My husband is a history teacher and wants to choose a name with historical significance, which drastically narrows my options. He leans towards the arena of civil rights leaders like [name]Fredrick[/name] [name]Douglas[/name], [name]Ida[/name] B. [name]Wells[/name] [name]Barnett[/name], while I tend to like authors and artists like [name]Jasper[/name] Johns and [name]Maya[/name] [name]Angelou[/name]. We have finally settled on a girl’s name that we both like - [name]Alice[/name] (for [name]Alice[/name] [name]Paul[/name] who was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement and also for [name]Alice[/name] [name]Walker[/name] and [name]Alice[/name] in Wonderland, literary choices). I have a much harder time with boy’s names in general, and choosing from historical figures has proven downright mind-numbing. [name]Lincoln[/name] is the only name that we both think might work, but I go back and forth on it. With the last name [name]Bennett[/name], it could have some real gravitas, and [name]Linc[/name] is a cute nickname, but I feel like my brain is fried and I need outside opinions. Any thoughts? Suggestions for other names are welcome, as well. Easy to spell and pronounce are my only stipulations.
I know a teenager named [name]Lincoln[/name]. It works well. And you are right, [name]Linc[/name] is a cute nn. Personally I don’t like the trend of last names as first names. Good luck.
I actually really like this one. I have a friend with an 18 month old named [name]Lincoln[/name] and we all call him [name]Linc[/name]. It’s really a cool name with a great namesake. Her other son is [name]Clinton[/name], but there isn’t as much significance there (not by a long shot). Two other historical names that I really love are [name]George[/name] and [name]Theodore[/name].
Are you only interested in names from American [name]History[/name]?
I think [name]Lincoln[/name] is a lot to live up to, and it’s a name with such significance that it almost feels like it would be hard to forge your own identity with such a weighty name. I like your girl choice, [name]Alice[/name], because it has that historical significance that you want, without screaming it at the top of it’s lungs, like [name]Lincoln[/name] does. If I was naming a child after a figure in American history, I would probably choose one that wouldn’t be as obvious, such as:
[name]Jay[/name]: for [name]John[/name] [name]Jay[/name]
[name]Adam[/name]: for [name]John[/name] [name]Adams[/name] & [name]John[/name] [name]Quincy[/name] [name]Adams[/name]
[name]Rosa[/name]: for [name]Rosa[/name] [name]Parks[/name]
[name]Susan[/name]: for [name]Susan[/name] B [name]Anthony[/name]
[name]Malcolm[/name]: for [name]Malcolm[/name] X
[name]Betsy[/name]: for [name]Betsy[/name] [name]Ross[/name]
I also prefer [name]Jefferson[/name] and [name]Franklin[/name], because they can be shortened to less weighty names, [name]Jeff[/name] and [name]Frank[/name].
I really like [name]Lincoln[/name] and the Civil War [name]Era[/name] idea. Personally, I know 3 little [name]Lincoln[/name]'s under the age of two right now. I don’t know if that makes you like it more or less, but it seems to be on the rise as far as popularity is concerned.
Sticking with the Civil War timeline, what about [name]Boston[/name]? [name]Boston[/name] [name]Corbett[/name] was the man who killed [name]John[/name] [name]Wilkes[/name] [name]Booth[/name]. I especially like it with your last name; [name]Boston[/name] [name]Bennett[/name] (but I am a sucker for an alliteration!).
I knew a darling little boy named [name]Hayes[/name] which was cute. I have a [name]Lincoln[/name] and we love his name, fits him perfectly.
When I went into labour over the Fourth weekend with my son, I joked that he’d be [name]George[/name] [name]Thomas[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] had he been born on the 4th.
I prefer first names, so founding fathers and others:
[name]George[/name]
[name]Thomas[/name]
[name]Benjamin[/name]
[name]John[/name]
[name]Quincy[/name] (prn [name]Quinzy[/name])
[name]Samuel[/name]
[name]Crispus[/name]
[name]Paul[/name]
[name]Patrick[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Alexander[/name]
[name]Aaron[/name]
[name]Andrew[/name]
[name]Israel[/name]
[name]Ethan[/name]
[name]Nathan[/name]
[name]Francis[/name]
[name]Alexis[/name]
[name]Solomon[/name] (for Haym [name]Salomon[/name])
[name]Henry[/name]
Depending on where you live, you could also choose a name for local historical value. For example, Sir [name]Lion[/name] [name]Gardiner[/name] founded several communities where I grew up.
Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts and suggestions! It’s actually comforting to know that there are other Lincolns out there because that means it works as a first name. I’ve never met any in my neck of the woods, and it’s nowhere in the rankings, so I’m not too worried about it getting too popular.
For some reason I’ve never been wowed by boys’ names the same way I am with girls’, so it’s good to know that I have at least one real possibility.
I love it! I knew a [name]Lincoln[/name] in highschool, although he wasn’t very nice, the name has always stuck in my head. I think it goes great with your last name too! Very nice ring to it.
Funny, I knew a [name]Linc[/name] in high school too, but he was… dreamy. 
So I’m all for it.
I also work with a history teacher who, same idea, wanted to give his kid a historical name, so they saddled their baby girl with… Chamberlain. That one still makes my jaw drop.
I don’t think [name]Lincoln[/name] is too much to live up to; rather, I just see it as a strong, masculine name, one that a kid would enjoy having. I say go for it!