Stuck between "normal" and "cool and unusual."

My husband and I are expecting our third child - our first boy. We already have twin daughters [name_u]Tegan[/name_u] [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] and [name_u]Britton[/name_u] [name_f]Aisley[/name_f].

We are having a very hard time choosing a boy name we both love. He wants something strong, “warrior/Celtic sounding” and I want something equally uncommon as our twins’ names without being completely out there. So far, we have agreed on one name: [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] nn [name_m]Nate[/name_m]. While I love the sound and feel of [name_m]Nate[/name_m], I hate the popularity. Our full list consists of:

[name_m]Declan[/name_m]
[name_u]Arden[/name_u]
[name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_u]Finley[/name_u] “[name_u]Finn[/name_u]”
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_m]Merrick[/name_m]

[name_m]Merrick[/name_m] and [name_u]Arden[/name_u] don’t work well with our surname ([name_m]Clarke[/name_m]). I don’t like [name_u]Finley[/name_u] but love [name_u]Finn[/name_u]. [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] was on our girl list so doesn’t feel masculine enough anymore. [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is really popular and [name_m]Declan[/name_m], our #2, just doesn’t feel like our baby’s name.

Honestly, I’m just used to him being [name_m]Nate[/name_m] at this point, and that feels like HIS name, iykwim. But the popularity still worries me. Hubby doesn’t care about popularity at all, though I know he prefers some of the less-popular names on our list to [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]/[name_m]Nate[/name_m].

So - am I being too picky? [name_f]Do[/name_f] any of you have any suggestions for names we might like that fit our criteria or just sound good with our daughters’ names? Middle name will be either [name_m]William[/name_m] or [name_m]Edward[/name_m], whichever goes better with that particular first name. [name_f]TIA[/name_f]!

I like [name_m]Nate[/name_m], but I agree with the popularity. My boyfriend and I are the same about names. If you like [name_u]Finn[/name_u], how about [name_m]Finnigan[/name_m] or just use [name_u]Finn[/name_u]?

Honestly I think [name_m]Merrick[/name_m] sounds fine with your last name. that’s my favorite name on the list actually.

“[name_m]Nate[/name_m]” doesn’t strike me as being overly popular. The only Nathans I know, young and old, are only called [name_m]Nate[/name_m] on occasion. The name is too short to require a replacement nn.

As for Celtic-sounding/warrior names, I can’t believe [name_m]Conan[/name_m] isn’t on your list! Haha. I also like:

[name_m]Angus[/name_m]
[name_m]Conall[/name_m]
[name_m]Cormac[/name_m]
Carrig
[name_m]Gannon[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Lorcan[/name_m]

I agree that if you love [name_u]Finn[/name_u], why not just name him [name_u]Finn[/name_u] and forget the longer name?

The reason we aren’t wanting to use [name_u]Finn[/name_u] or [name_m]Nate[/name_m] (rather than full name [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]) os because of our one-syllable surname. I’ve had a few friends say that [name_u]Finn[/name_u] [name_m]Clarke[/name_m] and [name_m]Nate[/name_m] [name_m]Clarke[/name_m] don’t go so well as they’re too short.

What about…

[name_m]Archer[/name_m]
[name_m]Damon[/name_m]
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u]
[name_u]Lyle[/name_u]
[name_m]Milo[/name_m]
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m]
[name_m]Beckett[/name_m]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m]
Macsen
[name_m]Seamus[/name_m]
[name_m]Caledon[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Abel[/name_m]
[name_m]Bennett[/name_m]
[name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_m]Brooks[/name_m]
[name_m]Holden[/name_m]
[name_m]Noam[/name_m]

I know two nathaniels, my one friend is probably in his mid 20s and goes by nathan, I didnt know his full name was nathaniel for the longest time, the other one is my little cousin, hes 5 and goes by [name_m]NAte[/name_m], [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] or Bubs

I love the name [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] and think it sounds great with your girls names

I like [name_m]Declan[/name_m] with your daughters names, it’s a shame about [name_m]Merrick[/name_m] with your surname.
I’m the same with [name_u]Finley[/name_u] and [name_u]Finn[/name_u], what about [name_m]Finnian[/name_m]/[name_m]Finian[/name_m] or [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] instead?
[name_m]How[/name_m] about:
[name_m]Ewan[/name_m]/[name_m]Euan[/name_m]
[name_u]Roan[/name_u]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m]
[name_u]Flynn[/name_u]
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m]/[name_m]Alastair[/name_m]
[name_m]Duncan[/name_m]
[name_m]Miles[/name_m]
[name_m]Connor[/name_m]/[name_m]Conor[/name_m]
[name_m]Rainer[/name_m]
[name_m]Garrick[/name_m]
[name_u]Murphy[/name_u]
[name_m]Colm[/name_m]

Your daughters are adorable.

[name_u]Tegan[/name_u], [name_u]Britton[/name_u], and - [name_u]Noah[/name_u], [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_u]Dylan[/name_u], [name_u]Logan[/name_u], [name_m]Colin[/name_m], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], [name_u]Emerson[/name_u], [name_u]Keaton[/name_u], [name_u]Camden[/name_u], [name_m]Kevin[/name_m], [name_m]Egan[/name_m], [name_u]Rohan[/name_u], [name_m]Ronan[/name_m], [name_u]Carson[/name_u], [name_u]Aiden[/name_u], [name_m]Riordan[/name_m], [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_u]Ashton[/name_u], [name_m]Austin[/name_m], [name_m]Callahan[/name_m], [name_m]Lennox[/name_m], [name_u]Channing[/name_u], [name_u]Grady[/name_u], [name_u]Hayden[/name_u], [name_m]Maddox[/name_m], [name_m]Landon[/name_m], [name_m]Holden[/name_m]