We are still trying to decide between [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austin[/name_u] and [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reece[/name_u]. I love them equally for different reasons so waiting for my husband to just decide already!! It’s been so hard. We eliminated [name_u]Wyatt[/name_u] from the list.
But now I’m wondering about middle name spellings while we choose.
[name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austin[/name_u] or [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] - is [name_u]Austen[/name_u] more sophisticated than [name_u]Austin[/name_u] due to the [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] reference and not naming him after a city. Or is [name_u]Austin[/name_u] stronger and looks better? I’m trying to go for sophistication!
Ok and now for the fun [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]/Reece/Reese debate. I am aware [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is the Welsh authentic spelling and normally I would go for that but something about the [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] spelling hurts my eyes! Like it just looks messy to me. I can see why there are a angelized versions. I was told if I go for an angelized version for a boy I should do [name_u]Reece[/name_u] because [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is feminine due to [name_u]Reese[/name_u] Witherspoon. [name_f]My[/name_f] argument with that is that it’s a surname she changed her name to! So I think its silly you cant use [name_u]Reese[/name_u] for boys. It would be my preference. However I’m aware [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] is also now being used for girls so should I do [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reece[/name_u]? Is that more masculine than [name_u]Reese[/name_u]? Should I try to embrace the traditional Welsh spelling even though I dont love it - [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]? I know this is one where everyone will have a different opinion but I guess I’m just trying to get a consensus.
Does it not matter at all because these are just middle names? (I’m guilty of overthinking everything lately). I’m pretty set on the [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] spelling and [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] is one with no spelling variations so thank goodness for that!! Thank you for thinking about this with me!
[name_u]Austin[/name_u]/Austen: I would go with [name_u]Austin[/name_u], unless you are naming him after someone with the surname [name_u]Austen[/name_u]. The -en spelling feels like an unneeded tweak to the typical spelling.
[name_u]Rhys[/name_u]/Reece/Reese: If you like [name_u]Reese[/name_u] best, then us that one! I don’t think an actress having the name makes it feminine at all. [name_m]Plenty[/name_m] of names are unisex now, choose the spelling that feels best to you.
You are overthinking, but we’re all guilty of it at some point
If you’re going for sophistication, I think [name_u]Austen[/name_u] is the way to go!
I prefer [name_u]Reese[/name_u] overall, but I feel like [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] looks slicker in the middle spot.
Austen/Austin: I definitely prefer the Austen spelling.
Rhys/Reese/Reece: Rhys is my personal favourite, but I like Reese the best for you and it sounds like that’s your favourite as well. Reece looks more feminine to me than Reese does.
You’re definitely overthinking Just go with the spelling that you want. Like PP said, so many names are unisex now and the spelling doesn’t really change that since they sound exactly the same.
I personally prefer the [name_u]Austen[/name_u] spelling, I like the literary connection! I would only use [name_u]Austin[/name_u] if the place had significant meaning to you!
Rhys is my favorite spelling of the name, but I don’t think you should use a name you don’t love! [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is perfectly fine if that’s the spelling you like best. I don’t see why you can’t use it just because an actress shares the name! There are a lot of unisex names, and they can be used by any gender! I don’t think it should matter if some people view the spelling as more feminine (which is silly to begin with!), because there’s nothing wrong with being feminine anyway!! I’m not a fan myself of the [name_u]Reece[/name_u] spelling, it just seems wrong to me. Almost like a typo! I think you should use the spelling you love most though, as that’s all that matters!
Both names you’ve chosen are lovely, by the way! I especially love [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reese[/name_u] - so handsome!
Good luck!!
Austen and [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] have my votes. We know a little Aust?n and I can never recall which way his name is spelled. For some reason, I find this variation super tricky to remember correctly.
Thank you! Excited to hear people saying I can just use [name_u]Reese[/name_u]!
Interesting about [name_u]Austen[/name_u]! I had only ever thought [name_u]Austin[/name_u] but I got to wondering last night if [name_u]Austen[/name_u] was more sophisticated. Funny how one letter can change the vibe of a name.
Austin/Austen - for me, [name_u]Austin[/name_u] feels more like a name to me than just the association with [name_u]Austin[/name_u], TX. That being said, if you’re a big [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] fan and have no connection to [name_u]Austin[/name_u] the city that might be a nice nod in the name choice. However, I would assume that someone was a big [name_u]Austen[/name_u] fan if they used that spelling.
Rhys/Reece/Reese - I agree with you about [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. I want to like it because it’s the original Welsh spelling but there’s something about it that makes me wary of using it. As for [name_u]Reece[/name_u] or [name_u]Reese[/name_u], I do slightly prefer [name_u]Reece[/name_u] on a boy and [name_u]Reese[/name_u] on a girl, but I wouldn’t choose [name_u]Reece[/name_u] because I wanted it to look more masculine. [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reece[/name_u] and [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reese[/name_u] are both unisex choices that I think would fit a little boy well and especially since it’s in the middle I would just choose the spelling I liked the best.
I have to think about this because I’m not like a huge [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] fan per say, nothing against her work! But I am a literature fan in general. I guess I’m really okay with either spelling [name_u]Austin[/name_u] or [name_u]Austen[/name_u].
I think I will just go with [name_u]Reese[/name_u]. I was told [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is a girl name now but I dont think I agree with that. [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] has a long history of being a boy name. And [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] is also historically masculine – just [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is an angelized spelling.
Austen is my preference because of [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u], but both are sophisticated enough!
On [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], my typical preference is often the authentic spelling but 1. I despise the ACOTAR character (totally ruins the spelling for me even though I like it) and 2. [name_u]Reese[/name_u] has enough use to be a legitimate spelling. [name_f]My[/name_f] vote goes to [name_u]Reese[/name_u], it’s definitely masculine enough!
Austin/Austen - IMO, [name_u]Austin[/name_u] looks like a first name and [name_u]Austen[/name_u] looks like a surname. The [name_u]Austen[/name_u] spelling is a nice way of honouring your love for [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] or maybe if [name_u]Austen[/name_u] is a surname in your family, but if neither of those apply I’d go for [name_u]Austin[/name_u].
Rhys/Reece/Reese - You clearly love [name_u]Reese[/name_u] the best, so go with your heart!
Apart from [name_u]Reece[/name_u]/Reese, I pronounce all these names differently! [name_u]Austin[/name_u] is oss-tin, [name_u]Austen[/name_u] is oss-ten (although you might pronounce these the same in your accent). [name_u]Reece[/name_u]/Reese is reess, [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] has a rolled r, which I’m not too sure how to write, but it sounds a bit like a motorbike if that makes sense.
I personally prefer [name_u]Austen[/name_u]. The points you gave in favour of [name_u]Austin[/name_u] (stronger, looks better), in my opinion, don’t really apply.
Although I like the [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] spelling best, it’s obvious that you don’t. I see no reason for [name_u]Reese[/name_u] to be ‘too feminine’, so I say you should go with that.
I really like [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austen[/name_u]. [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] is a link to Eminem, although many people won’t know that or care. To me, Eminem has a sort of redemption arc to his life, so that’s cool.
[name_u]Austen[/name_u] makes the name literary, and I like that a lot. Good job!
Elliott [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is lovely, and I definitely still assume most Elliotts are boys. I would probably go with [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austin[/name_u]. [name_u]Austen[/name_u] seems like an unnecessary change to me.
But overall, if you’re going for sophistication, I would definitely choose [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] [name_u]Reese[/name_u]! It’s lovely and [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_u]Austin[/name_u] seems very country to me. I picture him in a photo holding up the fish he just caught.
Marshall [name_u]Austin[/name_u] is a little country sounding, I agree. This is why I was I was wondering if the spelling [name_u]Austen[/name_u] makes it a little more literary. But it could be a needless tweak. I dont have a problem with country sounding to a degree. [name_u]Wyatt[/name_u] was also on our list. And [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] is actually pretty versatile with references of Eminem (although he is not the namesake here and I’m not a fan although I think hes talented. I dont care about the reference to him and I dont think most people do or will in future generations). Its also a brand name for amplifiers. Most people also think of [name_m]How[/name_m] I Met Your Mother- which I dont mind as I liked that character. The name actually means one who tends to (or loves) horses. I love this! [name_f]My[/name_f] dad was also [name_m]Martin[/name_m] so I feel like the [name_f]Mar[/name_f] part is an honor name. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband chose [name_u]Austin[/name_u]. I actually think of a hunky soap opera character when I hear the name [name_u]Austin[/name_u]. I dont mind it - it me its strong and handsome! I wanted [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] [name_m]Breccan[/name_m] but [name_m]Breccan[/name_m] was quickly vetoed! I was also told that one sounded really country too even though [name_m]Breccan[/name_m] is an Irish name!
Elliott [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is just pure perfection and sophistication to me. I was surprised my husband liked it though honestly. He vetoed [name_u]Elias[/name_u] which I thought was more modern. I think i will just spell it [name_u]Reese[/name_u] if we use it! Thank you for the feedback on that!! I feel much better about just going for [name_u]Reese[/name_u].
Still no final decision and I’m still debating [name_u]Austin[/name_u]/Austen now! But this has been really helpful!!
(I’m guilty of overthinking everything lately). I’m pretty set on the [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] spelling and [name_m]Marshall[/name_m] is one with no spelling variations so thank goodness for that!! Thank you for thinking about this with me!