I feel like this is crazy, but I’m sort of crushing on Greystoke as a middle lately. [name_u]Grey[/name_u] itself honors my grandma, but is Greystoke namey enough? Is it too on the nose? I’m a massive, massive [name_m]Tarzan[/name_m] fan (slowly making my way through [name_m]Burroughs[/name_m]’s 24 [name_m]Tarzan[/name_m] novels, if that’s any indication, ha!), but it almost seems like too much, lol.
For what it’s worth, if I used it, I’m leaning toward [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke + a family name, MAYBE [name_m]Jack[/name_m], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], or [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] instead. Which FN do you prefer with Greystoke, and how bad is it really? I just remember really poopooing this years ago when someone else loved something along the lines of [name_m]Leo[/name_m] Greystoke, so I’m wondering if I’ve gone off the deep end…
I think Greystoke is a great name and not so popular which I love
[name_f]My[/name_f] FAV names to go along with that middle are
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke and [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] Greystoke
Both are really good together
I don’t love it, but I think it’s fine as a middle name. I would be hesitant to recommend it as a first name, because the similarity to the word “stroke”.
Thank you, everyone! It does seem like a bit of a leap for me, but I love the association and think [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke is really cool (honestly shocked that I found something–err, ANYTHING–that I like with [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] at this point haha). I didn’t make the tie to stroke/50 Shades, but I can see how you would. It does seem very surnamey; I’ve wondered how well I’d be able to commit to something surnamey in the middle like Greystoke or [name_m]Rochester[/name_m], but I do still really like it. I’ll have to mull it over more.
I guess we’ll see if one ends up sticking? [name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to comment on the full combos if you like. I love how [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] looks and sounds but probably wouldn’t use him due to the 2-2-2 syllable flow; it doesn’t sound very good with my surname, and I’m pretty picky about that, weirdly. [name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to keep commenting; I’m open to hear more thoughts!
I’m not super familiar with [name_m]Tarzan[/name_m] universe beyond the movie so I don’t really understand the name. It did remind me that one of my ancestors had the middle name Stokely. Maybe that would appeal?
Edit: I misread the name and thought it said “Greystroke.” Reassessing that it’s -stoke, I would say that it is bold but useable as a middle. I do think that little goofup I made is worth thinking about though, I don’t normally misread names but I honestly had to reread this name multiple times before I caught my mistake.
Original comment: Yeah I think this one should probably remain a guilty pleasure. I’m all for a bold and unconventional middle name, but this one seems like it would be ill advised to put on a living breathing person.
[name_m]Tarzan[/name_m]'s real name is [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Clayton[/name_m], III, [name_m]Lord[/name_m] Greystoke. I admit I prefer Greystoke to Stokely, but thank you for the suggestion!
@brittanyanitarose - Thanks for the update; I was wondering what had you reacting so strongly compared to everyone else. We’ll see how [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke grows on me over the next couple days/weeks… I do like it theoretically, but valid concerns for sure. Realistically, I’d have a [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], [name_m]Caspar[/name_m], [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Aquila[/name_u], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m], [name_m]Judah[/name_m], [name_m]Jack[/name_m], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_u]Augustine[/name_u], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m], [name_m]Eoghan[/name_m], maybe even [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_u]Asa[/name_u], [name_u]Orion[/name_u], and [name_m]Reef[/name_m], before I have a [name_m]Reuben[/name_m], but I do love [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] and the fact that Greystoke would only be a middle helps, I think? We’ll see, I suppose, how I react as I’ve had more time to let it settle in and see if I really identify with it.
I, like many others, initially read this as “Greystroke” - I’m really not sure why so many of us are seeing an R that isn’t there! I always go straight to Google search when I encounter an unfamiliar name, so my mistake was quickly corrected. But the sheer number of replies by folks who are seeing the second syllable as “stroke” may be something to consider.
Is this name my personal taste? No. In general, surnames-as-firsts-or-middles fall pretty far outside my preferences. But this is a legitimate name genre that tons of people use, so I don’t see why the fact that it’s an [name_f]English[/name_f] surname - and one with literary cred at that - would in any way preclude you from using it - quite the opposite in fact.
I’m also a firm believer in the middle name slot being the place where you can have a little fun and include some of those GP names that you couldn’t bring yourself to use as firsts. Especially if you’re using two middles, as you seem to be here. That way you can have another “name-name” in between the surname and your last name, so that it’s clear Greystoke isn’t meant to be his last name.
Of your combos, I think [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] and [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] are the most interesting and have a good balance of syllables. I think you’re right that [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] gets a little choppy, with each name having two syllables, and though stylistically, I really like the feeling of [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke [name_m]Desmond[/name_m], I think [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] and [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] are both in danger of that same trap. I also feel like the K sounds of -stoke and [name_m]Jack[/name_m] get a little tangled together. There’s nothing to dislike about [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke [name_u]James[/name_u], except that I just find [name_u]James[/name_u] to be very plain, so he doesn’t spark my interest the way [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] and [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] did.
Playing with your combos a bit, I came up with [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] Greystoke [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m], which I actually find quite handsome, for what that’s worth!
@LynnG and @skylerros - thanks, lovelies! I do like Greyston and [name_u]Grayson[/name_u] (both honor my grandma), but wouldn’t have the tie to [name_m]Tarzan[/name_m]. And for what it’s worth, it’s Greystoke, not Greystroke… no second R. It took me a while to realize this, too, but I can see why the -stroke bit put people off.
@lavenderwitch - I think you’re right… it is telling that so many people see Greystroke instead of Greystoke. Probably because “stroke” is much more familiar than “stoke” would be? I agree that, as a middle, it’s much more acceptable than as a first… I guess we’ll see how it stands the test of time, but at this point I see it as a quirky sort of literary name; I think if his middle gets referenced, it would be spoken, but that brings up the valid point… would I be able to confidently say, “This is our newest addition, [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke”? I’m not sure. [name_m]Even[/name_m] as a middle it’s still pretty out there. Too bad [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] doesn’t flow better because otherwise I’d love [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]! I agree [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] and [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] are most interesting; I suppose I could visit [name_m]Giovanni[/name_m] or [name_m]Johannes[/name_m], but I am not the hugest fan of either. Thanks for the suggestion of [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] Greystoke [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]… he is quite handsome! It feels like a lot of heroic names in one combo, as [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] would be for war hero [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] [name_u]Doss[/name_u], but it is nice. If [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke doesn’t stick, maybe [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] Greystoke will. ha!
I admit I prefer Greystoke to Stokely, but thank you for the suggestion!
We’ll see how [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke grows on me over the next couple days/weeks… I do like it theoretically, but valid concerns for sure. Realistically, I’d have a [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], [name_m]Caspar[/name_m], [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Aquila[/name_u], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m], [name_m]Judah[/name_m], [name_m]Jack[/name_m], [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m], [name_u]Augustine[/name_u], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m], [name_m]Eoghan[/name_m], maybe even [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_u]Asa[/name_u], [name_u]Orion[/name_u], and [name_m]Reef[/name_m], before I have a [name_m]Reuben[/name_m], but I do love [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] and the fact that Greystoke would only be a middle helps, I think? We’ll see, I suppose, how I react as I’ve had more time to let it settle in and see if I really identify with it.
If [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] Greystoke doesn’t stick, maybe [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] Greystoke will. ha!