Help me get to Van?

The only boy name we’ve agreed on thus far is the nickname “[name_u]Van[/name_u]”. DH is not a fan of longtime favorite [name_m]Sylvan[/name_m], nor mashup possibilities like [name_m]Victor[/name_m]/[name_m]Vincent[/name_m] [name_m]Anderson[/name_m]. Neither of us are big on [name_u]Evan[/name_u], and [name_m]Evander[/name_m] is too much for him. He suggested [name_m]Vance[/name_m], which I don’t hate, but I don’t really like it enough to use, and it feels off with our kids’ names. Am I missing anything obvious? I’m also open to non-[name_u]Van[/name_u] name suggestions if you feel like it jives.

Siblings are [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_m]Martin[/name_m] ([name_u]Mars[/name_u]), last name is two syllable and very [name_m]German[/name_m].

Thanks!

ETA: [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think [name_u]Van[/name_u] would work as a nickname for [name_m]Anders[/name_m] or [name_m]Anderson[/name_m]? A la [name_m]Ted[/name_m]/[name_m]Ned[/name_m] for [name_m]Edward[/name_m]? Or am I talking crazy? [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] is a long running family name for me.

These are names that I think of as a fullname for [name_u]Van[/name_u]

[name_m]Vance[/name_m]
[name_m]Ivan[/name_m]
[name_u]Devan[/name_u]
[name_m]Gavin[/name_m]
[name_m]Jovan[/name_m]
[name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]

To me [name_m]Anders/name_m is too far off to go with the nickname [name_u]Van[/name_u]

I’m not sure how you can get [name_u]Van[/name_u] from [name_m]Anders[/name_m] or [name_m]Anderson[/name_m]. But if you do want to use those names, Anders Vaughn “[name_u]Van[/name_u]” could work

Some “[name_u]Van[/name_u]” names:

[name_u]Bevan[/name_u]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Jovan[/name_m]
[name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]
[name_m]Vander[/name_m]

I think the suggestions of [name_m]Ivan[/name_m], [name_u]Devin[/name_u], [name_m]Gavin[/name_m], [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u], [name_m]Donovan[/name_m], and [name_m]Evander[/name_m] are all great! Any of those would work well with nn [name_u]Van[/name_u].

Also, [name_u]Evan[/name_u], [name_m]Calvin[/name_m], and even [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] would also work.

V__ N___ (v first with an n middle name)

[name_m]Davian[/name_m], [name_u]Daven[/name_u], [name_m]Draven[/name_m], [name_m]Nevin[/name_m], [name_m]Vance[/name_m], [name_m]Vander[/name_m], [name_m]Calvin[/name_m], [name_u]Bevin[/name_u], Everson, or just give him the nickname [name_u]Van[/name_u] and use [name_u]Van[/name_u] as his middle name. I would give him something longer in the first name spot like [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] or [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] or [name_m]Geoffrey[/name_m] so he’d have other nicknames to choose from if he grew up to dislike [name_u]Van[/name_u].

[name_m]Valor[/name_m]? I think [name_m]Vaughn[/name_m] [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] sounds nice! With your set [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] [name_m]Anders[/name_m] sounds great, nn [name_u]Van[/name_u]! Why can’t you just use [name_u]Van[/name_u] as the first name? Vanderson? [name_u]Van[/name_u] means ‘of’ or ‘from’, so that might work:) What about Brennevan, [name_u]Raven[/name_u], Braven, Tovan, [name_m]Nevan[/name_m], [name_m]Severin[/name_m], Calvan…good luck!

I know two [name_u]Van[/name_u]'s who are just [name_u]Van[/name_u]. It is quite lovely, nickname or full name. Maybe:-

[name_m]Vander[/name_m], [name_m]Donovan[/name_m], [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u], [name_m]Cordovan[/name_m], [name_m]Ivan[/name_m], [name_m]Jovan[/name_m], [name_m]Nevan[/name_m], [name_u]Valentine[/name_u], [name_m]Valentin[/name_m], [name_m]Vaughn[/name_m], [name_u]Vernon[/name_u], Akivan, [name_m]Cavanaugh[/name_m], Kivan, [name_m]Vallis[/name_m], [name_m]Valor[/name_m] / Valour.

[name_m]Donovan[/name_m] was my first idea. I rather like it with [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_m]Martin[/name_m]/[name_u]Mars[/name_u]! [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u] “[name_u]Van[/name_u]” is really nice, too. I think you’ve gotten more suggestions than I could have possibly come up with, haha, so I don’t think I have any new ideas to share, but I did want to plug [name_m]Donovan[/name_m] and [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]! I guess [name_m]Ivan[/name_m] could work, too.

Why do you need to get to [name_u]Van[/name_u]? I have a baby cousin named [name_u]Van[/name_u], it’s not just a nickname. If that’s the only name you both agree on and you can’t find a longer version you both love, I would advise just keeping it simple and using [name_u]Van[/name_u] on its own.

However, here are my suggestions for a long form. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like surname names? VanBuren and Vanderbilt come to mind. Some other interesting ones I found are VanDale and VanLaren. Those might be a little out there. [name_m]How[/name_m] about just [name_m]Vander[/name_m]? It’s exactly what you’re looking for, a long form of [name_u]Van[/name_u].

Oh, I just love the idea of [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] nn [name_u]Van[/name_u]! It is no more of a stretch than many of the suggestions on this thread, and I just love that it is an established family name for you. If [name_m]Martin[/name_m] nn [name_u]Mars[/name_u] works, then [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] nn [name_u]Van[/name_u] certainly does, too. Brothers [name_m]Martin[/name_m] and [name_m]Anderson[/name_m], [name_u]Mars[/name_u] and [name_u]Van[/name_u]. Seems perfect. :slight_smile: