Respondents: 51 (This poll is closed)
I personally have found that as I get older and have more kids, my name taste changes a bit.
With my first, ten years ago, I was crazy about the name [name_u]Mason[/name_u] [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]. She was a girl though, so I put it aside. I’ve had 3 boys since then and have lost interest in using it at all! haha. Though we did keep [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] to use on one of our boys eventually.
Anyway, point being, use them both now. If you have another girl down the road, you might find something else you like. In fact, it’s almost inevitable. There are an awful lot of names out there.
I personally would (and have) save it for a first name in the future, and not use it as a middle name now. To me, it’s harder to come up with first names you love and most people don’t even really know each other’s middle names anyways (and forget it within weeks of your birth announcement honestly)… I would’ve deeply regretted using both of my favorites at once and one of them not even getting used and just basically being forgotten. And if you never have another boy and get to use it as a first, at least it never would have really been used anyways…
Plus, even if your style does change and you no longer love it in the future, then you won’t be upset about not having used it already since you don’t love it anymore anyways…
Although I haven’t ben in the situation to name a child yet, people who have been always say name each child like it’s your last. You never know what’s to come, and if you happen to have another child, you can still make up your mind about a possible re-use of the firstborn’s middle name then.
I haven’t had the chance to name a child yet, but I’ve had me some mental dilemmas, if you will.
It depends on the names, how well they could work together, if they could work as a double name or not at all.
If it was between two names I absolutely adore, I don’t think I could ‘downgrade’ one of them to the middle name spot, and in doing so, still having to choose one over the other, and being even more stuck deciding what to call the child.
So back to ‘depending on the names’, I’d either double barrel them should they work together, or only use one and save the other.
People’s name tastes change over time, so I’d just use what I absolutely loved the most in the moment at hand. Chances are, I’d have a new favorite by the time a second baby came around…or at least a name I liked as much.
I’m team save-it. Personally I don’t have many boys names I like (they’re all kind of boring to me). When our DS was born we almost named him [name_m]Simon[/name_m] [name_u]August[/name_u], but at the last minute we decided to save [name_u]August[/name_u] in case we ever have another boy. It felt “wasted” in the middle spot.
Sure enough, I’m having another boy in the next few weeks, and we’re about 95% decided on naming him [name_u]August[/name_u]. So definitely glad we had it in our back pocket.
Now, with girls, I have an endless supply of names I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u], so I wouldn’t worry about it.
I know some naming advice gurus out there recommend to NOT use all your favorite names on your first child. But I have to say that while I get their point, I disagree.
The future is unpredictable. It took me five years to get pregnant again. We’ve had losses in between. It wasn’t a sure thing we’d even have a second child.
And we’re having a second boy. I don’t think I’ll get to use any of my girl names.
Our naming preferences have also somewhat shifted since naming our first. Different priorities now due to having matured as people along the way.
I could have never predicted the kind of naming search and discussion were having now. So I say, use the names you love now… if they go together and both feel right for this child 