We’re having such a hard time picking a name for our son! We’ve narrowed it down to four choices. Please help!
[name_u]Owen[/name_u] - It fits all the criteria of a name that we really like (short/four letters, one spelling, easy to pronounce, nickname proof, sounds great with our daughter’s name, two syllables like our daughter’s name), but I don’t really like it as much. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband likes it a lot. I think I could come to like it a lot and that it could grow on me.
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u] - Last year, 11% of the babies named [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] were girls. Also, I prefer shorter names.
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] - We thought we had decided on this name, but we can’t decide on a spelling so we’re wondering if maybe it isn’t the right name for us. This is the name we’ve been most excited about. The negative is there isn’t one spelling so we’d always have to spell it.
[name_u]James[/name_u] - We would want him to be called [name_u]James[/name_u], but we’re concerned people would want to call him [name_m]Jim[/name_m] or [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m].
Also, which of these names do you think are the most masculine or most feminine? We don’t want a name that will go to the girls or that people will hear and wonder if he’s a boy or a girl. Thanks!
I personally think they are all very masculine names (I don’t understand naming a girl [name_u]Spencer[/name_u]… that seems very odd to me).
[name_u]Owen[/name_u] has been on my name list for many years, I just dislike how popular it is becoming. [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is my least favorite, but that is because I have a negative connection with it. [name_u]James[/name_u] seems to be much more common than the other names on your list, but I like how timeless it is. I’m currently crushing on [name_u]Reed[/name_u], so I’d vote for that. I’m not sure if you already have a middle name picked out, but I think [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]Reed[/name_u] flows beautifully - it might be a good compromise!
none seem feminine to me, especially [name_u]Spencer[/name_u]. That is my younger brother’s name and he wears it extremely well and he is a very masculine guy. But it sounds like you both really love [name_u]Reid[/name_u]/[name_u]Reed[/name_u] and I think the one drawback is worth it considering how excited you are for it. I would just look up both spellings and see which one is most common and go with that or ask friends how they would spell it abd see what the verdict is. I agree with pp that [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]Reid[/name_u] is a lovely name as well and a great compromise. You can always wait to meet the little guy first and see which name fits him best
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorites of the four are definitely [name_u]Owen[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u]. [name_m]Both[/name_m] are such great names, and with [name_u]James[/name_u] I really don’t think you’d have that much of a problem with people calling him [name_m]Jim[/name_m]/[name_m]Jimmy[/name_m]. [name_u]James[/name_u] also seems like the most gender specific, if [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is already being used for girls I can easily see [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] and even [name_u]Owen[/name_u] starting to lean that way as well. Since [name_u]James[/name_u] is so classic and established I really don’t think [name_u]James[/name_u] will ever be widely used on girls. I like [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] (I prefer [name_u]Reed[/name_u]) as well, just not as much as [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u]. You’re just going to have to determine if the spelling problems or your love of the name is more important to you. [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is my least favorite, it just seems dated to me. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] I’ve helped!
I absloutely love [name_u]Owen[/name_u], and I’m also enamored with its slightly more off beat kin [name_m]Euan[/name_m] and [name_m]Ewan[/name_m]. I think [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]Reed[/name_u] would work beautifully. I don’t like the name [name_u]Spencer[/name_u], mostly because I hate the nn [name_u]Spence[/name_u], and I do think its increasingly seen as unisex.
They all sound masculine to me. [name_f]My[/name_f] favorite to least favorite would be; [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_u]Reid[/name_u] (slightly prefer this spelling), [name_u]Spencer[/name_u], and [name_u]James[/name_u]. There will always be people that spell and pronounce names wrong, even the simplest of names.
[name_u]Owen[/name_u]!! I love [name_u]Owen[/name_u] so much, it’s so handsome and strong. I love [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]!
I wouldn’t worry about [name_u]James[/name_u] getting nicknamed. I’ve known several [name_u]James[/name_u], none nicknamed.
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is probably my least favorite, I don’t like the sound or look of the name, and that has the obvious nickname [name_u]Spence[/name_u].
[name_f]My[/name_f] fav would be [name_u]Reid[/name_u], then [name_u]Spencer[/name_u], then [name_u]Owen[/name_u], then [name_u]James[/name_u]. I love [name_u]James[/name_u] as a middle name to [name_u]Reid[/name_u] though!
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorites are [name_u]Reid[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u], in that order. I know a boy, a teenager, and an adult named [name_u]James[/name_u]. None of them shorten it to [name_m]Jim[/name_m]/[name_m]Jimmy[/name_m].
I think they are all strong masculine names. I would go with [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] if I were you. You’ve admitted you don’t like [name_u]Owen[/name_u] as much, and that you’ve been most excited about [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] pick the spelling you like best (if you like the nature connection, pick [name_u]Reed[/name_u]; if you dislike word names, pick [name_u]Reid[/name_u]). At least there are only 2 spellings and it won’t get totally butchered! If you choose the former, a simple “[name_u]Reed[/name_u] with 2 e’s” is all it will take.
Regarding [name_u]James[/name_u], I know several and no one has ever tried to nickname them [name_m]Jim[/name_m] or [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m].
I think [name_u]James[/name_u] is the most masculine one, and [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] the most feminine. But I don’t consider [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] feminine at all, I just way that it’s the most feminine one since I know it’s used for girls as well.
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorites from your list are [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_u]Reed[/name_u]. If you really want to avoid nicknames, then you might want to avoid [name_u]James[/name_u] since there’s [name_m]Jim[/name_m], [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] etc.
I think [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is the most masculine name. It is also my favorite. I love [name_u]Reid[/name_u] too but I did know a girl names [name_u]Reid[/name_u] in highschool (I’m 27). [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is just ok but not my style and even though I think its masculine I can see the girls stealing it. I have heard a lot of people (mostly on here) using or considering [name_u]James[/name_u] for a girls middle name.
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u] is my favorite! [name_u]James[/name_u] is a very close second (I know several [name_u]James[/name_u]’ that don’t use a nn). [name_u]Reid[/name_u] is okay (I prefer this spelling). [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is nms ( I’m not crazy about names with the long O sound.).
I vote for [name_u]Reed[/name_u] for sure! Either spelling. Spelling it out isn’t that big of a deal. Some people ask how to spell the simpilist names anyway! [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t let that stop you from using a name you love.
