Need Naming Help!

Boy Names
1

Our boy will be here in 5 weeks-ish, and DH and I still have 30+ names on our list. It’s so bad that he actually created an “NCAA Tournament of Names” and every day we are trying to get through a “bracket” or two! (He likes to compare 2 names at a time, but I feel like I need to compare the merits of each and every name on the list to all the others). So here is our rediculously long list (minus a few that I don’t think will make it out of the first round). I would love any feedback. Older sibs are [name]Rowan[/name] (boy) and [name]Maren[/name] (rhymes with [name]Karen[/name]). Middle name hasn’t even been broached, though it will likely be a Korean name or 2 MNs, one Korean and one English. Last name starts with Mc (think fast food).

[name]Anderson[/name]
[name]August[/name]
[name]Bennett[/name]
[name]Brady[/name]
[name]Callum[/name]
[name]Collin[/name]
[name]Dashiell[/name]
[name]Declan[/name]
[name]Donovan[/name] (little concerned about the duplicate syllables in first and last name)
[name]Eli[/name]
[name]Finn[/name]
[name]Julian[/name]
[name]Grayson[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Harrison[/name]
[name]Kieran[/name]
[name]Liam[/name]
[name]Luca[/name] or [name]Luke[/name]
[name]Mateo[/name]
[name]Miles[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Pascal[/name]
[name]Patrick[/name]
[name]Riley[/name]
[name]Rhys[/name] (or [name]Reese[/name])
[name]Ryan[/name]
[name]Sullivan[/name]
[name]Truman[/name]
[name]Theo[/name]

2

[name]Hi[/name] there!

[name]Anderson[/name]: I like [name]Anderson[/name], and I think it works well with [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name].

[name]August[/name]: I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]August[/name], but to me, it doesn’t belong with [name]Rowan[/name]. To me, [name]Rowen[/name] calls for a sibling with a more modern name than [name]August[/name]. (This is just me, though, and [name]August[/name] is one of my favorite names.)

[name]Bennett[/name]: I think [name]Bennett[/name] is great with your kids’ names, but his initials will be B.M. . (I know he’ll have middle names, but at school, he’ll have to write B.M. on his papers.)

[name]Brady[/name]: Again, this one definitely works, but you’ve got the B.M. issue. [name]Brady[/name]'s also really popular, though, especially when you consider all the Braydens in the world. :frowning:

[name]Callum[/name]: It’s got [name]Rowan[/name]'s Irish roots, and I think it definitely works with [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name]. That said, I wouldn’t use a name ending in “M”, as when said aloud, it blends with your last name, making it sound like “ick” instead of “mick.”

[name]Collin[/name]: I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Colin[/name], but with one l. :slight_smile:

[name]Dashiell[/name]: I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Dashiell[/name], and think the nickname [name]Dash[/name] gives the name a modern feel to work with [name]Rowan[/name].

[name]Declan[/name]: Another great Irish pick, and I think the nickname Dec is great!

[name]Donovan[/name] (little concerned about the duplicate syllables in first and last name): Yeah, I’d definitely stay away from [name]Donovan[/name], as that’s one too many dons with your last name.

[name]Eli[/name]: [name]Eli[/name]'s just okay for me, but it’s a nice nickname for [name]Elias[/name]. For me, its Biblical roots don’t mesh with [name]Rowan[/name], though.

[name]Finn[/name]: I really like this with [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name], and as nickname for [name]Finnegan[/name].

[name]Julian[/name]: [name]Julian[/name] doesn’t work with [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name], as it’s an old classic, lacking [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name]'s modern feel.

[name]Grayson[/name]: I like [name]Grey[/name], but I’m not a fan of [name]Grayson[/name].

[name]Henry[/name]: I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Henry[/name], but like [name]Julian[/name], I’m not feeling it with [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Maren[/name].

[name]Harrison[/name]: I think [name]Harrison[/name]'s a great name, but I don’t like it with [name]Maren[/name]. The Hare and [name]Mare[/name] sounds rhyme, and they’re just too close.

[name]Kieran[/name]: With a daughter named [name]Maren[/name], [name]Kieran[/name]'s too close for me!

[name]Liam[/name]: I think this would be a great Irish pick, but like [name]Callum[/name], the “m” in [name]Liam[/name] blends with the M in your last name.

[name]Luca[/name] or [name]Luke[/name]: The Italian [name]Luca[/name] doesn’t work with the Irish [name]Rowan[/name], but [name]Luke[/name] certainly does.

[name]Mateo[/name]: A distinctly Spanish name like [name]Mateo[/name] doesn’t work with [name]Rowan[/name], which is distinctly Irish.

[name]Miles[/name]: I really love [name]Miles[/name], but I think I’d let [name]Maren[/name] have the M initial. :slight_smile:

[name]Oliver[/name]: I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Oliver[/name], but I definitely think others on your list work better with [name]Rowan[/name].

[name]Pascal[/name]: Like [name]Luca[/name] and [name]Mateo[/name], [name]Pascal[/name], a distinctly French name, doesn’t work with the Irish [name]Rowan[/name].

[name]Patrick[/name]: [name]Patrick[/name] definitely works, but I’d use it as a middle name. (I’m not a fan of the [name]Pat[/name] nickname on boys.)

[name]Riley[/name]: [name]Riley[/name] definitely goes with [name]Rowan[/name]. You have one unisex name already, so I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to use another! (I wouldn’t use another R names, though.)

[name]Rhys[/name] (or [name]Reese[/name]): I’d go with [name]Rhys[/name] ([name]Reese[/name] is all Witherspoon to me!), but I personally wouldn’t use another R name.

[name]Ryan[/name]: [name]Ryan[/name] once seemed fresh, but it’s really dated now (1980s and 1990s).

[name]Sullivan[/name]: I really like this name, and it definitely works!

[name]Truman[/name]: I like [name]Truman[/name], but for me, its style doesn’t work with that of [name]Rowan[/name].

[name]Theo[/name]: I think [name]Theo[/name] is a great nickname for [name]Theodore[/name], but I don’t like [name]Theodore[/name] with [name]Rowan[/name].

I’d eliminate [name]August[/name], [name]Brady[/name], [name]Bennett[/name], [name]Callum[/name], [name]Donovan[/name], [name]Eli[/name], [name]Julian[/name], [name]Henry[/name], [name]Harrison[/name], [name]Kieran[/name], [name]Liam[/name], [name]Luca[/name], [name]Miles[/name], [name]Mateo[/name], [name]Paschal[/name], [name]Ryan[/name], [name]Riley[/name], [name]Rhys[/name], [name]Truman[/name], and [name]Theo[/name], as they either don’t work with [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Maren[/name], or your last name, or they’re too dated ([name]Ryan[/name]) or popular ([name]Brady[/name] would blend in with the Braydens of the world).

I think that would leave you with 11 names.

Of the remaining choices, it’s truly a matter of personal preference (just like this whole process!), because I think they all work beautifully with your children’s names and your last name. :slight_smile:

My votes go to [name]Dashiell[/name], [name]Declan[/name], [name]Anderson[/name], [name]Finn[/name]/[name]Finnegan[/name], and [name]Sullivan[/name]. Due to [name]Rowan[/name]'s surnamey feel, I think one of the surname names would be my top pick. Of those, my favorite with the Irish [name]Rowan[/name] would be [name]Sullivan[/name] or [name]Finn[/name]. (Of the non-surnames, my vote goes to the Scottish [name]Dashiell[/name], although [name]Declan[/name]'s awesome, too!)

I think [name]Sullivan[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] Mc___ would be fanastic (as would [name]Harrison[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] and [name]Finnegan[/name] [name]Patrick[/name])! I’m liking [name]Dashiell[/name] [name]Sullivan[/name], [name]Sullivan[/name] [name]Rhys[/name], and [name]Declan[/name] [name]Rhys[/name], too. :slight_smile:

Best wishes to you and your family!

3

I will start where [name]Jill[/name] left off since, as usual, her logic is right on!

[name]Colin[/name] [name]Love[/name] it and like your other kids names, it will not get shortened really, so you have [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Maren[/name] and [name]Colin[/name]. Nice flow.

[name]Declan[/name] Same as [name]Colin[/name], although I am not sure I love Dec as a nn. If you think you will leave it long, then I love it and think it goes VERY well with the sibs (and more unique than [name]Colin[/name])

[name]Finnegan[/name] Very cute but I think I like [name]Declan[/name] better

[name]Sullivan[/name]
will likely get shortened to [name]Sully[/name] so consider that. Your other two probably don’t get nicknamed so for me [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Maren[/name] and [name]Sully[/name] isn’t as great

[name]Dashiell[/name] Again, love this name but [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Maren[/name] and [name]Dash[/name] is not as great of a flow as with [name]Declan[/name]

[name]Harrison[/name], see [name]Sullivan[/name] and sub [name]Harry[/name].

[name]Anderson[/name], Likely to be [name]Andy[/name]… Same nn issue

My vote goes #1 to [name]Declan[/name], #2 to [name]Finnegan[/name]/[name]Finn[/name], #3 [name]Colin[/name]

[name]Hope[/name] that helps some!

4

I will just respond to the names I really like or love or the ones I really don’t like:
[name]Anderson[/name] - like [name]Anderson[/name] [name]Cooper[/name], because of him I like this name.
[name]August[/name] - love it!
[name]Bennett[/name]
[name]Brady[/name] - for me this goes into the [name]Aiden[/name], [name]Braden[/name], [name]Kaden[/name] Meganame group. I would never use it for fear that there would be six or seven of them in his kindergarten class!
[name]Callum[/name]
[name]Collin[/name] - I love [name]Colin[/name] with just one “l”. [name]Love[/name] it as a nn for [name]Nicholas[/name]. But I bet [name]Colin[/name] would go better with your last name.
[name]Dashiell[/name] - [name]Love[/name]! Beyond [name]Reason[/name]!
[name]Declan[/name] - so cute! I bet it would be great with your last name.
[name]Donovan[/name] (little concerned about the duplicate syllables in first and last name)
[name]Eli[/name] - love as a nn for [name]Elias[/name] or [name]Elijah[/name]. Wouldn’t worry about the three syllables situation. Now that I’ve gotten to know [name]Lola[/name] (a poster on Nameberry), I have less fear of lots of syllables going together. Her daughter is named [name]Josephine[/name] and her last name is three syllables.
[name]Finn[/name] - love as a nn for [name]Phineas[/name] or [name]Finnian[/name].
[name]Julian[/name] - love
[name]Grayson[/name] - know a [name]Grayson[/name] who looks kind of like Frankenstein and acts odd. Sorry! But I’m sure it’s a nice name.
[name]Henry[/name] - [name]Love[/name] the very most of these!
[name]Harrison[/name] - nice, really love the nn [name]Harry[/name]
[name]Kieran[/name]
[name]Liam[/name] - like this, also a great nn for [name]William[/name], but I bet [name]Liam[/name] alone would be great with your last name.
[name]Luca[/name] or [name]Luke[/name] - I’m starting to like [name]Luca[/name] more than [name]Luke[/name].
[name]Mateo[/name] - so cute!
[name]Miles[/name] - love!
[name]Oliver[/name] - love
[name]Pascal[/name] - seems too feminine.
[name]Patrick[/name] - love, but is it a bit dated?
[name]Riley[/name]
[name]Rhys[/name] (or [name]Reese[/name])
[name]Ryan[/name] - I’m sorry, but I really don’t like this overused name. Overused here in [name]California[/name].
[name]Sullivan[/name] - love, but I tend to love classic and vintage names more.
[name]Truman[/name] - love, but see above.
[name]Theo[/name] - so cute as a nn for [name]Theodore[/name]. [name]Ted[/name] is really cute, too. [name]Love[/name] both.

My faves with your last name and the siblings’ names:
[name]Miles[/name]
[name]Liam[/name]
[name]Declan[/name]
[name]Dashiell[/name]
[name]August[/name]
[name]Callum[/name]
[name]Phineas[/name] nn [name]Finn[/name]
[name]Colin[/name]

[name]Cormac[/name] nn [name]Mac[/name] would be really cute, too.

My faves are [name]August[/name], [name]Declan[/name] and [name]Phineas[/name]. Hard to narrow it down even more. I’ll think about it.

5

Thank you [name]Jill[/name], [name]Erin[/name], and [name]Susan[/name]! Your insight is super helpful.

I never thought about the “BM” initials. I’m not sure how much of a big deal that is for me. I also never thought about [name]Brady[/name] as being part of the [name]Aiden[/name]/[name]Brayden[/name]/[name]Jayde[/name]/[name]Kaden[/name] mishmash. [name]Rowan[/name] was almost an [name]Aidan[/name], as I have LOVED that name since I was a child. Boy was I relieved we didn’t use it on his first day of daycare, where there were 4 Aidans, 2 Braydens, and a [name]Jayden[/name] (and now there is a [name]Kaden[/name]).

I’m on the fence about the ending and beginning "m"s with [name]Callum[/name] or [name]Liam[/name] Mc___. The Mc seems to break up the last name some and it sounds better to me than a name like [name]Liam[/name] [name]Moore[/name] or [name]Callum[/name] [name]Matthews[/name] where the 2nd M really disappears…I met a [name]Liam[/name] McK___ the other day and it seemed to work…

I agree about the NNs for [name]Anderson[/name], [name]Sullivan[/name], and [name]Harrison[/name] potentially being problematic, especially “[name]Sully[/name].” I’m not a huge NN fan and DH has a fairly common name but does not use the NN, so hmmm. (Though I do really like “[name]Cal[/name]” as a NN for [name]Callum[/name] or [name]Pascal[/name])

I am really liking [name]Finn[/name] too, but don’t love [name]Finnegan[/name]. I wonder if it could stand on it’s own or maybe [name]Finnian[/name]. I like [name]Finley[/name], but fear it’s gone to the girls. A friend pointed out that [name]Dashiell[/name], which I love, could be fraught with mispronounciation, but I think as it’s become a little more popular that might not be the case…and still loving [name]Declan[/name] (which also could be mispronounced–someone thought the emphasis was on the 2nd syllable today–but I think it’s more common than [name]Dashiell[/name] so less likely to get butchered)…

Funny [name]Cormac[/name] was mentioned. I don’t like the [name]Mac[/name] McD___ but [name]Corbin[/name] was on the list and recently eliminated.

You all have given us a lot to think about. Thanks again and we’ll keep you posted on the progress :slight_smile:

6

[name]Cormac[/name] would not be good with a last name that begins with [name]Mac[/name]. Sorry I suggested it!