Are these boys names too out there?

Anastasia, Lara, Sabrina and Cassia are all nice :)

I have a Tycho!! We live in London and chose the name just because we liked it... liked the sound. He is 7, he has NEVER been picked on because of his name, it has only ever been adults who have been a bit about his name, the only one reference to 'psycho' was by another adult in a Butlins style holiday setting (he was trying to be funny). The most common confusion about his name is 'Tiger' - say it fast shout it across playground and it sounds like tiger. I would say it's a little difficult for people to spell, they are not really sure when it's written down how to say it and in surgeries/dentists sometimes get 'Tie-ch-o'. However, he likes his name, we like it and it suits him, although I will admit it took me a while to feel comfortable saying his name out loud in baby sessions as I ALWAYS had to say it twice, mind you in London many, many people have unusual names from all parts of the globe so you don't stand out as someone who has named their child a weird name, just another unusual one.

I would say DO IT (of course!!), I'd love the name to gain some popularity and the character Tycho Brahae is soooo interesting. His name has not been shortened by any one yet, I think Tyke is quite cute actually.
Well you have probably had your baby by now and have decided but I had to reply to this post, the name rarely comes up!!

We know a little Isambard and I think its a fab name and doesn't seem too out there at all. Unfortunately Tycho the Psycho was my first thought with the other name though! Good luck and congrats on your baby!

I do not like them. But, I don't have to like them. You do. Infact, I would say you have to love them. Do you?

No, I think they are silly and unusable. Sorry. They sound like the sort of names my dp used to suggest when he was being ridiculous (Wolf Clingfilm was perhaps his finest moment).

Love Isambard, but not the other name. Another historical name I love is Josiah, as in Wedgewood.

I love Isambard, unusual but still very much a proper name and lots of history to go with it.

Not so keen on Tycho.

I think they're pretty cool names, although Tycho did make me first think of toys and Isambard is a bit of a mouthful and could be mistaken for something out of Tolkien -- which I do not, btw, consider a bad thing! :)

Just a thought: have you considered Brae and Brunel as options? I think using a well-known surname as a first name can sometimes work really nicely. I was considering Darwin for a boy during pg1.

I used to work with a very cool Isambard - wonder if he's the same one that someone upthread went to school with? He was an Izzy.

Oooh I like Isambard. We live on a road named Isambard though, so I'm biased. He's a local famous person! Bit like Melinda Messenger
My parents wish they'd called my brother Hastings. Apparently a long deceased relative was called Charles Hastings Darnley Bishop as his middle names :)
I am coveting Isaac as a good sciencey name for my first DS.

I like both but I suppose Tycho the psycho is a likely nickname. Love both your girls names choices.

My golden rule is always: look at where you live and whether your DC will hate you for naming them that when they're older. I know it's hard to tell because depends in part on child's personality. I don't like parents inflicting names on kids as a way of seeming clever / posh / original / 'alternative' etc. Occasionally (teacher) I come across kids with bloody awful names who insist on being called their bland middle name, at which times the parents come in on Parents' Evening and I feel like saying, "Why didn't you change your own name by deed poll if you wanted to make a statement, instead of inflicting this on your DC?!"

I'm not a huge fan of either but from the p.o.v. of a teacher, kids who tend to get bullied are not obvious targets for things such as name/ hair colour etc, it tends to be more to do with attitude and social skills. I wouldn't let that affect your choice.

My dp likes the name 'Oak' for a boy but said he would never actually call a dc that name as he thinks it would be cruel.

Hmm I also think they are a bit unusual (and I speak as someone who picked rarely heard names for her DC, well not DS2 actually as it turns out!).

Isambard at least offers the nn Izz tho that sounds a bit girly? Sam?

Tycho (rhyming with Psycho?) is a bit unheard of for me, sorry.

My first thought was Tycho the Psycho too. I think they are both too 'out there'. OTOH, I like all your girl choices.

There was a boy called Isambard in my class at primary school. A small village primary school in a rural area. It was never thought of as unusual, he was never bullied because of it - it was just his name. I really like it.

Not keen on Tycho though. Sorry.

I love them both, I think it is wonderful to have a story or reason behind your kids names. My three have obscure literary poncey first names and two middle names, one family obscure and one top 50 normal

My DH has an 'unusual' name which he has had to spell out all his life whilst I was one of four girls with the same name in my class. We figured if we gave them unusual first names and more common middle names they could always use the middle names if they didn't like their names when they got older.

I assume Tycho would be pronounced Teeko if it's Danish? I'm not keen either way.
How about Kurt as in mathematician philosopher Kurt Godel? (or author Vonnegut) (or wrestler Angle)
Or Willem as in abstract artist Willem de Kooning?

Now I do love a bonkers name but Tycho to me is asking for the prefix Psycho.

What about

Tesla (maybe for a girl?)
Humphrey (after Humphrey Davy)
Arkwright

I think they're brilliant!

Can you think of any similarly sci/eng girls names? It seems a shame to only have such inspired boys names.

Have you seen how dashing Isaac Newton was when he was young? How about Isaac? Or Edwin (Hubble)?

I may be back with more!

They're awful. Both of them.

samename - does your DH have an unusual name?

Whilst I don't necessarily agree that children get bullied because of their name, I think that you do have to consider how your flights of fancy will sit with your child later (see my post above)

They are fab-u-lous!

Isambard could be shortened to Bardy, which I like, and Tycho doesn't need shortening.

I wish I had thought of these names for DS, but I'm certainly not having anymore, now!

I like Isambard. I also like Mordechai.

Whereabouts are you?