We’re having trouble picking a name for our son. We’ve got it down to 3 names. Which name do you think would be best? I listed our concerns below.
[name_u]Reid[/name_u]/[name_u]Reed[/name_u] - Concerned about misspelling of the name since there are two spellings and also people maybe thinking it’s a weird a name since it’s not extremely popular. Also concerned about bulling in school…"[name_u]Reid[/name_u]…time to read."
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u] - Concerned about it being too popular of a name. We know a lot of Ryans. It’s a safe name and nice name, but maybe too common.
[name_u]Riley[/name_u] - [name_u]Love[/name_u] this name as it’s a great name and a family name. However, we’re concerned about the name now going to girls and it becoming a 100% girls name in the future. 60% girls had this name last year compared to 40% boys.
I really like [name_u]Reid[/name_u] and [name_u]Reed[/name_u]. I don’t think you have to worry about people finding it an odd name. It isn’t popular, but it is familliar.
In order of preference; [name_u]Reid[/name_u], [name_u]Riley[/name_u], and [name_u]Ryan[/name_u]. I have never witnessed children bullying over a name. Bullies will find reasons to bully.
And I also want to point out that [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is creeping to the girls side as well. Maybe not as fast as [name_u]Riley[/name_u], but there are plenty of baby girl Ryans out there already.
I really like both [name_u]Reid[/name_u] (prefer this spelling) and [name_u]Riley[/name_u]. [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is NMS. [name_u]Riley[/name_u] has a cuter, bouncier image to me (probably because I know the most adorable, energetic, sweet four-year-old boy named [name_u]Riley[/name_u]) while [name_u]Reid[/name_u] has a more classic, intellectual image (also, [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] [name_u]Reid[/name_u] from Criminal Minds). I think [name_u]Riley[/name_u] is going to continue to be used on about the same level for boys and girls, and then probably slide down the charts after a while. It might end up being somewhat dated, but it’s a lovely name and it does have a longer history of use than, say, [name_m]Zayden[/name_m]. [name_u]Reid[/name_u] might be a safer choice in terms of avoiding sounding dated, and I think it’s familiar enough to not be too weird. In terms of personal preference, I’d give the edge slightly to [name_u]Riley[/name_u].
I love [name_u]Reed[/name_u] and [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] from your list. I’m not fond of [name_u]Riley[/name_u] - for a boy or for a girl. And, I definitely know more female Rileys than male. Additionally, if you’re concerned about multiple spellings, [name_u]Riley[/name_u] has numerous spellings as well - I’ve seen [name_u]Riley[/name_u], [name_u]Rylie[/name_u], [name_f]Ryleigh[/name_f], [name_u]Ryley[/name_u], [name_u]Rylee[/name_u], etc…
I also know a few boys named [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u], and I’ve never heard of them being bullied over [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Read[/name_u]. I love that [name_u]Reed[/name_u] is slightly more unusual, without being weird. I feel that it would suit any sort of boy.
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is a great name too…but definitely a “safe choice”. Nothing wrong with [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] - it’s a strong, manly, modern-classic of a name, but with so many out there, I don’t think it feels special anymore.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about you combine all of them,and name the baby Rieedan? [name_m]Just[/name_m] kidding,[name_u]Reed[/name_u] is my favorite,and there is also a music director at my church named [name_u]Reid[/name_u].However,if you can`t bring yourself to use any of them, you could choose a similar name like [name_u]Rylan[/name_u] or [name_u]Reeve[/name_u].
I love [name_u]Reed[/name_u]! I think its familiar enough now that it wouldn’t cause much trouble. People might initially wonder at the spelling but even [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]/[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]/Kathryns and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/Elisabeths need to spell their names frequently. I don’t think its much of a hardship.
I prefer the [name_u]Reid[/name_u] spelling to [name_u]Reed[/name_u] and I don’t think you have to worry about bullying. Also, the name isn’t extremely popular which is a bonus, but it’s not very uncommon either so people won’t think it’s weird. As for the spelling issue, with so many unique spellings of names its something you have to worry about with most names now a days.
[name_u]Reid[/name_u] is definitely my favorite. [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] does feel too safe to me and a wee bit dated, and [name_u]Riley[/name_u] I think girl before boy at this point.
A few other R names you might like: [name_m]Ronan[/name_m], [name_u]Rory[/name_u], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u].
I love the spelling [name_u]Reid[/name_u]. I think you might be over thinking the bullying thing… I don’t think that would insult him, that his name sounds like reading. There’s nothing bad about that. But I could be wrong… As far as [name_u]Riley[/name_u] going to the girls, I knew a boy [name_u]Riley[/name_u] in high school, and three girl Rileys and the boy was pretty popular so I don’t think his name bothered people.
I say [name_u]Reid[/name_u]. It’s short, simple, and handsome.
[name_f]My[/name_f] two favorites are [name_u]Reed[/name_u]/[name_u]Reid[/name_u] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u].
I think I prefer [name_u]Reid[/name_u] to [name_u]Reed[/name_u] as a fn. It’s probably because close friends of ours have [name_u]Reed[/name_u] as a ln.
However, I would recommend [name_u]Riley[/name_u] for you. You seem to really like the name and as a family name it has a lot of meaning to you. [name_u]Riley[/name_u] might be “going to the girls” but it will take quite some time (a century? millennia?) for it to become an only girls name. Names like [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] will always have children of both genders given that name. If you worry that [name_u]Riley[/name_u] might eventually, one day in the future become to “feminine” I’d recommend a solid, easy-to-recognize-as-boys-only mn to go with it. That way your child can always become [name_u]Riley[/name_u] ______.
Good [name_m]Luck[/name_m]!!! And btw - congrats on narrowing your names down to a small and solid list!!! YAY.
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite is [name_u]Reid[/name_u]. I really don’t like [name_u]Riley[/name_u] or [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] to me the sound very dated. I also agree with you on [name_u]Riley[/name_u] becoming a girl’s name.
I am all for [name_u]Reid[/name_u] / [name_u]Reed[/name_u]. [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] is my second pick, but it is a bit dated (you could consider [name_u]Orion[/name_u]). I have never met a male [name_u]Riley[/name_u]. I have also seen the name [name_u]Riley[/name_u] spelled plenty of different ways, making it feel not so appealing to me. I think [name_u]Reid[/name_u] is the best choice by a long shot.
