[name_m]Hi[/name_m] Nameberry!
I have been waiting, literally, years to post - I have been a huge name lover my whole life and have been getting the daily emails for what seems like at least 10 years. I love names - I like classic, known, but not too popular. I definitely have an easier time finding girls’ names that I love than I do with boy names. As a 31 year-old with the name [name_f]Louise[/name_f], growing up without any other classmates with my name (in NYC), I have always wanted to give my children names that, while not super popular, at least everyone can spell and has heard of their name.
We do not yet know the sex, and we still have time, but all I do is think about names. We have our girl name picked out, but we struggle with a boy name. I figured it’s not too early to get everyone’s brains thinking!
In Jewish tradition, it is custom to name after deceased relatives. The two letters we are working with are “E” and “H.” The “E” is after my maternal grandmother [name_f]Esther[/name_f], who I was very close with. The “H” is after my father, whose full name was [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_m]Harold[/name_m], but he went by [name_m]Harold[/name_m] his entire life, and thus I feel the only way to properly honor him is to name the baby after “[name_m]Harold[/name_m]” and not “[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m].” (Which is too bad, because the “N” would open up a lot of options!) I was not very close with my father, and I have realized I am comfortable naming my first child after my [name_f]Nana[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f] if the [name_m]Harold[/name_m] is “truly” honored.
I have always imagined [name_m]Eli[/name_m], but I also love [name_m]Ezra[/name_m]. There are other “E” boy names I like, but none that I really love. We think [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] is a good choice, NN [name_m]Eli[/name_m], to give more options. The issue is really the “H.” I have never liked the name [name_m]Harold[/name_m]. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is too popular for me, and I do like [name_m]Harrison[/name_m], however, my brother’s name is [name_m]Harry[/name_m] and my husband does not like [name_m]Harrison[/name_m] although he says he could adjust to it. [name_m]Harvey[/name_m], like [name_m]Harold[/name_m], is too dated for me (again, growing up with the name [name_f]Louise[/name_f], I am very sensitive to this). I don’t like [name_m]Hugh[/name_m], and I don’t want anything too trendy like [name_u]Hudson[/name_u].
If the H goes in the middle name spot, I feel that the only way to properly honor my father is to give [name_m]Harold[/name_m] as the middle name - therefore, most likely, [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] [name_m]Harold[/name_m]…but I am not happy with the combo and again, I don’t like the name and feel there is a better way to do this so I don’t feel like I’m “wasting” valuable name real estate. I also do recognize this is about honoring my father, but again, as a huge name lover and not having been very close with my father, I struggle choosing a name I don’t love.
What are everyone’s thoughts? Suggestions? Sorry to drag the issue out, I just feel the background is important to understand what I’m struggling with. THANK YOU!!