Ok, I think we are set on [name]Shepherd[/name] for our baby due in Dec. DH really wants to use a name honoring his grandfather which leaves us with [name]Eugene[/name] or [name]Kyle[/name]. I am not wild about either choice, but DD has my grandmother’s middle name so fair is fair. Help me figure out the best combo here. I feel like [name]Eugene[/name] is more classic and, who knows?, might be cool again in a few years, but I just don’t really like it. [name]Kyle[/name] is more unobjectionable, but does it seem trendy and boring?
This tough, To me when i say [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Eugene[/name] its a rough transition. Because the ERD part in [name]Shepherd[/name] smashes into the U sound of [name]Eugene[/name] in my opinion. I guess I don’t like how my mouth feels when i say it. When I say [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kyle[/name] it flows. Plus even though [name]Eugene[/name] is a middle and rarely said I picture a nerdy boy or the movie Greese which there was a character named [name]Eugene[/name] who was picked on. I hear [name]Kyle[/name] and it has a cool laid back feel like [name]Shepherd[/name]. So I do not think [name]Kyle[/name] is boring at all I like it and shepherd [name]Kyle[/name] has my vote based on flow and vibe. [name]Just[/name] my opinion! And the picture I get when I hear the names. [name]Hope[/name] you aren’t offended by my description of the name [name]Eugene[/name]!
Good luck!
I bet your husband appreciates that your son will carry forth a name as your daughter does.
The only problem is that neither [name]Eugene[/name] nor [name]Kyle[/name] seem “just right” with [name]Shepherd[/name] to me. I don’t think it does [name]Shepherd[/name] justice.
What about a combination of the two: [name]Kyle[/name]+[name]Eugene[/name]= [name]Keane[/name]
[name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Keane[/name] sounds much nicer to me.
Whatever you may choose, congratulations!
I’m wishing you all the best.
Thank you! No, not offended, I agree that [name]Eugene[/name] has a totally nerdy feel and now I hear all the T-Birds on Grease saying “Eu-geeeen” in that nasally voice. I was really just trying to be open-minded about it that maybe it has a cool grandpa feel that I’m not appreciating. I think [name]Kyle[/name] goes a lot better, flow-wise, too. I really wanted [name]Benjamin[/name] [name]Shepherd[/name], after DH, but I understand why he wants to honor grandpa. Sigh.
This seems like an appropriate reason to make up a name…[name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kylen[/name]? Or go with a name that has a similar feel…Eudo is an old Norse name that combines elements of [name]Eugene[/name], history, and it sounds cool.
What about a variant of [name]Eugene[/name], such as [name]Owen[/name] or [name]Ewan[/name]? [name]Owen[/name] is the Irish and Welsh version, and [name]Ewan[/name] is Scottish. I think [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Owen[/name] has a serenity about it that is so divine. [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Ewan[/name] is not as smooth, but there’s the hunky [name]Ewan[/name] [name]McGregor[/name] and the shared E with [name]Eugene[/name] to recommend it.
Sorry to put that in your mind as well! I could not help but think of that and I totally forgot about the nasally voice gahhh. I love [name]Shepherd[/name] as a first name I know of a little boy named [name]Shepard[/name] spelt that way and it fits him perfectly. I do not think [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kyle[/name] is bad it just does not have the WOW factor. But since it is about compromising I would stick with [name]Kyle[/name] if you had to choose. [name]Glad[/name] you were not offended!
I want to say [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Eugene[/name], but [name]Eugene[/name] is just the ultimate nerd name to me. [name]Kyle[/name] is extremely overdone and dated so I’m not a fan of that either. I had a class with a [name]Eugene[/name] in ninth grade, and he was actually a cool guy and proud to wear his name. I still couldn’t get past the nerdiness of it though. Would your husband go for a variant like [name]Owen[/name] as sleepysessha suggested?
I think, no offense, that it’s easier for me to picture [name]Eugenie[/name]/[name]Eugenia[/name] on a girl coming back before [name]Eugene[/name] on a boy. I mean it would still be quirky but I can hear the princess-y frilly thing and the hipster (…present company included…) affection for names like [name]Ottoline[/name] and [name]Coralie[/name] etc. And [name]Gene[/name]/[name]Jean[/name] for a girl has a certain [name]Jean[/name] [name]Harlow[/name]/[name]Gene[/name] [name]Tierney[/name] [name]Golden[/name] Age of Hollywood thing going on, I think - I see it rising in the way of [name]June[/name] for girls.
On the other hand, I don’t hate [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Gene[/name] for a boy. I would consider [name]Eugene[/name] simply because I really love naming after relatives, and [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Eugene[/name] is okay - it’s a middle name after all - but [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Gene[/name] has easier flow. I love [name]Owen[/name] as a name in its own right but I think [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Owen[/name] doesn’t flow that well compared to the hard consonant beginning of [name]Gene[/name], plus the 2-1 rhythm vs. 2-2.
I like the previous posters combo of [name]Kyle[/name] and [name]Eugene[/name]: keane
[name]Kyle[/name] is overused and I just don’t enjoy the sound of [name]Eugene[/name](though its an uncle of mine’s name)
[name]Keane[/name] refreshes both is a good compromise and has a nice flow. [name]Shepard[/name] keane!
What about [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kai[/name]? It sounds like the [name]Ky[/name] of [name]Kyle[/name]. I think it’d be a nice homage. Plus, it sounds cool with [name]Shepherd[/name].
[name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Eugene[/name] sounds fine to me. [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Gene[/name] is good too.
For me, significance trumps coolness or flow. What’s your husband hoping for?
[name]Kai[/name] isnt bad and [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kai[/name] is better than [name]Eugene[/name] but you may kill me now I think of Shepherds Pie the food. Are there other variations of [name]Kyle[/name]?
I actually like brigid16’s suggestion! [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Gene[/name] is pretty awesome! When I worked in a daycare there was a little boy named [name]Gene[/name] and everyone loved his name!
I actually think [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Kyle[/name] is really handsome! I like the flow of the two names together.
Thanks for the suggestions, y’all. I’m afraid I’m one of those traditionalists who thinks making up a “sort of” namesake is a cop-out, and I doubt DH would let it fly. So it’s pretty much [name]Kyle[/name] or [name]Eugene[/name], period, unless I can get him to go in another direction all together.
To whoever said [name]Eugenie[/name]/[name]Eugenia[/name] is cooler than [name]Eugene[/name], I totally agree. I have actually agreed already to use [name]Eugenie[/name] in the middle if it’s a girl. [name]Eugene[/name] is just so…clunky. I read the Appellation Mountain write-up on [name]Kyle[/name] and it made me like it a little better, but I agree at first blush, it doesn’t really jump at me
If I had my druthers, I would probably choose a traditional name with [name]Shepherd[/name]-[name]George[/name], [name]Thomas[/name], etc., but again, I think I just have to go with it.
Honestly, I think [name]Shepherd[/name] [name]Eugene[/name] is cute. I don’t love [name]Eugene[/name] as a first name, but I think it’s quirky in a nice way. If you don’t love it, at least it’s just a middle name. And [name]Shepherd[/name] is a fantastic choice for a son, by the way. [name]Both[/name] modern and grounded and soft and strong - I love it.
Thank you, [name]Emily[/name]! I really love it too, especially with my daughter’s name, [name]Phoebe[/name].