Gardener. Such a beautiful meaning, sound, and look. I love [name_u]Gardie[/name_u] and [name_m]Den[/name_m] as nns. It is a [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_f]England[/name_f] classic but sounds fresh and green. 
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This is my dad’s middle name!
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That’s awesome!
Ransom! I used it for my first son, so I’m doing my bit 
I wouldn’t say it needs to transcend the piratical image its Nameberry entry describes, because I know [name_m]Ransom[/name_m] has that side, but he has other facets too. [name_m]Ransom[/name_m] first went on my list after I read C.S. [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]’s Space Trilogy, with ([name_m]Elwin[/name_m]) [name_m]Ransom[/name_m] as the protagonist. He’s a sort of [name_m]Christ[/name_m] figure in the 2nd and 3rd books, so for Christians there’s that reference plus the idea that [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] is our ransom.
There’s also [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m] [name_m]Stewart[/name_m]’s character in the movie The [name_m]Man[/name_m] Who Shot [name_f]Liberty[/name_f] Valance, another cool reference. He goes by [name_m]Rance[/name_m]. One of my brothers also suggested [name_u]Randy[/name_u] as a nn for [name_m]Ransom[/name_m], which we don’t use but I thought was a great idea for something “normal,” at least here in the US.
It’s also not only an [name_f]English[/name_f] word name, but a Germanic patronymic surname, a contraction of “Ranulf’s/Randolph’s son” (which is probably why it made the Top 1000 briefly years ago.) The “[name_m]Ran[/name_m]” syllable means “shield,” so the name could also carry the idea of protection.
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I know it’s been a year since the last post but, regardless, I thought I’d share a name anyway:
[name_f]Moxie[/name_f] 
[name_f]Virtue[/name_f] names for boys are shockingly underrated these days, and the few that are in circulation (like Earnest) can come across as a little too uptight for some people. But I think [name_f]Moxie[/name_f] is sweet, and more modern and upbeat for people who like that sort of vibe. Plus, [name_u]Max[/name_u] is still all the rage, so I think ‘Mox’ would work rather well as a cool alternative.
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Thanks for reviving this @Florimell!
I’d like to put a word in for [name_m]Jonas[/name_m]. It’s not a super obscure name or anything, but I don’t think it gets anywhere near the attention it deserves in English-speaking countries.
J names for boys have always been popular — from [name_u]John[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u] to [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] and [name_u]Jude[/name_u]. [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] is a lovely simple classic one that has never been popular in the US (or UK, Aus, etc.) It’s handsome but not too “grown up” for a baby, it travels really well, and it feels effortlessly cool and also musical/artsy/sporty/intellectual — a very versatile name!
It feels like a perfect alternative to [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], [name_u]Miles[/name_u], [name_u]Elias[/name_u], etc. but way less used. Especially with S endings and international names in right now, [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] deserves much more love.
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I love this thread! I’ll recommend [name_u]Charleston[/name_u]. If you want to honor a [name_u]Charles[/name_u] or find [name_u]Charles[/name_u] too popular, then this is a really handsome option. [name_u]Charles[/name_u] could also be a nickname!
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[name_u]An[/name_u] old childhood favourite of mine, [name_m]Etienne[/name_m]. It gives me similar vibes to [name_u]Tristan[/name_u], [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] …
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I actually know a little [name_m]Etienne[/name_m] and one of his brothers has a name you listed there! The other brother is H0ratio — quite the [name_u]Berry[/name_u] set. I agree it’s a lovely name.
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[name_m]Latham[/name_m]! It’s a handsome surname-name for those who like that, that still sounds first name-y due to its similarity to [name_m]Nathan[/name_m], etc. It has a surprising meaning (“the barn”) which lends it a warm and rustic charm as well.
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I love this thread too! How does [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] not get more love?? It fits right in sound wise with names like [name_u]Emmett[/name_u], [name_u]Everett[/name_u], [name_u]Lincoln[/name_u] and [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m], plus it has a great biblical meaning. I’m shocked it hasn’t become more popular with other biblical names like [name_u]Elijah[/name_u] and [name_m]Josiah[/name_m].
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@katinka I know a little [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] and was tickled when I heard the choice! He has a bunch of siblings, and an older brother is [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]. I’m guessing the parents liked the similarity. I thought the movie based on the novel The Giver, with its protagonist [name_m]Jonas[/name_m], might give it a boost.
@julieghoulie730 I know an [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] too! His family pronounces it EE-free-um. He also has multiple siblings, and his parents tend to like Biblical place names.
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[name_u]Catkin[/name_u] - criminally underrated as both an animal name (from Middle [name_m]Dutch[/name_m]: katteken, meaning “kitten”) and a floral name. I’ve always thought ‘cat’ would make for a cool nickname for a boy.
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Aidric!
If I’d heard this name before naming our first son [name_m]Cormac[/name_m], it would have been a tough choice!
I obviously have a type…
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[name_m]Silvestro[/name_m] - brings the same mood just a bit richer to the more popular name [name_u]Sylvester[/name_u]. And it goes perfectly with most middle names. Cute lil nicknames consist of Sev 
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