Thanks for all the replies to my other thread - the purpose of this thread is to get some direct insight on some of the names in the prior thread that we liked.
As a summary - we have a 5 year old son named [name_m]Clark[/name_m], we are expecting baby#2 in [name_u]July[/name_u] and are having some trouble with names. Here are some we liked from the previous thread with the identified issues we have (after discussing them) - perhaps these aren’t issues at all and we are just being a bit crazy [name_m]Hence[/name_m], why I thought it would be good to get everyone’s thoughts on these particular names:
[name_m]Heath[/name_m] - we worry that (1) it sounds too much like [name_m]Keith[/name_m] and he will constantly have to correct people and (2) it is too much chocolate bar ([name_m]Clark[/name_m] [name_u]Bar[/name_u] and [name_m]Heath[/name_m] [name_u]Bar[/name_u])
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] or [name_u]Reece[/name_u] - we worry that [name_u]Reese[/name_u] (in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u] especially) is more of a girls name - but perhaps we are wrong? We do have an English/Welsh background so it may work???
[name_u]Dean[/name_u] - is it too much Superman to go with [name_m]Clark[/name_m] (since [name_u]Dean[/name_u] [name_m]Cain[/name_m] played Superman)?
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m] - with nickname [name_u]Cal[/name_u] (which I love) - again is it too much Superman?
[name_m]Wells[/name_m] - is it too out there as a name and/or is it trying too hard?
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] or [name_u]Reid[/name_u] - is it weird to use the same name as someone you work with and are friends with?
[name_u]Wade[/name_u] - is it too country/too southern?
[name_u]Dexter[/name_u] - is it too linked to the TV show?
[name_m]Heath[/name_m] - I think with [name_m]Heath[/name_m] [name_m]Ledger[/name_m] being so famous this name is fairly recognized. [name_m]Keith[/name_m] is a hard sound to start and [name_m]Heath[/name_m] is soft, so they’re different enough to me. I’ve never heard of the chocolate.
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] - I will always advocate for original spellings, so [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is my choice over [name_u]Reese[/name_u]. It’s one of my favourites. [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m] [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] Meyers is helping to show how masculine it is.
[name_u]Dean[/name_u] - My number one boy name right now, love it! I didn’t know the actor of Superman, so not a problem to me.
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m] - I just googled [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and Superman together and nothing came up? You’re good!
[name_m]Wells[/name_m] - not too out there in my opinion. Very solid choice.
[name_u]Reid[/name_u] - I don’t think it’s weird per se, but I would wonder if your friend thought you were naming your baby after him? Would want to clear that up and just say you love his name and want to borrow it.
[name_u]Wade[/name_u] - I don’t find this Southern in the slightest.
[name_u]Dexter[/name_u] - a little bit linked to [name_u]Dexter[/name_u] and [name_u]Dexter[/name_u]'s Laboratory. Not toooooo bad.
All in all, I think you’re overthinking most of your concerns. My favourite for you is [name_m]Clark[/name_m] and [name_u]Dean[/name_u], with [name_m]Clark[/name_m] and [name_m]Heath[/name_m] being my second choice.
[name_m]Heath[/name_m] - I think people recognize [name_m]Heath[/name_m] and you wouldn’t get [name_m]Keith[/name_m] too often. I’m sure it’ll happen, but I don’t think it will be a constant battle. I didn’t even think of the [name_m]Clark[/name_m] [name_u]Bar[/name_u]/[name_m]Heath[/name_m] [name_u]Bar[/name_u] thing until you mentioned it, so I think it’s okay. I most strongly associate [name_m]Heath[/name_m] with [name_m]Heath[/name_m] [name_m]Ledger[/name_m].
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] or [name_u]Reece[/name_u] - I think the [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] spelling is quite masculine. It would probably a challenge to get everyone to spell it correctly, but I think it’s worth it- it’s a great name.
[name_u]Dean[/name_u] - I don’t associate [name_u]Dean[/name_u] with superman at all. [name_m]Clark[/name_m], yes, but not [name_u]Dean[/name_u].
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m] - I don’t think this is too superman either. It was [name_m]Kal[/name_m], not [name_u]Cal[/name_u] or [name_m]Calvin[/name_m].
[name_m]Wells[/name_m] - I really like [name_m]Wells[/name_m]. I think it’s just different enough to stand out, but close enough to [name_m]Will[/name_m] to not be strange.
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] or [name_u]Reid[/name_u] - is it weird to use the same name as someone you work with and are friends with? No, especially if you have a reason. I’m also a big advocate of talking to the person first. I recently wrote a piece on my blog for a woman considering a name that was also her friends’ son’s name, and I think that would apply here. Link if you’re interested.
[name_u]Wade[/name_u] - is it too country/too southern?- It’s a bit country, but I think it goes very well with [name_m]Clark[/name_m].
[name_u]Dexter[/name_u] - is it too linked to the TV show? I don’t think so. The show’s over and the name is common enough that it’s not overly associated with the show.
I have a cousin named [name_m]Heath[/name_m], and as far as I know, he’s never had any issues. It’s a perfectly useable unusual name! But I really like the way [name_m]Clark[/name_m] and [name_u]Wade[/name_u] sound together.
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]: I just think of the actor. I wouldn’t notice the candy association between the two.
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u] or [name_u]Reece[/name_u]: If you don’t like names that can be considered unisex, I would stay away from this one. [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] does seem to be the preferred spelling for males. In 2015, there were 2052 girls born with the name: [name_u]Reese[/name_u] (1848), [name_u]Reece[/name_u] (178), [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] (22), [name_m]Reiss[/name_m] (7), [name_m]Reis[/name_m] (6), [name_m]Riese[/name_m] (6), [name_u]Rees[/name_u] (5). In 2015 there were 1457 boys born with the name: [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] (558), [name_u]Reece[/name_u] (486), [name_u]Reese[/name_u] (357), [name_u]Rees[/name_u] (18), [name_m]Reis[/name_m] (16), [name_m]Rece[/name_m] (7), Rheece (5), [name_m]Rhyse[/name_m] (5), Rhyis (5).
[name_u]Dean[/name_u]: The strongest association to [name_u]Dean[/name_u] is Supernatural, which overshadows any superman connection.
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]: Again, I don’t see the connection without having it explained. I don’t think it flows as well with your son’s name like some of the other choices.
[name_m]Wells[/name_m]: It would make your sibset sound very surname-y, like a law office.
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] or [name_u]Reid[/name_u]: I’d ask them. I would consider how you’d feel about your child having the same name as them if your friendship ended.
[name_u]Wade[/name_u]: It is a little country to me, but with your son’s name I’d say it’s more cowboy than southern/country.
[name_u]Dexter[/name_u]: I think of the show when I hear the name, but it’s a pretty neutral association to me.
I think it really depends on the feel of the sibset you’d like to have, especially since your son’s name can really fit different styles of names. In a sibset with [name_m]Wells[/name_m] it is more formal, like a law office. [name_m]Heath[/name_m], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], and [name_u]Wade[/name_u] have more of a cowboy feel in the sibset. [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and [name_u]Dexter[/name_u] make it more nerdy. [name_u]Dean[/name_u] and [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] have a little more of the bad boy edge.
[name_m]Hi[/name_m] great names!
As I said before, and I might be biased because I have a [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], but I love it. He is 4 now and never have I regretted his name, he is ALL boy too and his name is perfect.
I also love [name_m]Heath[/name_m], I wouldn’t worry it’s too much chocolate bar…
I also really like [name_u]Dean[/name_u] and [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]! We considered both of these names for our baby boy… and I really like nn [name_u]Cal[/name_u]. [name_u]Dean[/name_u] is a great name I just couldn’t picture on a baby but they don’t stay babies long, would be a cool classic name…
My votes in order are:
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u]
[name_u]Dean[/name_u]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
My picks in this order would be [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], [name_m]Heath[/name_m], [name_u]Reed[/name_u], and [name_u]Dexter[/name_u]. I don’t like [name_u]Dean[/name_u], it feels boring and out of style. When I think of someone named [name_u]Dean[/name_u], I think it is one of my friend’s dads, which doesn’t make the name’s popularity spike old enough to be vintage and ready for a comeback.
Honestly, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.
Heath is familiar enough. Someone may mishear it now and then, but that could happen with many names. I didn’t notice the candy bar theme until you pointed it out and don’t see it as a problem.
Rhys or Reece - I love Rhys for a boy. Reece/Reese is similar to another candy bar, though. Again, most people probably wouldn’t notice.
Dean is fine with Clark.
Calvin - I didn’t think of Kal.
Wells - not too out there.
Reed/Reid - if the person is just a co-worker, I wouldn’t be concerned and wouldn’t ask permission to use it. If you spend time with this person on a more social basis, I would ask. He may wish to use it and/or his partner may resent you using it.
Wade - is it too country/too southern? No.
Dexter - is it too linked to the TV show? - I thought of the show, but have never watched it. I think it is fine to use the name and the association will deminish over time.
I prefer the names in this order:
Clark and:
Rhys
Calvin
Wells
Dexter
Dean
Reed/Reid
Heath
Wade
[name_m]Hence[/name_m], why I thought it would be good to get everyone’s thoughts on these particular names:
