Stuck on a Baby Brother for Callan?

Hello everyone!
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I are absolutely stuck on a baby name we can both agree on. We currently have a toddler named [name_m]Callan[/name_m] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] and love his name to bits. We love that he has an adorable nickname with [name_m]Cal[/name_m], and the name is sweet and gentle just like he is. We would like a name distinct from [name_m]Callan[/name_m] but with the same gentle vibes. We have a long last name that ends in an ‘OH’ sound.
For baby boy #2 we love [name_m]Elias[/name_m] but my husband wants it to be pronounced ‘Ell-ee-us’ which isn’t the common pronunciation where we live. We’d be correcting people constantly, and since that seems unfair we’ve set it aside. We love [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] but it is insanely popular where we are so we chilled that one too. We have the name [name_m]Willem[/name_m] on standby but are hesitant to use it because we’d like to have a daughter and name her [name_f]Willow[/name_f] in the future.
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband likes [name_m]Lucian[/name_m], [name_m]Julius[/name_m], [name_m]Corvin[/name_m], [name_f]Quinn[/name_f], [name_f]Brynn[/name_f], and Adolin…and that seems to be all the ones we’ve found that he likes. He’s mentioned considering [name_m]Cedric[/name_m], but he doesn’t love it. Some of the names I love are [name_m]Milo[/name_m], [name_m]Winslow[/name_m], [name_m]Wyeth[/name_m], [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], [name_m]Lewin[/name_m], [name_m]Julian[/name_m], [name_m]Franklin[/name_m], [name_m]Tobin[/name_m], and [name_m]Cormac[/name_m].

What are your thoughts? What further names would you suggest to us for a sibset with [name_m]Callan[/name_m]?

1 Like

What about…

[name_m]Alden[/name_m]
[name_m]Aldrich[/name_m]
Wilden
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Taft[/name_m]
[name_m]Sawyer[/name_m]
[name_m]Roscoe[/name_m]
[name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
[name_m]Percy[/name_m]
[name_m]Perseus[/name_m]
[name_m]Percival[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m]
[name_m]Albin[/name_m]

[name_m]Callan[/name_m] is a handsome name! From your choices, I like [name_m]Winslow[/name_m], [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], Frankllin, [name_m]Tobin[/name_m] & [name_m]Lewin[/name_m] with it. Really fun names – familiar, but fresh and unexpected!

Maybe…
[name_m]Archer[/name_m] ‘Archie’ (or just [name_m]Archie[/name_m] on its own!)
[name_m]Asa[/name_m]
[name_m]Atlas[/name_m]
[name_m]Beck[/name_m]
[name_m]Benji[/name_m]
[name_m]Basil[/name_m]
[name_m]Bram[/name_m]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Dexter[/name_m]
[name_m]Elio[/name_m] (similar your husband’s preferred pronunciation of [name_m]Elias[/name_m], pronounced eh-lee-o!)
[name_m]Ellis[/name_m]
[name_m]Elliott[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m]
[name_m]Flynn[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_m]Gus[/name_m]
[name_m]Harris[/name_m]
[name_m]Ira[/name_m]
[name_m]Jude[/name_m]
[name_m]Joel[/name_m]
[name_m]Jem[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Kit[/name_m]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]
[name_m]Luca[/name_m]
[name_m]Maxwell[/name_m], [name_m]Maxfield[/name_m], [name_m]Maxim[/name_m]
[name_m]Monty[/name_m]
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_m]Nate[/name_m]
[name_m]Noel[/name_m]
[name_m]Orion[/name_m]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_m]Percy[/name_m]
[name_m]Rafferty[/name_m], [name_m]Raphael[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m]
[name_m]Robin[/name_m]
[name_m]Remy[/name_m]
[name_m]Rory[/name_m]
[name_m]Ralph[/name_m]
[name_m]Stellan[/name_m]
[name_m]Soren[/name_m]
[name_m]Sullivan[/name_m]
[name_m]Shepherd[/name_m]
[name_m]Thorin[/name_m]
[name_m]Valentine[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilder[/name_m]
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]
[name_m]Warren[/name_m]
[name_m]Zephyr[/name_m]

From your lists I think [name_m]Lucian[/name_m], [name_m]Lewin[/name_m], and [name_m]Tobin[/name_m] go best with [name_m]Callan[/name_m]. [name_f]Lou[/name_f], [name_m]Louie[/name_m], and [name_m]Toby[/name_m] are great nicknames with [name_m]Cal[/name_m].

Other ideas:

[name_m]Callan[/name_m] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] and …

[name_m]Bryce[/name_m] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_m]Finley[/name_m] (Fin) [name_m]James[/name_m]
[name_m]Flynn[/name_m] [name_m]Elliot[/name_m]
[name_m]Sullivan[/name_m] (Sully) [name_m]Winslow[/name_m]
[name_m]Bellamy[/name_m] (Bell) [name_m]Lawrence[/name_m]
[name_f]Delaney[/name_f] (Del) [name_m]Cooper[/name_m]
[name_m]Devin[/name_m] (Dev) [name_f]Quinn[/name_f]
[name_m]Lonan[/name_m] (Lon) [name_m]Rhys[/name_m]
[name_m]Craig[/name_m] [name_m]Corvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Riordan[/name_m] (Rory) [name_m]Julius[/name_m]

[name_m]Callan[/name_m] is lovely!

I’m thinking…

[name_m]Tristan[/name_m]
[name_m]Bram[/name_m]
[name_m]Ellis[/name_m]
[name_m]Casper[/name_m]
[name_m]Truett[/name_m]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Roland[/name_m]
[name_f]Sasha[/name_f]
[name_m]Donovan[/name_m]
[name_m]Laurence[/name_m]
[name_m]Olsen[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m]
Raffetry
[name_m]Linden[/name_m]
[name_m]Darian[/name_m]
[name_m]Halston[/name_m]
[name_m]Hayes[/name_m]
[name_m]Joss[/name_m]
[name_m]Nash[/name_m]
[name_m]Blaise[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonas[/name_m]
[name_m]Alden[/name_m]
[name_m]Bennett[/name_m]
[name_m]Roscoe[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Marlow[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m]
[name_f]Sage[/name_f]
[name_m]Redford[/name_m]
[name_m]Rex[/name_m]
[name_m]Bastian[/name_m]
[name_m]Nevan[/name_m]
[name_m]Leland[/name_m]
[name_m]Fenwick[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Eben[/name_m]
[name_m]Paxton[/name_m]
[name_m]Abner[/name_m]
[name_m]Lorcan[/name_m]
[name_m]Robin[/name_m]
[name_m]Orrin[/name_m]
[name_m]Nelson[/name_m]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_m]Drew[/name_m]
[name_m]Ruan[/name_m]

[name_f]Love[/name_f] Tobin!! [name_m]Cal[/name_m] & [name_m]Toby[/name_m] is just the sweetest pair!

Callan is one of the few names my husband has mentioned liking off his own bat. It’s a handsome name!

From your lists, I would cross off Willem and possibly Lewin (too similar in pattern to Callan and they could get jumbled); cross off Oliver; Cormac, Corvin and Cedric (don’t like Corvin nickname options, and Cedric is more intense/dark academic than Callan, and I think you should avoid a C name unless it’s a clear winner esp when you intend to have more kids); Quinn and Brynn (seem more Fem these days); not sure about Adolin (maybe too much Adolf in there); Milo seems too cutesy and hip compared to substantial Callan; and while I like the idea of Franklin (and I note you both love “lin” names), I’m not a Frank fan (nor Frankie for a girl for that matter), it’s honky for me.

So I would keep the rest:

Elias (I prefer your DH’s pronunciation too)
Winslow (though does O to O ending last sound good?)
Wyeth - prob my fave with Callan (though is Wy an OK nickname? Not sure :woman_shrugging:t2:)
Rhys
Julian (I like Julius too, Jules is great nn)
Tobin (Call & Toby are fab together)
Lucian (though more see it as a pair with Cedric, maybe Lucas suits better?)

And/or how about:

Ellis
Emrys
Rohan
Ronan
Hugo
Brooks
Beckett
Torin
Rylan
Heath (same gentle handsome feel)
Magnus
Bridger
Xander
Alasdair
Shepherd
Hewitt
Wylie
Wilkie (can get Will nn that you would have from Willem)
Lysander
Lorcan
Felix
Jude
Harvey
Darcy
Tierney
Tiernan
Sterling
Rory
Murphy (love Murphy!)
Rafferty
Spencer
Wilfred (Wilfie/Wilf)

Edit: forgot to include Westley /Wesley

[name_m]Corbin[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m]
[name_f]Bryn[/name_f]
[name_m]Ames[/name_m]
[name_m]Roland[/name_m]
[name_m]Leland[/name_m]
[name_m]Olivier[/name_m]
[name_m]Percy[/name_m]
[name_f]Darcy[/name_f]
[name_f]Riley[/name_f]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
[name_m]Rupert[/name_m]
[name_m]Elmer[/name_m]
[name_m]Dorian[/name_m]
[name_m]Elliott[/name_m]
[name_m]Rhodes[/name_m]
[name_m]Emmet[/name_m]

Sorry for any repeats!

[name_f]My[/name_f] first thought was [name_m]Julian[/name_m] so I love that one from your list but [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] is my fav. I hear a lot of C,s, l and o sounds in your list so I’m aiming for names with those sounds as well.

[name_m]Silas[/name_m] -might work better than [name_m]Elias[/name_m]
[name_m]Ferris[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Geo[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] nn [name_m]Ollie[/name_m] in place of [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Brooks[/name_m]
[name_m]Harris[/name_m]
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] nn [name_m]Wells[/name_m] maybe too close to [name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Asher[/name_m]
[name_m]Vernon[/name_m] I just think [name_m]Cal[/name_m] & [name_m]Vern[/name_m] would be the cutest brother names!
[name_m]Lowell[/name_m] nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m] or [name_m]Wells[/name_m]

Doesn’t quite fit the criteria but maybe Graham-I just think [name_m]Callan[/name_m] [name_m]Graham[/name_m] and [name_f]Willow[/name_f] would be lovely together

I think [name_m]Julius[/name_m], [name_f]Quinn[/name_f], [name_m]Milo[/name_m], [name_m]Rhys[/name_m], [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] would all work great with [name_m]Callan[/name_m]!

Some other suggestions…
[name_f]Skylar[/name_f]
[name_m]Wayne[/name_m]
[name_m]Douglas[/name_m]
[name_m]Connor[/name_m]
[name_f]Lennon[/name_f]
[name_m]River[/name_m]
[name_m]Lachlan[/name_m]
[name_m]Orlando[/name_m]
[name_m]Emmett[/name_m]
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
[name_m]Nelson[/name_m]
[name_m]Stanley[/name_m]
[name_m]Landon[/name_m]
[name_m]Quinten[/name_m]
[name_m]Lance[/name_m]
[name_m]Melvin[/name_m]

I like [name_m]Julian[/name_m] a lot, does the ending being similarbother you? You have lots of great options.

Some suggestions are:
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
[name_m]Eli[/name_m]
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m]
[name_m]Conrad[/name_m]
[name_m]Ellis[/name_m]
[name_m]Edwin[/name_m]
[name_m]Dean[/name_m]
[name_m]Jude[/name_m]
[name_m]Silas[/name_m]
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_m]Rory[/name_m]
[name_m]Dennison[/name_m] (nn Denny)

[name_m]Rhys[/name_m], [name_m]Julian[/name_m], [name_m]Franklin[/name_m], & [name_m]Tobin[/name_m] are all fantastic options for Callan’s brother!

Other ideas:

[name_m]Braeden[/name_m]
[name_f]Charley[/name_f]
[name_m]Cillian[/name_m]
[name_m]Derrik[/name_m]
[name_m]Grady[/name_m]
[name_m]Egan[/name_m]
[name_m]Eliot[/name_m]
[name_m]Lee[/name_m]
[name_m]Lonny[/name_m]
[name_m]Morgan[/name_m]
[name_m]Myles[/name_m]
[name_m]Ollie[/name_m]

[name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_m]Callan[/name_m] so much and I know what you mean about it’s soft feel!
You and your husband have great taste and I don’t dislike any- and great ideas from everyone! [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] has always been a personal favorite.

I’d add [name_m]Gavin[/name_m], [name_m]Declan[/name_m] and [name_m]Duncan[/name_m].

Welcome to Nameberry! Callan Thomas is a lovely name! Really trying to focus on the soft vibe like you mentioned.

Magnus - I think this is soft and matches the energy of Callan

Graham, Emrys - more fresh Celtic choices like Callan

Quincey - I know you had Quinn listed, but sometimes a slight modification can elevate a name for me, including just in case you haven’t considered this one yet

Adair - my best friend used this for her son and I adore the name. This is a common surname where I am from

Emory

Sebastian

Kendall - recently worked with a man named Kendall and thought it was such a handsome name. He wore so well, I think it will forever be in my boy names list.

Caspian

Leland

While [name_m]Winslow[/name_m] isn’t my style I love [name_m]Wynn[/name_m] for a boy! I also really like [name_m]Milo[/name_m], [name_f]Quinn[/name_f], [name_m]Julian[/name_m] and [name_m]Cormac[/name_m]. I share your thoughts on [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], I love it but it’s too popular for me to consider for a first name. BUT I think it makes a gorgeous middle name as well. For example, [name_f]Wren[/name_f] [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]!

Other ideas based on those:
[name_m]Asa[/name_m]
[name_m]Bellamy[/name_m]
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_m]Damian[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Flynn[/name_m]
[name_m]Perry[/name_m]
[name_m]Grant[/name_m]
[name_m]Rowan[/name_m]
[name_m]Stefan[/name_m]
[name_m]Tristan[/name_m]
[name_m]Blaine[/name_m]

[name_m]Callan[/name_m] + [name_m]Winslow[/name_m] and [name_m]Callan[/name_m] + [name_m]Cormac[/name_m] are my favorite! [name_m]Charming[/name_m], handsome, soft masculine energy! Sorry for the repeats, but here are my thoughts:

[name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_m]Gavin[/name_m]
[name_m]Seamus[/name_m]
[name_m]Torin[/name_m]
[name_m]Andrew[/name_m]
[name_m]Graham[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Silas[/name_m]
[name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
Stephan/Stefan or [name_m]Steven[/name_m]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]

C@llan ( C@l ) and….

[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] - [name_m]Ned[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] - [name_m]Seb[/name_m]
[name_m]Eben[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] - [name_m]Nat[/name_m], [name_m]Nate[/name_m], Than, [name_m]Thaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Theo[/name_m] -Ted
[name_m]Seth[/name_m]
[name_m]Ross[/name_m]
[name_m]Ethan[/name_m] - Eth
[name_m]Abel[/name_m] - [name_m]Abe[/name_m]
[name_m]Bram[/name_m]
[name_m]Gage[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m] - [name_m]Zac[/name_m]
[name_m]Josiah[/name_m], [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] - [name_m]Joss[/name_m]
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m]
[name_m]Luca[/name_m], [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], [name_m]Luke[/name_m]
[name_m]Miles[/name_m], [name_m]Myles[/name_m], [name_m]Milo[/name_m]
[name_m]Nico[/name_m]
[name_m]Owen[/name_m]
[name_m]Piers[/name_m]
[name_m]Rhys[/name_m]
[name_m]Thaddeus[/name_m] - [name_m]Tad[/name_m]
[name_m]Wiley[/name_m], [name_m]Wylie[/name_m]
[name_m]Willem[/name_m] - Wils, [name_m]Wiley[/name_m]
[name_m]Atticus[/name_m] - [name_m]Gus[/name_m]
[name_m]Wycliffe[/name_m] - Wyck
[name_m]Hayes[/name_m]
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m], [name_m]Weston[/name_m] - [name_m]Wes[/name_m]

Pronunciation could be a problem for [name_m]Elias[/name_m], but if you were very firm about your chosen pronunciation from the start, I think many people would get it pretty quickly. [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is a great name and popular for a reason, like most popular names (Ava, [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], Noah). There is a great post on the baby naming blog “Swistle” called “Even the Top 10 is Not Necessarily the Kiss of Death.” Basically, it says that the number one most popular name isn’t even as popular as the tenth most popular name in 1900. A century ago, it only took a “handful” of names to cover the U.S. (Michael, [name_m]William[/name_m], Mary) but now there are so many creative names being used that it takes a LOT more names. So an [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] isn’t at all likely to be in a class or even school with a bunch of other Olivers. I’ve only met one [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] in my life.

Suggestions:
[name_m]Finn[/name_m]
[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_m]Declan[/name_m]
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m]
[name_m]William[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Conall[/name_m]
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m]
[name_m]Glenn[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Owen[/name_m]