Hi! Thank you to everyone who commented on the girl version of this, it really helped with my list. I would again describe my style as names that aren’t popular but names that are established.
These are my current 5 favourites:
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] “Humph”
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] / [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] “Sandy”
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m] “Ade”
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] “Sandy”
Completing my top names are [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] “Archie”, [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] “Greg”, Geriant “Gerry”, [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] “Vinnie” [name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] “Bledd”. I also like [name_m]Aneurin[/name_m] as a middle name.
I would appreciate any opinions on the names or sibset combinations from my list. Particularly, which long form of [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] do you prefer and [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] vs [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]? Cheers everyone!
I like [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] “Sandy”. I like [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] as a name just as much, they’re both great, but the nickname feels stretchier there.
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] “Humph” → one that’s grown on me after my cousins’ used it for their guinea pig – he was a cool dude and gave the name more energy – and after if appeared in one of my fave shows (Ghosts). Sure, it’s a bit clunky but kind of endearing too.
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] / [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] → I like the playful yet posh, cute and cheerful but clunky and classic too. [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] has a similar feel but slightly more serious, a little calmer? I really like both though.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] → magical, woodsy, literary and poetic. Such a lovely name and [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] is very charming
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m] → versatile, down to earth, and international – serious but with a hint of flair
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] → it feels rugged and adventurous but bookish at the same time. I’m guessing [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] ‘Sandy’ is via it’s relation to [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]? I much prefer [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] as a full name for [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] tbh. [name_m]Ari[/name_m], [name_f]Aster[/name_f], [name_f]Ara[/name_f], [name_m]Artie[/name_m], [name_m]Ali[/name_m], [name_f]Star[/name_f] / Starry…??
I love [name_m]Aneurin[/name_m] [name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] are cool too!
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] “Humph” → [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] is great - simultaneously “old man” (in a good way) and modern, it feels laidback but still substantial. In writing, “Humph” reminds me a lot of hump or harrumph, but I think spoken out loud it’s fine. I’ve also heard [name_m]Huck[/name_m] as a nickname for [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] which I think is really cute.
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] / [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] → both nice names! They’re not my personal style, but I think they work with your list.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] “Sandy” → [name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] and [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] is super sweet.
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m] “Ade” → I really like [name_m]Adrian[/name_m], though it’s definitely significantly more popular than the rest of your list (depending on where you live, I suppose). [name_f]Ade[/name_f] is intriguing, I’m not sure how I feel about it.
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] “Sandy” → [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] doesn’t make as much sense as an [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] nickname to me. I assume it comes from [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] = [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], but it’s a bit of a stretch to me. I do really like [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] in full!
Of your other favorites, [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] “Archie” and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] “Vinnie” are my favorites!
I think just about any combination of your names would make a good sibset. Lots of vintage names with cute nicknames. If I were to name three brothers right now, I’d say [name_m]Adrian[/name_m], [name_m]Vincent[/name_m], and [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m], or [name_m]Alistair[/name_m], [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m], and [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]
I love [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] “ [name_m]Archie[/name_m] “ and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] “ Vinnie” — I think these names would make a great set for brothers.
I like [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] on its on without a nickname. This name has recently become one of my favorites.
I prefer [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] over [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m]. I love the nickname [name_m]Barnes[/name_m] for either of these choices.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] is dashing! By itself it feels unique yet charming. However, with the nickname [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] it feels softer and more recognizable. Plus, I think [name_m]Anders[/name_m] is also a neat nickname for [name_m]Lysander[/name_m].
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] “Humph” → love the clunky-cool style of [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m], the nickname [name_m]Humph[/name_m] isn’t my fave but I feel [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] is hard to nickname well? I love the connection to Ghosts as @Greyblue points out, and the character in Death in Paradise/Beyond [name_f]Paradise[/name_f]. They make it feel more accessible/younger in a way.
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] / [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] → today I’m leaning more [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] but both are cute! Very similar to [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] in style (clunky-cool, a bit eccentric but endearing) but not so similar that they’re treading on each other’s toes. If you’re concerned about the -ee ending sounds being too similar, I’d probably suggest [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] more but I don’t think it’s a major concern bc the first syllables are so different.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] → I used to really love [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] when I was maybe 11/12. I saw A Midsummer Night’s [name_f]Dream[/name_f] in year 6 and immediately loved all the names in it. It has serious literary cred but doesn’t feel too out there. [name_m]The[/name_m] L initial feels in keeping with the current L trend in names and the nickname [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] makes it more accessible, especially with a big name and a tiny toddler. not that tiny toddlers can’t have big names, but I find it really cute when you have a long full name and a really accessible nickname when they’re little, like the name grows with the baby?
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m] → love this name, super cute. I hugely prefer this name over the similar [name_m]Aidan[/name_m], it just feels a tiny bit more outdoorsy, rugged and playful. [name_f]Ade[/name_f] is a sweet nickname too.
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] → [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] is nice, [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] definitely works but I think I prefer [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] as a long form of [name_m]Sandy[/name_m]. I do like the nickname [name_m]Ali[/name_m] for [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] though. I appreciate [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] for its Scottish heritage which I feel neatly ties with Myfanwy’s Welshness in your girl list.
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m] ‘Archie’ → [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] is underrated imo. [name_m]Archie[/name_m] is very popular in the UK but it still feels sweet. [name_m]Archie[/name_m] feels sort-of nerdy to me but that’s probably due to [name_m]Archie[/name_m] the Inventor in Balamory [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] gives [name_m]Archie[/name_m] gravitas but doesn’t come off too heavy or inaccessible. This also applies for [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] ‘Greg’ and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] ‘Vinnie’ - the full names are serious but the nicknames are playful and accessible without making the full name seem too stuffy by comparison.
Geriant, [name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] and [name_m]Aneurin[/name_m] are also adorable and I love their Welshness but like your comment re [name_f]Myfanwy[/name_f], [name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] and [name_m]Aneurin[/name_m] may be too much for predominantly [name_f]English[/name_f] areas, especially away from the Welsh border. Geriant ‘Gerry’ is probably fine though. for context, I’m on the south coast of [name_m]England[/name_m] so not sure if people in my area would be able to pronounce many Welsh names if they’re unfamiliar with them, but ymmv
My fave sibsets:
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] and [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] - these feel more clunky-cool, academic, eccentric TV detective to me, and I like how they go well together but without too many repeating sounds.
Geriant, [name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] and [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] - I like these because they have a Welsh flair and I think the nicknames [name_m]Gerry[/name_m], Bledd and [name_m]Archie[/name_m] remind me of three boys getting in trouble in the summer a la the [name_m]Famous[/name_m] [name_m]Five[/name_m].
yesss! the Death in [name_f]Paradise[/name_f] one is where my cousins got it from for their guinea pig. It’s cool how a pop-cultural ref can change up a name.
I think something like [name_m]Huck[/name_m], [name_f]Phee[/name_f], or [name_m]Huey[/name_m] might work too?
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] - I really like the sound of [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] as a full name. It’s the sort of name I’d be truly surprised to hear used, but it would be a pleasant surprise. Personally [name_m]Humph[/name_m] is not a nickname I am 100% sold on though.
Barnaby/Barnabas- I love both, but I think I prefer [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m]. I think [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] is a little more playful. I do know a few Barnaby’s though, so if you’re looking for a less popular choice maybe [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] is the way to go.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] - [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] is a really sweet nickname and seems very intuitive for [name_m]Lysander[/name_m].
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m] - a name I haven’t heard used in quite a while. It’s a very serious name to me.
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] - I really like [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] but I don’t think [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] is an obvious nickname choice for him.
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m] - [name_m]Archie[/name_m] has really grown on me, I think it’s popular for good reason. All the Archie’s I’ve ever known have been really lovely but I always thought it was quite a young name on its own. I recently met an adult [name_m]Archie[/name_m] which made me see it differently. I’m also a big fan of long formal names that have nicknames.
I love your list, it has such a distinctive vintage/classic feel without feeling overly common.
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] “Sandy” is probably my favourite! I think [name_m]Sandy[/name_m] works really naturally as a nickname for [name_m]Lysander[/name_m], and the whole name feels elegant but still approachable. [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] “Sandy” is also really cool, although I think the connection is a little less obvious / intuitive for the nickname.
[name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] is such a cool name and definitely fits the established-but-uncommon vibe. My first association is actually [name_m]Dan[/name_m] [name_m]Humphrey[/name_m] from Gossip [name_f]Girl[/name_f], but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing or something most people would think of! [name_m]Adrian[/name_m] is a really solid choice too, it feels international, timeless, and easy to wear in lots of different places.
Between [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] and [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m], I definitely prefer [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m]. It feels a little softer and more approachable, whereas [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m] has a more dramatic, old-fashioned feel (although I do think it’s still a really interesting name).
I also really like [name_m]Archibald[/name_m] “Archie”, [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] “Greg”, and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] “Vinnie”, they all have that classic charm but with nicknames that make them feel more relaxed. Geriant “Gerry” is really interesting; I haven’t heard it much before, but I like that it feels distinctive while still having a familiar nickname.
[name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] is also really interesting, but I do wonder if some people unfamiliar with it might immediately associate it with “bled/bleeding” or struggle with pronunciation outside of that context.
[name_m]Bleddyn[/name_m] and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] are cool too!
[name_m]Archibald[/name_m] gives [name_m]Archie[/name_m] gravitas but doesn’t come off too heavy or inaccessible. This also applies for [name_m]Gregory[/name_m] ‘Greg’ and [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] ‘Vinnie’ - the full names are serious but the nicknames are playful and accessible without making the full name seem too stuffy by comparison.