I love my husband and his name, [name_u]Michael[/name_u].
However, I suspect I love his first name because I love him. And I can’t say I am in love with the name [name_m]Mike[/name_m] which reminds me of every man of a certain age and somehow the word migraine.
So being the usual strange name fiend, I sometimes toy with the idea of what I would rename him if I could. In doing this, I realized that I was giving him good husband names rather than names of men I would want to merely date.
Here are my lover name favorites, not surprisingly names that are to me sexy, exotic, fun:
[name_u]Jean[/name_u] [name_m]Pierre[/name_m]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Franz[/name_m]
[name_u]Nick[/name_u]
[name_u]Dane[/name_u]
[name_m]Ladislas[/name_m]
[name_u]Cerulean[/name_u] or [name_m]Celadon[/name_m]
[name_m]Javier[/name_m] or [name_m]Benicio[/name_m]
[name_m]Lorenzo[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
And here are my husband-worthy names, attractive but solid:
[name_m]Russell[/name_m]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Fenton[/name_m]
[name_u]Galen[/name_u]
[name_m]Kenneth[/name_m] or [name_m]Kenelm[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
[name_u]Harbor[/name_u]
The two names that made both my lists are [name_m]Keir[/name_m] and [name_m]Trevor[/name_m], which to me sound both sexy and solid. More so than [name_m]Laszlo[/name_m] which just sounds wild and Euro-thrilling and not someone I can imagine fixing the kitchen sink when it breaks or nursing me through the flu.
If I were to have sons now, I think I would consider the glamorous lover vs. good husband distinction in naming them, not to rule them out but to find a good mixture of each.
Curious to see others’ lists and to hear their thoughts.
Names have more than meanings, they also have connotations.
They evoke images and associations.
Certain names sound exotic and wild, like movie stars. [name_u]Jude[/name_u], as in [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m]. Passionate sounding names like [name_m]Laszlo[/name_m].
Other names sound solid and substantial and nice, but not very hot. [name_m]Norman[/name_m], [name_u]Stanley[/name_u], [name_m]Fred[/name_m]. [name_f]Imagine[/name_f] [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m] as [name_m]Norman[/name_m] [name_m]Law[/name_m] and you might see what I mean.
This sort of thing is why an [name_f]Emily[/name_f] will likely be perceived more positively by most people than a [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] or a [name_f]Hortense[/name_f].
Names matter, and I find it interesting to ponder the why and how. And that’s why I like nameberry, because it offers an open-minded public forum for exploration of names.
I think [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m] would still be a beaut if he were named [name_m]Norman[/name_m]
I sort of understand it, but, I think it’s a bit difficult to picture - I don’t think I have a list of ‘sexy’ names or ‘husband worthy’ names - I like the names [name_m]Matthew[/name_m], [name_m]Adam[/name_m] and [name_m]Joshua[/name_m], and find them all attractive, but they’re also names I’d like to use for sons, if I end up having any.
I think the [name_f]Emily[/name_f] - [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f]/[name_f]Hortense[/name_f] connection is a bit different though - I know of a gorgeous man named [name_m]Winston[/name_m], and a rather unattractive (due to personality on both accounts) man, named [name_m]Jack[/name_m]. I’d happily pick [name_m]Winston[/name_m] due to the imagery/connections than [name_m]Jack[/name_m], for the same reasons.
Absolutely. [name_u]Jude[/name_u] [name_m]Law[/name_m] could be named [name_m]Egbert[/name_m] or Milk Carton and he would still be beautiful.
As could my husband. I’m not suggesting that people named [name_m]Norman[/name_m] can’t be sexy or that people named [name_m]Lorenso[/name_m] can’t be good providers.
I wasn’t talking about actual Galens or Judes, but just about the names.
My thoughts were not meant to be prescriptive: name your son this , not that, or marry a man named this, not that.
Not at all.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] the realization that while I would love to date the NAME [name_m]Heathcliff[/name_m] that I would prefer to marry the NAME [name_u]Harbor[/name_u]. [name_m]Heathcliff[/name_m] suggests lovemaking on the moors and [name_u]Laurence[/name_u] [name_m]Olivier[/name_m] good looks whereas [name_u]Harbor[/name_u] sounds solid, substantial, husbandly.
That’s what I was exploring, thinking aloud on the keyboard.
