What do you think?

What do you all think of name combinations that are very different style?

Like a modern name with a traditional middle, like Rykerleigh [name_f]Jane[/name_f] or Trapper [name_m]William[/name_m]?

Or a unisex first with a heavily gendered middle, like [name_u]Hunter[/name_u] [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] or [name_u]Riley[/name_u] [name_m]John[/name_m]?

On one hand a middle name can be used to balance a first out, but could some combos be deemed “too different”.

I personally wouldn’t choose a combo that is wildly different, but I don’t hate the idea. I would love to hear your thoughts!

I don’t think it is a bad idea, not my favorite but if it is a good combination it won’t bother me.

I like the idea. I think they usually sound balanced, and leave the kid a lot of options (a tomboy could be [name_u]Hunter[/name_u] while a girlier girl could go by [name_f]Arabella[/name_f], or Trapper [name_m]William[/name_m] can be Trap to his friends but put T. [name_m]William[/name_m] Lastname on his business cards.)

I think, when using a first name that is extreme in some way, it’s good to have an opposite-style middle name as a backup. Of course, I say that, but my own combos are pretty squarely in the camp of Double Weird Names. Who knows, maybe I’ll decide to go safer if/when I’m naming a real kid.

I think a more common middle name can balance out an unusual first name. [name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] seems more usable to me than [name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] [name_m]Endymion[/name_m].

With a combination like [name_f]Madisyn[/name_f] [name_f]Mary[/name_f] or [name_u]Kayden[/name_u] [name_m]John[/name_m], where one name is very modern and the other is super-traditional, I’d probably think the first names reflect the parents’ style while the middle names honour family members.