Help us decide among these 4 names

Boy Names
1

[name_m]Brooks[/name_m]
[name_m]Judah[/name_m]
[name_m]Julian[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]

We are expecting boy #4. Big brothers are [name_u]Casey[/name_u], [name_u]Reed[/name_u], and [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. I just can’t really get totally comfortable with any of these names, but I’ve looked at every name out there and have ruled out everything else for various reasons (so I don’t need any other suggestions – I’ve seen them all multiple times). Here are my concerns and positives about each one:

[name_m]Brooks[/name_m] – too preppy, too pretentious sounding, and I can’t imagine calling a baby and toddler by this name. but, I like one syllable names, and like that it is a different letter than my other kids’ names. also like that it sounds upper class (at least at the moment).

[name_m]Judah[/name_m] – this one is obvious – it’s too close to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. also, my last name, which this baby will have, is very Irish, and [name_m]Judah[/name_m] is very Hebrew. so I’m worried about an incongruity there. (DH has Jewish ancestry but is not technically Jewish nor does he identify as Jewish, although that obviously did not stop us from using [name_m]Jonah[/name_m], but with DH’s last name, which is more Jewish sounding). but, I love the sound, and it passes the everyday usage test. (e.g. I can imagine calling it on the playground, which is where I am having trouble with the other names).

[name_m]Julian[/name_m] – don’t love the fact that it’s 3 syllables because that gets into nickname territory and I am vehemently opposed to nicknames. also concerned that it’s too popular, as I would prefer to stay out of the top 100. but have always liked the name, it has a melodic sound that appeals to me and it’s not too butch. not sure what I would call him on a day to day basis though. again, the nickname thing.

[name_m]Leo[/name_m] – main concern is the popularity, it seems to be trending up in a way that alarms me. I’m fine with its current popularity but I’m concerned that it will get up into the top 50 and become really dated and/or trashy in 10 years.

I don’t have too much longer to make this decision. DH likes [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] the best out of the above, I think I like it the least but I bounce back and forth between the others from day to day. He would be okay with any of them though. Our other dark horse is [name_m]Miles[/name_m], which DH prefers to all four of the above but I just haven’t been able to get comfortable with. Seems like too old man a name to call a baby, also seems really trendy and too popular.

I have never asked for feedback about baby names before because with my other kids we just settled on something that felt right, but I haven’t gotten that feeling this time and am desperate (almost 37 weeks and possibly looking at an early birth for health reasons). All feedback welcome.

2

With [name_u]Casey[/name_u], [name_u]Reed[/name_u], and [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] I prefer [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. [name_m]Judah[/name_m] is very close to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. My personal favorite is [name_m]Brooks[/name_m].

3

From your list I like [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. With [name_u]Casey[/name_u], [name_u]Reed[/name_u] and [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] I like [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] best, though [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is a close second.
I don’t think [name_m]Julian[/name_m] fits with your other children’s names quite as well and [name_m]Judah[/name_m] is too close to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m].
I also think [name_m]Miles[/name_m] would go nicely, I know a little [name_m]Miles[/name_m] so I don’t see it as an old man name.

4

[name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_m]Leo[/name_m]! I agree [name_m]Judah[/name_m] is too close to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m], and not sure if [name_m]Julian[/name_m] is also a bit close. I am not a fan of [name_m]Brooks[/name_m].

5

My favorite from your list is [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. For some reason when I picture a [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] he is very sketchy looking. [name_m]Julian[/name_m] is too feminine sounding for me and I just don’t like [name_m]Judah[/name_m]. I prefer [name_u]Jude[/name_u] plus its one syllable which you said you liked.

6

My favorite is [name_m]Leo[/name_m], but [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] fits well too.

7

My favorites are [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] & [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] slightly beating [name_m]Leo[/name_m].

Goodluck! :slight_smile:

8

I like [name_m]Brooks[/name_m]. I don’t think it sounds too preppy and it works really well with the other names!

9

I do think [name_m]Judah[/name_m] is much too similar to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. I like both [name_m]Julian[/name_m] and [name_m]Brooks[/name_m].

10

I love [name_m]Miles[/name_m]. [name_m]Leo[/name_m] would be my second pick from your list.

11

My favorites are [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. I like that both are short and simple and easy to spell. But both are more interesting (by a long stretch!) than [name_u]Michael[/name_u], [name_m]John[/name_m], etc.

For me, the main appeal of [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] is that my great-grandfather was a tailor at [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] Brothers, so the name reminds me of him. But it also reminds me of a brook or stream, and thus nature, but without sounding like…"[name_u]Rain[/name_u]" or something like that.

[name_m]Leo[/name_m] is a [very] recent name crush of mine. I really just think it’s cute for a little boy while still seeming quite appropriate for a grown man.

I think both [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m] fit well with your other children’s names, especially [name_u]Reed[/name_u]. I don’t think you would get negative reactions from either. [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] does sound a bit preppy, but I don’t think it’s a problem.

I wouldn’t advise using [name_m]Judah[/name_m], especially since you already have a [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. And I’m just not a huge fan of [name_m]Julian[/name_m]. And considering your preference to avoid nicknames, I would stay away from it. My Uncle insisted that nobody was going to call my cousin “[name_u]Vinny[/name_u]” (his name is [name_m]Vincent[/name_m]), but that went out the window almost immediately. He now goes by [name_u]Vinny[/name_u] and always has [aside from when he’s getting in trouble haha].

12

I would definitely pick [name_m]Leo[/name_m]! I think it fits right in with your other boys. [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] would be my very distant second choice, I actually know someone named this…not a fan of his. [name_m]Judah[/name_m] and [name_m]Julian[/name_m] I automatically dismiss due to their similarity to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]…Not considering [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]…I don’t like [name_m]Judah[/name_m] anyway and I always find [name_m]Julian[/name_m] to be hoity-toity and stuck up.

Can I ask why you don’t consider [name_u]Jude[/name_u] over [name_m]Judah[/name_m]? That is one syllable and different enough [name_m]Jonah[/name_m].

13

I love the dark horse. [name_m]Miles[/name_m] has always been a favourite of mine. I was a nanny for a little boy named [name_m]Miles[/name_m] when I was in university and I fell in love with both him and his name. It is certainly not “old man” to me. Next on the list would be [name_m]Leo[/name_m] and then [name_m]Julian[/name_m]. [name_m]Both[/name_m] are great, handsome, strong names. I don’t care for [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] at all, I’m afraid.

Good luck!

14

I love [name_m]Brooks[/name_m]. I wanted to use it but the Hubby wasn’t a fan.

15

Out of your 4, I like [name_m]Leo[/name_m] the best. [name_m]Judah[/name_m] and [name_m]Julian[/name_m] are too close to [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. [name_m]Brooks[/name_m] [name_f]IMO[/name_f] is too trendy, too celeb-esque. [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is strong and simple. [name_m]Miles[/name_m] is my second choice. Your choices also make me think of [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], which is on my list too.