My husband and I are expecting are second baby. We have a daughter named [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]. We’re having a dilemma coming up with a name for [name_u]Baby[/name_u]#2, who we’ve confirmed is going to be a boy. Our top choice that we both agree on is [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], which has some great family ties and is just a nice, classic name. The problem is that we’re worried about inviting a barrage of “Friends” references (e.g. [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_u]Joey[/name_u]!). I’m looking for some feedback from this forum as we’re really not discussing our name choices with friends and family. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you guys think that the Friends connection between these two names would be too obvious and obnoxious or do you think most people won’t even notice?
I might notice it but if you hadn’t mentioned it, I may not have either. I think as long as you don’t name a (potential) third baby [name_f]Rachel[/name_f], [name_m]Ross[/name_m] or [name_u]Chandler[/name_u]- you’re good! If it’s just two names, people may notice and chuckle but I think it’s obvious it was a coincidence. Other names you might like:
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_m]Charles[/name_m]
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m]
[name_u]Aiden[/name_u]
[name_m]Miles[/name_m]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
I wouldn’t notice it. Both names are common enough that it would just seem like a coincidence.
I wouldn’t have noticed, if you didn’t say. Both names are lovely.
I think you’ll be fine. [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] sound good together!
I wouldn’t have noticed either, and unless you actually plan on calling him [name_u]Joey[/name_u] I don’t think many will. I think they work nicely together.
Amazing! :’)
I wouldn’t notice. They go well together.
I would notice. I don’t think it’s obnoxious, though, and would never judge it or think much of it…UNLESS you are big fans of the show yourselves. In that case, I might question why you chose [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_u]Joey[/name_u] when the two characters have a romantic chemistry/subtext on the show. (They don’t actually date, though [name_u]Joey[/name_u] dates [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]'s identical twin sister - like I said, this is not at all something I would worry about unless it was known that the name-givers are actually big fans of the show.)
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] are great names and go well together. What you could do is find and alternative nickname for [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], maybe Zeph, [name_u]Jay[/name_u] [name_u]Joss[/name_u] or Zep… I wouldn’t worry at all!
My SO had some great points about this too - Your kids aren’t going to have a reference for Friends, so this is really about how YOU feel about having fellow adults make jokes about it. Has anyone made a comment about [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] being a Friends reference, and did that bother you? (Both SO and I are the age where we grew up with the show, so the name [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] on its own reminds us of Friends, but we would never think that someone was naming their kid after the show. [name_u]Chandler[/name_u]… I’d wonder.)
Also, do you plan on using the nickname [name_u]Joey[/name_u]? I think that would make a huge difference in the Friends-reference recognition level.
My SO had some great points about this too - Your kids aren’t going to have a reference for Friends, so this is really about how YOU feel about having fellow adults make jokes about it. Has anyone made a comment about [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] being a Friends reference, and did that bother you? (Both SO and I are the age where we grew up with the show, so the name [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] on its own reminds us of Friends, but we would never think that someone was naming their kid after the show. [name_u]Chandler[/name_u]… I’d wonder.)
Also, do you plan on using the nickname [name_u]Joey[/name_u]? I think that would make a huge difference in the Friends-reference recognition level.
I was going to ask this too.
I wouldn’t notice if it was [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] & [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], or even [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] & [name_m]Joe[/name_m] - but if you do plan on using the nickname [name_u]Joey[/name_u], I would definitely think of Friends. [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] & [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] without the nickname is great though.