We are expecting our fourth child, a boy, and I’m stuck when it comes to names. Our son is named [name_u]Elliot[/name_u], and neither my husband nor I had met an [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] in person before he was born. The same applies to both my daughters’ names. The girls’ names were not even in the top 1000. We both prefer names that aren’t overly popular because my husband works with kids. [name_f]My[/name_f] issue is that I find a problem with every name. Here are some we like, but they’re not quite “the one.”
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]: We live in the States where the pronunciation would always be in question. Also, my neighbor’s dog is named [name_m]Louis[/name_m], pronounced [name_u]Lou[/name_u]-ee, and that’s what I hear.
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]: [name_f]My[/name_f] mother-in-law HATES it.
[name_u]Milo[/name_u]: Apparently this is a common dog’s name. Also, it’s often described as “cute,” and I’d prefer a name that ages out of “cute.”
[name_u]George[/name_u]: I have excessive associations with too many [name_m]Georges[/name_m]. One of them is good, a WWII hero grandfather, but the rest are not.
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]: I like it, but my husband only thinks of the sold SNL [name_m]Simon[/name_m]/drawings skit.
[name_u]August[/name_u]: I like it. Husband vetoed.
[name_m]Edward[/name_m]: Husband not on board.
Forrest: I love it, but afraid of the Nathan B Forrest association.
The perfect name would not start with E, S, or M (our other kids’ initials), but that’s not a deal breaker. The perfect name would also have an L in it, since all 5 members of our family have Ls in our names. This is also not a deal breaker.
Any suggestions??? I’m so tired of looking.
Arlo was the first name that came to mind!
FWIW: I don’t think of [name_u]Milo[/name_u] as being a “dog name” or “cutesy”. It’s worked well for [name_u]Milo[/name_u] Ventimiglia his past 40-some years of life! And for [name_m]Forrest[/name_m], I honestly have no idea who [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B. [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] is, if that means anything to you 
Maybe you would like…
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
[name_m]Daniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]
[name_u]Finlay[/name_u]
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]
[name_m]Wells[/name_m]
[name_m]Dalton[/name_m]
[name_u]Miles[/name_u]
If you like [name_m]Louis[/name_m] how about the spelling [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]?
[name_f]My[/name_f] first thought was [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] as it matches your criteria and seems like it might be your style.
[name_m]Felix[/name_m], [name_m]Caleb[/name_m], Allistair, [name_m]Calvin[/name_m], Finlan, [name_u]Miles[/name_u], [name_u]Callan[/name_u] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] might suit your style too.
I know you are trying to avoid repeating letters but I feel [name_u]Elias[/name_u] and [name_m]Silas[/name_m] would fit well too.
Angelo / Angelus comes to mind, kinda similar to [name_u]August[/name_u], perhaps?
I also like names that aren’t very common. Here are some from my list that work with all those letters:
Azriel / Ozriel / [name_m]Azrael[/name_m]
[name_m]Cassiel[/name_m] / [name_m]Castiel[/name_m]
[name_u]Finley[/name_u]
[name_u]Killian[/name_u]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] / [name_m]Lucien[/name_m]
[name_u]Quill[/name_u]
[name_m]Roswell[/name_m]
[name_m]Zeppelin[/name_m]
I second the idea of [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] since there’s only one way to say it and everyone in the US knows about [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] and [name_m]Clark[/name_m]. I think.
Other ideas!
Hugh
[name_u]Theo[/name_u]
[name_m]Patrick[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Andreas[/name_m] - less popular than most of your picks but I think it goes great with [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
I also thought of [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] right away. Then i thought maybe you’d like a name like [name_u]Edison[/name_u], which doesn’t fit any of your criteria, but it popped in my head for some reason. Maybe [name_u]Miles[/name_u] or [name_m]Wells[/name_m]?
I dont think [name_u]Milo[/name_u] sounds like a dogs name,and while it is a cute name for a baby, it wold age fine. Maybe [name_u]Miles[/name_u] as an alternative?
If you like [name_m]Simon[/name_m], maybe [name_m]Simeon[/name_m] could be an alternative?
For [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] I have no idea who [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] is… but I do associate it with [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] Gump. I still like the name, but maybe it’s not quite what you want.
Other ideas:
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m]
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m]
[name_m]Adriel[/name_m]
[name_u]Lennon[/name_u]
[name_u]Thaddeus[/name_u]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
[name_m]Finnegan[/name_m]
[name_m]Theron[/name_m]
[name_u]Halston[/name_u]
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u]
[name_u]Galen[/name_u]
[name_m]Halden[/name_m]
Take any repeats as a second
Adriel
[name_m]Azriel[/name_m]
[name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m]
[name_u]Carlisle[/name_u]
[name_m]Daniel[/name_m]
[name_u]Gabriel[/name_u]
[name_u]Harlow[/name_u]
[name_m]Lemuel[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
[name_u]Oliver[/name_u]
[name_m]Paul[/name_m]
[name_m]Raul[/name_m]
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m]
[name_m]Saul[/name_m]
[name_m]Uriel[/name_m]
[name_m]Vassili[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Yoel[/name_m]
I love [name_u]Elias[/name_u] but would avoid it since Both [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] & [name_u]Elias[/name_u] are variations of [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
I adore [name_m]Louis[/name_m], [name_m]Hugo[/name_m], [name_u]Milo[/name_u] and [name_u]August[/name_u]. I love the LOO-ee pronunciation (which is the one I think you’re saying you prefer?) and personally think [name_u]Milo[/name_u] suits both a child and an adult (and I disagree that it’s a “dog’s name”). Think of the actor [name_u]Milo[/name_u] Ventimiglia…
Hugo is also a brilliant name and I don’t think your mother-in-law’s opinion should matter. I mean I do understand caring but if you and your husband love it, that’s most important. And I think [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] and [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] sound great together. [name_u]August[/name_u] is great but it seems like it’s not really an option…
Remy
[name_m]Otto[/name_m]
[name_m]Leopold[/name_m]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspar[/name_m]
[name_u]Rory[/name_u]
[name_m]Bastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Kai[/name_u]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
[name_u]Jasper[/name_u]
[name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_m]Oskar[/name_m]
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m]
[name_u]Rex[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m]
[name_m]Rafferty[/name_m]
[name_m]Angus[/name_m]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
[name_m]Alastair[/name_m]
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m]
[name_m]Fraser[/name_m]
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m]
[name_u]Gabriel[/name_u]
My first though was maybe [name_m]Lewis[/name_m] or [name_u]Louie[/name_u] depending on how you wanted [name_m]Louis[/name_m] pronounced to fix the pronunciation problem.
I don’t think of the [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] association when I hear the name [name_m]Forrest[/name_m].
Good luck!
Trying for an L sound:
Lachlan
[name_u]Levi[/name_u]
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_u]Nolan[/name_u]
[name_u]Declan[/name_u]
[name_u]Lincoln[/name_u]
[name_m]Alec[/name_m]
I also like [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] suggested about as an alternative to [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] or [name_u]Milo[/name_u].
I can see why you are tired of looking.
First, what anyone else than you and your husband thinks about a name is 100% irrelevant. Your mother in law is not pregnant, you are.
Second, dogs are noble creatures and I would not be worried about what seems like a dog name (the dogs I’ve known recently have been named [name_u]Max[/name_u], [name_m]Otis[/name_m], [name_m]Clyde[/name_m], [name_u]Nick[/name_u], [name_u]Jasper[/name_u], [name_m]Luc[/name_m], and [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]).
Third, I would forget about associations. Who is [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B. [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] for example? 
Fourth, having letter requirements to boot makes it hard.
Finally, I’d say forget about relatives, dogs, associations, letters then take a breather.
Miles
[name_m]Lewis[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_u]Jonah[/name_u]
[name_u]Jules[/name_u]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m]
[name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_u]Florian[/name_u]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Pierre[/name_m]
[name_m]Clyde[/name_m]
[name_m]Coleman[/name_m]
[name_m]Truman[/name_m]
[name_m]Franklin[/name_m]
It’s helpful to hear good feedback on [name_u]Milo[/name_u]! I didn’t know who [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] was either until I looked up the name [name_m]Forrest[/name_m]. A bunch of southern babies are named after him because he was a Confederate general and the founder of the KKK. 
Maybe by the time my kid is in school NO ONE will have heard of him. 
Thanks for the feedback on [name_u]Milo[/name_u]. Also encouraging when people don’t know who [name_m]Nathan[/name_m] B [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] is. I didn’t until I looked up the name, and him being the founder of the KKK with a bunch of southern babies named after him made me run screaming. I like that people have never heard of him.
Great to hear such positives on [name_u]Milo[/name_u] and [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]! Thanks!
Great suggestion! This is my nephew’s name. 
Good advice! I stress myself out way too much.