See the results of this poll: Ragnar, Riordan and Roderick?
Respondents: 45 (This poll is closed)
- Ragnar nn Ron : 9 (20%)
- Riordan nn Rio : 15 (33%)
- Roderick nn Rook: 21 (47%)
I voted for [name_m]Riordan[/name_m]. The nn sold me on it as well. (:
I’m not a fan of [name_m]Roderick[/name_m] - contains both “[name_m]Rod[/name_m]” and “[name_m]Dick[/name_m].” But Rook is exquisite. A stroke of genius.
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is so beautiful. Snowy and fierce, manly.
[name_m]Riordan[/name_m] is handsome, but it doesn’t honor your heritage in any particular way, right? Seems more… free-floating to me. I like [name_u]Rio[/name_u], but not as much as Rook.
So my suggestion is to find a middle name for [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] that will yield Rook:
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] [name_m]Faruq[/name_m] “fah-ROOK” (gives your husband his Q, an Egyptian name, meaning “he who can tell right from wrong”)
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] Nanuq “nah-NOOK” (or Nanook, though the Q is the more authentic Inuit spelling) means “polar bear”
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] [name_m]Caradoc[/name_m]
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] [name_u]Brook[/name_u]
Edited for privacy.
I was going to be naughty and vote for both [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] and [name_m]Roderick[/name_m], especially now that you’re pondering the possibility of mixing up the nicknames, but I see you’ve set it up to accept only one vote apiece 
So mine went to [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], as it seems to be the one that will work best for both of you. I’m seriously thinking of polling my friends, though, to see what reactions [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] gets from a few non-name-nerds. But I do love Rook (and [name_m]Roderick[/name_m])–let us know how the pondering plays out!
I like [name_m]Riordan[/name_m], by the way (and [name_u]Rio[/name_u]), it’s just that it seems more lightweight for you next to these other two.
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I’d say all these make much better middle names that first names. [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is interesting, but can you really see a baby [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]? It’s a name for a dragon. [name_m]Riordan[/name_m] is ok but the nickname [name_m]Ron[/name_m], [name_m]Dan[/name_m] or [name_u]Danny[/name_u] is much better than [name_u]Rio[/name_u] - with [name_u]Rio[/name_u] I just think of barely-clad samba dancers.
My vote went to Ragner, it seems to have the most meaning to you, and I think it would be awesome to meet a little Ragner. I can see him having to repeat and spell it for people, but that’s not something that would have to bother me as I’ve had to do that my whole life and my name’s not at all unusual ([name_f]Alyssa[/name_f], top 50 the year I was born). I think you would have to do the same thing with [name_m]Riorden[/name_m], which would be my second choice because of the nn [name_u]Rio[/name_u]. I think with [name_m]Riorden[/name_m] you would also get a lot of mispronunciation when it’s read aloud though. Personally I’m not crazy about [name_m]Roderick[/name_m], but it does seem like it would be the most recognizable if that’s really important to you. The nn Rook is cool, (much cooler than [name_m]Ron[/name_m]) so if you could find a good mn for Ragner to give you the nn Rook that would be awesome! It really just needs to end with a k or hard c so their are lot of possibilities if you want a more recognizable mn. Ragner [name_m]Eric[/name_m] and Ragner [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] are the first two that came to mind for me.
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[name_m]Ah[/name_m]! Someone else likes [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]! I adore [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]. It’s strong and handsome and the perfect boys name I think. Please, please don’t use the nickname [name_m]Ron[/name_m] though. [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m] is just wonderful by itself and doesn’t need a nickname. Also, [name_m]Ron[/name_m] just doesn’t really work as a nn for [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m].
[name_m]Ragnar[/name_m]! So beautiful. It was my grandfather, so of course I love it for that reason, but it’s just a gorgeous, strong, handsome, rugged (in a good way) name. Woodsy, outdoorsy, warm, clever and cosy.
I don’t know for sure because you and your husband add and delete names quicker than I post but from [name_m]Ragnar[/name_m], [name_m]Roderick[/name_m] and [name_m]Riordan[/name_m] I love [name_m]Riordan[/name_m] “[name_u]Rio[/name_u]” the most.
Edited for privacy.
Edited for privacy.