[name]Jonathan[/name] - I have liked [name]Jonathan[/name] for years and years. Not especially common on new babies. I find NN [name]Jon[/name]/[name]Jonny[/name] charming on a little boy. However, many people seem to dislike it, I’ve gotten many “for a baby?!” comments, to which I could only reply “…yeah, probably, at first?” And also people saying its likely to be mispelled as [name]Johnathan[/name], which I can’t stand, or that I should just save the aggravation and call him just [name]John[/name].
[name]Malachi[/name] - Gorgeous name, not very common. Nice meaning. But I have a friend who is expecting a baby [name]Malachi[/name] (we don’t live in the same country, though, nor did we grow up together), and it seems to be trending upwards generally? and my last name starts with M, and ends in y. Does [name]Malachi[/name] M****ey work? I like the mal-uh-kai pronounciation, is that too much to expect from other people?
MN probably [name]Heath[/name] or [name]Hale[/name], the H is of family significance to me. I think likely [name]Jonathan[/name] [name]Hale[/name] vs. [name]Malachi[/name] [name]Heath[/name].
I tend to like 3 syllable boys’ names. Husband is actually okay with both of these! What does Nameberry think?
My vote’s for [name]Jonathan[/name] too. I don’t see why it would be misspelled as [name]Johnathan[/name], I’ve never known any Johnathans with that spelling. I think it’s pretty common that [name]John[/name] is usually with a H and [name]Jonathan[/name] is usually without one.
My cousin is a [name]Jonathan[/name] so I’m used to hearing it. He goes by his full name most of the time but on occasion we call him Jono. I like it : ) However, I also really like [name]Malachi[/name], lol. Out of the two, and thinking about your surname I’d go with [name]Jonathan[/name] [name]Hale[/name].
I’m kind of encouraged [name]Jonathan[/name] is getting some love, I was totally treated like a crazy person by some people for saying we were thinking about it. I didn’t think it was quite that crusty.
I do love [name]Malachi[/name] but the last name is a thing. And are people going to read it with a hard “ch” as in choo-choo train? [name]Cai[/name]/[name]Kye[/name] as a nickname is appealing, though.
I like [name]Mordecai[/name] but live in fear of him getting [name]Mort[/name]. Also my husband thinks it sounds much heavier than [name]Malachi[/name]? I kind of can see what he means.
[name]Jonathan[/name] given your last name. I agree it’s not too fusty. Also agree [name]Johnathan[/name] won’t happen all that often. M alliteration would be fine but it seems like your surname is of a similar length and also ends in a vowel so that starts getting too matchy.
[name]Jonathan[/name] is OK in my book and I don’t see the spelling as something too off. There are plenty out there.
[name]Malachi[/name] (just as you pronounce it) is what my daughter wanted to use for years and then her Hubby says a really big no, so she decided to have a girl instead (LOL)
I think they finally decided on [name]Ryder[/name] [name]Nicholas[/name] for a boy if they had one but the point is moot.
I prefer [name]Malachi[/name]. I’ve never been a fan of [name]Jonathan[/name] which is unusual because I love Biblical names. I just find it’s been overused through the years and doesn’t sound “fresh” anymore. [name]Malachi[/name] is more unusual, spunky and exotic. However, with your surname, Jonathan may be the better choice. Why don’t you take both names to the hospital with you and make your final decision when you meet the little guy?
While I like [name]Malachi[/name] better for its uniqueness, it honestly reminds me of the evil boy in [name]Stephen[/name] [name]King[/name]'s “Children of the Corn.” I do like the classic [name]Jonathan[/name] (not a fan of [name]Jonny[/name], however), but I like the way [name]Malachi[/name] sounds and how different it is…it’s just that menacing character that would make me hesitate…don’t know for how many others it would also come to mind.
[name]Malachi[/name] is a lilting, fun name. It gets a lot of attention around here-- more so than in the real world-- but it is starting to be more commonly given as all of the biblical classics undergo resurrection.
However, with your last name it will doubtlessly sound a little sing-songy. Have you thought about [name]Micah[/name] instead? The same flavor, the same gentle masculinity, but without the -eye at the end to rhyme with your surname.
[name]Jonathan[/name] is completely unobjectionable. It wears very well on a young boy, as on a [name]Gen[/name] X dude. I think the [name]Johnathan[/name] spelling, personally, is completely illiterate and would hope he wouldn’t get that too often.
I like both names, but have a quick comment on [name]Jonathan[/name].
My baby brother (who’s now 21!) is named [name]Jonathan[/name], so I totally see it as fitting for a baby and an adult. He has never complained about anyone misspelling his name as [name]Johnathan[/name], even though he’s gone by [name]Jon[/name] among friends since high school.
I’m really surprised at the reactions you’ve gotten towards [name]Jonathan[/name]! It would be on my list except for some random hard to explain reasons (albeit as Yonatan, but still). I really doubt people would add in the H, and i think its a great name at any age. [name]Malachi[/name] is cool, it’s not a name i’d discourage anyone from using (and i also think you’d mostly get the pronunciation you want), but i think with your surname [name]Jonathan[/name] might work better.
I know two babies/toddlers named [name]Jonathan[/name] and two named [name]Malachi[/name]. So in my world they are equally popular! I definitely prefer [name]Malachi[/name], as [name]Jonathan[/name] still sounds boring to me since it was so popular among my peers growing up. But it is a perfectly fine name.
I have never seen the spelling [name]Johnathan[/name], and I wouldn’t worry about that.