We are due in [name_u]March[/name_u] with our third, and have very few ideas for boy names. We are keeping the gender a surprise and if the baby is a girl her name will be [name_f]Frances[/name_f] [name_f]Ramona[/name_f] nn [name_u]Frankie[/name_u]. Our two girls [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] and [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] go by [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] and [name_f]Hattie[/name_f]. For a boy we are looking for a name that is similarly vintage, not overly popular, with a cute and youthful potential nickname option. Both of our daughters have middle names with family ties and for that reason his middle name will be [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] after my grandpa [name_m]Frank[/name_m]. Some names that we have thrown around are [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ernie[/name_m], [name_m]Walter[/name_m] nn [name_m]Walt[/name_m], and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] nn [name_u]Theo[/name_u] (too popular?). It’s really important to me that the names are fairly uncommon, as an elementary school teacher I have had a lot of experience (good and bad) with many of the uber common names. My DH on the other hand is having some trouble settling on [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] or [name_m]Walter[/name_m] because he feels that there is possible teasing potential given how uncommon they are.
What suggestions do you have in terms of strong classic boys names with cute nicknames?
If you both like [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] would be a less common nn than [name_u]Theo[/name_u] which I have the same reservations about myself. [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] would be very sweet.
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nn [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] is so sweet, and [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is an amazing combo! With your girls’ names I really like [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] & [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] nn [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] or [name_u]Theo[/name_u], and between those two I’d go for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m].
I love all 3 of your options. I’d eliminate [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] since you seem concerned about popularity and because paired with [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] it screams [name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m].
I looove [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] but I understand your husband’s hesitation… I’m not sure many consider him ready for a comeback.
[name_m]Walter[/name_m], however, definitely rope for a comeback. I know a 4 year old named [name_m]Walter[/name_m] and it suits him well. Nobody seems thrown off by his old fashioned name. [name_m]Walt[/name_m] and [name_u]Wally[/name_u] are excellent nicknames.
Other ideas:
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m] or [name_m]Oswald[/name_m] call him ozzy
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m] call him [name_m]Fred[/name_m] or [name_u]Freddy[/name_u]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m] call him desy
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m] call him [name_m]Lenny[/name_m]
[name_m]Kenneth[/name_m] call him [name_m]Kenny[/name_m]
[name_m]Gregory[/name_m] call him [name_m]Greg[/name_m]
I also love [name_m]Walter[/name_m] with the nn [name_u]Wally[/name_u] instead of [name_m]Walt[/name_m]. There was a little freckle-faced adorable five-year old boy named [name_m]Walter[/name_m] in my doctor’s waiting room just this week. I liked the suggestion of Ted/[name_u]Teddy[/name_u] for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] but agree [name_u]Theo[/name_u] is fairly popular - if you’re not totally in love with it, I would eliminate that one. Also if you like [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] for a girl why not make [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] the first name and call a boy [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] too? [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] hits all the marks for vintage, unusual and handsome.
Sorry if I’m repeating! [name_m]Just[/name_m] brainstorming I liked the sound of …
What a great sibset. I love [name_m]Ernest[/name_m]!!
Other ideas:
[name_m]Norman[/name_m] (nn [name_m]Norm[/name_m])
[name_m]Harold[/name_m] (nn [name_m]Harry[/name_m])
[name_m]Clifford[/name_m] (I knew a [name_m]Clifford[/name_m] that went by [name_m]Cliff[/name_m])
[name_m]Garrett[/name_m] (nn [name_u]Gary[/name_u])
[name_m]Percival[/name_m] (nn [name_u]Percy[/name_u])
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] (nn Phin/[name_m]Fin[/name_m])
Wow, [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_f]Frances[/name_f] [name_f]Ramona[/name_f] are perfect together—love them!!
I like all of your boy options but think [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] is too popular for you and also see teasing potential in [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] (even though I also really like it). I don’t think [name_m]Walter[/name_m] would face that as much and both [name_m]Walt[/name_m] and [name_u]Wally[/name_u] are adorable.
I like the suggestion of [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] nn [name_u]Frankie[/name_u]! Or [name_m]Harry[/name_m] on its own. [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] would be so cute.
I just realized I suggested [name_m]Harry[/name_m] for sister [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], oops! [name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_m]Edward[/name_m] nn [name_m]Eddie[/name_m] or [name_m]Ned[/name_m]?
My heart sings at the thought of a little boy called [name_m]Ernest[/name_m]. It’s so clunky it’s cute. Perhaps as a middle name if you have reservations?
I really like [name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] - super handsome and not quite as nerdy as [name_m]Ernest[/name_m] (though I love [name_m]Ernest[/name_m]). I know a handful of [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]’s under age of 2, all Teddys.
Other possibilities, if [name_m]Walter[/name_m] isn’t landing (and [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] can’t be a first):
Some of these are perhaps too classic but like your girls, I think it’s about the nickname too!
As an aside, my daughter was going to be [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] (and only not because it crashed into the T last name) and her middle is [name_f]Frances[/name_f]. I personally love [name_f]Franny[/name_f] over [name_u]Frankie[/name_u]; [name_f]Franny[/name_f] is more like [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] & [name_f]Hattie[/name_f] - all running through fields dotted with flowers - while [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] to me is more hip to me.
I love the name [name_m]Ernest[/name_m], so I’ll go ahead and toss my vote in for little [name_m]Ernie[/name_m]!
However, [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_m]Walter[/name_m] are also high on my list, so I don’t think you could go wrong with them, really. A suggestion for you might be [name_m]Gilbert[/name_m], as it’s uncommon, classic, and has the “er” sound you seem to favor in boys’ names.
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] the name [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] (my son’s name), but with the middle name [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] (so cute!) I can’t get over the [name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m] connection.
I’m not really on board with [name_m]Ernest[/name_m]…I would prefer [name_m]Walter[/name_m], I think. [name_f]May[/name_f] I suggest [name_u]Wallace[/name_u]? I feel it’s old/classic and uncommon. [name_u]Wallace[/name_u] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] appeals more to me than [name_m]Walter[/name_m] [name_m]Franklin[/name_m]. Plus, you still get the cute nickname [name_u]Wally[/name_u], if you want.
I liked the suggestion of Ted/[name_u]Teddy[/name_u] for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] but agree [name_u]Theo[/name_u] is fairly popular - if you’re not totally in love with it, I would eliminate that one. Also if you like [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] for a girl why not make [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] the first name and call a boy [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] too? [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] hits all the marks for vintage, unusual and handsome.