My husband has decided [name_m]Orson[/name_m] & [name_u]Basil[/name_u] are his top 2 names if this baby is a boy, I’m not against them but not totally sold either.
So I guess my questions are what do you think of these names, what impressions do you get? What nicknames could work, right now we’re thinking [name_m]Bear[/name_m] for [name_m]Orson[/name_m] but open to others, and we’ve got nothing for [name_u]Basil[/name_u]. How do you pronounce [name_u]Basil[/name_u]? And finally what names would you pair them with for a middle?
I like them! They seem sweet, vintage, and great for a modern boy. I pronounce [name_u]Basil[/name_u] like bays-uhl.
Orson nicknames: [name_u]Ori[/name_u], [name_u]Sonny[/name_u], [name_m]Bear[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] nicknames: [name_m]Bas[/name_m], Silly, B or [name_f]Bee[/name_f]
Middle name ideas…
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Mattias[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Dale[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Miles[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Grey[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Elias[/name_u]
Basil [name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Quentin[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Ramsey[/name_u]
Basil as a name is actually pronounces bay-sull (not bay-zhel or bay-zul, depending on where you live).
Orson reminds me of [name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Wells[/name_m]; not my style but a solid choice.
I really like [name_u]Basil[/name_u]! It’s sweet and offbeat. As a word, I pronounce it [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-zuhl, but I pronounce it [name_m]Baz[/name_m] (like bat)- zuhl as a name (nn [name_m]Baz[/name_m]?).
Orson [name_m]Clark[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Bay[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Levi[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Josiah[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Charles[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Ira[/name_u]
Basil [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Simon[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Cedric[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
I love [name_u]Basil[/name_u] and feel meh about [name_m]Orson[/name_m].
I don’t say [name_u]Baze[/name_u]-il, I say it the other way.
From what I understand baa-zul is the more common UK pronunciation where as Bay-sil is the more common US pronunciation. But I’m not 100% sure that’s correct. 
and my husband prefers the baa-zul pronunciation, (because his only association with the name is ‘Basil of Baker Street’) which I’m worried will cause issues as we’re US based.
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Such sweet names & they go so well together! I pronounce [name_u]Basil[/name_u] (as a name) baz-uhl, but as the herb bay-zuhl (only pronunciation ive heard where I am). [name_m]Little[/name_m] [name_m]Bear[/name_m] & [name_m]Baz[/name_m] 
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I really like both of these names, but especially [name_u]Basil[/name_u]! I live in the US and while I do say the herb bay-zul, I’ve only seen the name said baz-ul and that’s how I say it in that context. I think most people even in the states will say baz-ul when they see it as a name. If you are worried about it though, [name_m]Orson[/name_m] is a safer option in this regard and is also a lovely choice! In fact [name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Basil[/name_u] as a first/middle combo would be very handsome.
Basil always reminds me of food or cancer. [name_m]Orson[/name_m] is also food.
I love [name_m]Orson[/name_m] but I’m not a fan of [name_u]Basil[/name_u]. I can only see it on a neurotic, accident-prone middle-aged man à la [name_u]Basil[/name_u] Fawlty 
I love The Fawlty [name_m]Towers[/name_m] but I personally can’t imagine the name on a child, perhaps because of the association. I pronounce [name_u]Basil[/name_u] BA-zuhl with the ‘ba’ like the beginning of ‘bat’. But I’m Australian.
I love [name_m]Orson[/name_m] though! It makes me think of a clever, serious little boy and I think the nickname [name_m]Bear[/name_m] is just gorgeous!
Despite my feelings about [name_u]Basil[/name_u], I can definitely see siblings named [name_m]Orson[/name_m] and [name_u]Basil[/name_u]. But if it were me, I’d go with a pairing like [name_m]Orson[/name_m] and [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] or [name_m]Orson[/name_m] and [name_m]Bastian[/name_m]. I think [name_m]Orson[/name_m] and [name_u]Rex[/name_u] would be brilliant too.
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I like both names, but I like [name_u]Basil[/name_u] a little more. I say the word as bay-zil, but as a name I say baz-il (said like bat). I’m in the US if that helps. But I agree with others who said that they would make good names for brothers
Orson is so cool. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the meaning and sound. [name_u]Sonny[/name_u] could be another nn option
Basil is charming and literary. I pn it [name_m]Baz[/name_m]-ul
Orson [name_u]Reeve[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Luca[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Amadeus[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Finley[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Jasper[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Adair[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Daniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Claus[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Kurtis[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Reilly[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Evander[/name_m]
Basil [name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Jameson[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Finnegan[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Leander[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Micah[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]George[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Nathan[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Josiah[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Orson[/name_m] & [name_u]Basil[/name_u] (baz-uhl, ah like apple not like ate). “[name_m]Bear[/name_m] & [name_m]Baz[/name_m]” would be absolutely adorable as brothers. [name_u]Basil[/name_u] is probably my favorite though.
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Lev[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Amias[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Bartholomew[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Fergus[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Adrian[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Clement[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Wallace[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Ferdinand[/name_m]
I adore [name_m]Orson[/name_m], I think it sounds very handsome and works well on a boy/man of any age. [name_m]Bear[/name_m] is an adorable nickname and I can’t think of anything sweeter! [name_u]Sonny[/name_u] and [name_m]Cub[/name_m] are other ideas.
I’m less fond of [name_u]Basil[/name_u] (bah-zull, like BAnd or BAt) but that’s because I immediately think of [name_u]Basil[/name_u] Fawlty and [name_u]Basil[/name_u] Brush, which I suspect would be less of a problem for you in the US.
Some middles…
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Denver[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Scott[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_m]Lance[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]Michael[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] [name_u]George[/name_u]
Basil [name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Hartley[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]William[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Greyson[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_u]Ray[/name_u]
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This is how I pronounce it too. I think it’s the standard in the UK, but I’m American and could be VERY much wrong here. BAZ-uhl for me for sure, and I like it well enough.
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] is nms, I prefer [name_u]Orion[/name_u] or [name_m]Orsino[/name_m], but there’s nothing wrong with it objectively.
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I’m in the States and said [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-zil. [name_m]Reading[/name_m] the comments was an eye opener never knew there’s other way to say it even when it is a name. I will say I read the title very fast as I skimmed The forum and thought it said “Onion and [name_u]Basil[/name_u]”
I do like [name_u]Basil[/name_u] as [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-zil it’s really throwing me off the other way. Although I do think [name_m]Orson[/name_m] is the safer choice especially if you’re looking at a likelihood of the name getting mispronounced constantly
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I agree whole heatedly here. I’m american and only think of the [name_m]Baz[/name_m]-ul pronunciation as being British, even if I saw [name_u]Basil[/name_u] written as a name I would still pronounce it like the herb [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-sil. I even know someone with [name_u]Basil[/name_u] as a middle name and it’s pronounced that way.
That being said, I adore [name_u]Basil[/name_u] as a name with that pronunciation. I think it’s sweet and [name_u]Bay[/name_u] is a cute nickname
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Yep, I’ve known 2 [name_u]Basil[/name_u]’s and they both pronounced their name [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-sul. Which is why I worry about using the Baa-zul pronunciation
Both excellent names!! I have heard [name_u]Basil[/name_u] pronounced [name_u]Bay[/name_u]-sil and bah- zel so I wouldn’t assume on how to pronounce and I would ask the person how they would
Like their name pronounced. Doesn’t [name_m]Orson[/name_m] mean BEAR?