So after a two year struggle with unexplained infertility and a truely unexpected BFP my fiancé and I have just found out we are having a BOY! My fiancé is seriously overjoyed as he has been hoping from day one to have a boy but I’m finding myself weirdly let down. My sister has a two year old son & another boy on the way and though I am happy my son will have boy cousins to play with my sister’s very vocal hope that I was having a girl has rubbed off on me and now I’m having trouble getting excited about naming a boy instead of a girl. My girl’s name list was so exciting to me! So many of my personal favorites were approved by my fiancé and I feel like girl names leave so much more room for whimsy and originality. I have to say goodbye to [name]Rosemary[/name], [name]Penelope[/name], [name]Gemma[/name], [name]Maple[/name], [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Marigold[/name], [name]Bethany[/name], [name]Daphne[/name], [name]Clover[/name], [name]Miriam[/name], and [name]Lilac[/name]. deep sigh
I’m glad my fiancé and I have a good list of names that we both like but I’m having trouble making combos that feel right, have good flow, and also have that special twist that I want so badly. Here’s where you come in, Berries! Please help me move forward and feel more comfortable actually naming my baby! We are due in [name]October[/name]. The baby’s last name sounds like Gaw-ris and I would love to hear your opinions on our list, which names you think work best in the first name spot, what combos you think work with our last name, and any suggestions you have of new names to run by my fiancé. Here we go!
Names we both like:
[name]Bruno[/name]
[name]Griffin[/name]
[name]Xavier[/name]
[name]Ronan[/name]
[name]Ezekiel[/name]
[name]Abram[/name]
[name]Wyatt[/name]
[name]Archer[/name]
[name]North[/name]
[name]River[/name]
[name]Tobias[/name]
[name]Lionel[/name]
Possible middles (besides the list above):
[name]Noble[/name]
[name]Halcyon[/name]
[name]Oak[/name]
[name]Patrick[/name]
[name]Stephen[/name]
[name]Thomas[/name]
[name]Nicholas[/name]
[name]Daniel[/name]
[name]Michael[/name]
aaand even though it probably doesn’t help anything…
Names I love that he vetoed:
[name]Reuben[/name]
[name]Quentin[/name]
[name]Rocco[/name]
[name]Winston[/name]
[name]Tobin[/name]
[name]Haldan[/name]
[name]Samson[/name]
[name]Wade[/name]
[name]Malcolm[/name]
[name]Lachlan[/name]
Thanks for your time, Berries. It is so strange and overwhelming to finally be naming a baby I have been dreaming about for so long. I really appreciate any and all help in finding him the perfect name.
I’m also voting for [name]Ronan[/name], it’s my favourite from your list. I love [name]Ronan[/name] [name]Patrick[/name], or [name]Ronan[/name] [name]Xavier[/name].
I think [name]Tobias[/name] [name]North[/name] would also be very cool and handsome.
Although it’s hard to let go of your girls’ list, you really don’t have to. [name]Just[/name] save it for next time. And be very excited to name your little boy! Congratulations!
Congrats to you, Ellieberry! You’re having your first baby so try and concentrate on that miracle and think of having a healthy baby rather than gender disappointment.
With a surname sounding like Gaw-ris, I would avoid first names ending in an “s” (boo-hoo to [name]Tobias[/name] for a first name but it would be ok for a middle name).
Oh, please use [name]Bruno[/name]! It’s so unexpected.
Most of the other first name options are ones I see a lot here on Nameberry, so they’re not quite as interesting. I do love many of them, though, especially:
[name]Abram[/name]
[name]Archer[/name]
Ezekiel
[name]Abe[/name], [name]Archie[/name] and [name]Zeke[/name] are such cute nns.
I just love [name]Tobias[/name], too, though perhaps not with your last name.
For middles, I really like [name]Oak[/name], though it doesn’t work well with [name]Bruno[/name].
I have been going over your suggestions with my fiancé and having unbiast outside input is priceless. Anyone else want to chime in? I’m really loving the chance to hear what you all think works for me. Thanks to everyone who has already commented!!!
Congratulations [name]Ellie[/name]! You know, the thing about girl names is that it’s more expected for a girl name to be full of whimsy and originality. It’s less surprising to meet a child named [name]Eloise[/name] [name]Magnolia[/name] than it is to meet a boy with a whimsical, original name. I get more of a thrill when I meet a beautifully-named boy than when I meet a little Miniver [name]Clove[/name] (or some-such whimsical granny-chic confection.)
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]Winston[/name]
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]Quentin[/name]
[name]Xavier[/name] [name]North[/name] (makes me think of maps, “X marks the spot”)
[name]Ezekiel[/name] [name]Samson[/name]
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]Oak[/name] (Isn’t [name]Toby[/name] the dearest nickname ever?)
Boys are fun. [name]Little[/name] bowties. Corduroy overalls. Mudpies.
[name]Bruno[/name]- It certainly is unexpected. But I don’t really like it. Sounds like the name of a big, scary bouncer.
[name]Griffin[/name]- I understand the appeal to this name, but I don’t like it much. I do like the NN [name]Finn[/name] though, and think a lot of the other [name]Finn[/name] related names are pretty great.
[name]Xavier[/name]- I like this name a lot. I think it’d be a great choice.
[name]Ronan[/name]- I like this name. I like it a little less than when I first heard it, but I still do like it quite a lot.
[name]Ezekiel[/name]- I’m not such a fan of this name (and it feels too in-your-face Biblical for me. I like the more subtle Biblical names better (like say [name]Levi[/name]/[name]Asher[/name]/[name]Eli[/name]))
[name]Abram[/name]- I don’t like this one much either. Feels too much like a chopped-off [name]Abraham[/name].
[name]Wyatt[/name]- I’m mediocre about it. It feels very [name]Wyatt[/name] Earp to me.
[name]Archer[/name]- I’m really coming around to this name. I used to be mediocre about it, but now I really like it. However, I don’t like the NN [name]Archie[/name] ([name]Arch[/name] would be cool though).
[name]North[/name]- I think this would work better in the MN spot.
[name]River[/name]- I like it, but not a lot. No real strong feelings about it.
[name]Tobias[/name]- I’ve never liked this name much. I like [name]Elias[/name]/[name]Amias[/name]/[name]Osias[/name]/etc quite a lot, just never much liked [name]Tobias[/name] or the NN [name]Toby[/name].
[name]Lionel[/name]- This is my favorite of the bunch (by far). I love this name. If it didn’t go so badly with my last name, I’d be a strong consideration for us. Great name.
So my favorites: [name]Lionel/name, [name]Archer[/name], [name]Xavier[/name], [name]Ronan[/name]
With all of these names, in combo with your 2-syllable last name, I think either a strong but short one syllable MN would go best (like maybe [name]North[/name] or [name]Oak[/name]), or perhaps a longer many-syllable MN (like [name]Nicholas[/name])
You have a lot of great choices on your list! Since baby’s last name has 2 syllables, a fn with 3 or more syllables coupled with a mn with 1 syllable would give optimal flow imo. For example:
[name]Xavier[/name] [name]North[/name] Gawris
[name]Ezekiel[/name] [name]Oak[/name] Gawris
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]North[/name] Gawris
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]Oak[/name] Gawris
My favourite names from your list are first [name]Tobias[/name] then [name]Ezekiel[/name], [name]Xavier[/name] & [name]Lionel[/name]. Here are some other suggestions:
[name]Ezekiel[/name] [name]Tate[/name] Gawris
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]James[/name] Gawris
[name]Xavier[/name] [name]Charles[/name] Gawris
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]Graeme[/name] Gawris (unless you don’t like aliterations)
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]Kent[/name] Gawris
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]Knox[/name] Gawris
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]John[/name] Gawris
[name]Xavier[/name] [name]Neil[/name] Gawris
[name]Ezekiel[/name] [name]Nash[/name] Gawris
[name]Lionel[/name] [name]Seth[/name] Gawris
[name]Baby[/name] boys are great! There can never be too many.
I like [name]Ronan[/name], [name]North[/name], [name]Abram[/name], and [name]Tobias[/name]. I love [name]North[/name], but it’s a little bit hard to use as a first name unless you’re really out there. If you’d like an alternative for [name]North[/name] you might consider [name]Njord[/name].
I love [name]Ronan[/name]! Out of your list, I love:
[name]Ronan[/name] [name]Michael[/name]
[name]Abram[/name] [name]Lionel[/name]
[name]Tobias[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] - I love the nickname [name]Toby[/name] for [name]Tobias[/name].
The only advice I can give is to keep in mind the whimsy-ness of a daugter. A friend of mine wanted a daughter so dearly but was blessed with a son named [name]John[/name]. She wanted to name her daughter [name]Antigone[/name]. [name]Just[/name] something to keep in mind.
Names we both like:
[name]Abram[/name]/[name]Ezekiel[/name]/[name]Tobias[/name]: give a really religious feel that your girls names don’t. I prefer [name]Abraham[/name] & [name]Ezra[/name]. [name]Tobias[/name] is nms. It feels weak to me.
[name]Archer[/name]: a bit trendy, rather whimsical depending on the middle
[name]Bruno[/name]: reminds me of [name]Bruno[/name] [name]Mars[/name] and the perverted [name]Bruno[/name] movie
[name]Griffin[/name]: NMS. whimsical though
[name]Lionel[/name]: strong though I prefer [name]Leopold[/name] or [name]Leontine[/name].
[name]Ronan[/name]: strong. may be a little trendier now. Feels rather whimsical.
[name]North[/name]/[name]River[/name]: Natury. I really live [name]River[/name] for a first. [name]Rivers[/name] are strong and changing. I think [name]North[/name] is better suited for a middle.
[name]Xavier[/name]: strong and solid. My friend has this name. As a child I called him “X-man”. There are two different to pronounce it: Zay-vee-r and X-ay-veer.
[name]Wyatt[/name]: reminds of [name]Watt[/name]. nms.
I really like:
[name]Lionel[/name]
[name]Ronan[/name]
[name]Xavier[/name]
Ellie, a boy! How exciting! Like Emma said, there are lots of funsies with boys too, like the mentioned bowties. And suspenders, and hair that’s just a little bit too long. Hats and waistcoats. And boys can have whimsical and fun names too!
The List!
Bruno - I am overjoyed to see this on your list. Bruno rocks!
Griffin - I’m not a fan of this, but it does have some whimsy.
Xavier - love Xavier. Strong, sexy, fun.
Ronan - this is probably a Brit thing, but it’s too associated with mr Keating for me to like it.
Ezekiel - I do kind of like it… but not very much.
Abram - so serious. This is heavy and with a full beard kind of name. And not in a good way.
Wyatt - I’ve got a Charmed addiction, so I associate Wyatt with mr whitelighter and Piper’s baby. Which means it’s so cool!
Archer - yup, I do like me some archers. Great, whimsical and sexy.
North - please please put this in the middle. I love Emma’s Xavier North suggestion.
River - cute and hippie-ish. Like it very much.
Tobias - this is heavy and bearded in a sexy brooding way. Interesting name.
Lionel - sweet and charming. When I hear Lionel I always imagine little blonde boys in yellow wellies jumping in muddle puddles.
From your middle list I only like Halcyon and Oak.
Suggestions (of the whimsical kind):
Ash
Birch
Elder (so sexy and the tree is beautiful)
Hunter
Leverett (baby hare!)
Robin
A big THANK YOU to everyone that has commented already! This forum is a great way to get my quiet fiancé to share his feelings on our name list. I think when I make suggestions he is sometimes worried about giving his honest opinion because he doesn’t want to upset me but he has been more open since I have been reading all of your comments to him :). I am hoping I can find 3 or 4 name combos that we [name]BOTH[/name] really love & agree on. There have been so many good ones I haven’t thought of before! I can’t thank you all enough for your insight. More opinions and combos are much appreciated!!
Thanks again to everyone who gave their thoughts. I’ll be reviewing all of the suggestions and trying to sort my thoughts. I am definately getting more excited to name a boy! Thanks for all the encouragement, Berries
