strong, romantic baby boy names: orion, augustine, salem, sebastian, milo?

[montrose2132]

So, we are having a very difficult time finalizing our name choice for our baby boy who is due in only a few months.

Our finalists include: orion, augustine, salem, sebastian, and milo.

Our last name starts with an f sound and rhymes with hill-ups.

We like Orion a lot, but we are worried it will lead to a lifetime of frustrated introductions and pronunciation controversies. We also love sebastian, but worry it is way too common.

Mostly, we are looking for a name that is strong yet romantic, unique enough to support the independent individual we hope to raise, and that travels and ages well. I also like the idea of using a name that has been used in multiple cultures for more than a thousand years, as a way of honoring our collective legacy and acknowledging that meaning and wisdom lie not just in the present or the future, but also in the archaic, simpler past.

Combos we like:

Orion Augustine
Salem Augustine
Milo Salem
Augustine Orion

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

[ShadowFire]

Salem makes me think of the Salem witch trials. Very grim and unromantic. I've never heard of it as a given name, what culture is it from?

I would pronounce Orion as O-rye-on if that helps.

I think Augustine has a very Roman feel to it, but the 'ine' ending may cause some confusion over whether it's a boy's name or a girl's name.

I wouldn't have said Sebastian was common at all - I've only ever met one (about 5 years old), but I guess the popularity may vary regionally.

I like Sebastian and Milo best out of your suggestions.

[Koalafications]

Yes, Sebastian and Milo are the best on that list, IMO.

[unluckycat]

I love Sebastian but am not a fan of Seb, which is the main thing stopping me putting it on our list. I'd consider if you like the shortened version. (Is there a better one?) I don't think it's too popular at all though.

Milo is sweet. I didn't realise it was an old name.

I like Orion.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

I don't know quite what you mean about a name being unique enough to support an independent individual, but Milo is a cliché these days and Sebastian isn't unusual if that's what you are after. Augustine sounds like a girl and Salem sounds like either witch trials or that you're massive Stephen King fans, so I think you will have to go for Orion.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Or just call him Sebastian and not worry about the unique thingy.

[ZenNudist]

Sebastian and milo are good names but not unusual. I prefer Sebastian by a long way.

I think Orion Fillups sounds like a washing machine , also great potential for being called onion.

Augustine is girly. How about Augustus? Nn Gus. Quite strong. Reminiscent of a roald Dahl character but not to everyone.

Salem just no. Ugh. Witch hunt.

How about, um Caleb?

I mean if you want a link with the past there's lots of classic English names that go back donkeys. Alexander, James, Thomas. Or biblical names, even older and often strong.

I think Sebastian Milo would be lovely and fills the long name- short name requirement.

[WellErrr]

I LOVE Caspar but dh hates it. So I always suggest it on these threads as I feel someone should benefit!

It's a very old fashioned, traditional name which is woefully underused!

[SylvaniansAtEase]

Sebastian is really the only one on your list which has the feel you want. And it isn't common - really pretty rare - it's just that it isn't completely outlandish, which is where you are with the other 'rarer' names on your list. And - it's lovely. Again, unlike (I'd say) all the others.

Milo - forget this. It's the name of a child's tv character (tweenies) and is popular because of that.
Augustine - Sounds feminine - if you like this, Augustus would be better? Recognisable, but just not as nice as Sebastian.
Salem - Horrible. Witch trials. Ugly word. Or you get to look like a 'we're so straaaange' Stephen King fan.
Orion - ok. Not a particularly nice word as a name. No good nickname. Orri? (People will think you're Icelandic).

How about:

Urban
Ptolemy
Julian

[Grumpyoldbiddy]

Sorry, not keen on any of them.

I really don't like Orion, especially with the surname - as someone else has said, it sounds like a kitchen appliance.

Sebastian, Augustine and Milo don't sound strong to me, they sound like pale skinny public school boys who are bullied.

Isn't Salem a girls name?

[ShadowFire]

Urban? That's one way of describing a city. Urban environment etc etc. Although it certainly ticks the unusual name box!

[YellowPirate]

How about Ambrose? Or Gabriel? Clement?

[Raines100]

I'm not sure any of the names on the list meet your brief, and I think the brief is a little flawed. How can you have a unique name that is so well-used it translates into multiple languages and honours the collective human history? I mean the best name for the latter criterion is probably John- hardly unique and not very romantic.

Sebastian is a nice name. Off the top of my head, something like Darius/Dario is an old familiar throughout Europe, being a saint's name, but has never quite made it into common usage in UK. Otherwise I would point you in the direction of Sophocles or Shakespeare (Sebastian is from Twelfth Night, so a good start).

[SylvaniansAtEase]

Urban was a pope - very rare name, but certainly fits OP's brief of historic/classic but very unusual. I know an Urban, he is about 12!

You'd definitely have to be a certain type of person to even attempt pulling it off - but it's definitely a name!

[Artandco]

Augustus Constantine

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Sebastian is my favourite.

Milo is a weak name to me.

Salem is dark and negative because of the Salem witch trials.

Others are ok.

Zeus?

[Remembermyname]

I have a toddler and we know 2 Milos and a Sebasitan. Maximilian? (Though i know one of those too)

[AuditAngel]

We also wanted a name that worked in multiple languages, in our case, English/Spanish/Italian. We went for Valentino, Nick name Tino (Tee-no)

ArtandCo mentions Constantine, in Greece it is Constantino, also has Tino for short, which means our Greek relatives have jokingly given DS an extra saints day.

Friends loved our choice so much they named their son Valentino with Tino for short too.

[Rosieliveson]

I think Milo and Sebastian are no no where near as unusual as the others on your list. I don't see the romance in your names as suggested by your title. I quite like the suggestion of Urban but again it's not romantic.
Have you considered Gabriel, Nero, Valentino/e or Santiago?

[AlmaMartyr]

Milo and Sebastian are pretty well used so if you want unusual, then don't go for them.

I think Salem just makes me think of the witch trials, which isn't great.

I like the others, I've always liked the name Orion and we nearly went for Augustine at one point. We went for vaguely similar names and have always been very glad we did. Clement is a nice suggestion too.

[Smallandboneyat42]

Nero?! As in the emperor?! Not an association is want for my beautiful new baby boy...

[florascotia]

The past was not simpler, just different.

[lljkk]

Not one name on here so far ticks my boxes for strong or romantic (sorry).
Sebastian at a push (at least it's pretty).

[Flingmoo]

Julian
Quentin
Christian