We’re expecting a little boy, and we’re so excited! My husband and I would really love to use his mom’s maiden name, Beringer pronounced Bear-in-ger, as our son’s first name. We keep coming back to it. It feels meaningful and special to us, and we even love the idea of calling him “Bear” as a nickname if it suits him.
Do you think Beringer works as a first name? We’d love some honest thoughts!
We’re also open to using it as a middle name instead, so if that might flow better, we’d really appreciate some first-name suggestions that pair nicely with Beringer.
For a little context, our daughters both have family names as middle names and are named [name_f]Rosetta[/name_f] [name_f]Elaine[/name_f] “Rosie” and [name_f]Odella[/name_f] [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] “Dot”. Our last name starts with an L and is just one syllable.
I think it works! It’s surname-y but not too surname-y to be a first name, and it has nice nickname options like [name_m]Bear[/name_m], [name_m]Barry[/name_m], [name_m]Gerry[/name_m], or even [name_m]Ben[/name_m] and [name_m]Benny[/name_m]. I know a lot of people whose first or middle name are family surnames, so it doesn’t seem to unusual to me.
Beringer “Bear” is perfect with your girls’ names and i love the meaning it holds for you!
i have heard of Beringer being used, and i think it fits right in an era of preppy and sweet surnames for boys— like [name_m]Remington[/name_m] and [name_m]Brooks[/name_m], only cooler!
if using it as a middle feels better, though, i love the idea of [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] Beringer and [name_m]Elwood[/name_m] Beringer with your girls, he could go by [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_m]Bear[/name_m] or [name_m]Woody[/name_m] [name_m]Bear[/name_m]!
I think it works! I think the surname is related to [name_m]Berengar[/name_m], which (fun fact!) I just found is an old Germanic given name that was borne by a [name_m]Roman[/name_m] emperor. [name_m]Bear[/name_m] is a wonderful and very accessible nickname option.
Do you pronounce it with the hard g or the soft g? If you go with it as a middle, then you are open to slightly less popular but still classic first names, such as [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], [name_m]Wilfred[/name_m], and [name_m]Maurice[/name_m].
If you use Beringer as a first – and I think it’s great – you can use:
Beringer [name_m]Stellan[/name_m], Beringer [name_m]Magnus[/name_m], or Beringer [name_m]Bernard[/name_m]
I absolutely love when people use family names this way - it works so well with your girls (who have amazing names btw) and the nn [name_m]Bear[/name_m] really sells it to me. [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_m]Dot[/name_m] and Bear?! Perfection!
With the popularity of ‘surnames-as-first-names’, I think it could work alongside some of the bolder choices and nickname [name_m]Bear[/name_m] (or even [name_m]Benny[/name_m]) helps. [name_m]Berengar[/name_m] is a first name after all and Beringer comes from that, I believe?
I’d personally put it in the middle, just because that’s where I prefer a family name and so it would be in line with his sisters – but that’s just me. If it feels right, feels special, and you both keep coming back to it, using it as a first does work and may well be the right choice for you
Actually, it does come with pretty cool and versatile nicknames, some more ‘at home’ than others but ..Bear, [name_m]Benny[/name_m], [name_m]Ben[/name_m], [name_m]Bing[/name_m], [name_m]Bingo[/name_m], [name_m]Ringo[/name_m], [name_f]Rin[/name_f], [name_f]Brin[/name_f], Bez, Bernie…
Beringer is adorable! I definitely think it works, and it’s even more special for being a family name. [name_m]Bear[/name_m] is adorable! Beringer reminds me a lot of the medieval royal Berengar… which also feels perfect with [name_f]Odella[/name_f] and [name_f]Rosetta[/name_f]! I would love to meet a Beringer nn Bear—it’s wonderful!
Your daughters names are amazing! While I think Beringer could work, especially with [name_m]Bear[/name_m] as a nickname, I’d be tempted to stick with the tradition of the honour name in the middle spot and see what you’d come up with as a first! [name_f]Rosetta[/name_f] and [name_f]Odella[/name_f] are both so perfectly unique while being familiar in sound. I wonder what boy names fit that bill? I quite liked the suggestion of [name_m]Bennett[/name_m] Beringer. Do you have any other names in mind?
Beringer “Bear” is amazing! I love the family surname connection, & he sounds wonderful with your girls! [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_m]Dot[/name_m], & [name_m]Bear[/name_m] are just darling.
[name_m]The[/name_m] only other name we liked and agreed on so far was [name_m]Perry[/name_m], or [name_m]Perrin[/name_m], or [name_m]Pearson[/name_m] called [name_m]Perry[/name_m].
I really like [name_m]Perrin[/name_m]! Or [name_m]Percy[/name_m] as another option?
[name_m]Other[/name_m] ideas that lend to the [name_m]Bear[/name_m] nickname: [name_m]Orson[/name_m], [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Other[/name_m] names that you might like
[name_m]Laurence[/name_m] nn [name_m]Laurie[/name_m]
[name_m]August[/name_m] nn [name_m]Auggie[/name_m]
[name_m]Edwin[/name_m] nn [name_m]Teddy[/name_m] (teddy-bear!) or [name_m]Win[/name_m]
[name_m]Florian[/name_m] nn [name_f]Florie[/name_f]
[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m] nn [name_m]Syl[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m] nn Wilfie
That being said I’m with others that if Beringer is the one for you, you should do it.
