)? [name_m]Louis[/name_m] Nightingale came to mind as I was typing this.

I agree with a pp…I love [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] Nightingale. If you’re opposed to having two middle names, then my vote goes to [name_m]William[/name_m] Nightingale.

To me [name_u]Francis[/name_u] Nightingale sounds too much like [name_f]Florence[/name_f] N. (just too feminine/famous etc. )
[name_f]Do[/name_f] like [name_m]Frank[/name_m], what about [name_m]Frank[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] Nightingale?
I second the suggestion of [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Jules[/name_u] N. and agree that [name_m]Henry[/name_m] does have many nick name options. [name_m]Harry[/name_m] for example.

I like [name_u]Jules[/name_u], and then both your side and husband’s side is honored. I actually find “Nightingale” to be a bit feminine (probably an unfair assessment, and due to [name_f]Florence[/name_f] Nightingale), and I find that [name_u]Jules[/name_u] gives it a masculine edge (I think of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u], and I think of it as a manly [name_m]French[/name_m] name). The one syllable first name off-sets the three syllable middle. It’s also very “cool” to round out a more old-fashioned middle name. I think it’s an AWESOME choice! I just ran it by my DH, who said he gets a man vibe from [name_u]Jules[/name_u] too, but can see how the nn “[name_u]Jules[/name_u]” for a [name_u]Julie[/name_u]/ia can give it a feminine sound to others.

I like [name_u]Jules[/name_u], and then both your side and husband’s side is honored. I actually find “Nightingale” to be a bit feminine (probably an unfair assessment, and due to [name_f]Florence[/name_f] Nightingale), and I find that [name_u]Jules[/name_u] gives it a masculine edge (I think of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u], and I think of it as a manly [name_m]French[/name_m] name). The one syllable first name off-sets the three syllable middle. It’s also very “cool” to round out a more old-fashioned middle name. I think it’s an AWESOME choice! I just ran it by my DH, who said he gets a man vibe from [name_u]Jules[/name_u] too, but can see how the nn “[name_u]Jules[/name_u]” for a [name_f]Julia[/name_f]/ia can give it a feminine sound to others.

I like [name_u]Jules[/name_u], and then both your side and husband’s side is honored. I actually find “Nightingale” to be a bit feminine (probably an unfair assessment, and due to [name_f]Florence[/name_f] Nightingale), and I find that [name_u]Jules[/name_u] gives it a masculine edge (I think of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u], and I think of it as a manly [name_m]French[/name_m] name). The one syllable first name off-sets the three syllable middle. It’s also very “cool” to round out a more old-fashioned middle name. I think it’s an AWESOME choice! I just ran it by my DH, who said he gets a man vibe from [name_u]Jules[/name_u] too, but can see how the nn “[name_u]Jules[/name_u]” for a [name_u]Julie[/name_u]/ia can give it a feminine sound to others.

I like [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_u]Jules[/name_u] both :slight_smile: Congrats and good luck!