Everyone thank you for responding!! There are some good suggestions here and I definitely feel headed in the right direction.
I think I am leaning towards 1 middle name. I can’t find a double mn combo at the moment that feels right and it more feels like I’m trying too hard to impose it. Mostly it was because I came up with double middles that I really love for future girls that it felt like [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] needed one, too. Is that weird for only 1 or 2 children to have double middles? They just flowed right, and that’s not happening yet here so I don’t want to force it and end up with something clunky that I don’t love.
Some responses on the suggestions so far (I am definitely very particular with my naming style so please don’t take anything personally, and I do sincerely appreciate ALL of the suggestions because they spark ideas, even if I wouldn’t use the name itself)…
It’s important to me not to “double up” on names or meanings or have names be too similar. For instance, Bellerophon - an awesome name, would make an amazing middle - is thematically too close to [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] for me to pair it. Another Greek hero, written about by [name_m]Homer[/name_m], etc. Similarly, Odyssey is out (although again it would be an awesome middle/2nd middle) because [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] is the Latin version of [name_m]Odysseus[/name_m], for whom The Odyssey is named. [name_u]Hero[/name_u] is also out for similar reasons, and also because (while ancient) it’s too modern word-namey for me. I have a really weird relationship with word names - some I love, some I don’t, not sure why.
I like [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u], my husband does not. I’ll throw it in the ring again and see what he says. I also love [name_m]Aristotle[/name_m], my husband wasn’t so sure (but he likes [name_m]Balthazar[/name_m] so I mean, what gives).
[name_m]Science[/name_m] fiction names are definitely my biggest draw here. Both of my older children have [name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek inspired names, as well as connections to real and fictional places, and classical literature/mythology/history. So kind of a lot to live up to with this one, lol. Maybe I am putting too much pressure on myself. [name_u]Dune[/name_u] is a special series to me and my husband, so I really wanted to find something inspired by that, which is where Caladan comes from. I think I still like [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] Caladan as a combo, without a 2nd middle. [name_u]Dune[/name_u] as a name, again, a little too modern word-namey for me. Not sure why I am not into them, because sometimes I hear them and they are so perfect lol. I know a girl named [name_u]Ember[/name_u], so that one rings feminine for me. Ender, I have no connection to the story and I don’t care for it as a name. [name_m]Aesop[/name_m], [name_u]Fable[/name_u], [name_m]Beowulf[/name_m] are a no for me. Ladon and Fafnir are cool, but I don’t think I could use them. I do like the idea of a dragon inspired name (as I love dragons) and have to admit that [name_m]Draco[/name_m] has always been one of my guilty pleasure favorites. [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] I love, it’s a long time favorite - but again, husband not convinced. LOL.
[name_f]Galaxy[/name_f] is awesome but sounds like a girl’s name to me. It reminds me of [name_u]Sailor[/name_u] [name_f]Moon[/name_f]'s [name_f]Galaxia[/name_f] (not a bad thing, also an awesome name) and [name_f]Galatea[/name_f] ([name_u]LOVE[/name_u]), so that one’s out. I do love [name_m]Galileo[/name_m], though. Pegasi, I have to go with no, even though I love the pegasus. I guess I"m kind of not a fan of animal names? Or only sometimes? I don’t know honestly. The idea is cool and I like where it’s going, in reference to star maps and constellations. I like Eridani in that same vein, but it feels a little “out there” to me (which amuses me, because let’s face it, ALL of my names are “out there”). I have never claimed to be simple… LOL. Kepler is FANTASTIC and I love it and it is a great middle name!!! However… that is the married last name of my aunt (and her daughters) so that feels a little odd. I should look into more astronomer names (Copernicus? [name_m]Tycho[/name_m]? Aristarchus?) because I love space. Gliese I do like, just not how it sounds with [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m]. Phaeton I love. [name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]… I don’t know. It’s a little too “obvious” to me? Hard to describe, because I love the name [name_u]Mars[/name_u] so WTH. Also I knew a baby [name_m]Jupiter[/name_m] a decade ago so it feels “already been done” to me. Ugh. I hate being so difficult. [name_m]Nero[/name_m]… I like… but, he’s kind of a villain (although modern viewpoints are contesting some of the opinions from antiquity, to be fair) but he’s also a [name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek villain in my least favorite [name_f]Star[/name_f] Trek movie so that one’s a nope. I love other emperor names, like [name_m]Augustus[/name_m], [name_m]Aurelius[/name_m], [name_m]Octavius[/name_m]/[name_m]Octavian[/name_m], etc. [name_m]Julius[/name_m]/[name_m]Julian[/name_m] is a favorite but ruled out because of a terrible family tragedy on my husband’s side.
My husband tends to like Victorian Gothic/dark names, so there is a little bit of intersection there for us but not much. I lean [name_m]WAY[/name_m] more heavily to ancient [name_m]Roman[/name_m]/Greek names. Obviously. LOL. Again with the word/animal names… neither one of us is entirely a fan. So no to [name_m]Crow[/name_m], [name_m]Thorn[/name_m], [name_m]Saber[/name_m], [name_u]Blaze[/name_u]. We know a Dravyn, so [name_m]Draven[/name_m] is out. [name_u]Poe[/name_u]… is too short for me? And I don’t like how it sounds next to [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] is cool though. [name_m]Cyprian[/name_m] I really like, just not sure about the soft c right after the s in [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m]. [name_m]Prospero[/name_m]… have to go with no on that one, just not feeling it?
I love mythology names, but I feel a little weird using Egyptian names as I have no cultural ties to [name_u]Egypt[/name_u]. Not sure why Greek and [name_m]Roman[/name_m] names are okay for me in that line of thought because technically I don’t have ties to that either unless you count [name_m]Rome[/name_m] invading [name_m]Britain[/name_m] as a cultural tie because I have British heritage? And I possibly maybe have Norse heritage but that still feels like a stretch. Freyr is cool and I do love the sound, but I have a student [name_f]Freya[/name_f] (I will have her as a student for several years) so that feels a bit weird.
[name_m]Bradbury[/name_m] I kind of like! I’ll have to mull that one over. The idea of [name_f]Atlantis[/name_f] is cool, not sure if I’m 100% on board for it though. Tolkien names are a GREAT idea, my husband is a huge Tolkien fan. But not, like, obvious Tolkien names like Legolas or Gimli.
[name_f]Valen[/name_f] is my husband’s [name_m]FAVORITE[/name_m] name for a boy and I promised him we could use it as a first name if we have another boy.
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m]. My husband thinks it’s a bit much.
[name_u]Auberon[/name_u] I adore, but everyone (including my husband) thinks you should say it Aw-burr-onn instead of like [name_u]Oberon[/name_u]. But I also like [name_u]Oberon[/name_u]. Husband remains unconvinced.
[name_m]Othello[/name_m] I have to go with no just because he’s not a great character
[name_m]Endymion[/name_m] and [name_m]Locke[/name_m] I utterly love. [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m] might have to go on my shortlist, even though I know husband isn’t a huge fan.
[name_m]Quinlan[/name_m] is so cool but my husband thought it was made up, didn’t like it
[name_m]Gaius[/name_m] I like but it’s a little too much of the same with [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] for me? Not sure how to describe that
[name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] [name_m]Amadeus[/name_m] [name_m]Argo[/name_m] sounds really awesome. I do love [name_m]Amadeus[/name_m] like a whole lot. [name_m]Argo[/name_m] and Argos and [name_m]Argus[/name_m] I really do like, but again the repetition on a theme trips me up - [name_m]Jason[/name_m] and the Argonauts, similarity to [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m]/[name_m]Odysseus[/name_m] because they are ancient heroes on a nautical voyage, etc etc.
[name_m]Octavian[/name_m] I love, [name_m]Marcus[/name_m] I like but am not all the way into because it is more of a common name.
[name_m]Balthazar[/name_m] my husband LOVES. I, do not. lol.
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] I love. My husband, not so much.
[name_u]Zephyr[/name_u] has been a favorite since I was a kid, husband is not a fan. [name_m]Caedmon[/name_m], maybe?
[name_m]Sylvanus[/name_m]/[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m]/[name_m]Sylvain[/name_m] I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] but that starting s right after an ending s trips me up. [name_m]Quinton[/name_m], eh
[name_m]Pompeo[/name_m] no, [name_m]Stellan[/name_m] I love but again with the s
[name_m]Evander[/name_m] is really such a handsome name, not sure why I don’t like it more
[name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] [name_m]Lloyd[/name_m] my husband might actually agree to. He loves [name_u]Dorian[/name_u], I’m okay with it, and I adore [name_m]Lloyd[/name_m] for some reason and he doesn’t get it LOL.
[name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] [name_m]Eryx[/name_m] [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] sounds badass.
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m], while I love it, I just don’t know how I feel about repeating the s sound. I feel like I’m hissing? [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m], again, I love. [name_m]Stellan[/name_m] [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m] on its own makes a pretty great name.
[name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_m]Aurelius[/name_m]… I am liking that. That will need to be discussed with the husband.
Balder [name_u]Bran[/name_u]… I mean, I have some Irish in my lineage. But I’m not all for this.
Caladan [name_m]Quirin[/name_m] is pretty cool. I don’t think my husband will be a fan of [name_m]Quirin[/name_m], though.
[name_m]Linus[/name_m] [name_u]Carlisle[/name_u]… I’m sorry, no, feels too stiff upper lip to me lol (but fusty and bearded and in a toga is okay somehow LOL)
[name_m]Nestor[/name_m] [name_m]Troy[/name_m] is again all too much the same theme for me. [name_m]Nestor[/name_m] is a chapter in the novel [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m], and mythology wise was an Argonaut and in the Trojan war. [name_m]Troy[/name_m] was the setting of the Trojan war.
Cadian sounds neat but I’ve never heard it before. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have a story about it or a source or where you heard it?
AGAIN, sincerely thank you to everyone who has responded (and thank you to whoever reads this novel of a post). These ideas are all heading in the right direction!!
I did agree to completely reconsider middle names, as he’s not a huge fan of what I like - and now that it’s certain we are naming him [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m], I’m not sure I am, either 