Honouring my brother

[s.n.pomroy]

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone - first time posting!

We are having our second baby due late [name_f]December[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] older brother, [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Donald[/name_m], died in [name_m]March[/name_m]. This is our first [name_m]Christmas[/name_m] without him and the baby is coming right around this time. We do not know what the sex of the baby is.

I have not yet discussed with my husband the potential of doing a nod to my brother - however, I do want to think about some options.

Our first is named [name_m]Everett[/name_m] [name_m]Darwin[/name_m]. We decided before he was born to pick middle names for our kids that are place names and when they hit a certain age (?12/13 maybe) we will take our family to those places as a form of exploring the world. I would really like to keep this pattern going.

I’m open to flexible interpretation of a nod. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband shot down “Kit” previously - the baby’s last name is a proper noun so I think maybe two word names is not great. Other things about my brother are that he loved to “go on adventures”, was a geologist, and fiercely loved his siblings. I guess I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions that might honour my brother without being his name outright? We sort of had decided against naming our kids after family members or anyone we know previously but this has been a really big loss and I think it would help with grief a bit. I do also worry about saddling this child with the weight of being named after someone who died under pretty upsetting circumstances (unexpected and very traumatic for my family).

If anyone has suggestions, I would really appreciate it.

[shells15]

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. I hope this holiday season goes as well as possible for you and yours, and the wonderful memories shine throughout the season.

For a bit of background, I have a brother also named Chrɪstophɛr nn Chrɪs who I was once looking to honour (I have changed direction for personal reasons). Also, I am looking to honouring my Papa (grandpa), Donᴀld Lɛɛ nn [name_m]Don[/name_m].

For a girl, I think [name_f]Carys[/name_f] or [name_f]Kerensa[/name_f] could work well to honour your brother and his love he bad for his family.

For a boy, a D middle name could stand in for [name_m]Donald[/name_m] as an initials representation.

Personally, for a boy, I will be using the name Conrᴀd nn Konᴀ. Konᴀ is the Hawaiian translation of [name_m]Don[/name_m] and, from everything I found, is an old Scottish and English variant of [name_m]Don[/name_m].

You could go with using your brother’s initials to honour him, and [name_f]Carys[/name_f] D or [name_m]Conrad[/name_m] D could work, but just using a single initial could certainly work also.

[tallemaja]

I’m so sorry for your loss, wishing you and your family the best in healing

Would another [name_m]Chris[/name_m]- name work? [name_m]Everett[/name_m] and [name_m]Christian[/name_m] sound like good names for brothers for me. And Chista or [name_f]Christiana[/name_f] or [name_f]Christabel[/name_f] for a girl? Other forms of [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]: [name_m]Topher[/name_m], [name_m]Risto[/name_m], [name_m]Kester[/name_m]. [name_m]Or[/name_m] maybe you could carry on your brother’s initials, CD? E.g. [name_m]Charlie[/name_m] [name_m]Dallas[/name_m] or [name_f]Colette[/name_f] [name_m]Dover[/name_m].

Since your brother was a geologist, maybe a gem name could be a sweet nod to him? [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_f]Ruby[/name_f], [name_f]Opal[/name_f], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], [name_m]Jem[/name_m] or [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] could work well with your son’s name.

If you wanted to be more subtle you could use a name that isn’t a gem, but has a geology-related meaning, like how [name_f]Margot[/name_f] means “pearl”, [name_m]Peter[/name_m] means “stone” and [name_m]Torsten[/name_m] means “Thor’s stone”

[name_m]Or[/name_m] maybe from his middle name [name_m]Donald[/name_m], you could do [name_m]Donovan[/name_m]?

[s.n.pomroy]

Thanks so much for your well wishes and your insight.

For clarification, our older son is named [name_m]Everett[/name_m] [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] already haha he was named in 2022 so well before we had to worry about this loss.

[name_m]Donald[/name_m] is my grandfather’s name (the loveliest man to ever have lived) but I REALLY don’t love the name in general so I like the idea of another reference to that one without a direct re-use of [name_m]Donald[/name_m].

[name_f]Carys[/name_f] is one of the names I love for a girl - I saw it on a list earlier when I was looking for names to honour a [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] as well so I will definitely be bringing that one forward.

Thanks again - I really appreciate the insight from someone who has been down this particular honouring route in the past.

[s.n.pomroy]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the help and well wishes. <3

I don’t love the “Chris” names in general but do like things like [name_m]Topher[/name_m] but it feels a bit unfinished to me maybe? The initials are a great thought so maybe we’ll look at that.

I LOVE the name [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] and have floated it in the past but my husband isn’t keen unfortunately. I think that’s a good route to try re: the rock/gem options! I also love [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_m]Torsten[/name_m] is an interesting one as well!!

Thanks again. I really appreciate it!

[Ruthvd]

I love your tradition of doing the place middle name, it’s such a fun idea and a wonderful adventure to look forward to!

I’m going to keep it simple by suggesting some names that also start with the letter C or CH!

For a girl:
[name_f]Cora[/name_f] (I love this one paired with Everett!)
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Colette[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Clover[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f]

For a boy:
[name_m]Charles[/name_m]
[name_m]Cohen[/name_m]
[name_m]Charlie[/name_m]
[name_m]Cyril[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_m]Cedric[/name_m]

I also love @tallemaja 's idea of using a gemstone name, such a cute nod to your brothers love of stones and rocks! [name_f]Ruby[/name_f] or [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] would be my faves!

[s.n.pomroy]

Thank you so much!! I love [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] - getting my husband to agree is hard haha. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is also a fave of mine but my goddaughter’s name is [name_f]Claire[/name_f] so I think unfortunately that one is off the table for us.

Thanks again.

[Maria_Bennett]

I’m sorry for your loss.
I second the idea of using your brother’s initials to name the baby after him without giving it the full name. You could also use strong sounds or letters contained in [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] or [name_m]Donald[/name_m] to create another name like:
[name_m]Chester[/name_m]
[name_m]Chandler[/name_m]
[name_m]Chipper[/name_m]
Charlton/Charleston (Charleston is also a place name so that would work for the middle name!)
[name_m]Chesterton[/name_m]
[name_m]Chet[/name_m]
[name_m]Cashton[/name_m]
[name_m]Creighton[/name_m]
[name_m]Carsten[/name_m]
Carson/Carsen
[name_m]Carter[/name_m]
Corston/Corson

Girls:
[name_m]Chandler[/name_m]
[name_f]Char[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Chanter[/name_f]
[name_f]Callista[/name_f]
[name_f]Calesta[/name_f]
[name_f]Celesta[/name_f]
Celeste/Celestine
Christa/Christie
[name_f]Christabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Chastity[/name_f]
[name_f]Chestina[/name_f]
[name_f]Crystal[/name_f]
Christiana/Christine/Christina
(All the [name_m]Christ[/name_m]- names make great [name_m]Christmas[/name_m] names as well!)

For [name_m]Donald[/name_m]:
Derald/Darold
[name_m]Doland[/name_m]
[name_m]Dugald[/name_m]
[name_m]Dillamond[/name_m]
[name_m]Devland[/name_m]
[name_m]Dillard[/name_m]
[name_m]Dyland[/name_m]
[name_m]Daniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Darnel[/name_m]
[name_m]Denzell[/name_m]
Donal/Donall
[name_m]Donegal[/name_m]
[name_m]Don[/name_m]
[name_m]Dominic[/name_m]

Girls:
[name_f]Danielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Daniela[/name_f]
[name_m]Diamond[/name_m]

[s.n.pomroy]

Thank you so much for these suggestions and the condolences.

Who knew naming babies would be SO HARD. Especially when we have set arbitrary rules.

[VEL]

I’m so sorry for your loss. Is there a particular place that was special to your brother that you could use as a middle name? Maybe a favorite spot for his adventures? It might be a sweet connection without being a true (possibly weight-y) honor name.

[s.n.pomroy]

I love this idea - I was trying to think of a place we had travelled together to potentially use, I’ll have to sit down and make a list of places we have/he has been to see if any would work.
Thanks so much!

[Greyblue]

I’m sorry for your loss

Nods to [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] Donald…

[name_m]Crispin[/name_m]
[name_m]Cooper[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Declan[/name_m]
[name_f]Cassidy[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassie[/name_f]
[name_f]Connie[/name_f]
[name_f]Christabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Catrin[/name_f]
[name_f]Caia[/name_f]
[name_m]Cade[/name_m]
Connall
[name_f]Steph[/name_f]
[name_m]Tristan[/name_m]
[name_f]Chiara[/name_f]
[name_f]Cerys[/name_f] / [name_f]Caris[/name_f] / [name_f]Carys[/name_f]
[name_f]Cadence[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isolda[/name_f]

(your first son’s name is lovely btw)

[Greyblue]

I’m sorry for your loss

Nods to [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] Donald…

[name_m]Crispin[/name_m]
[name_m]Cooper[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Declan[/name_m]
[name_f]Cassidy[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassie[/name_f]
[name_f]Connie[/name_f]
[name_f]Christabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Catrin[/name_f]
[name_f]Caia[/name_f]
[name_m]Cade[/name_m]
Connall
[name_f]Steph[/name_f]
[name_m]Tristan[/name_m]
[name_f]Chiara[/name_f]
[name_f]Cerys[/name_f] / [name_f]Caris[/name_f] / [name_f]Carys[/name_f]
[name_f]Cadence[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isolda[/name_f]

(your first son’s name is lovely btw)

[s.n.pomroy]

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I really really love [name_f]Cerys[/name_f] and [name_m]Declan[/name_m]. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband thinks [name_m]Declan[/name_m] might be too easy for kids to change to “Dicklan” as a way to make fun of the child … I think this is a bit of a stretch personally but who knows.

[shells15]

[name_f]My[/name_f] cousin’s son is [name_m]Declan[/name_m] and, while he is currently starting school, that has never come up in conversation. At most, I think the adults (even the ones with odd senses of humour for lack of a better way to put it) have come up with is Dekky.

[chelsia]

First off, I’m so sorry for your loss

I cannot imagine all the emotions you maybe feeling, especially with trying to find a name to honour your brother

There’s already so many amazing suggestions that I’m not sure what other names I can really contribute. But after reading your post there are a couple things I’m thinking

You said your brother was a geologist. Was there a type of rock, stone, gem, etc that he liked and could work for a middle? [name_m]An[/name_m] example could be [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]. You could use it as a middle and then a place like [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] National [name_m]Park[/name_m] in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] is somewhere you could take your kid in the future in honour to keep the place name tradition

Another idea could be using a place name that your brother may have went to and love, may have always talked about wanting to go to, or a place that holds a place for you and your brother. Maybe it’s a park you guys used to go to, or a coffee shop you’d stop at. Maybe it’s a place you guys travelled to as kids. If your brother liked to go on adventures maybe think about where he went for some of them or what he did and maybe there’s a name in that. This will also give you that tradition for the middle

[name_f]My[/name_f] 3rd idea for a thought process and this maybe time consuming but it will give you a lot of different name options is to use nameberry’s advanced search option. You can search for names with the same meaning as [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] or [name_m]Donald[/name_m], you can search for names that contain a few letters in either name. Anything from -er ending names to names with ris in them or ph or sto because if you’re having a hard time finding a name you like that starts with Chr or [name_m]Don[/name_m], this might give you more options

Whatever you end up choosing will be the right choice for you guys at the end of the day because the love and sentiment is there. And I’m sure no matter how close or different the name is to your brother’s, the honour will still be as meaningful. I hope something in this helps

[CMV2254]

I’m sorry for your loss Xx, and what an awesome family tradition idea of traveling to namesakes.

When I read geologist, [name_f]Petra[/name_f] was the first name that came to my mind for a girl. It’s also a place, though possibly hard to travel to depending on where you live.

LOVE the [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] idea, even if your husband doesn’t. I say don’t give up on [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], haha.

[name_f]Aldon[/name_f] as an anagram for [name_m]Donald[/name_m]? Maybe a stretch , but [name_m]Alden[/name_m] was on our boy list so I think [name_f]Aldon[/name_f] could work.

[dejectedpiglet]

I’m so sorry for your loss and my thoughts go to you and your family. <3 The first idea that came to mind was actually to go with a name that has a meaning relating to memory or love. Some ideas (a few might be a little ‘out there’ but worth putting anyway!)…

[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] nn [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Tris[/name_f] means voyager, traveler. Also contains the ‘tris’ letters found in [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]!

Celina/Celia/Celeste, means heavenly and begins with a ‘c’

[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] namesake [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] [name_f]Anne[/name_f] Askin, a famous geologist who ran her own research program in [name_f]Antarctica[/name_f]. [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] also symbolizes memory

[name_f]Calla[/name_f] another c name, a beautiful flower that can be found all over the world

[name_f]Erica[/name_f] after one of the most famous explorers, [name_m]Leif[/name_m] [name_m]Erickson[/name_m]! Has two meanings, one for the heather plant and one meaning ‘everlasting ruler’.

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] a classic, lily of the valley is a flower that symbolizes remembrance!

---

Brannon/Branwell nn [name_m]Bran[/name_m], which can come from ‘sorrow’, ‘(descendant of the) raven’ or ‘broom-covered hill, where broom (flowers) grow’. I love the nn [name_m]Bran[/name_m] because of its relation to Celtic mythology. although he had a sad story he is remembered as a loyal and adventurous hero.

Zachary/Zachariah nn Zach/Zack/Kai, means ‘g-d remembers’

[name_m]Clayton[/name_m] nn [name_m]Clay[/name_m] hearkens back to a connection with nature and the [name_f]Earth[/name_f]

[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m] nn [name_m]Perry[/name_m] a high-flying falcon, as well as the name of geologist and seismologist [name_m]Perry[/name_m] Byerly. Might be nice for a middle, I think it goes with [name_m]Darwin[/name_m]!

[name_m]Oleander[/name_m] nn [name_m]Lee[/name_m], [name_m]Ollie[/name_m], [name_m]Leander[/name_m] an evergreen/rose tree, and [name_m]Leander[/name_m] was a mythological figure who braved swimming through a storm to save his loved one

[name_m]Leif[/name_m] Also because it reminds me of [name_m]Leif[/name_m] [name_m]Erickson[/name_m]

[MichelleM]

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there.

I’m so sorry to hear about your brother. I love the idea of honoring him with your new babe. I wouldn’t worry about saddling the kid with a name honoring him. I’m sure he or she will grow up feeling special about it.

I love the name [name_m]Everett[/name_m]! Great job there. Is it possible to use a place name for the first name & [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] for a middle name? [name_m]Or[/name_m] maybe [name_f]Christina[/name_f] for a girl. I also like Cricket…not sure if that’s a stretch. Another idea is to use the same initials as [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Donald[/name_m]. For example, I like something like [name_m]Calum[/name_m] [name_m]Diego[/name_m] or [name_f]Celia[/name_f] [name_m]Denver[/name_m].

A third option is to honor the geologist. Pick a rock name! There are all sorts of cool stone name like [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], [name_m]Onyx[/name_m] or [name_f]Ruby[/name_f].

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps.

[EloiseT]

Sorry to hear about your brother. Mine died too, young and in tragic circumstances three years ago next week; I get the difficulty of the firsts of everything.

I wonder if you could use names related to navigation & travel, given your brother’s passion for adventure and given St Christopher is the saint for the protection of travellers.

Some ideas:

Bridget
Aurora
Skye (or Sky for a boy) - Skye bring a place
Marlowe
Estelle/Estella/Stella
Seren (gn)
Beatrix
Romy
Carter
Rhodes
Peregrine
Atlas
Maren
Isla
Mariner
Ronin
Celeste
Deidra
Rose (after centre of the compass)
Gulliver
Casper - its meaning would be perfect
Meridian - middle name only
Saylor

I also like thinking about the place name in front and honour second esp if the honour is more clearly related to his name - eg Christabel/Kitty//Kristen, Christian/ Tristan

Adelaide Christabel
Oslo Tristan

…though your message suggests you have the first name for at least the boy selected already.

Finally, Jasper or Gemma would be beautiful.

Hope this helps.