Reconsidering names for our guy, due 9/24

Hey again, everybody!

We’re now almost forty weeks along, feeling sometimes that labor is imminent, other times like our boy will be in utero until [name_f]October[/name_f]. In the last week or so, we’ve started hemming and hawing about the name we thought we’d chosen. It started with a question about whether or not to hyphenate our surnames, and that led us to reconsider the middle name, and naturally if the last name AND the middle name are up for debate, the first name is on the table again too. I’m crossing my fingers the baby just looks like a certain someone or other when he’s born and the name makes itself obvious, but in case that doesn’t happen, we’d appreciate your feedback.

POSSIBLE FIRST NAMES:
Top pick: [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
Runners-up: [name_m]Ruben[/name_m] and [name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m]
My partner’s dark horse: [name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
My dark horses: [name_m]Simon[/name_m], [name_m]Oskar[/name_m], or [name_u]Owen[/name_u]

MIDDLE-NAME CONTENDERS:
[name_m]David[/name_m], after my dad and my maternal grandfather, meaning “beloved.”
[name_m]Charles[/name_m], after my partner, his dad, and his grandfather, (who share it as their first name and go by their different middle names), meaning “free man.”

THE LAST NAME QUANDARY:
Option 1: my last name: one syllable, could be [name_m]French[/name_m], Scottish, Irish, English, or Bengali (in my case, it’s [name_m]French[/name_m], but I like its chameleonic character). Simple, straightforward, radical.
Option 2: his last name: two syllables, decidedly [name_m]French[/name_m], but sounds in English like the name of an undesirable bug or a bit of drug paraphernalia, which I’m having a hard time getting over. Still, simple and straightforward as well, if much more traditional.
Option 3: skip the middle name (which we would use to honor family more than out of love for the names themselves anyway) and use either one of our surnames in the middle spot.

Okay, everyone. We know we’re overthinking things, but that’s why sites like Nameberry exist, right? Please let us know what you think.

Okay, let me tackle the Last Name situation first.
I don’t love hyphenated last names, so my instinct is to suggest as you did, using one surname for a middle, and the other surname for the surname. BUT, do you plan on having more kids? Because if so, I almost feel like you’d have to do the same MN-LN with any future children. And I’m not sure about that, so… I guess I’m not really any help.

Of your two MN contenders, they’re pretty equal to me. It would depend on how it flowed with whichever first name you chose.

Okay, best part. Your first names are all pretty darn good. I have to say, [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] is my absolute favorite of them all. I’d choose [name_m]Oskar[/name_m] as my second choice.

Good luck! Be sure to post again once he’s born and named-- I can’t wait to see what you choose!

I love [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] [name_m]Charles[/name_m], followed by [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m]! I would go with one last name or use one in the middle spot v. Hyphenating.

I also love [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m] or [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] [name_m]Charles[/name_m]. I have two middles (one is my moms last name) and my son also has two middles (the same last name as my mom). I think decisions around last name are really personal and there isn’t a clear best answer it is really what works best for you and your partner! While my son does have my husbands last name (which is more traditional), I love that he has a name from both of us!

I like all of these names so I can see why you’re struggling!

My faves:
First names - [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m], [name_m]Ruben[/name_m], [name_m]Desmond[/name_m], [name_m]Oskar[/name_m]
Middle name - [name_m]Charles[/name_m]
Last name - Option 1

I think you should go with [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] still. It’s so pretty and unique.

I love [name_m]Simon[/name_m] or [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] (spelling [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] with a “k” will mean that that he has to correct people all his life). I don’t think you could go wrong with [name_m]David[/name_m] or [name_m]Charles[/name_m]. I would maybe choose [name_m]Charles[/name_m] because it seems to be connected farther down the family tree. As far as the last name goes, I would use your husband’s last name, because it is more traditional to use the husband’s last name.