Stuck on girls (my topic/epic here) for the moment so here I am coming over here for some more help with our team green final baby due in [name_u]July[/name_u].
Here are my top 25 names for a boy. Fewer than 10 of them are left in the running for the first name slot, but I’d like to know what you like most, what feels uniquely “me,” what you can’t see at all with his sibling names, what would be braver vs. safer. Anything you might still have left to share about these names that I’ve posted before, but now that we are pregnant are considering much more deeply.
Artair
I love the stylishness of this Gaelic [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] variant in honor of my Scottish heritage. [name_f]My[/name_f] partner’s Chinese name chosen by his grandmother translates as “blazing bear” so I consider it an honor for him.
Benedict/Benoît
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband prefers [name_m]Benedict[/name_m]. I prefer Benoît slightly. We love the “blessed” meaning and its connotation for our third and final child. There is also something about it in combo that often gives it an “anointed” quality.
Constantine
I love the “steadfast,” “constant” meaning as well as its implication as a “time/event” name alongside his brothers. It also screams “metal ox.” I love the hard C up against our K surname. [name_u]Kostya[/name_u] and TinTin really appeal to me as nicknames.
Cornelius
Family name of mine from way back. I love the imagery of the cornucopia/horn of plenty for the third and final child and its sense of abundance. Again, love the hard C up against the K of our surname.
Endymion
[name_m]Endymion[/name_m] is our corresponding name for our current girl consideration [name_f]Olympias[/name_f]. [name_m]Endymion[/name_m] for the myth of [name_m]Endymion[/name_m], who sired 50 daughters (the menae, or moons/months) with [name_f]Selene[/name_f] to make up the 50 lunar months of an [name_f]Olympiad[/name_f]. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the -io like his brothers, but the final -n makes it much more understated and partially inconspicuous. I’d be lying if the recent announcement of babyberry [name_m]Endymion[/name_m] didn’t give me a teensy pause. For the rest of this list I believe there aren’t any longtime Berries with children by these names, and no announcements for several years. Of course I should use the name we love most that fits our sibset and speaks to us the most, but I’ll have to keep thinking on it to see if he really is our top pick (he definitely was the frontrunner until recently).
Ferdinand
Perhaps a bit on the nose, but metal OX or what ([name_m]Ferdinand[/name_m] the Bull)? I love the meaning “bold voyager” and this has been a super longtime favorite of mine and one that my husband approved wholeheartedly rather early on in our relationship.
Gilbert
[name_m]Gilbert[/name_m] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]. Ancient/Vintage gem. [name_u]Strong[/name_u] but soft, down-to-earth. “Shining pledge” is a beautiful meaning.
Hercule
Many of the qualities I love about [name_m]Ulysses[/name_m] but without the issues of the negative meaning/etymology. I love the [name_u]French[/name_u] version a la Poirot, and something about this spelling in [name_f]English[/name_f] is just soft and loveable yet without shedding the image of strength either.
Ignatius
[name_u]Love[/name_u] “fiery.” I worry that it’s a bit TOO close with his brothers’ names, but another part of me still thinks they go so well together.
Jade
[name_f]My[/name_f] bff from childhood whom I’ve spoken about a bit before. We have had a very complicated relationship for the past 15 years but I would still love to honor her and kind of hate the idea of missing out on my last opportunity to. I love the Chinese symbolism as well, and the connection to the jade necklace family heirloom from my side of the family that connects me to a certain [name_f]Pauline[/name_f] in my tree. That was the necklace I wore at my wedding, too.
Jem
For [name_u]Jule[/name_u] and [name_u]James[/name_u]. I’ve spoken at length about [name_u]Jule[/name_u] before. Her son was [name_u]James[/name_u] and he had his own complicated story and died too young but I like the idea of honoring the mother/son pair by taking the homophone of gem for [name_u]Jule[/name_u] (jewel) with the vintage nickname for [name_u]James[/name_u]. Interpreting it this way also takes some of the edge off of the “supplanter” meaning that has always turned me off from [name_u]Jem[/name_u].
Jules
For [name_u]Jule[/name_u] and the [name_u]Julian[/name_u] side of my family. Adventurous nature with literary edge of [name_u]Jules[/name_u] [name_u]Verne[/name_u].
Lucien/Lucius
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] was [name_f]Jade[/name_f]'s older brother who died in a bicycle accident when I was 16. I had always thought it might be nice to name a child after him, and the bright meaning matches so much with the Helens and my own [name_f]Helene[/name_f] middle name.
Nicodem
This one has far less logic behind the love. I just LOVE this name so much. I think it has the same endearing qualities of [name_m]Nicolas[/name_m] and [name_u]Jem[/name_u] while feeling much more distinctive and wholly me.
Oberon
Again with the Chinese name for my husband meaning bear. Midsummer [name_u]Night[/name_u]'s [name_u]Dream[/name_u] and all the magic and majesty, plus some clumsiness and blundering. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the O. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband LOVES [name_u]Oberon[/name_u].
Octave/Octavio
More on the [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] side, but for the octaeteris connection with the 8 years together with my husband and the two olympiad cycles.
Ozymandias
A longtime personal favorite (basically since studying the pair of Romantic sonnets in high school, and certainly made more relevant-feeling since Breaking Bad). Nickname [name_m]Oz[/name_m] for [name_m]Oz[/name_m] of the Buffyverse makes it feel more wearable and I do think that I now have carte blanche to choose a 5-syllable name to round out the sibset since our second wound up with 5-syllables by grace alone. Would honor the man who raised me, my stepdad M@nny.
Rubeus
[name_m]Ah[/name_m]. [name_m]Hagrid[/name_m]. Despite his few conspicuous flaws he is such a loyal, warm, and soulful heart. I love that this name is super ancient but pretty much untouched. [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] or [name_u]Robbie[/name_u] ([name_m]Coltrane[/name_m]) as nicknames. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband has never been 100% on board with this one, but I do know he would be if I were 100% invested (I’m always at like 92 with this one).
Scipio
A favorite of my partner. I love the matching -io and the hard c (I’ve gone back and forth with the silent over the years but I think it’s better with our K surname with the C). [name_u]Love[/name_u] the meaning, “scepter” or “walking stick,” which gives me vibes of voyaging and wisdom, a person who has seen a lot. From what I understand it’s also related to the Ancient Greek for “prop up” or “lean on,” so it feels sturdy and reliable and still relatively metal ox despite the more jaunty last pair of syllables. I can appreciate the historical figure but also do think he’s somewhat problematic as a conqueror.
Sholto
Fell in love with this one via @Greyblue’s healthy obsession. “Fruitfulness” and “fertility” definitely give me the imagery of abundance that I sense deeply with this being our third and final child. [name_u]Love[/name_u] the sounds, the final -o, and the Scottish origin.
Solomon
This would have been my top pick on my own without my partner’s input. He just doesn’t LOVE it like I do. Peaceful. Kingly. [name_u]Strong[/name_u]. Wise. O so many O.
Taliesin
The family connection to [name_u]Jule[/name_u], who worked at [name_u]Taliesin[/name_u] ([name_u]East[/name_u]), the studio and workshop of [name_m]Frank[/name_m] [name_m]Lloyd[/name_m] [name_m]Wright[/name_m], as an interior designer. I know it would tickle my family and is SUCH a great honor name without being anyone else’s name in my family. “Shining brow” is nice, the Welsh heritage (which I have bits of), and poetry and lore (which always bumps up a name in my book).
Thelonious
Again with the less obvious -io, I love the name. [name_m]Thelonious[/name_m] Monk. A jazz-cafe and sushi restaurant my now-husband and I lived a block from when we were just getting together called [name_m]Thelonious[/name_m] Monkfish.
Tybalt
Such a fun sound. I know it is a favorite of my mom, so that’s a bonus. Like the [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] connection. It does strike me as possibly a bit strange to name after an antagonist when H0rat1o was quite the opposite, but it doesn’t dissuade me from the name. I’d say my husband and I both love the name equally, though it’s neither of our tops so that is somewhat dampening.
Ulysses
Longtime favorite of both my husband’s and mine. [name_f]My[/name_f] biggest reservation has always been the “wrathful” meaning. With my other children having such positive and meaningful names, it is a barrier. But it also is a name that has consistently been a love for every other reason and a top in every other category but meaning. [name_m]Homer[/name_m]. [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_u]Joyce[/name_u]. [name_m]Grant[/name_m]. [name_u]Adventure[/name_u] and seafaring.
There are so many absolute favorites here, and it will be absolutely gut-wrenching to only choose two of them in combo and leave the rest behind on the table. Your thoughts are much appreciated!