Hello berries! Privacy symbols and such are appreciated 
Thanks!
We recently found out we’re having a boy due in January, and like many people, we’re struggling with a boy’s name! Our last name is one syllable and ends in -ing, so it makes it hard because certain combos sound like a verb/gerund, and one-syllable names sound choppy. Another conundrum we face is that our last name is a word name that is very common in business names or a title of a champion of something haha. So any word names with it either sound like a business or someone who is the best at something, which is a bummer.
I don’t feel like our boy names fit any one category, so hopefully you guys can get a general vibe 
Names in bold we may still use. Names not in bold are not under consideration.
Summary
- Calvin: definitely our favorite name, but I don’t want another C name because we are not doing a theme. So we won’t choose this one, sadly, but it does give an idea of what names we like
- Dean: our other favorite, especially because it would be an honor name! Unfortunately, it has 3 strikes against it: one syllable, slant rhymes with our last name, and the full name would sound close to dinky
- Ellis: One of my favorites. Husband likes it enough to have it on the list, but isn’t thrilled. This is what I’m gunning for, I think
- Elliott: one of my husband’s favorites, so I always just embraced that we would probably have a son with this name even though I like it and don’t love it. However, since this pregnancy, I just can’t see myself having a son with this name. It’s still an option though.
- Arthur: really cool name, but off limits because of our last name Some kids would think it would be cool, but we wouldn’t want to take the chance and give it to a kid with a personality who would be embarrassed by it
- Leo: a super cute name, but my husband worries it would be too much with our last name because of its close lion connection
- Lucas: I like this one a lot, but I don’t want to give a Top 10 name.
- Luca: loved it before the movie came out, but I feel like it would look like we chose the name because of the movie (since we live in the US and it was virtually unheard of before). Plus, a close relative is wanting to use it for a future boy
Others that I like that either don’t work with our last name or my husband doesn’t like them: Carter, Miles, Brooks, Sawyer, Clark, Liam, Reid, Logan
Sorry, I feel like this is a lot! Any new suggestions appreciated!! Thanks for helping 
Middle name might be Scott or William (honor names)
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congratulations! your daughter’s name is utterly lovely 🩵
with her name, my first thought was elias, especially from your love of elliot and ellis, with the ending of lucas
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Thank you! [name_u]Elias[/name_u] nn [name_u]Eli[/name_u] is super cute 
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Oh your daughter’s name is so pretty. I feel your pain over 
because we’re 
and that also creates problems!!
Cl@ra and…
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_m]Lewis[/name_m]
[name_u]Asher[/name_u]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Elian[/name_m]
[name_u]Bennett[/name_u]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_m]Harrison[/name_m]
[name_u]Landon[/name_u]
[name_u]Easton[/name_u]
[name_u]Leander[/name_u] (Less obviously lion-like?)
[name_m]Aldo[/name_m]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_u]Marlowe[/name_u]
[name_u]Roscoe[/name_u]
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[name_u]Ellis[/name_u], [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] and [name_u]Leo[/name_u] are all great names (and sound fine with your surname imo)
Some ideas:
[name_u]Elias[/name_u]
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u]
[name_u]Evan[/name_u]
Theo/Theodore
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u]
[name_u]Jonah[/name_u]
[name_u]Dorian[/name_u]
[name_m]Patrick[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_u]Milo[/name_u]
[name_u]Bennett[/name_u]
[name_m]Silas[/name_m]
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Hello! Congratulations on #2! Her name is lovely!
I don’t know how to do privacy symbols…
But here are some suggestions! I am adding the middles for filler!
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] [name_u]William[/name_u] ______
[name_u]Andre[/name_u] [name_u]Scott[/name_u] ______
[name_m]Bastian[/name_m] [name_u]Scott[/name_u] ______
[name_u]Everett[/name_u] [name_u]William[/name_u] ______
[name_u]Greyson[/name_u] [name_u]Scott[/name_u] ______
[name_m]Linwood[/name_m] [name_u]Scott[/name_u] _____
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m] [name_u]William[/name_u] _____
[name_m]Nathan[/name_m] / [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_u]William[/name_u] _____
Hopefully these help!
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@persephonescrown I can definitely see why you face very similar naming struggles! Thanks for your list! I especially love Leander, Hugo, Asher, and Orion 🩵
@Greyblue Thank you!! I’m glad you also don’t feel Leo is too much with the last name. I especially love Elias, Milo, and Jonah!
@cms1512 Thanks for taking the time to write a list, especially with middle names! I especially like Bastian Scott and Linwood! 🩵 and you did fine without the privacy symbols I mean it for our last name and my daughter’s name, and you did well for those, which I appreciate
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Here’s some suggestions:
[name_m]Lochlan[/name_m]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_m]Ethan[/name_m]
[name_m]Linton[/name_m]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
I think the familiarity of [name_u]Leo[/name_u] negates the leadership association with your last name so I like this as an option for you. Wishing you lots of luck on landing on the name you both love!
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If it’s really going to bother you that people may think “C theme,” I get it; I couldn’t get myself on board with [name_u]Thaddeus[/name_u] after we had our [name_m]Tobias[/name_m]. To me they’re just too similar. But with a sibling or two in between, I could better consider it.
That said, I’d encourage you to use [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]. It’s your favorite name, and you may or may not get a chance to use it if you wait. Theme, shmeme. Break it next time.
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I agree with the previous poster. Use the name you love.
[name_f]My[/name_f] cousin had three kids, the first two had K names and the third had a B name. Nobody has ever mentioned it nor has anyone cared. Their kids are now adults (early to mid 20s).
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I think it’s fine to use [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] if you want. With two kids the same initials look like a coincidence not necessarily like a theme.
[name_u]Dean[/name_u] [your surname] sounds totally fine to me.
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u] and [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] sound perfect with your surname and with Cl@ra.
[name_u]Arthur[/name_u] is really cool but indeed off limits with this surname.
[name_u]Leo[/name_u] [your surname] makes me think of the [name_m]Lion[/name_m] K1ng movies. I think it’s still a useable option though.
I love [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] but it isn’t the best if you want to avoid the most popular names. I also love [name_u]Luca[/name_u] but I am not from the US so I don’t know how it will be received there.
I see some previous posters have already recommended [name_u]Elias[/name_u]. That was also the first name that I thought about while reading your post!
Other ideas:
[name_m]Darwin[/name_m]
[name_m]Elio[/name_m]
[name_m]Elvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_u]Julian[/name_u]
[name_m]Leonard[/name_m]
[name_u]Melvin[/name_u]
[name_u]Merlin[/name_u]
[name_u]Nelson[/name_u]
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u]
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m]
I really like your last name! Have family friends with the same and now I think of it, I don’t consciously think of 
when I say it…
So I like Calvin (I would go for double C if it stays at too spot), Ellis or Leo - though Leo (name) almost makes me think “joking” which is a poop because I love Leo! Elliott is a little too intense (gives gamer boy) and cutesy for me, and I don’t think Luca goes well with the last name. Lucas is better but you don’t seem super keen on this one. Dean is not my style and too abrupt with , I agree (they’re also both titles, “so which is it then?”).
I like:
James (a one syllable that works I think)
Lachlan
Elias (a compromise? I like the Ellie-as pronunciation over Ely-as but both work/both handsome).
Elijah
Joseph
Benjamin (Benji)
Benedict
Samuel
Tobias (Toby)
Andrew
Everett
Gideon
Darcy
Ronan
Wesley
Simon
Thomas
Leander
Sebastian
Xander
Emrys
Rafferty
Jasper
Is [name_m]Alvin[/name_m] too chipmunk?
@EdgeOfTheMeadow Thanks! I think [name_m]Linus[/name_m] is super cute! I don’t think [name_u]Leo[/name_u] would sound bad either, but adorable. Maybe I’ll convince him haha.
@auroradawn Thank you!! We must have the same idea about multiple kids with the same letter. I wouldn’t mind waiting, but I don’t feel like it’s unusable for a future boy. Having a girl again this time would have been nice because we could have easily found a non-C name, then used [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] for a boy afterward haha.
@shells15 Those are some good points! [name_f]My[/name_f] biggest concern is just that, having just 3 kids and two with a C in a row, then the last with a different letter. But I’m glad no one has really noticed in the family you know! 2:1 sounds less noticeable than 3:1 for sure. Thanks!
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@Johannaa Thanks for all your input in the individual names! [name_f]My[/name_f] husband had the exact thought with [name_u]Leo[/name_u], unfortunately I can see it. I don’t think I’ve heard or considered the name [name_m]Elio[/name_m] before, but I like it! [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] also stands out
@EloiseT Thanks for giving your thoughts on all the names we’re considering! I didn’t think of how [name_u]Dean[/name_u] and my last name are both titles, so now I guess there are 4 reasons we won’t use it haha… From your suggestions, I like [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_u]Leander[/name_u], and [name_u]Emrys[/name_u] the most!
@Casea33 Unfortunately, I do think of [name_m]Alvin[/name_m] as too chipmunk 
which is a bummer because it’s only one letter different from Calvin!!
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I like [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]!
Other ideas:
[name_m]Kelvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Marvin[/name_m]
[name_u]Harlan[/name_u]
[name_u]Kallan[/name_u]
[name_m]Talon[/name_m]
[name_m]Alan[/name_m]
[name_m]Ian[/name_m]
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Rereading my reply: I do in fact like [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] K**g. I think the three syllables works well! But glad you have some more options, given we’ve really messed up [name_u]Dean[/name_u] for you. 
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The 3 in my family are K - K - B. Not noticeable unless you really dwell on it.
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Maybe I’m tacky, but I’d be gunning for two boys just so I could name them [name_u]Arthur[/name_u] and [name_u]Leo[/name_u] with that last name! lol I think they’re both great!
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@river_dweller Thanks! I met a baby [name_u]Harlan[/name_u] once and thought it was so cute! [name_m]Talon[/name_m] is also cool!
@EloiseT Haha no worries about [name_u]Dean[/name_u]! We already made it off limits because is slant rhymes with our last name, which makes it unusable even in the middle spot for us, unfortunately! We love it and would love it as an honor, but unfortunately it just doesn’t work with our last name You didn’t ruin it though 
@shells15 Good to know! Thanks!
@benton_s_mama Haha I definitely get why it’s tempting!!
If we know for sure the kid wouldn’t hate it, we’d be more willing I think
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