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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Brother for Evan

41 replies

Dreamcatcher007 · 01/11/2020 15:39

We really liked the names Daniel and Jonathan for the younger boy, but worry that Daniel is too popular (we live in London, and according to ONS, it’s been in top 10 baby names in London for the past 3 years!), and Jonathan is likely to be spelled wrong all the time. But I’m really stuck for alternatives! Alexander and Adam seem even more popular than Daniel...

Help! Any other ideas?

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Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 06/11/2020 16:55

Ooh, so many lovely names Smile Got some new ideas too to think about - thank you everyone!

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 05/11/2020 20:59

If you like Adam and Daniel, I always think the Samuel is very similar feeling and declining in popularity now (maybe also Michael or Gabriel? - even less popular). I wouldn't worry too much about the popularity of Alexander though, as there are so many nicknames for it that it won't feel so overused (in London there may well be nearly as many Xander's and Sasha's as Alex's...).

MinnieJackson · 05/11/2020 18:56

Benjamin, stanley, samuel?

cptartapp · 05/11/2020 18:40

Dream ironically DS1 is Adam James.

Flymetothestars · 05/11/2020 09:42

@Doublechins Daniel is a lovely name and I'm not shocked you've not met another Daniel - I haven't either
The name has gone from being the number 2 name in 1996 (approaching 11,000 babies a year being called Daniel at that point), to the name now being about to leave the top 40 and there being only about 1,500 babies named Daniel in 2019. That's a huge huge drop in numbers. Given the massive drop in the charts, the name Daniel will probably leave the top 50 in the next year or two. I think it's a really fresh sounding name these days

Flymetothestars · 05/11/2020 09:38

Ok so your criteria is: "fairly unique and classic and non-weird at the same time"

How about:

Barnaby
Laurence
Seth
Tristan
Peter
Austin
Miles
Sidney
Angus

These names are no where near as popular as some of the ones you're considering. I think a name like Laurence would be perfect fit for your criteria

houselikeashed · 05/11/2020 00:49

Alec?
Leo?
Theo?
Seb(astian)?

Doublechins · 04/11/2020 22:08

I have a Daniel and although it's supposed to be really popular I've never met another.

Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 04/11/2020 22:03

If Jonathan is too close to Evan (??), I think it might be James then...

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Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 04/11/2020 22:00

@cptartapp I really do love Adam, but it’s super popular where we live - I think it’s just our area!

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midsomermurderess · 04/11/2020 21:05

Rory.

cptartapp · 04/11/2020 20:28

I have an Adam. It's been dropping in popularity for years. Still love it. Also have a Luke.
Love Evan. Also like Elias, Zachary, Isaac, Dominic, Marcus, Benjamin, James.

chunkyrun · 04/11/2020 20:14

Peter

Aahh99 · 04/11/2020 20:12

Isaac. Jacob.

Capamile · 04/11/2020 20:09

Really love Alexander. Lots of possible Nn too.
How about Oscar, Christopher (nn Kit), Joseph, Joshua, Matthew, Sebastian.

MikeUniformMike · 04/11/2020 18:12

Jack was originally a name that means the same as James, so although it became a pet name for John, they weren't related.
It does seem odd though.

I know two sisters with two forms of the same name. Not the actual names but something like Meg and Margaret.

Ladderofyears · 04/11/2020 18:03

@MikeUniformMike

I's not, but he will be called Jon. I suppose you could nn him Jonty, which is rather nice.

I know a brother and sister called John and Jane but nobody ever says anything. They have other siblings though.

I know brothers called John and Jack (young). I find it very weird!
MikeUniformMike · 04/11/2020 17:41

I's not, but he will be called Jon. I suppose you could nn him Jonty, which is rather nice.

I know a brother and sister called John and Jane but nobody ever says anything. They have other siblings though.

Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 04/11/2020 08:26

@MikeUniformMike Yes we are mindful of that! What about Jonathan - is that too similar to John...?

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Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 03/11/2020 21:30

There are some great suggestions here - thanks so much everyone! I do like James, Adrian, Thomas, Damon, Oscar, Arthur, but I think some of my favourite names are also really popular, ie ideally I wanted to avoid top 10-20 names, but it doesn’t sound like I can have it being unique and classic and non-weird at the same time! Hmm

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MikeUniformMike · 03/11/2020 16:22

I'd avoid names like John, Sean, Iain, (Jack), Euan, Eoin etc as they are all forms of John.

Daniel is a classic and will always be popular - people really like it. I'd use it.

Ladderofyears · 02/11/2020 22:47

I'm not keen on Daniel. I find it a bit boring.
Evan is so lovely. If Jonathan doesn't work how about:
Hugo
Amos
Toby
Reuben
Oscar

Ladderofyears · 02/11/2020 22:45

Jonathan is great! A name that everyone knows but is really not common. Plus Jon, Jonny or Jonty are all cute nicknames.
I'm not sure how it would be misspelled? Are you thinking people would write Johnathan? I don't think it would be that common.
(My DC has a popular- ish name that has several legitimate spellings - it's not this but it's a bit like Rebecca and Rebekah which are both real spellings but one is less common than the other. Her name had a third option too which is really uncommon - think Rebecah.
We used the most common spelling, mostly because dh and I both had preferences for different ones of the rarer spellings so it seemed fair. I swear that 50% of parents in primary school when writing invitations etc chose a 4th and completely incorrect spelling that I don't think exists - think Rebeca.
I think if people pn the name wrongly all the time it would really annoy me but spelling it wrongly didn't bother me half as much).

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 02/11/2020 09:28

I know brothers Daniel and Jonathan.
Their other brothers are matthew and david.
I also met a toddler dean recently

Evan and dean seem to fit nicely.
Owen
Ieuan
Ian
Oscar
Arlo
Ashton
Mikey
James
Gethin
Dylan

Original poster
Dreamcatcher007 · 02/11/2020 07:34

Thanks so much everyone, really helpful!

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