I HAVE considered Elchanan/Elhanan which is a family name. It is pretty thoroughly long and foreign though. I have known one who was great though. Not sure if its usable.
In the past I have been fixated on [name]Hanan[/name], which I like a lot but is highly unusual. This would be as a boy’s name but some people think it sounds feminine. I had been thinking of [name]Hanan[/name] NN [name]Hank[/name].
My mom, who is hugely into geneology, has suggested that other people she knows named Elchanan, when coming to [name]America[/name], became Elkin/Elken/Elkans.
It has a calm, earthy morning forest feel, because of the ‘elk’ part of the name. It’s also a surname which gives it some more name power. I went to school with a guy whose last name was Elkins, and he used it frequently. Never seemed to be an issue for him.
It’s interesting!
I think it could definitely work as a name, because of similarities to [name]Alvin[/name], [name]Elvin[/name], etc.
So, in the end I think it has a nice sound, but it’s not something I would use.
I have a relative whose name was Elchanan but he anglicized it to Elcanon (ehl-[name]KAY[/name]-non). [name]Eli[/name] is a nickname possibility.
It’s not weird to me because I run in Orthodox Jewish crowds, but i imagine others will see it as pretty darn foreign. If you’d go for a related name, it’s pretty much the same as Yochanan, which is [name]John[/name] in English. And that opens up a pile of potential variations or nicknames.
I like Elchanan more than Elkin. I feel that Elchanan better honors your (and your son’s) heritage. It really doesn’t feel that different from [name]Callahan[/name] which I’ve seen used and considered as a first name. I used to know a man named [name]Buchanan[/name], and if that works…
I think I’ve seen Elkanan before, too. I like [name]John[/name] and it’s probably on the exact opposite end of the spectrum in terms of known and approachable, huh? And it has bajillions of variants, as you say. I admit I might slightly favour [name]Eli[/name] (with the English ee-LIE pronunciation) though.
I suppose [name]John[/name] and Elkan sound pretty much equally just as much like [name]Hanan[/name] (which is what my granddad used for a Hebrew name) i.e. not at all.
I am currently thinking I like Elchanan or [name]Hanan[/name] best too, on their own merits, but they’re hard/unknown for a lot of people, especially around here if we end up staying.
I’m torn with this one. My initial thought is, yes, I do like it. That it’s quite handsome. That is immediately followed by a thought of some friends whose last name is Elkins. Then I think, no, not a last name used enough as first name to work. The last thought wins out for me. Sorry.