The thread about Shakespearean names got me thinking about one of my old favorites, [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]. It’s one of those names I’ve always classified as “too out there”. But now I’m thinking… Is it?
This name has a very special significance to me. I won’t get into it too much, but it symbolizes the relationship between me and my best friend, and our shared love for theatre and art.
I thought I had the names for our twins figured out, but now I’m having doubts again. As much as I like [name_m]Nikias[/name_m], I still don’t love it as much as [name_m]Leonid[/name_m], the name we’ve chosen first. [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] on the other hand is on the same level. SO is willing to consider it. There are two main things that are holding me back:
[name_m]Will[/name_m] people be able to pronounce it? I don’t live in an [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking country and the pronunciation here will be closer to the original Greek one. I think it’s less a problem then it would be in the US or the UK, but still.
And most of all… [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] both start with the same letter. I always told myself I would never in a million years want that if I had twins, but does it really matter that much?
So tell me what you think, [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]? Or am I crazy to switch [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] for [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]?
[name_m]Laertes[/name_m] is a bit of a tricky one, and I say that from a Greek perspective. It’s very rare even in Greece, I’ve never met anyone with the name. It’s pronounced lah-EH-rtis here, how would people in your country say it?
I feel like [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] is a better match with [name_m]Leonid[/name_m]. Both are unique and Greek, but come with an obvious nickname ([name_u]Nik[/name_u] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]) that make them usable. In [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]’ case, it doesn’t really have any obvious nicknames. Maybe Lai, but that’s much too close to [name_m]Leo[/name_m].
In my opinion, it’s a bit too much as a first name, sorry. It could be a cool middle though!
The pronunciation of [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] isn’t SUPER clear upon first read, however I think it is pretty easy to work out and easily correctable. I know plenty of people with confusing names that they have to correct people sometimes, and none of them are bothered by it, as long as people make the effort to remember after being corrected. Some people would probably struggle with one of your current boys’ names (I’m sure you know which) depending on where you live as well, so I think it’s just something that happens with rare/unfamiliar names! (P.S. I think your sons’ names are gorgeous!)
Leonid and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m], although they start with the same letter CAN work together. Aside from the ‘L’, they have very different sounds. I’m a strong believer in picking the name you love must- I’ve received plenty of criticism for Evaluna but I stand by it. If this is the name you love the most, I think you should use it. Alternatively, you always have the choice to take both names to the hospital and see which one suits best, but I understand that can be a hard thing to wait for!
Thank you for your reply. That’s quite close to how it would be pronounced here, lah-EHR-tes. As for nicknames, I’m hoping to stay away from [name_u]Nik[/name_u] and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. If we give them a nickname at all, it would be [name_f]Nika[/name_f] and [name_f]Lenya[/name_f]. Of course I can’t control what nickname they want to use when they are older. I don’t want to use [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] in the middle name spot, because it’s too close to my heart for that. I’d rather not use it at all. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s just how I feel about it.
Thank you. It’s true that a lot of people struggle with my oldest son’s name, but it doesn’t bother me that much. Not even when they don’t get it exactly right
I’m trying to chose the name I love most, and I think I’m getting better at it, but in the back of my mind there’s always this little voice saying “but what will everyone think?” [name_f]My[/name_f] SO is much better at this, if it weren’t for him I’d have gone with a completely different name for my second son because I wasn’t brave enough to use the one we loved most.
Personally I really like [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] over [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]. I don’t think [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] and [name_m]Leonidas[/name_m] match well. They are too similar.
Have you considered [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] and [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] together. They sound fab.
Is it hard to pronounce? Maybe, it’s not a familiar name. Are repeating initials an issue? People might assume you wanted a theme. Is Nikias stylistically better with Leonid? Probably. But you love it, so I can’t see an issue.
Also, I like that B and Leonid sound more familiar while H and Laertes are unique. They make a balanced sibset.
I agree [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] sound great together, but there’s no way I’m giving up [name_m]Leonid[/name_m]. It has stolen my heart.
I’m guessing a lot people in the US would know how to say it because I can!!! And I always have so much trouble parsing out new names… But luckily I’ve heard of this name. I’m not sure where exactly… [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]? A popular movie? Maybe both! That gives me hope for the rest of the US. (I actually am not sure I could say [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] right…)
Oh! Use [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]! I love love love this name. It is gorgeous in print and when said (not sure how it would be said in your country).
That ae combo I love.
I usually avoid alliteration in first names but [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] (another amazing name) and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] together is the best pairing I’ve heard in years.
Also while [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] is fine, I don’t think it can hold a candle to [name_m]Laertes[/name_m].
As an identical twin, I’m really glad we don’t have names that start with the same letters. That bit of individuality matters to me. But if you like the names, you can use them.
If you’re going for no common nicknames, [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] is also a good choice.
Why not keep [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] and name the other twin [name_m]Laertes[/name_m]? I like both names but I am not a huge fan of [name_m]Leonid[/name_m]. [name_u]Nikki[/name_u] is a cute NN for the other child.
I know [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] and [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] sound good together, but I’m not getting rid of [name_m]Leonid[/name_m]. I love it with all my heart. I also dislike [name_u]Nik[/name_u] and [name_u]Nikki[/name_u].
I’ve thought about this, being a twin myself. We’re not identical though (I have a twin brother). I don’t think it would have mattered to me or my brother, but I suppose it’s different for identical twins. Our twins are (most likely) not identical.
Then I’d go with [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] and [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] because [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] would get NN’d as [name_u]Nik[/name_u] by friends eventually
Personally, I prefer [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] as a name and I think that [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] and [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] go better together. [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] also seems like it’d be easier to wear in day-to-day life and it’s more distinct from [name_m]Leonid[/name_m] than [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] (although matching initials definitely aren’t a dealbreaker!).
However, this is your child, not mine. If [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] is the name you love and the one that has the most significance to you then that is the name you should go for. You should be equally in love with your sons’ names!
I think [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] might be a more difficult name to wear than [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] in terms of spelling and pronunciation issues, but I really like it as a pair with [name_m]Leonid[/name_m]. They match but aren’t too matchy,if that makes sense. I also think if you’re not a fan of [name_u]Nik[/name_u]/Niki then it might be wise to switch it up as they would be likely in the playground.
I think you should go for [name_m]Laertes[/name_m] because you prefer it, because it sounds way nicer than [name_m]Nikias[/name_m] (which will often get mistaken for [name_m]Niklas[/name_m]) and because it makes the nicer sibset with your other kids names. All three of my kids names are rare where we live (and the baby’s name isn’t going to be common either) and I still get comments about how pretty they are all the time. But I think you know that as your older kids have more unusual names too
[name_f]My[/name_f] SO is much better at this, if it weren’t for him I’d have gone with a completely different name for my second son because I wasn’t brave enough to use the one we loved most.