We are struggling with boys names. Help appreciated! Background info:
I have Scandinavian heritage and grew up in USA
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband is Irish from [name_f]Ireland[/name_f]- so the baby’s middle and last name will be Irish.
Our girl’s name is [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] after grandmothers on both sides named [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] (meaning= “pearl”)
[name_f]My[/name_f] father’s name is [name_m]Ulf[/name_m], a name which I actually love for several reasons. It’s short, easy to spell and pronounce, has no nicknames, has a strong meaning, and obvious personal heritage. But, when I say it, all I hear and see is my Dad, not my potential son.
So we picked another Scandinavian name: [name_m]Leif[/name_m]. Another short name, but not so easy to say correctly. Can be pronounced leaf, life, or layf (the true Scandinavian way of pronouncing it). We were set on this name for a while. Unfortunately, every time I thought of the name, I had morning sickness. Seriously, it was weird, and did NOT happen for any other name. I was turned off from the name because of this, and maybe deep down even though it ticks a lot of boxes for us, I felt maybe I didn’t really love the name- but I keep wanting to love it, so who knows!
Finally we kept coming back to one of our favorite names that is unrelated to any of our family history: [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I both love the name, and I can see it easily for a future son. It just sounds fun and classic and I like saying it. But it saddens me that there is no heritage behind it.
Any opinions on above names? Am I missing a fun, classic Scandinavian name? Now that my morning sickness is gone, should I try out [name_m]Leif[/name_m] again? Or should we go for an Irish name as a first name?
I know what it is like to go off a name that you really feel you should still love - it is so confusing, and I hope you get some clairty.
I like [name_m]Leif[/name_m] best. It is wonderful that you have Scandinavian heritage, because you can really pull of this handsome and warm name. Although [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] is fabulous too, I think [name_m]Leif[/name_m] is extra special.
Thank you so much berries! I will simply have to sit on this for a while. I keep feeling like there’s this perfect name that is alluding me, despite the fact that I have literally been through every name list on the internet!
I really want to say, go with [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] since you love it, but I totally get where you’re coming from wanting a name to reflect your heritage, but if no other name feels right use [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] with an Irish or Scandinavian middle.
If you feel like you’re running out of Scandinavian options you love, I suggest you use an Irish first and your dad’s name, [name_m]Ulf[/name_m], as the middle name. [name_m]How[/name_m] about
[name_m]Declan[/name_m] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_m]Breccan[/name_m] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_m]Brennen[/name_m] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_m]Cormac[/name_m] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_u]Keenan[/name_u] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_u]Keegan[/name_u] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_u]Kieran[/name_u] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
[name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_m]Ulf[/name_m]
In 2011, [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] was #4 on [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]'s top 100. It has been used in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u], Norway, and Denmark. If you love it, you should use it. [name_m]Leif[/name_m] is pretty awesome though, too.
I think that if you’re not sold on one particular name, you should keep both on your list and decide once baby is here.
I love [name_m]Leif[/name_m] and I would give it some time to reconsider it. Or at least don’t nix it before something else comes along.
I also like: [name_u]Ari[/name_u], [name_m]Frey[/name_m], [name_m]Arne[/name_m], [name_m]Erich[/name_m], [name_m]Kalle[/name_m], and [name_u]Niall[/name_u].
Have you thought about [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] / [name_m]Oskar[/name_m] maybe? This is a name where the origins are genuinely unknown, it could be Irish or it could be Old English / Old Norse. Either way, it was transferred to the other culture pretty early on (Viking presence in [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] explains this) and it’s a traditional name with loads of history in both Scandinavia and [name_f]Ireland[/name_f].
Some other Scandinavian boy name I love and think transfer well are [name_m]Emil[/name_m] and [name_m]Erik[/name_m]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] ideas
It seems like you and your husband both really love [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] and can picture it on your son. That sounds like to me that it’s a winner. If you keep coming back to it again and again, there’s a reason for that.
I love [name_m]Leif[/name_m] too though.