As some of you may have seen in my last thread, I have [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] Cadfael [Pronunciation: CAD-vye-uhl] as my stand-in combo for [name_u]Robin[/name_u]. However, I would like your help in finding a less unisex middle name that manages to convey the medieval / woodsy / [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Hood-esque feel of [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael. My questions are as follows:
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] ____ Cadfael or [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael ____? I really like Cadfael immediately after [name_u]Robin[/name_u], but all the combos I can think of seem to sound better the other way round.
What middle?! I have been thinking along the lines of [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Alaric[/name_m], [name_u]Elias[/name_u], [name_m]Eleazar[/name_m], Emrys, [name_m]Alistair[/name_m], [name_u]Ashby[/name_u] / [name_u]Ash[/name_u], [name_m]Aylmar[/name_m], [name_m]Olivier[/name_m] . . . a 2 or 3 syllable MN starting with E or A seems to be my preference.
CONS:
I like the woodsy aura of the [name_u]Ash[/name_u]- names, but none seem to be quite right.
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m] would clash with the hard C in Cadfael.
[name_m]Olivier[/name_m] is too Brother Cadfael-esque with Cadfael as well.
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] is in another combo that I don’t want to break up.
I think [name_m]Emrys[/name_m]/[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] works really well.
I keep thinking of names that end in n, which don’t quite work immediately after [name_u]Robin[/name_u], but might be OK after Cadfael. I also keep thinking of C and R names ([name_m]Cuthbert[/name_m], [name_m]Rhodri[/name_m]…), which don’t work here. Still, I’ll give it a go.
I actually think [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Alaric[/name_m] Cadfael works rather nicely - [name_m]Alaric[/name_m] enhances the feudal imagery, and I don’t think the Cs clash too much.
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] Cadfael is nearly there, but for me at least [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] seems just a bit too starry for the other two names. [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] might work.
@onomastodon made some brilliant suggestions - I particularly like the idea of [name_m]Giles[/name_m] with [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael, but he might rhyme just a bit too much with the ending of Cadfael. [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Oswin[/name_m] and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Swithin[/name_m] both work wonderfully.
I would love to see a forest-themed name with [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael:
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Asco Cadfael (Asco is the Old Germanic cognate of [name_u]Ash[/name_u])
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Sylvester[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Selevan Cadfael
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael Sylvinet
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Silvius[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael Everlake (Everlake is an Arthurian form of the Welsh “Afallach”, meaning apple tree)
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Ossian[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Arne[/name_m] Cadfael ([name_m]Arne[/name_m] means “eagle” - too bird-like with [name_u]Robin[/name_u]?)
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Arvid[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Ivor[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Owain[/name_m]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael Yvain
Good luck! I will look forward to seeing what you settle with. (:
I really like your imagery of [name_u]Robin[/name_u] because mine is very similar! It’s definitely very woodsy and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Hood-ish.
I can’t decide between [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael _ and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] _ Cadfael - I think the flow depends on the whole combo. I want to pair [name_u]Robin[/name_u] with something Arthurian or something very British.
I also loved [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Alard[/name_m], but [name_m]Alard[/name_m] just doesn’t seem to work with Cadfael! I’ve also considered [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Amias[/name_m] Cadfael, [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Alois[/name_m] Cadfael, [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael Alder, and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] Cadfael. [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] Cadfael sounds amazing but I’m just not on board with [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] as an individual name, at least not yet.
Particularly good suggestions have been @onomastodon’s [name_m]Giles[/name_m], [name_m]Amis[/name_m], and [name_m]Ivo[/name_m]; @erin beth’s [name_m]Aloysius[/name_m]; @kew’s [name_m]Arne[/name_m] (though for another combo - a bit too birdy!) and Asco; and @moonstone’s [name_m]Algernon[/name_m]. I like a lot of the others, but the A names are definitely feeling right for this combo.
@kew - I really, really love the idea of Asco, but so far it doesn’t seem to ‘fit’. I will keep it in mind though.
I love [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_u]Ash[/name_u] and [name_u]Robin[/name_u] Cadfael [name_m]Otis[/name_m] ([name_m]Otis[/name_m] adds lots of gruff charm!).
I’m really glad you like Asco and [name_m]Arne[/name_m]
I will look forward to seeing what you settle for in the end!
