Thoughts on some names on my list?

[Youssarian]

I’ve got some names on my boys’ list that I really like but I don’t really see discussed very often so I’m curious as to opinions, vibes, associations, thoughts, etc. You can be completely honest! And if you only want to give opinions on a few from this slightly long list, that’s fine too.

[name_u]Adair[/name_u]: I like the calm, easygoing, and slightly ambiguous nature of this name and think it works perfectly well for guys and girls, although I personally lean towards liking it better for a boy. I think it’s unusual without being weird.
[name_m]Christophe[/name_m]: I actually love this [name_u]French[/name_u] name (spoiler alert: I like [name_u]French[/name_u] names) but my reservations are [name_m]Kristoff[/name_m] from Frozen and just being mistaken for [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] all the time. Still, I would absolutely use it anyway.
[name_u]Greer[/name_u]: More common on females but technically unisex. I never imagined it on a boy until I saw a Jeopardy player with this name and thought it was actually quite handsome as well. Although more traditionally associated with females, it’s quite rare for both sexes and I can see it working as a boy name as well.
[name_m]Henrik[/name_m]: It just sounds so cool! And I’m of Germanic background so it works. I wonder how accessible it is for Americans, though. Not a fan of its similarity to [name_u]Henry[/name_u], however (nothing wrong with [name_u]Henry[/name_u], it’s just not my taste).
[name_u]Montana[/name_u]: One of my favorite boy names! (I seem to like unisex names for boys, right?) I have known a couple of both sexes and think it’s great for either but I think this name is rugged and handsome without being overly macho. I love the nicknames [name_u]Monty[/name_u] and [name_f]Tana[/name_f] (worked with a [name_u]Santana[/name_u] “Tana” which made me really love that nickname).
[name_m]Sayre[/name_m]: This name is a bit hard to describe - it’s almost 1.5 syllables. I know something either has to be one syllable or two, but when I say [name_m]Sayre[/name_m] it literally sounds like 1.5, lol. I know that it leans on the “weird / unusual” side of rare but I really love the sound and look. A friend of mine had a neighbor with this name which is how I discovered it.
[name_u]Shea[/name_u]: Again with the unisex, lol. I find it soft and handsome, if slightly simple.
[name_m]Tripp[/name_m]: Kind of deciding if it’s a little too country/cowboy for me, but the fact remains that I really enjoy the sound and the look of this name.
[name_m]Ty[/name_m]: Part of me always feels like [name_m]Ty[/name_m] is just too short on its own, but also I feel like it’s a complete name as it is. I also have a long surname so a shorter first name works!
[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m]: Definitely a very adventurous choice for a first name in the US but I think by the time I would ever have a child, it wouldn’t be as far-out sounding. Definitely one of the bravest choices on my list, but I am considering it usable for now.
[name_m]Zane[/name_m]: One of my first name loves - discovered it in a YA novel in middle school. I love Z names as that’s my favorite letter, but I have to be careful because sometimes they sound a little too new-age, futuristic, “I’m a very cool parent”. I wonder if [name_m]Zane[/name_m] is too trendy, or if I prefer it over other names on my list like [name_u]Shane[/name_u], [name_u]Layne[/name_u], maybe even [name_u]Blaine[/name_u].

The following names are currently middle-only names for me.
[name_m]Alphonse[/name_m], [name_m]Evariste[/name_m], [name_m]Fernand[/name_m]: I’m attracted to old-fashioned [name_u]French[/name_u] names as middles because I live in southern [name_f]Louisiana[/name_f] and we have significant [name_u]French[/name_u] / Cajun influence in our culture. I think these are just slightly too inaccessible as first names for my taste, but I love their aristocratic vibes and I don’t feel like they’re too pretentious.
[name_m]Stone[/name_m]: I like this name so much in theory but the thought of actually using it is quite… brave? I dunno why, because it seems to hit a lot of things I love in a boy name - naturey, handsome but not overly masculine, one-syllable with a long-vowel. It’s relegated to my middle list for now.
[name_u]Vaughn[/name_u]: I’ve actually been considering upgrading [name_u]Vaughn[/name_u] to my first names list as well, but wonder if the spelling would be a huge pain.

[Greyblue]

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] - so very cool and bright, sounds like someone who’s up for an adventure, but is also keeps their cool amongst chaos. I like the soft but rugged feel.

[name_m]Christophe[/name_m] - it does have a sort of elegance, style and distinction to it. Not sure I totally love it - I’ve got a couple of bad (fictional) associations, but it’s not bad

[name_u]Greer[/name_u] - ah, one I go back and forth on. Sometimes I think it’s cool and interesting, other times it feels awkward, sort of icky? Like gurning, grim, jeer, leer, gruel

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m] - sharp and strong - I think it’s fairly accessible

[name_u]Montana[/name_u] - pretty cool and bold - it’s giving me laid back and confident vibes. [name_u]Monty[/name_u] and [name_f]Tana[/name_f] are cool

[name_m]Sayre[/name_m] - it has a slightly fantastical/ Narnia/ magic vibe. I can see it working, though my only doubt would be people saying ‘Sayer saying things’ - making a deal of when he talks? I don’t know if anyone else would think of that though

[name_u]Shea[/name_u] - simple, soft but solid with a pretty cool meaning

[name_m]Tripp[/name_m] - zippy and cool - it has big American vibes to me. I do think it would be a cool nickname to something too

[name_m]Ty[/name_m] - I like the short snappiness of it - it somehow still feels substantial - I’ve met a [name_m]Ty[/name_m]

[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] - it is very cool and strong but it feels weirdly and uncomfortably descriptive to me?

[name_m]Zane[/name_m] - it has a good sound and feels international, but I find it a it meh - maybe because the couple of Zanes I’ve met haven’t been the most pleasant

[name_m]Alphonse[/name_m] - charming and cool - Frankenstein vibes
[name_m]Evariste[/name_m] - literary feeling, familiar but distinctive
[name_m]Fernand[/name_m] - friendly but aristocratic

[name_m]Stone[/name_m] - solid and maybe a bit harsh for my tastes but I could see it with a gentler first. I recently encountered a baby with ‘Stone’ as his middle (the full combo was T0b!as St0ne)

[name_u]Vaughn[/name_u] - relaxed, cool, stylish and rugged. I think a lot of people have seen this spelling?

[VEL]

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] – I love this on anyone! I agree that it hits the ‘unusual but not weird’ criteria really well.

[name_m]Christophe[/name_m] – I do see this being mistaken for [name_m]Kristoff[/name_m] or (more likely) [name_m]Christopher[/name_m], but it’s a cool name!

[name_u]Greer[/name_u] – I like this! Never considered it for a boy, but it totally works.

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m] – It might blend in a bit with all of the Henrys, but that ending sound is pretty distinctive.

[name_u]Montana[/name_u] – I definitely get a rugged, mountain feel from this one. It could grow on me!

[name_m]Sayre[/name_m] – I kinda want to pronounce it like SAY-ruh, but your pronunciation would be my second guess. I know a [name_m]Sayer[/name_m] who wears it well.

[name_u]Shea[/name_u] – [name_u]Super[/name_u] underrated for a boy!

[name_m]Tripp[/name_m] – I have a hard time with this one. I know a few, and it still just doesn’t really feel like a name to me? It fits with a lot of the others on this list, though.

[name_m]Ty[/name_m] – Prefer as a nickname, but I’ve known a ‘just Ty’ who wore it well.

[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] – very adventurous! I think the nicknames [name_u]Wolf[/name_u] / [name_m]Wolfie[/name_m] make it more approachable. [name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] [name_u]Puck[/name_u] is my main association from an American context, but I prefer the [name_m]Mozart[/name_m] connection,

[name_m]Zane[/name_m] – This has really grown on me over the years – cowboy cool with additional zip from the Z beginning.

[name_m]Alphonse[/name_m], [name_m]Evariste[/name_m], [name_m]Fernand[/name_m] – love all of them, especially [name_m]Evariste[/name_m] I don’t find them pretentious, either.

[name_m]Stone[/name_m] – I knew one as a kid and thought it was cool, but I don’t love the ‘stoned’ association. Definitely works as a middle name, though.

[name_u]Vaughn[/name_u] – I like in theory, but I can only think of [name_m]Vince[/name_m] [name_u]Vaughn[/name_u]! I’d consider it pretty well known as a last name, so I don’t think the spelling would be too much of an issue.

[EagleEyes]

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] – I think [name_u]Adair[/name_u] is a nice name, two-syllable surname-y boys names are definitely in right now and I like how it fits that trend while still standing out as different and fresh sounding.

[name_m]Christophe[/name_m] – I did think of [name_m]Kristoff[/name_m] from Frozen first unfortunately. I think this is a very cool name, though. I worry a little that some Americans may think it’s meant to be [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] since that’s so much more common, but I would hope that could be an easy correction.

[name_u]Greer[/name_u] – Personally I prefer this for a girl but I do think it works for a boy, especially with the similar [name_u]Grey[/name_u] on the boys’ list now.

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m] – I think this is accessible to Americans! I think it’s cool and unexpected yet reasonably familiar. I do worry if you don’t like [name_u]Henry[/name_u], though, as it’s possible a [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] could want to go by Henri/Henry at some point when he’s older.

[name_u]Montana[/name_u] – I personally prefer this for a girl but I can picture it on a boy. I like the rugged-yet-gentle cowboy feel.

[name_m]Sayre[/name_m] – Visually this doesn’t appeal to me personally, but I like the sound! I’m pronouncing it somewhere between “Sayer” and “Sair”. I also think this fits well with current surname trends despite being unusual.

[name_u]Shea[/name_u] – I like [name_u]Shea[/name_u]! I’ve had Shea/Shae/Shay on my girls’ list, but I like this best as a masculine name. Cool, laid-back, and somewhat beachy yet still professional and I can picture it on any age.

[name_m]Tripp[/name_m] – It’s definitely very cowboy, but I actually don’t think it’s overly so.

[name_m]Ty[/name_m] – I love [name_m]Ty[/name_m] and am in a similar predicament in that I don’t like any full name option as much as just [name_m]Ty[/name_m]! I feel the same way about [name_m]Cy[/name_m] I also go back and forth about whether [name_m]Ty[/name_m] is too short or not, but I think overall I’d say it works well enough on it’s own.

[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] – This one is a little too bold as a first name in my personal opinion. Maybe it’s due to having a more introverted personality where I don’t love being the center of attention, but I would have a hard time introducing myself with such an attention-grabbing name. I recognize other people might feel the exact opposite, though. [name_u]Wolf[/name_u], [name_m]Wolfe[/name_m], and [name_m]Wolfie[/name_m] are really cute nicknames, though. I’ve also seen a user on here mention [name_m]Wolfram[/name_m] (can’t remember who, sorry!), which I’ve also seen IRL as a surname, and I like that a lot.

[name_m]Zane[/name_m] – I like [name_m]Zane[/name_m] and it doesn’t seem too futuristic to me. [name_m]Zane[/name_m], [name_m]Zayn[/name_m], and [name_u]Zain[/name_u] all rank in both the US and UK, so it feels pretty approachable.

[AveryExtraterrestria]

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] - I like it quite a bit and am honestly surprised how seldom it’s talked about here, it has a nice soft feel. I prefer it for a boy as well, I feel like on a girl it might get confused with [name_f]Adele[/name_f]. It’s not quite my personal style but I’d love to hear someone else use it

[name_m]Christophe[/name_m] - I feel mostly neutral but I do like it better than [name_m]Christopher[/name_m].

[name_u]Greer[/name_u] - Never been a fan for any gender, I think it just sounds too similar to some unpleasant words for me (greed, rear, etc.)

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m] - Another where I don’t feel super strongly but it’s kinda cool

[name_u]Montana[/name_u] - One of my favorite geographical names and I especially like it on a boy, I wouldn’t have considered that so it would surprise me in a positive way. That being said I may find it a little weird if I found out the parents had no connection to the US state

[name_m]Sayre[/name_m] - I have mixed feelings, it reads as more feminine to me and has kind of a weird vibe though I could see it growing on me

[name_u]Shea[/name_u] - It doesn’t excite me much but it would definitely be cool to hear on a boy

[name_m]Tripp[/name_m] - A bit too wordy for my personal tastes

[name_m]Ty[/name_m] - Not my style but there’s nothing really wrong with it I guess

[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] - I’ve always thought it was a pretty cool name but as you said I feel like it might be a bit brave if you’re actually thinking of using it

[name_m]Zane[/name_m] - Not a fan, though that might be mostly because of a personal association. It doesn’t sound overly trendy or like it’s trying too hard to me.

[name_m]Alphonse[/name_m], [name_m]Evariste[/name_m], [name_m]Fernand[/name_m] - I don’t really have a strong opinion since they’re pretty new to me and I haven’t had time to form one, they just read as “foreign” mostly

[name_m]Stone[/name_m] - I’ve tried but in all honesty I can’t imagine this as an actual name, it just sounds out-of-place

[name_u]Vaughn[/name_u] - I’m kind of torn between liking it and finding it too clunky and old-fashioned, but I’d be happy to see someone else use it

[rbsmith]

Great list! I think [name_m]Henrik[/name_m], [name_m]Zane[/name_m], and [name_u]Vaughn[/name_u] are cool names!

[venezio]

adair: really lovely! i like the sound and overall feel of this name. i also prefer it on a boy, and i agree that it’s interesting but not weird

christophe: i think it being mistaken for Christopher would be pretty annoying for the person wearing the name! i know i wouldn’t want to deal with that, but then again everyone is different

greer: definitely more feminine to me but i don’t mind it on a boy. i don’t like the name much in general, though - it feels too insubstantial

henrik: really fun! i do strongly prefer Henry but Henrik is nice as well, and definitely less common. there’s the option of the nickname Rick, as well, if you like that

montana: i’m so back and forth with this name! when i first read it, my instinct was “no!” but your comments and the nn Monty do make me like it more. i think i struggle with it being a state name, though. regardless, i definitely prefer Montana for a boy!

sayre: the pronunciation does trip me up - i’m saying it like sayer (say-er)? i do not like it, though. the -re spelling seems a little off to me, especially since the NB page says it’s just a variation of Sayer (which i imagine would be the default spelling for most people)

shea: only feminine to me unfortunately, but i’m sure that’s just because i’ve known several girl Shea’s and no male Shea’s

tripp: i just think of the verb over anything. i used to know someone who went by this name online (not his real name) but it still doesn’t feel like a name to me.

ty: too short for my tastes, but it still works imo

wolfgang: definitely different than the other names on your list! though henrik + wolfgang would fit really well. i do think it’s usable, but definitely brave. mozart is a good association!

zane: i do find this name to be pretty trendy / basic, and i think it sticks out the most next to your other names

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alphonse / evariste / fernand: i think these work fine as middles!

stone: not a name at all to me unfortunately i just do not see the appeal. i cannot imagine a person named this, outside of it being a chosen name

vaughn: i think this works as a first, but i can’t speak to how intuitive the spelling is for non-namenerds. it’s obvious to me but i guess it wouldn’t be to most people? honestly i’m not sure, i would try it out in public (like with the starbucks test) before using it as a first.

[daisymeadows]

lovely list!!! here are my thoughts:

adair- so very cool. it follows the naming trends right now while still having its own distinct sound. i think it would be fabulous on a boy!
christophe- i did read it as christopher the first time i saw it, but putting that aside, i think it’s a great name! it’s familiar and unique at the same time.
greer- it does definitely feel like more of a girl’s name, but i’ve never met anyone with the name, and it does have a very surnamey feel.
henrik- just like christophe, i think it’s unique and familiar at the same time because of its adjacency to a more popular name! i would love to meet a little henrik.
montana- it does feel a little more feminine to me, but it could work on a boy! it’s very cowboy which i love
sayre- i feel like i’m saying this name wrong somehow because it feels properly 2 syllables to me, though it could just be my accent! i like the sound of it, but the look of the name feels a little off to me for some reason.
shea- love this!! i think all of the people named shea i know are male, and it reads to me as a very sporty, athletic name.
tripp- absolutely love him! so very cowboy cool. i think i like it better as a nickname than a given name, but fun and interesting either way.
ty- i’ve known a few people who were ‘just’ ty and pulled it off well, and i think it’s wearable as a full name.
wolfgang- so so cool. i’ve met one (he’d be about 15 now) and he wore it so well. i’d consider it wearable! also, the nickname wolfie is sweet.
zane- i could see this one growing on me! it’s on trend with the z initial, but it feels very down to earth. i’d love to meet a zane!
alphonse, evariste, fernand- i love how these connect to your culture, i think they’d make great middle names. i especially love alphonse!
stone- it’s not a personal favourite of mine, but i do know one and it really suits him. if you love it, i think you should promote it to your first names list!
vaughn- my instinctive spelling of this name would be vaughan, but spelling aside, i like it and can see the appeal! very cool and surnamey.

[AmyVermeersch]

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] - feels cool! Very modern. Not used a lot, but feels approachable and useable

[name_m]Christophe[/name_m] - I just watched the show How To Get Away With Murder so this name makes me think of that show! I wouldn’t use it because i think people would say [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] at first glance and it might get confusing

[name_u]Greer[/name_u] - I like it more for girls than guys. Not really my style.

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m]- I like it! Definitely feels [name_m]German[/name_m] but not in a negative way.

[name_u]Montana[/name_u] - feels very country to me. I just think of the state and can’t picture it as a baby name.

[name_m]Sayre[/name_m] - I’m not sure how to pronounce this one? So that turns me off from it because I wouldn’t want to be constantly spelling it and pronouncing it for people

[name_u]Shea[/name_u] - It’s pretty good but another name I thnk of more for girls instead of boys again.

[name_m]Tripp[/name_m] - I like it! It does feel alittle country, but I like the feel.

[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] - I think this is such a cool name! Might make people judge you a little haha, but I think it’s so cool!

[name_m]Zane[/name_m] - definitely makes me think of One Direction. Isn’t one of their members named [name_m]Zane[/name_m]?