My husband and I have been discussing names for when/if we have a child. We’re having a hard time agreeing. One of us will love a name and the other will think it’s just okay but love a different one. I’ve always loved names but only recently realized that I’m bad at boy names and combining first/middle names (especially for boys).
We aren’t religious, and don’t want any biblical names (unless they have a family connection, then they might get a pass). I like classical mythology but those names often seem a bit out-there for our part of the US. We tend to like Welsh/Irish names. I would love to use a strong atheistic name (like Darwin, for example), but I’m hesitant to do that where we live. We don’t tend to like “made-up” names , though I don’t mind word or virtue names.
For a girl, I had fallen in love with ZoeyElizabeth ([name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is a family name). I love the meaning of [name_f]Zoey[/name_f] (“life”) and it’s Z initial, but it has become sooo popular! So then I switched to DaphneEvelyn (I love the [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] myth, and [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is a family name), but my husband doesn’t like that fn or mn (he thinks [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] sounds too much like [name_u]Daffy[/name_u]). I suggested Edyth as a mn, but he’s not buying that either. He loves the name Maisie, but I don’t want to use a nickname as a given name, so I suggested Margaret (nn [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]), but he hates that. He also really likes Meredith, but it sounds very stale to me. I personally love Reason as a mn, but don’t know what fn would sound good with it. Any ideas for a girl’s name?
For a boy, I feel very limited by my own no-biblical-name rule and by our last name which starts with a B and ends with -er. Also, I have a stepson who’s name ends with -an. I wouldn’t want a baby boy’s name to start with B or end with -er, -en, or -an. I really like the names Rhys and George, but I don’t think they sound very good together, and it’s too many "r"s anyway. Any thoughts?
[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! Well, if it’s any comfort, you aren’t being picky at all, just careful!
Your husband likes [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], would he consider [name_f]Macy[/name_f]? It has a similar sound but doesn’t feel as “nickname”-y. If you go with [name_f]Macy[/name_f], I think these options are beautiful:
[name_f]Macy[/name_f] [name_m]Everley[/name_m]
[name_f]Macy[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] (I love the way [name_u]James[/name_u] sounds as a girl mn)
[name_f]Macy[/name_f] [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Macy[/name_f] [name_u]Blake[/name_u]
(really everything goes with [name_f]Macy[/name_f], even [name_f]Macy[/name_f] [name_m]Reason[/name_m]!)
Some other names I think you and your husband would like are:
Girls:
[name_u]Kendall[/name_u] (goes well with [name_m]Reason[/name_m])
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Laurel[/name_f] (same meaning as [name_f]Daphne[/name_f])
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
[name_f]Clover[/name_f]
[name_f]Marina[/name_f] ([name_m]Reason[/name_m])
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Chloe[/name_f] (similar to [name_f]Zoe[/name_f])
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] ([name_m]Reason[/name_m])
[name_m]George[/name_m] is a bit stuffy to me as I think of it as an old name, but I love [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. I’m imagining your last name as Bender and I think [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] Bender sounds just fine! [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] [name_u]Michael[/name_u] Bender is a perfect name in my opinion - doesn’t it just sound famous, like [name_u]Michael[/name_u] [name_m]Raymond[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]?
Some other options:
Boys:
[name_u]Holland[/name_u]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u] ([name_u]Everett[/name_u] [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] sounds nice to me, same with [name_u]Emmett[/name_u] [name_u]Rhys[/name_u])
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_u]Reed[/name_u], [name_u]Reid[/name_u], [name_u]Reece[/name_u] (if [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is too unique for a fn)
[name_m]Cole[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Philip[/name_m]
[name_u]James[/name_u]
Goodness! I’m sorry – I thought I’d receive an email if anyone replied to this and I haven’t seen one, so… Oops!
[name_m]Cabot[/name_m] – That’s an interesting name, worth consideration, thank you!
[name_m]Caius[/name_m] – I really like that, but I worry about my family being able to spell it. So many vowels!
[name_u]Alexios[/name_u] Nicolei – A bit too Greek/Russian-sounding. Also, I already tried to talk my husband into the name [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], but he’s not going for it, mostly because he has two friends with that name (though I love it and I think [name_m]George[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] would be awesome, if a bit boring/old-school – if it’s good enough for [name_m]Will[/name_m] & [name_f]Kate[/name_f], it’s good enough for me ).
[name_f]Verity[/name_f] – I love that! I have a soft spot for virtue names that aren’t overly religious.
[name_f]Calista[/name_f] – It’s a nice name, but I associate it too much with [name_f]Ally[/name_f] McBeal.
[name_f]Leda[/name_f] – Very pretty and a great meaning!
[name_f]Persephone[/name_f] – It just seems so looong…
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] – Reminds me too much of church.
I don’t know about the spelling Macy – that just makes me think of the department store. I think that I’m just not going to agree with him on Maisie/Macy – except possibly as a nn, though for what, I don’t know.
Everley seems too trendy. I don’t know about putting James or Blake on a girl.
I do like Eloise, especially as a mn. I’m partial to mn’s that start with E
Kendall – Sounds too Kardashian-y.
Minerva – Wow! I love the meaning of that, and the possible nn Minnie is so fun! Does Minerva sound too “out-there” or “old lady,” though? Hmmm… a name worth thinking about anyway.
Laurel – I like it a lot, but there’s a family conflict.
Ivy – Maybe. Would be nice for a December baby.
Clover – Nah.
Marina – Pretty, but we don’t live near the sea or even particularly like the sea.
Iris – I like that. I have an older relative named Irene; I think Iris would be a nice nod to her.
Chloe – Totally! But my husband doesn’t love it, so I used it on a pet already LOL.
Maya – Hmm, maybe.
Bender works With a two-syllable last name, what are the “correct” syllable counts for fn and mn?
Michael – Way too many Michaels in my family already, and a close relative just used it as her son’s mn.
Holland – Interesting, worth consideration. We’ve ever been to Holland, though. I should think about our travels… Hmm…
Everett – Just not our speed.
Wyatt – Too “country.”
Lucas – Too close to Luke, biblical.
Reed / Reid – I like those.
Reece – I don’t know, I just prefer the Rhys spelling. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too difficult/confusing for people.
Cole – Family conflict.
Henry – I LOVE it! But my husband already said “no.” Boo! I might have to just talk him into it
Philip – I like it but don’t care for nn Phil.
James – Too biblical.
Lots of great ideas! Lots to think about! Thank you!
I asked my husband about [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]) and he loves it. Yay! Something we can agree on! But then he suggested [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]… sigh He’s really stuck on [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]. I need to brain-storm some mn options for [name_f]Minerva[/name_f], probably something simple, since it’s such a strong fn. Hmm…
What about [name_f]Mairead[/name_f]? It’s pronounced like mah-RAYD. Rhymes with “parade.” It’s the Scottish form of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], and it’s the name [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] is traditionally a diminutive of. Sort of similar in sound to [name_u]Meredith[/name_u].
I think that [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] works well as a nickname for [name_f]May[/name_f] or [name_f]Mae[/name_f].
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] is intriguing. With your two-syllable last name and [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] having three syllables a single syllable in the middle would create ideal balance and flow.
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Cate[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Poet[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_u]Day[/name_u]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Zoey[/name_f] (even though it is two syllables it is quite brief)
Similar to [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]…
[name_f]Morgana[/name_f]
[name_f]Maelys[/name_f] (would go nice as a sibset with [name_u]Rhys[/name_u])
[name_f]Muireann[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillith[/name_f]
).