I am due with baby number three on [name_u]January[/name_u] 18th and we have no name for a male baby. My husband is absolutely stuck on the name [name_m]John[/name_m] for a male and while I do not hate it, I have no strong feelings about it, I just do not have any affection for the name at all. I am starting to feel very sad about it actually. He loves the name and I do not want to hurt his feelings, but I think I would feel quite sad to name a baby this name that I do not love. He really wants to name a male [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] - our surname is Scotch-Irish.
This is very odd because we have had a wonderful experience naming our other children. We have a child that is almost 14 and her name is [name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] and another daughter who is 7 years and her name is [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]. I have always loved their names and we went into labor and delivery with lists of male and female names we both had great affection for - we have always been more shaky on male names but we did have a few contenders that we both liked. In this pregnancy, we do not have one male name we both feel good about. I am at a loss.
If the baby is female, I think we will name her [name_f]Edith[/name_f] or [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]. We typically meet the kid and then make a decision. We have nice, hearty lists for female first and middle names.
I just do not know what to do. Has anyone had this situation? Again, I am sensitive to my husband’s love of the name [name_m]John[/name_m], and want to be respectful, but I just fond this choice so boring and unsuited to my aesthetic that it makes me feel very odd and actually sad to consider it. Any ideas nameberries?
I’m sorry to hear this, it does seem sad when you have absolutely stunning names for your other children. [name_m]John[/name_m] is a nice name, but perhaps you could hyphen it and create a more interesting nickname? Or could you give him a really wonderful and unusual mn which would help with the sound and give you a better feeling of aesthetic, maybe something which ends in the ‘a’ or ‘er’ sound like your other children’s mn’s?
Hmmm… perhaps male names feel more intimidating because you know you’ve already successfully names two lovely girls, while boys are uncharted territory. Think of any names that appealed to you when you were a child or teenager… anything come to mind? Perhaps it’s time to reconsider a few of those. Any family member or historical figure you’d like to honor?
My other observation is that while you respect your husband’s strong affinity for the name [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m], you need to be honest, yet tactful, about your own misgivings. Your openness will enable him to respect your (equally important!!!) feelings on the matter. The best name for your son will, of course, be a name you can both stand behind 100%.
You didn’t give us much hint of your personal taste in male names, but here are a few suggestions based upon [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m].
[name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]- you could name him this, (I think it flows better than [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]) but call him by his middle, [name_m]Henry[/name_m].
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m]- [name_m]Henry[/name_m] sounds GREAT with [name_f]Cora[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]!
[name_m]Hiram[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]- [name_m]Hiram[/name_m] is vintage-y like [name_f]Cora[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], a not-so-obvious Biblical choice, and [name_u]James[/name_u] is classic and strong like [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m]- yet another great vintage-y “H” choice
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]Bruce[/name_m]- I think this fits into what I perceive as your naming style- a handsome choice
[name_m]Pascal[/name_m] [name_m]Burke[/name_m]- maybe a little off-course, but it would definitely be more unexpected than [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] [name_m]Charles[/name_m] or [name_m]Charles[/name_m] [name_m]Frederick[/name_m]- classic with a plethora of nicknaming possibilities
[name_m]Jason[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m]- not my favorite, but it’s a classic that somehow manages to feel relevant and modern, and shares some sounds with [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m] “[name_m]Leo[/name_m]” [name_m]George[/name_m]- sounds like royalty
[name_m]Bernard[/name_m] [name_m]Maxwell[/name_m]- could get a man through life with ease, and [name_u]Bernie[/name_u] is a sweet nickname
[name_u]Wallace[/name_u] [name_u]Rex[/name_u]- an accessible yet now uncommon name
[name_m]Fergus[/name_m] [name_m]Graham[/name_m]- manly and unexpected
[name_m]Simon[/name_m] [name_m]Stuart[/name_m] or [name_m]Stuart[/name_m] [name_m]Simon[/name_m]- I love this for you! Complements [name_f]Cora[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], plus [name_m]Stuart[/name_m] could work with your Scotch-Irish last name
Hopefully these suggestions at least entertain you! Best of luck!
I know a [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m]. He was called [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Robert[/name_m] as a full name when he was younger, but now goes by J.R. Maybe that would work for you? Or [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] - J.C., [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] - J.J., etc.
There are many international variations of [name_m]John[/name_m] as well:
The Irish [name_m]Sean[/name_m], the Scottish [name_m]Ian[/name_m], the Welsh [name_u]Evan[/name_u] and [name_m]Ewan[/name_m], the Italian [name_m]Giovanni[/name_m], the [name_m]German[/name_m] [name_m]Johann[/name_m]/[name_m]Johannes[/name_m], the Russian [name_m]Ivan[/name_m], etc.
A lot of Johns go by [name_m]Jack[/name_m]. Then there is [name_m]Jock[/name_m]…
My suggestion is [name_m]Vaughn[/name_m]. It rhymes with [name_m]John[/name_m]. Maybe your husband will like it.
I think you should tell your husband your feelings about [name_m]John[/name_m]. You deserve to like the name too and it definitely shouldn’t make you sad. You could always use [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] for the middle names as a nice compromise. Now, what boys names do you like?
I somewhat understand how you feel. Most of my favorites are classics, but not very popular and a little quirky. The odd thing is, maybe in the past year, I’ve really begun to love [name_m]John[/name_m] which goes against everything I believe in when it comes to names. It’s traditional, widely used and widely popular. But the name itself, I just love. It’s strong and masculine and oddly, I love all the rich history behind the name. I love the idea of using the nickname [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] or JJ ([name_u]James[/name_u] would most likely be the middle name). That being said, while it’s in my top names and it’s definitely a name I will consider, I’m weary about “pulling the trigger” because it IS so different than my other choices and it IS so traditional and widely used.
If you have such strong reservations that it’s making you SAD, that simply not okay. Your feelings are just as important as your husband’s and I understand you don’t want to hurt his feelings, but you don’t want to live with a lifetime of regret simply because you didn’t want to upset him.
I like the suggestion of [name_m]Ewan[/name_m], which has actually been on my list. Same with [name_m]Ian[/name_m]. Oddly enough though, I feel that [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] fit the best with your daughter’s names. Yes, they’re classic yet a little “quirkier” than [name_m]Henry[/name_m], but they all feel from the same circle and I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the idea of calling him [name_m]Harry[/name_m] which has that spunkier feel, in my opinion. [name_f]Cora[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_m]Harry[/name_m] sound amazing together. [name_m]Just[/name_m] something to consider.
I like the earlier suggestions of variations for [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. Is your husband dead-set on it, or would he settle happily for one of those?
If it’s a your first boy after two girls, your husband is probably feeling extra special and strong about the name - it’ll be the boy he’s always wanted. Make sure you take his feelings strongly into consideration, since this is a really big deal for him. It will do wonders for your marriage, especially if you let him know that you’ll love the name BECAUSE he picked and loves it.
Maybe [name_m]John[/name_m] could be the middle name? Some names that go well with your girls are:
[name_m]Bernard[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_u]Noah[/name_u]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Willis[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
Well, I understand how you feel. It was a nightmare naming my daughter. My husband just didn’t love any names until I suggested her name. Then, he would not budge. I kind of think this is pretty common.
I happen to think [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is absolutely fabulous! It is classic, warm and fuzzy, cozy, and ageless. It also sounds great with your daughters’ names. Your husband seems to love the name. Are you willing to take one for the team and let him use it? [name_m]Both[/name_m] of you need to like the name, but some people feel more strongly about the issue than the other. My vote would be to use [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m].
I like [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]…it’s a strong, masculine, straightforward name. You could always nn him [name_m]Jack[/name_m] or [name_m]Hank[/name_m] or [name_m]Bear[/name_m]…whatever suits your taste.
[name_m]Jehan[/name_m] (ancient form), [name_u]Jean[/name_u], or [name_m]Johannes[/name_m] are also options, but, I suspect, not quite what your husband’s going for.
I agree with this 100%. [name_m]John[/name_m] is like coming home. You hear about the baby boy’s named [name_m]Duke[/name_m] and [name_m]Gatsby[/name_m], and suddenly [name_m]John[/name_m] seems fresh and exciting, even though he is #28 on the 2012 SS list. Suddenly he becomes a possibility again because he’s going to shine among his classmates called [name_m]Odin[/name_m] and [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. I’ve also come to love [name_m]John[/name_m] in the past year. He’s different from what I generally like for boy’s as well. I think it’s the endless possibility. [name_m]John[/name_m] isn’t type-cast. He can be president, he can be a scientist, an actor, a garbage man. He can be a singer, a dreamer. [name_m]John[/name_m] is a chameleon.
I know a [name_m]John[/name_m] who goes by his middle name, [name_m]Timothy[/name_m] ([name_m]Tim[/name_m]). He’s a [name_m]Jr[/name_m]. There’s always the option of attaching [name_m]John[/name_m] as the first and something that you like better as the middle, and calling him by his middle name, but formally being [name_m]John[/name_m]. That’s another perk to [name_m]John[/name_m], he can be paired with almost anything and it still works well.
But, if you don’t love [name_m]John[/name_m], you definitely shouldn’t use it. The most important thing is liking your baby’s name.
You could make [name_m]John[/name_m] the middle name. [name_m]How[/name_m] about these:
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] (you could call him [name_u]Nick[/name_u] or [name_u]Nico[/name_u])
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
Yeah, not very good with [name_m]John[/name_m], I know.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about doing a double-barrel name? Some people suggested [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. You could call him [name_m]Henry[/name_m]. What about [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m]? It’s like [name_m]John[/name_m], so maybe your husband might like it. What about [name_m]Johnathan[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] and call him [name_u]James[/name_u]? What about [name_m]John[/name_m] (or [name_m]Johnathan[/name_m]) [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] as a double barrel name or as first and middle names? Then you could him [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], and JT (and [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] depending on the [name_m]John[/name_m]/[name_m]Johnathan[/name_m] thing).
I completely understand. My hubby and I have the same issue but with girls names. Our son is [name_m]Diesel[/name_m] [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m].
I really like the suggestion of the [name_m]John[/name_m] variant. [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] would go well with your girls names. [name_f]Cora[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] are adorable together!
That’s a difficult situation. I think you should be honest with your husband and strike some sort of compromise. What if the baby was named [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] but went by another nickname like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] or [name_m]Henry[/name_m]? I think either of those would be terrific.
You’ve been given some excellent suggestions in the list in the post two above me. [name_m]Bravo[/name_m] to that poster! Brilliant!
Thank you for this suggestion. My parents, yes both my mother and father are named [name_u]Shawn[/name_u], so my husband thinks that is just too confusing. My brother, whom I love dearly, is named [name_m]Ian[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], but my husband is not keen on [name_m]Ian[/name_m].
I am continuing to think of alternatives. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. I sincerely appreciate it!
I am really touched at your description of my other children’s names. Thank you for your kind words. We are continuing to explore other names. Thank you sincerely for taking the time to respond to my post.
Certainly interesting thoughts here - thank you for your thoughtful response! Many of the names you have offered I have suggested to my husband over the last several months, and though he may consider them, he always comes back to [name_m]John[/name_m]. I have asked him to many times to give me a top three and he will give me three different combinations of [name_m]John[/name_m].
I love [name_m]Stuart[/name_m], but he is not even lukewarm on the name. And, we both do love [name_m]Henry[/name_m], though he is not enthusiastic about it as a first name and I worry that it is just too prolific.
Thank you for this response. I absolutely love [name_m]Ian[/name_m]. It is my brother’s name and he is a very special person, but my husband does not like it. Actually, he keeps reminding me that [name_m]John[/name_m] honors [name_m]Ian[/name_m] and [name_u]Shawn[/name_u] (both of my parents have the first name [name_u]Shawn[/name_u]) as it is a derivative.
My mother suggested to me last night that initials are fun. She and I both absolutely love [name_m]McLeod[/name_m] as a first name (we would call him [name_m]Mac[/name_m]), but while my husband was keen on this early, he moved away form it months ago.
He is very aware that I am very lukewarm on the name. I think I have made him sad that I feel this way. He just loves it so much and I am trying to see it through his eyes and understanding. He has asked me to reconsider and I am trying desperately to do so. I actually thought last night maybe if I call the baby [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m], it won’t seem so bland, but I am struggling.
Thank you for your response! I really appreciate it!