I am all out of ideas and we haven’t fallen in love with a name! Well, I have…but DH doesn’t seem to agree. 
We want a name that has a positive meaning.
I like the scholarly sound…intelligent…strong
I want a name that is at least 2 syllables…possibly with a fun nn
Old fashioned is also right up my alley…but harder for DH to agree to.
Please, no names that are being used more on girls.
Can you help me?
Positive meaning, intelligent and strong, multi-syllablic, potential nicknames, mildly old-fashioned, all boy. Gotcha.
[name]Theodore[/name] ([name]Theo[/name], [name]Ted[/name], [name]Teddy[/name], [name]Bear[/name]): gift of God
[name]Cyrus[/name] ([name]Cy[/name]): throne; sun; lord
[name]Frederick[/name] ([name]Fred[/name], [name]Freddy[/name], [name]Rick[/name], [name]Fritz[/name], Fritzy): peaceful ruler
[name]Julian[/name] or [name]Julius[/name] ([name]Jules[/name], [name]Lee[/name]): youthful
[name]Felix[/name] (Flix, [name]Eli[/name], X, [name]Lucky[/name]): happy, lucky, fortunate
[name]Philip[/name] ([name]Phil[/name], [name]Flip[/name]): lover of horses (but he was also one of the 12 apostles if that improves the meaning)
[name]Colin[/name] ([name]Cole[/name], [name]Olly[/name]): dove, bringer of victory, or cub
[name]Lucian[/name]/[name]Lucius[/name] ([name]Luke[/name], [name]Lucky[/name]): light
[name]Lincoln[/name] ([name]Linc[/name], [name]Lin[/name], Linney): lake settlement (I thought it’s famous bearer might make up for the neutral meaning)
[name]Alistair[/name] ([name]Al[/name], [name]Allie[/name]): defending warrior, defender
[name]August[/name]/[name]Augustus[/name] (Auggie, [name]Gus[/name], Guster): majestic, venerable
[name]Peter[/name]: stone (as in the rock on which God built the church)
Maximilan ([name]Max[/name], [name]Milo[/name], Xim/[name]Sim[/name], M&M): greatest
[name]Alcott[/name] ([name]Al[/name], [name]Allie[/name], [name]Cotton[/name], [name]Ace[/name]): old cottage (not most exciting, but evokes [name]Alcott[/name] the author and her transcendentalist father, etc)
[name]Lysander[/name] ([name]Ly[/name], [name]Sandy[/name], [name]Anders[/name]): liberator
[name]Hope[/name] one of these does the trick, or at least points you in the right direction!
This may sound out there, but I actually had it on my list of names I liked and since you said “scholarly” I’ll just put it out there. What about the name “Scholar”? or “[name]Penn[/name]”? Google a list of all colleges in [name]America[/name] and scroll it and see if any stand out. “[name]Emerson[/name]” is also a good name that’s also a college in [name]Boston[/name], but it mayyyy be unisex…or what about “[name]Boston[/name]”? Also, google a list of poets, writers, inventors, etc. and look at their first and last names and you might get an idea…
oh thank you! FABULOUS lists! dyslexicgod, I will definitely be looking at the college names, etc. This little man will be a brother to [name]Emerson[/name]! When we named our first son [name]Emerson[/name], I had no idea it was gonna go to the girls. But, that is the feel I’m looking for.
ellenelle, I love many of the names on your list. [name]Theodore[/name] is way up there right now. I have been wanting to love [name]Alcott[/name] but couldn’t think of any good nn’s. I have ALWAYS loved the nn [name]Ace[/name]! Hadn’t even occurred to me that we could pull [name]Ace[/name] from [name]Alcott[/name]. Nice! I’ll be running that by my hubby.
I want to like [name]Lysander[/name]. I’ll have to think on it. I really like the [name]Anders[/name] nn. My DH’s mn is [name]Andrew[/name]. I had thought of the name [name]Anders[/name] but it felt too nick namey for a full name. Hmmm.
[name]Lincoln[/name] is one DH and I both really like. But, we know a little boy already with that name. 
[name]Love[/name] the nn [name]Linc[/name] and the historical connection.
THe others are unusable either because we know someone already or some crazy association that DH has! Sigh.
[name]Theodore[/name]
[name]Lysander[/name]
[name]Alcott[/name]
Hmm…there is hope!
Any other ideas for me? Thoughts on the name [name]Winston[/name]? DH vetoed [name]Alcott[/name] and [name]Lysander[/name]. Still working on [name]Theodore[/name].
I love [name]Winston[/name]! It has such a vintage yet modern, cool, approachable vibe to me.
What about:
[name]Bennett[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Jameson[/name]/[name]Jamison[/name] (may be too matchy with [name]Emerson[/name] though!)
[name]Julius[/name]
[name]Schuyler[/name] (actually means “scholar”, haha, but I think it sounds scholarly/smart/handsome on its own, and [name]Emerson[/name] and [name]Schuyler[/name] would be handsome for brothers! It’s said like [name]Skyler[/name]… I guess that could be construed as unisex, but, to me, it’s all boy. I didn’t even consider the unisex factor until I thought about [name]Skylar[/name]. Ugh.)
[name]Gabriel[/name]
[name]Abbott[/name]
Truett/[name]Truman[/name]
[name]Leander[/name] (similar feel to [name]Lysander[/name], but maybe it might appeal to your husband more? [name]Leo[/name] is such a cute nn!)
[name]Leopold[/name]
[name]Gavin[/name]
[name]Daniel[/name]
[name]Declan[/name]
[name]Charles[/name] (nn [name]Charlie[/name]?)
[name]Calvin[/name]/[name]Callum[/name]/[name]Callan[/name]
[name]Isaac[/name]
[name]Micah[/name]
[name]Max[/name]/[name]Maxwell[/name]
Good luck!
[name]Evander[/name]: means “good man” (could use nn [name]Anders[/name])
[name]Thaddeus[/name]: “heart or god’s gift” ([name]Thad[/name], [name]Teddy[/name], [name]Addie[/name])
[name]Atticus[/name]: “from Athens” (not a good or bad meaning, but could use the nn [name]Ace[/name].)
[name]Darwin[/name]: “dear friend”
[name]Gideon[/name]: “powerful warrior”
[name]Sterling[/name]: “genuine, of high quality”
[name]Cedric[/name]: “kindly and loved”
I think [name]Winston[/name] is nice, it’s on our mn list. 
Is [name]Calvin[/name] too close to [name]Clara[/name]? Really like [name]Evander[/name] and [name]Calvin[/name], but I’m pretty sure I don’t want to repeat initials. DH hates [name]Thaddeus[/name]. [name]Cedric[/name] is a name I chose for a future son when I was 12! Still have a soft spot for it but DH doesn’t.
My short list includes:
[name]Theodore[/name]
[name]Leopold[/name]
Truett (DH’s favorite but I haven’t totally fallen for it)
I love [name]Henry[/name] but wasn’t sure if the popularity would bother me. however, I see [name]Clara[/name] on it’s way up so maybe I shouldn’t worry about those things so much!
We can’t or won’t do a name that starts with B since our last name starts with M.
Is [name]Winston[/name] too matchy to [name]Emerson[/name]? Is [name]Win[/name] too girly as a nn? He doesn’t HAVE to have a nn. [name]Clara[/name] doesn’t and it’s perfectly fine.
[name]How[/name] about [name]Abel[/name]? I know it´s not exactly scholarly, but the fact that it is pronounced the same as [name]ABLE[/name] makes it feel strong and competent to me. Plus you´ve got the old-fashion nickname in [name]Abe[/name]. I love [name]Abel[/name] and can´t use it… oh how i wish someone else would!
I do like [name]Abel[/name]. I have tried to get dh on board…maybe I’ll try a little harder. [name]Love[/name] the nn [name]Abe[/name]. I agree that it sounds strong.
[name]How[/name] does it fit with the sibset? [name]Emerson[/name], [name]Clara[/name], [name]Matilda[/name], & [name]Abel[/name].
Thanks for the suggestion!