Thank you all so much for your wonderful suggestions! I knew I could count on you for ideas, comments, and points we hadn’t thought of.
I’m at work and can’t respond to everyone individually, but generally wanted to say that our top contenders for first names now are [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] and [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], with [name_m]Timothy[/name_m] still in the running. I still really like [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], but can’t convert hubby, and he has also now decided that he’s not keen on [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] (which is too bad, since I think [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], [name_m]Ben[/name_m] and [name_u]Sam[/name_u] is a very cute sibset).
We aren’t bothered by [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] and [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] sharing the same first initial. We know quite a few people who have more than 2 kids, and have 2 or more of their kids (but not all) sharing a first initial and it doesn’t seem to be an issue. I doubt [name_m]Ben[/name_m] will feel left out; if anything, I worry more that this third little guy will feel left out since he won’t share their twin bond. [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] would be a meaningful choice for us, since my husband’s family has a long line of [name_m]Albert[/name_m]'s, and I see it as a fresher, more classic version of “[name_m]Al[/name_m]”, and my mother is [name_u]Allison[/name_u], so again the same first two letters.
For [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], I agree that nickname [name_m]Jake[/name_m] is a stretch, but we would definitely use [name_u]Jay[/name_u]. I’ve seen [name_u]Jay[/name_u] as a nickname for a variety of “J” names, including [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_m]Johann[/name_m]. We also know a [name_m]Karl[/name_m] who goes by [name_u]Jay[/name_u] (and not a middle or anything, just a nickname). I don’t mind [name_u]Joey[/name_u]/[name_m]Joe[/name_m], but [name_u]Jay[/name_u] honours my husband’s best friend, who will likely be this baby’s godfather. Also, hubby has a cousin named [name_u]Joey[/name_u]/[name_m]Joe[/name_m], and although the last name is different, it might be odd. I’m not keen on [name_m]Jacob[/name_m], as it is very popular where we live.
For [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] I don’t mind that both first and last names end in -s. Because the last name is 3 syllables, it doesn’t “hiss” when said aloud. Also, many Lithuanian last names end in -s, and a lot of the masculine first names end in -s or -as, so it’s kind of a traditional combination. I’m still a bit bothered by [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] meaning “the twin”, but it’s true that not many people would think of that. We chose [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] and [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], in part, due to their meanings, though, so it is a consideration for us.
I do really like [name_m]Timothy[/name_m], and adore the suggestion for the nickname [name_m]Timo[/name_m]. It is staying on our list, but hubby likes the other 3 names better, I think. Maybe [name_m]Timo[/name_m] would work as a dimunitive nickname for [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], instead of [name_m]Tommy[/name_m]?
Now that it’s been mentioned, we also see [name_u]Michael[/name_u] as maybe being more of an 80s/90s name. We’ve decided that it, and [name_m]Jonathan[/name_m] (which I agree is kind of plain), are out.
I liked some of the suggested classics, particularly [name_m]Dominic[/name_m] and [name_m]Tobias[/name_m], but can’t sell hubby on anything off our list (at least, at the moment).
I really like the following suggested combinations:
[name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_u]Reid[/name_u]
[name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_m]Remington[/name_m]
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m] [name_u]Reid[/name_u]
[name_m]Timothy[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]
I like [name_u]Reid[/name_u] or [name_u]James[/name_u] with [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], since I think a long first name sounds better with a short middle.
One issue is that [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is my husband’s father’s middle name (and he goes by [name_m]Henry[/name_m]), and if we use that we might also have to use [name_m]David[/name_m] or [name_m]Gordon[/name_m] (my dad’s first/middle), so nobody is offended – and I’m not sure I want two middles, although [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Gordon[/name_m] doesn’t sound too bad.
We’d also thought about keeping “R” names in the middle, as a way to connect all three boys. That’s how [name_u]Reid[/name_u] and [name_m]Remington[/name_m] got on the list; unfortunately, I’m not fond of [name_m]Richard[/name_m], [name_m]Ronald[/name_m], [name_m]Roland[/name_m] or other classic “R” names, and we have no other family “R” names. [name_m]Robert[/name_m] is my brother’s name and [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is the last name of a brilliant surgeon who saved our boys’ lives by performing intrauterine surgery at 21 weeks to stop the progress of a condition called twin twin transfusion syndrome. I would love another meaningful middle, but do like the idea of another “R” name. Hmmm.
Would love to hear any other suggestions, or suggestions for other “R” names that might work with [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] or [name_m]Timothy[/name_m]!
