Need help naming our first boy! (2 big sisters)

Name Advice
1

We are expecting our first baby boy, our last child, in [name]March[/name]. He was a surprise and I had kind of moved beyond baby-naming to other thoughts and dreams, and I am finding myself kind of flummoxed. Twice before I had dreamed boys’ names; if DD#1 had been a boy she would’ve been [name]Alexander[/name], nn [name]Sasha[/name]. I had told my twin brother this, and then early in my second pregnancy he and his girlfriend named their unborn son [name]Alexander[/name]. Sigh. So after my second daughter came along, I dreamed repeatedly of another child, a little red-haired boy named [name]Gabriel[/name]. Then my brother and girlfriend got pregnant again, second boy, and my jaw dropped when they named him [name]Gabriel[/name]. I was fairly upset, but had to let it go, and I love my nephews; I kind of figured this was another sign we should be done.

Anyway, here we are with our little boy on the way! With both our girls, we have had a short list ready at birth to choose from, and that has worked really well. My girls are [name]Josephine[/name] [name]Tessa[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Morgan[/name], last name 2 syllables, starts with B and ends with “ton.” We like fairly traditional but not super-used names; [name]Michael[/name] is a name I love a ton and a family name so we are leaning that way for a mn. It just seems so popular for a first name! We’ve talked about

[name]Gideon[/name] (love it, but no “easy” nicknames)
[name]Harrison[/name] (called [name]Harry[/name] or even Han if we’re bold; husband’s dad’s name is [name]Hal[/name] so indirectly honoring him)
[name]Micah[/name] (I love it, husband reeally doesn’t)
[name]Alfred[/name]
[name]Isaiah[/name]
[name]Oscar[/name]
[name]Peregrine[/name] ([name]Perry[/name])
[name]Percival[/name] ([name]Perry[/name], another family name)

There are a few others, but those are probably frontrunners. I really don’t want to repeat initials so avoiding all those beautiful J- and E- names. Any feedback for me, or suggestions, or help with clarifying our personal style? I know we lean a little towards Old Testament names and good literary names. Help!

2

I love your naming style! Your girls’ names are wonderful. And I am totally with you on [name]Michael[/name]…it was on my short list and I really love it, but it was just too popular.

Before I comment on your ideas, and suggest a few, let me say that I’m not one to worry about nicknames too much. If there was a nn that I thought I wouldn’t be able to live with, I avoided the name. I think that if I had loved a name that had a more formal name associated with it, I would have probably used the formal name on the birth certificate, just to give the adult child options. But I wouldn’t toss out a name I really liked just because there was no traditional or obvious nickname. I think that nicknames should develop organically, sometimes having no relation to the given name, and if they don’t, who cares when the child has a great name to begin with?

[name]Gideon[/name]–I love it–my favorite from your list. See above about nicknames, but I see potential…Gid, Giddy, [name]Deon[/name], [name]Dee[/name], [name]Jem[/name] (from G.M. if he was [name]Gideon[/name] [name]Michael[/name])
[name]Harrison[/name]–not a big fan–not sure, but I don’t think I’d like the son/ton rhyme with your last name. I know [name]Henry[/name] is popular now…but I prefer it as a way into [name]Harry[/name] and [name]Hal[/name]
[name]Micah[/name]–I love this name, but I love [name]Michael[/name] more…and since it is a family name, I’d keep it as a middle if I were you.
[name]Alfred[/name]–I’m on the fence about [name]Alfred[/name]. It used to seem just too fusty, but I’m warming up to it. I think [name]Alfie[/name] is cute, but I’m totally in love with [name]Freddie[/name] and [name]Fred[/name].
[name]Isaiah[/name]–I don’t know…[name]Josephine[/name], [name]Eliza[/name] and [name]Isaiah[/name] just doesn’t work for me. [name]Isaiah[/name] just seems TOO Old Testament next to his sisters.
[name]Oscar[/name]–I like, but I’m not crazy about. [name]Oscar[/name] [name]Michael[/name] doesn’t appeal to my ear.
[name]Peregrine[/name] and [name]Percival[/name]–two names that I love, and are on my fantasy list, but would never use. They just seem too
…extravagantly virtuous and prim…for a modern American boy.

[name]One[/name] other point…the sounds of [name]Josephine[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] are strong to my ear. [name]Gideon[/name], with it’s hard consonants and long e sound stands up to them. [name]Harrison[/name], [name]Micah[/name] and [name]Isaiah[/name] seem to whisper next to them.

[name]Love[/name] [name]Gideon[/name] and will also suggest:

[name]Tobias[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Simon[/name]
[name]Peter[/name]
[name]Frederick[/name]
[name]Thaddeus[/name]
[name]Roland[/name]
[name]Abram[/name]
[name]Silas[/name]
[name]Calvin[/name]

3

Thank you! What a super-informative post! I especially appreciate the part discussing the strength of the names, and how his name would work with his sisters’. I have really been having trouble finding a boy-name style that is compatible with my girls’ names.

The names you suggested, several of them I/we really like, but have had to rule out for various reasons - ex-boyfriends, fairly close relatives, negative associations, etc. But they are great names! Regarding [name]Harrison[/name], real point there, I’d thought about the -son-ton thing. I can’t use [name]Henry[/name], but if I decide this little guy is definitely a [name]Harry[/name], I just might call him [name]Harry[/name]. [name]Alfred[/name] would either be [name]Alfie[/name] or, more likely, [name]Freddy[/name].

I am liking [name]Gideon[/name] more and more, though. It has some special meaning for us, I just wasn’t sure if I was bold enough to use it. It seems to be going up pretty fast in popularity here on Nameberry but I doubt it will be mainstream-overcommon any time soon. Thanks again!