My husband loves the name [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] for a boy!!! I think it’s… A lot, lol. Our daughter is [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], looking for a good strong sib name??
I am actually tempted by [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] as well, but I can’t imagine it wearing well as an adult man. I do think it sounds nice with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] though.
I feel like I like the idea of [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] but not the actual name… Our last name ends in -er so that may be part of the problem I have with it?
Maybe [name_m]Thorin[/name_m]? Too lord of the rings??
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] definitely makes an intriguing combo with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], and I think it would make a very strong choice on a grown man. I am wondering, though, if it might be a bit heavy for a baby/little boy, though.
Offerings:
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Hector[/name_m]
[name_m]Viggo[/name_m]
[name_m]Osric[/name_m]
[name_m]Ozias[/name_m]/[name_m]Osias[/name_m]
Sorry, I’m a little off my game today. Not sure if this helps. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] it does! 
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is great. It may be a bit much for a little boy, but you could call him Raggi.
First off, I think [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] would make one fantastic sibling duo!
While I want to like [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], I just can’t seem to get on board with it completely myself as I find the G weighs it down a lot and makes it feel really heavy (I feel the same way about [name_f]Dagmar[/name_f]). I would definitely want to call little [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] ‘[name_u]Ari[/name_u]’, which I think really softens/lightens up the name.
That’s funny; I can imagine [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] on an adult 100 %, but not so much on a baby. It might be because most Ragnars that I have met were in their fifties.
I really like [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] when it’s pronounced correctly (which is RAHNG-nahr where I live), but I really dislike the ‘RAG-nar’ pronunciation. The ‘GNAR’ sound is very harsh to me. [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] could make a nice sib-set, but I would probably choose something less intricate.
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_u]Elliott[/name_u]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Theron[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Lincoln[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Marcus[/name_m]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_m]Odin[/name_m]
RAG-nar is almost exactly how it’s pronounced in Icelandic, though, and it would be fair to say that Icelandic is a lot closer to the ‘original’, so I don’t think it could reasonably be called a mispronunciation. Unless the person using it intended it to be a Scandinavian name rather than just a general Nordic one.
I also see [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] as a pretty dated ‘dad name’ kind of name. I don’t hate it (I kind of like most of the -ar names for boys for some reason), but it’s kind of dull to me. It’s one of those classics that just doesn’t appeal to me, although I do think it’s an OK name.
I think also outside of a Nordic context it could come off a bit… much. [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is such a soft, beautiful classic whilst [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], boring on a Nordic person, is just a bit kind of action-hero, trying-too-hard-to-be-hyper-masculine, if you know what I mean. To me they’re a complete mismatch.
How about Magnus? It is the same kind of Nordic-dad-name that seems to be perceived as a lot cooler outside the Nordic countries, but I think it is less in-your-face.
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and …
[name_m]Rainier[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_m]Edward[/name_m]
[name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
I agree, [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is way too much! [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t do it. If your husband won’t budge, then put it in the middle name spot.
I like to use the middle school test when naming babies…try to imagine being an awkward kid in middle school named [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]… yikes. That’s a tough name to wear. Middle school is hard enough. My rule is that it’s okay if the name is uncommon as long as it still fits with modern naming trends. For example [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] & [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] are ranked outside the top 1000 so they’re very rare, but they fit in with modern naming trends so they’d be right at home with the ubiquitous [name_f]Ava[/name_f] & [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]. [name_f]Brunhilde[/name_f] on the other hand… no.
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is classic and gorgeous, it also reads very English to me so [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is a total departure style wise. Some suggestions of strong masculine names that I think go well with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and would fit in better with current naming trends:
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] &
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Milo[/name_m]
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Beckett[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_m]Jack[/name_m]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m]
[name_m]Peter[/name_m]
Good luck!
Full sympathy here. My husband’s top two boys’ names are [name_m]Siegfried[/name_m] and [name_m]Hagen[/name_m]. One makes me think of tiger tamers, the other of ice cream, despite the fact I know and understand their mythological and [name_m]Wagnerian[/name_m] pedigree.
The way I persuaded him after two pregnancies of only accepting those names for boys to consider other names for number three? I tried to look at characteristics of those names I didn’t mind. I liked the strength and historical pedigree and I didn’t mind the strong Germanic heritage. I understood those things were important to him. After all, we have a Helfried, a [name_f]Sigrid[/name_f] and a [name_f]Brunhilde[/name_f] in our family! So I tried to find some names which reflected that and eventually landed on [name_m]Alaric[/name_m], a [name_m]King[/name_m] of an historical Germanic tribe with potential nicknames of [name_m]Al[/name_m] and [name_m]Rick[/name_m]. The fact that I let two über [name_m]German[/name_m] names into the girls list probably didn’t hurt either.
So my suggestion would be to find other Scandinavian names which don’t freak you out which have a similar feel to [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] but maybe a bit less unusual so you feel more comfortable and then propose those. You may find you come upon the perfect compromise name.
I like [name_m]Ranger[/name_m] better. Probably wouldn’t use it if last name ends in “er” though.
What about [name_m]Wagner[/name_m]? Has a similar sound. Not sure on the whole nickname thing though.
I like [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], goes well with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and can stand on its own, [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] on a guy is great. Sounds professional. Then there is: [name_m]Troy[/name_m], [name_m]Knox[/name_m], [name_u]Corbin[/name_u], [name_m]Kent[/name_m], [name_u]Dane[/name_u], but I like [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] best of all!
Thank you all so much, these are wonderful suggestions and insights!! I like the name [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] ok, I just feel it fights too much with our -er last name… [name_m]Magnus[/name_m] I love, along with [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]… We’ll have to see what he thinks of those. [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] was so easy for us to agree upon!!
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is adorable! I love Raggi as a nickname.
I super-love [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], and I would love to see it come into use. I have pretty edgy taste, though. It does get some wide-eyed reactions [name_m]IRL[/name_m]. My husband has it on his list, and he also loves [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] (looks like maybe these two names run together on favorite lists!).
I think a teen and man can totally pull it off, and don’t forget that babies really are not babies for very long. I’ve considered [name_m]Ron[/name_m] or [name_m]Ran[/name_m] for short, and [name_u]Ari[/name_u] pp suggested is a pretty great idea.
Since you have a surname ending in -er, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether you like the similar endings. The number of syllables in the last name will affect the way it sounds – for example, something like [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] sounds less “repeating” than [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] [name_m]Thatcher[/name_m]. This is totally a personal taste choice. If you don’t like the repeat, you should keep looking.
This IS the kind of name that people are going to think is “out there.” A few will [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it, but you’ll probably get a lot of “blank look” reactions. If you’re not okay with that, then that would be a reason to keep looking. On the other hand, I disagree that [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is totally outside current trends – I think [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] going to be a part of the “next wave.” We’re seeing a few “daring” ends-in-er names on the fast rise. Names including [name_m]Ryker[/name_m], [name_m]Ryder[/name_m], [name_m]Iker[/name_m], [name_u]Dexter[/name_u] are all in the 160 to 300 range, and all rising fast from obscurity in the last five years. [name_m]Xander[/name_m] and [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] are near or in the Top Hundred. And not ending in -er but having a good strong internal R sound, check out [name_m]Deegan[/name_m], cracking the Top Thousand since 2009. [name_m]Even[/name_m] [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], which commonly gets complaints as a “too macho” name ranks at number 36. That’s pretty popular.
If there’s a part of you that likes [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] but you’re just afraid of the reactions/whether a guy can pull it off, consider that there ARE several fast-rising Top 1000 names with an edgy sound not too far off from [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]. Objectively speaking, there are about 5 little boys named [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] every year (compare to 220 #964 [name_m]Deegan[/name_m], 1642 #164 [name_m]Ryker[/name_m], 18899 #1 [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] - and 740 little Daphnes at popularity #397).
[name_m]Thorin[/name_m] IS a bit “Hobbit,” but just the same, it’s a nice name and 31 boys were named [name_m]Thorin[/name_m] in 2013. Personally, I’d rather see [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m] as a bit more classic, and you could still use [name_m]Thor[/name_m]/[name_m]Thorn[/name_m]/[name_m]Thorin[/name_m] as a nickname, or [name_m]Hawk[/name_m]. Incidentally, [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m] and [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] would be an amazing sibling set because both names have “tree” related meanings.
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps you think through the direction you’d like to go!
Oh, and now I see you replied while I was composing my message! Keep looking…some children are so easy to name and others are not! You’ll find the one.
I would not use [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] as a first name, but maybe a middle. I could see [name_m]Thorin[/name_m] working with [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] though, I think they actually work better than [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] and [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]. Honestly I think the idea of [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] may be interesting, but overall it is just a bit too- much. It’s very strong and a little clunky. It’d be hard name to wear. [name_m]Thorin[/name_m] feels more like a passable name nowadays and I don’t think you’d get more lotr/hobbit questions than you would questions about [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]. Plus you have a point about the ending of your last name.
Thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses!
A little context too- my husband is a 6’4 lumberjack looking dude, complete with beard and penchant for flannel shirts… So I think our boy will be able to carry a big name as a teenager/man and have it make sense.
I love [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m], though I bet he’ll think it too poetic. I like the idea of sticking with tree names, though… I had been thinking of pairing with a mythological name like [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], but the only one I’ve seen so far I like is [name_m]Apollo[/name_m], and that would be inappropriate, lol!!
So my list now
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_m]Knox[/name_m]
[name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m]
[name_m]Thorin[/name_m]
[name_m]Theron[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]