I was discussing names with my husband last night and it’s left me feeling quite frustrated and confused. He likes names that I’d describe as being quite plain and very common, they’re often biblical too. There are very few names he likes but these are some that he suggested…
Girls:
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] - cannot use for various reasons
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f] - I don’t mind this name but I know SO many Abigails and Abbys
[name_f]Bethany[/name_f] - this is my favourite of his girls names but I still worry that it’s too common
Boys:
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m] - I don’t mind [name_m]Issac[/name_m] but I’m totally put off by the complete lack of nicknames, I’m such a nicknamey person so this is important to me
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m] - my favourite of his choices and actually on my list too but like [name_f]Bethany[/name_f], I worry about how common it is
[name_u]James[/name_u] - I love [name_u]James[/name_u] and have always said I’d use it in the middle spot but we’re all practically falling over [name_u]James[/name_u] so I don’t think I can use it.
As you can see from my signature I tend to like more elaborate names and I definitely prefer them to be more unusual, I often love the idea of the ‘wow factor’ which you’re just not going to get with a really common name.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any suggestions of names you think we both might like? Maybe something that meets us in the middle? I just really need some reassurance that I’m not going to give my children really boring names but something that I actually adore.
P.S. I think I’d be happy with something more unusual in the middle spot but we’ll be using family names in the middle which means we’d need two middle names.
Eg. [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m] or [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] [name_f]Selah[/name_f] [name_f]Maud[/name_f]
So there’s two issues there, trying to convince him to like an unusual name enough to put it in the middle spot and trying to convince him that having two middle names isn’t ridiculous. If you know any way around this I’d appreciate your input.
I think there is definitely amiddle ground for the two of you! Have you tried suggesting more unusual names you like that sound similar to common ones? [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f] could work for example, or even [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. Or if he does not like that the names are uncommon try showing him they aren’t that uncommon (ex. [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] could go by [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] and if you look for Gwens there is a good amount of them)
Some names that are not on either of your lists but I think could make you meet in the middle:
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m] actually has two nicknames you can use: [name_m]Ike[/name_m] and [name_m]Zac[/name_m].
I think your idea of two middle names (one family name and one unusual name) is a good compromise. We don’t use honor names, but we are doing something similar: familiar names we both love as the first name, with a more “out-there” name as the middle, which I think is a fantastic way to get a “wow” combo.
As for more suggestions, since he seems to like biblical names, you could try looking either for less common ones or variations: [name_m]Raphael[/name_m], [name_u]Luca[/name_u], [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], [name_m]Simeon[/name_m], [name_m]Matthias[/name_m], [name_m]Abraham[/name_m], [name_m]Malachi[/name_m], [name_m]Mordecai[/name_m], [name_m]Lazarus[/name_m], [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m], [name_u]Zion[/name_u], [name_u]Shiloh[/name_u], [name_f]Esther[/name_f], [name_f]Susannah[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Tamar[/name_f], [name_f]Magdalene[/name_f], [name_u]Damaris[/name_u], [name_f]Dinah[/name_f], [name_f]Jemima[/name_f], [name_f]Judith[/name_f], [name_f]Junia[/name_f], [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Miriam[/name_f], [name_f]Naomi[/name_f], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Ruth[/name_f].
I think a good middle ground might be uncommon classic names. Another idea might be to look at variations of names he likes i.e. [name_f]Anya[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Hannah[/name_f].
[name_f]Helen[/name_f]/ [name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Leona[/name_f]/ [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]
[name_f]Thea[/name_f]
[name_f]Margery[/name_f]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_f]Gabriella[/name_f]
[name_f]Jillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Julianna[/name_f]
[name_f]Deborah[/name_f]
[name_u]Carmen[/name_u]
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f]
Thanks for your suggestions! I’ve asked about both [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Nora[/name_f] as they seemed more likely than [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f] but he doesn’t like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and he practically laughed at [name_f]Nora[/name_f]. I don’t think he consciously dislikes names because the’re unpopular, I feel like he just likes what he knows and without knowing at least a few people with a particular name it’s like he can’t picture it on anyone.
From the names you’ve suggested, I like…
[name_m]Ezra[/name_m] - He also likes but he thinks it sounds like a girls name, it doesn’t help that we recently met a girl named [name_m]Ezra[/name_m]. While I do see the appeal of it on a girl, I’m not one to stray from traditional gender naming.
[name_f]Coraline[/name_f] - Not something I’d actually choose but we have discussed the name [name_f]Coralie[/name_f] in the past and it was a maybe for the both of us. It might be good to revisit it so thanks for the reminder through your similar suggestion.
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f] - I go on and off [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] and while I’d consider it, I don’t imagine he’s go for it at all. I suppose there’s no harm in asking and I guess it is similar to his favourite, [name_f]Hannah[/name_f]. I like the nicknames Savi and [name_f]Annie[/name_f].
[name_m]Isaiah[/name_m] - This is one of many fairly unusual biblical names I’d consider but I’ve asked him and he doesn’t like it. I found this quite strange since his all time favourite name is [name_m]Isaac[/name_m].
Thank you for your long list of suggestions! Sorry, when I said there wasn’t any nicknames for [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] I knew about [name_m]Ike[/name_m] and [name_m]Zac[/name_m], I’d just disregarded them as they’re npt for me. I also know an [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] who goes by [name_u]Izzy[/name_u], which I like but it’s too associated with him and becoming very popular for girls.
Anyway, from your suggestions I like:
[name_u]Luca[/name_u] - OH made a comment about our child not being Spanish when I suggested this last time but I can try again. He does like [name_m]Luke[/name_m] so there’s a slight chance.
[name_m]Abraham[/name_m] - I love this one but I’m not a huge fan of any of the nicknames. He thinks it’s a bit much.
[name_u]Zion[/name_u] - A bit too ‘out-there’ for him, sadly I love it. I tried to convince him with the nickname [name_m]Ziah[/name_m] for [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m] (which he actually likes!!) but he doesn’t like it. He’d call Hezzy or [name_u]Kye[/name_u], neither of which I like.
[name_f]Esther[/name_f] - We both actually like this one. I feel like it’s the perfect middle ground for us. Unfortunately it’s in a bit of weird zone with our best friends as it’s the name we’d all chosen for a girl so it’s slightly awkward to use it.
[name_f]Magdalene[/name_f] - Apparently it’s too close to [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] and [name_f]Madaleine[/name_f] is very unfortunatw connotations that he can’t look past.
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] - I’m not sure of I’ve asked about [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], I can actually see him liking it.
[name_f]Naomi[/name_f] - I had high hopes for this one but he pulled a strange face when I suggested it.
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] - A name I like but struggle to see it on a child.
I do think there’s middle ground between you and your husband - I think aiming for unusual but simply spelled, classic looking names is probably your best bet, and put an awesome quirky name in the middle spot. There are actually a lot of less common names around which feel familiar but just aren’t used very often. Have you considered [name_f]Susannah[/name_f], [name_f]Judith[/name_f], [name_f]Hannelore[/name_f], [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], [name_f]Louisa[/name_f], [name_f]Johanna[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Winifred[/name_f], [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], or [name_f]Harriet[/name_f]? Boys are a little harder, but maybe [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], [name_m]Judah[/name_m], [name_m]Orson[/name_m], [name_m]Brendan[/name_m], [name_u]Seth[/name_u], [name_u]Roy[/name_u], or [name_m]Hugh[/name_m]? Sorry, I know some of those have no good nicknames…
Thanks @thenamingprincess I like a lot of your names but I’ve already suggested a lot and hems vetoed them. The ones I like are:
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - Vetoed
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] - Vetoed
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] - Vetoed
[name_f]Margot[/name_f] - Vetoed
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] - a possibility but I doubt he’d like it at all
[name_f]Gabriella[/name_f] - our friends have just named their daughter this so it’s off the table
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f] - vetoed
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m] - this is actually a maybe for him but we disagree majorly on nicknames
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_u]Everett[/name_u]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m] - vetoed
[name_m]Fredrick[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Jared[/name_m] - vetoed
That leaves a few boys names I could try, sadly no further forward with girls names.
@wool_gathering I agree that these names sound like a middle ground but I’ve already tried him on a few of them and he’s not liked them.
The ones I like:
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] - vetoed
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] - vetoed
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f] - vetoed
[name_f]Winifred[/name_f] - I haven’t asked about this one, I love [name_f]Winnie[/name_f].
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f] - He actually suggested [name_f]Hattie[/name_f] and asked what it was short for, when I said [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] he vetoed it.
[name_m]Judah[/name_m] - One of my favourite boys names, along with [name_u]Jude[/name_u]. I had high hopes for this one as it’s short, fairly ‘normal’ sounding and biblical but he said no.
[name_u]Seth[/name_u] - I had this name on my middle names list and was willing to move it to my first names list when I realised how fussy he was. Sadly, he does not like it.
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m] - I’ve suggested [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] with nickname [name_m]Hugh[/name_m]. I haven’t tried just [name_m]Hugh[/name_m] though.
So basically, from your lovely list of suggestions I’m left with [name_m]Hugh[/name_m] and [name_f]Winifred[/name_f] to try.
Thanks, we have considered [name_m]Zeke[/name_m] and I think he’d be willing to compromise with [name_m]Zeke[/name_m] but I’m just not loving it. We also discussed [name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m] but the nickname [name_m]Zeke[/name_m] put me off that. And when I suggested Ezzy he said that was the same as Hezzy for [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m] and I realise he’s right but somehow the H makes a lot of difference in my head.
From the names you’ve suggested I like:
[name_m]Silas[/name_m] - This is a maybe, hurray!
[name_m]Leo[/name_m] - I like this but it’s not my usual style, I might see how he feels about it.
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] - Already been vetoed
[name_m]Milo[/name_m] - Sadly we have a cat in the family called [name_m]Milo[/name_m]!
[name_f]Ada[/name_f] - Apparently our daughter isn’t an old Scandinavian lady, so he vetoed this.
[name_f]Eve[/name_f] - He likes this name but thinks the biblical [name_f]Eve[/name_f] isnt someone to name your child after.
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f] - He likes [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] other than the fact it’s a dogs name, so once again, this has been vetoed.
[name_m]Miles[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]
[name_m]Edward[/name_m] - this is surely normal enough for him, but can be made charming enough for you with [name_m]Ned[/name_m] or [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] as the nickname?
[name_m]Solomon[/name_m]
[name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_m]Winston[/name_m]
[name_u]Asa[/name_u]
[name_m]Abel[/name_m] - this seems similar to [name_f]Esther[/name_f], biblical but with a classical air
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Asher[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Gideon[/name_m]
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m]
[name_m]Levi[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] - you can convince him this is normal- what’s more normal than [name_m]Fred[/name_m]? [name_u]Freddie[/name_u]/[name_m]Fox[/name_m] can liven it up a bit
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m]
[name_m]Ford[/name_m] - this is so simple and manly you might be able to slip it past him
[name_m]Amos[/name_m]
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m] - [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] seems like a name he’d like- so maybe this variation could be a nice middle ground?
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
Thanks @gr19, I love so many of the names you’ve suggested, I’ll talk through a few (and a few more probably).
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] - his sister’s name so off limits
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] - love [name_f]Violet[/name_f] but he’s already vetoed it
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] - I like [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], mainly as a nickname for [name_f]Lucinda[/name_f], our close friends have a daughter called [name_f]Lucinda[/name_f], it doesn’t rule it out for me but I know it will for him, for sure!
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] - too xommon for me, I work in a nursery and we have 5 Olivers, there’s only about 50 children in the entire nursery.
[name_m]Edward[/name_m] - one of my absolute favourites! There seems to be no swaying him though. [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] may possibly be my favourite nickname ever, I’ve tried it as a nickname for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] too.
[name_m]Solomon[/name_m] - I like this, he has said no before but worth another try as it was more of a passing comment. I love [name_m]Sol[/name_m].
[name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m] - I like the full name and so does he. We’re unsure about the nicknames though.
[name_m]Winston[/name_m] - great name, I’ll ask but it’s seems very unlikely
[name_u]Asa[/name_u] - he’s already said no to this
[name_m]Abel[/name_m] - we can’t get past the able thing so [name_m]Abel[/name_m] isn’t for us
[name_m]Asher[/name_m] - Perhaps something to consider
[name_m]Walter[/name_m] - he did say he liked [name_m]Walter[/name_m] a while ago, now he says he doesn’t
[name_m]Levi[/name_m] - He’s said he doesn’t like [name_m]Levi[/name_m] but that was a while ago, he’s probably forgotten I’ve asked, so I’ll have another shot
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] - he has said no before but hasn’t given any reason, I like it, I may try again
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m] - I like [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] and I can see him liking [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] however, he likes names that sound very British so I don’t see him liking [name_m]Matthias[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] - Apparently this is an old man name… I know, I don’t get it either
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m] - I think he’s said no before but I’ll ask again about this one. He’s seeming open to [name_m]Silas[/name_m] and I think that’s similar. I like [name_u]Toby[/name_u].
Yikes! He is picky! I was actually randomly thinking about this earlier, and wanted to also suggest [name_m]Martin[/name_m], [name_m]Luther[/name_m], [name_m]Samson[/name_m], [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], and [name_f]Leona[/name_f]. Also, it’s a pretty big stretch, but you might be able use [name_u]Kai[/name_u] as a nickname for [name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m].
I know, right!? Thanks for your help! I like [name_m]Samson[/name_m], [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] ([name_m]Silas[/name_m] is a maybe for him so perhaps [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] will hit the spot) and [name_f]Edith[/name_f], which is also a maybe for him, it’s probably one of our top choices as neither of us hate it but neither of us seem to love it either, I do adore the nickname [name_f]Edie[/name_f] though. He suggested [name_u]Kai[/name_u] as a nickname for [name_m]Hezekiah[/name_m] but I don’t like [name_u]Kai[/name_u] really, plus I have a cousin with the name.
