I’m not 100% decided yet, but I think after almost 10 years of [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] being a top boy name for me, I might be letting him go
I do still really like the name, but the popularity is getting to me more. I used to be able to push it aside, but recently I just feel like it’s become one of those names that you can stick it in any sibset and it would work (like [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_u]Michael[/name_u]). I’ve also been questioning my love for [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]. Am I actually still in love with the name, or have I just kept it on there because I’m used to it and attached to it?
The problem is that I can’t find any other boy names I feel a connection to or ones that go with my other top names ([name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], and [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - the E and O being in every name was unintentional). There’s lots of boy names where when I see them I go “awww I love that name so much” but it’s not the same connection as “that is what I want to name my future child.” I’ve also noticed that a lot of the boy names I like are super short and a lot of times trendy/have a trendy vibe to them, so very different in style to my other names and I’d really like for there to be a cohesive vibe between them.
So I guess I’m asking for suggestions. I’ve probably made 100 very similar topics the past few years looking for another boys name to add to my list of (hopefully but I know probably not realistically) future kiddos names, but I just can’t seem to find one. I’m really hoping something will click this time!
I think in this kind of scenario, I would just leave the name alone for a little bit, and see what you think/feel later.
As far as names that [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] makes me think of:
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_u]Levi[/name_u]
[name_u]Jesse[/name_u]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u]
Oliver is lovely but i do understand that it’s popularity could be irritating and if you’re not madly in love with it as well. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] are pretty common in [name_f]England[/name_f] so i’ll have a look at the boys list and suggest a few that might fit your style and are maybe not as common in the US:
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and…
George
[name_u]Arlo[/name_u]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] ‘[name_u]Freddie[/name_u]’
[name_m]Jenson[/name_m]
[name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_m]Chester[/name_m]
[name_u]Maxwell[/name_u]
It’s always hard falling out of love with your top choice. I hope you find something else that you love as much as you loved [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]!
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] all strike me as ‘‘British-chic’’ in a way. I’ll suggest some names like that, as well as some more obscure vintage names just in case you haven’t heard of them/considered them for your list before.
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Atticus[/name_m]
[name_u]Amos[/name_u]
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m]
[name_u]Amory[/name_u]
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m]
[name_u]Brennan[/name_u]
[name_m]Cyrus[/name_m]
[name_m]Cillian[/name_m]
[name_u]Callum[/name_u]
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Cosmo[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Cassian[/name_m]
[name_u]Clancy[/name_u]
[name_u]Carlin[/name_u]
[name_m]Conall[/name_m]
[name_m]Cecil[/name_m]
[name_m]Duncan[/name_m]
[name_u]Davis[/name_u]
[name_u]Dorian[/name_u]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Euan[/name_m]
[name_u]Ellis[/name_u]
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m]
[name_m]Emilian[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]/Edward/Edwin
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Fraser[/name_m]
[name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_m]Ferris[/name_m]
[name_u]Florian[/name_u]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Fintan[/name_m]
[name_u]Fox[/name_u]
[name_u]George[/name_u]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m]
[name_m]Harvey[/name_m]
[name_m]Hamish[/name_m]
[name_m]Joel[/name_m]
[name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_u]Kieran[/name_u]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m]
[name_m]Locryn[/name_m]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m]
[name_m]Lonan[/name_m]
[name_m]Leander[/name_m]
[name_m]Laurent[/name_m]
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u]
[name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
[name_m]Leon[/name_m]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]
[name_m]Marius[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Maxim[/name_m]
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]
[name_u]Noel[/name_u]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Neville[/name_m]
[name_u]Niall[/name_u]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Otto[/name_m]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Oren[/name_m]
[name_m]Oisin[/name_m]
[name_m]Oswin[/name_m]
[name_m]Osmond[/name_m]
[name_u]Oleander[/name_u]
[name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
[name_u]Pippin[/name_u]
[name_u]Percy[/name_u]
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m]
[name_m]Patrick[/name_m]
[name_u]Rex[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u]
[name_m]Ruben[/name_m]
[name_m]Roland[/name_m]
Ruper
[name_m]Rafferty[/name_m]
[name_m]Seamus[/name_m]
[name_m]Soren[/name_m]
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
[name_u]Stanley[/name_u]
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u]
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]
[name_u]Toby[/name_u]/Tobias
[name_m]Thorin[/name_m]
[name_m]Valentin[/name_m]
[name_u]Vaughn[/name_u]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m]
[name_m]Xander[/name_m]
It’s interesting so many of you mentioned [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. That’s actually the name that kept running through my mind as I was writing my original post I’ve surprisingly been feeling more of a connection to him lately, but I can’t tell if it’s long haul or just a crush (the way we talk about names on here is so funny sometimes, like we’re in a relationship w them ). I worry that he doesn’t feel cohesive with my other names, though. He feels more trendy to me. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_u]Arlo[/name_u], and [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. Hmm…I’m not sure. He feels a little short in length to me next to the others. Also, even though the E and O being in every name was unintentional and I don’t like links between sibling names, I feel like it might be weird he’d be the only one without an E. We shall have to see what happens with him…
I also do really, really like [name_u]August[/name_u], but it’s the middle for my sweet [name_u]Teddy[/name_u].
Quite like [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] as well, but I don’t like it starts with a Ph like [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f].
Really like lots and lots of other boy names suggested, but not necessarily feeling them being on my list. Maybe after some more mulling I will.
Aww. I feel you—I’ve been wondering if I’ve been getting to the same place with my beloved [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]. I’ve come to the conclusion that [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] is still my name but have had similar questions to be sure!
My nephew is [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], and I quite honestly had such a negative reaction when she talked about it (internally, of course!); she wanted a rare name and she wants OLIVER? I expected to hear [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] everywhere after he was born and I honestly haven’t. I know one other [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], my cousin’s boyfriend, and he’s in college now. I would absolutely not think that you could stick [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] in any sibset and it would work perfectly—no more so than [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], or [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], anyway! If [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] needs to go, then let him go in peace, but as someone who hadn’t seen the appeal of [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] until about 3 months ago when it was attached to an adorable little face for me, I would say he’s still special and memorable and has style and personality (and is not a one-size-fits-all, stick-it-anywhere-and-it’ll-be-fine, beat-up, worn-out rug, for sure!).
That being said, if you are done, I could see any of these being new loves for someone who adored [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] for years:
Something you said (wrote) struck me as interesting and worth underlining. If I might paraphrase a tiny bit, I understood the rhetoric question to be… ‘[name_f]Do[/name_f] I still love it, or is it more that… I’m still attached to it, and that attachment continues to bring me comfort?’
Is that not the definition long term love? Enduring attachment and deriving comfort from that continued attachment, weathering the whims are lures of more lustful, trendy, or alluring options?
If you are liking [name_u]Arlo[/name_u], but have some reservations in regards to length etc, try [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u] on for size? I know it’s considered unisex, but I prefer it for boys myself.
Hmm…your style makes me think of these classics that are not as popular as [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], but that still feel stylish:
[name_m]Atticus[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_u]George[/name_u]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
Sorry if those are repeats, but count any that are as seconds.
I’ve surprisingly been feeling more of a connection to him lately, but I can’t tell if it’s long haul or just a crush (the way we talk about names on here is so funny sometimes, like we’re in a relationship w them 
). I worry that he doesn’t feel cohesive with my other names, though. He feels more trendy to me. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_u]Arlo[/name_u], and [name_f]Eloise[/name_f]. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. [name_f]Eloise[/name_f] and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u]. Hmm…I’m not sure. He feels a little short in length to me next to the others. Also, even though the E and O being in every name was unintentional and I don’t like links between sibling names, I feel like it might be weird he’d be the only one without an E. We shall have to see what happens with him…
I’ve come to the conclusion that [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] is still my name but have had similar questions to be sure!