something like samuel...?

[queenie1]

Can't use samuel as friend has just bagsied it. It was my top choice but now need to think again. Any thoughts?

[Bessie123]

You'll just have to hurry up and pop out your samuel before your friend gives birth

How about Joseph, Ben, Tom - I'm thinking of traditional names that still sound nice...

[Bessie123]

Aaron?

[MrsBadger]

what did you particularly like about it? Sound? biblical associations? shortening potential?

Daniel
David
Benjamin
Jonathan
Oliver
Christopher

[queenie1]

she gave birth two days ago...so it's definitely out! Really like Joseph, Ben and Tom though.

[queenie1]

Liked sound and biblical association. Daniel's good...

[Bessie123]

Oh, you must be cross with your friend. What about Isaac? I love it but it is getting a bit too popular.

[jasper]

Solomon

[tattycoram]

Joseph! I love Joseph. Joe is lovely and really under used imo

[Hulababy]

Joseph
Jacob
Joshua
Daniel
William
Thomas
Alexander
Caleb
Charles
Oliver

[annasmami]

Joseph/Joe
Quentin/Quinn
Oliver/Ollie
Benjamin/Ben
Thomas/Tom

[bruffin]

I have a samuel;}

what about Saul or Sebastian

[jellybeans]

Matthew
Luke
Zach
Ben
Jake
Isaac
Noah
Corey
Ethan
Nathan
Dylan
Alex

[lilysam]

Daniel - sounds similar and nice shortened

[campion]

You can use Samuel.

It doesn't belong to your friend and, besides, it's just one of the best names

And you don't even have to shorten it to Sam as everyone seems to assume

[Takver]

What about Simeon? Very similar in 'feel' to Samuel, also biblical etc.

[Doozie]

I'm with Campion, people don't own names, you can use it. Just tell your friend you share her great taste.

But I too like the alternatives...

Joseph
Benjamin
Thomas
Luke
Daniel
Simon
Sebastian
Joshua
Nicolas
David
Anthony
Adam
Matthew
Patrick
Jacob

[queenie1]

I know she doesn't 'own' the name but I see a lot of her and think it would just be odd to use the same one. Besides, while I love Samuel, I was never that keen on Sam which is probably what everyone else but me would have called him.

Thanks for great suggestions. Favorites from the list are Daniel, Benjamin, Thomas or Joseph...

No doubt it will probably be a girl after all this

[lilysam]

I have a friend who has a Samuel and he is never a 'Sam'. She just makes a point of always calling him Samuel and so everyone else does too.

[PestoPumpkinMonster]

Nathaniel

[BikeRunSki]

Daniel
Nathaniel
Emmanuel

if it's the "el" bit you like.

[IWantAChickAndADuck]

Stanley/Stan - I love that name

Or
George
Charlie
Harry
Archie

[Concordia]

We have a Samuel, our other name choices were
Benjamin (Ben)
Elliot
James
Thomas
Ruled out Daniel because can't stand 'Danny'

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

If you like the -el ending, how about Dashiel?

[nappyaddict]

Sami
Samwell
Sampson
Shem