Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Wife and I can’t agree on name for our baby boy!

90 replies

noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 14:28

We really don’t have long left to go and it’s worrying me we haven’t picked a name.

Some names I have suggested that I love and she’s said no to are Knox, Sutton, Sullivan (my faves) Sawyer, Jonah, Bodhi, Asa, Eli, Cove, Holden.

She really likes Maddox which is alright but it doesn’t feel like the one. I know a lot of you on here aren’t a fan of River but that’s the only name we both love but I’m worried it’s getting really popular now and it’s putting me off.

Names we both kinda like are -
Cole, Rowen, Cohen, Parker, Zachary &
Cooper.

When we picked our daughter’s name we had it picked out for years and both absolutely loved it. I feel like we will end up just settling for our son’s name but I want to find something I love.

boys names are the hardest 🥲 help!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Tygertiger · 02/01/2024 16:26

ODFOx · 02/01/2024 16:21

I joined the thread to say follow your heart and go with River but a pp may have a point with Avery and River together.
You like R and V sounds don't you?
A bit left field then but also unusual: Virgil
Vinnie
: Are less likely to run together with Avery even though the sounds are similar.
(But go with River if you love it) 🙂

Please don’t call a baby Virgil. He will endure Virgin jokes his entire teenage life (secondary teacher here).

MerryChristmasToYou · 02/01/2024 16:22

Victor?

ODFOx · 02/01/2024 16:21

I joined the thread to say follow your heart and go with River but a pp may have a point with Avery and River together.
You like R and V sounds don't you?
A bit left field then but also unusual: Virgil
Vinnie
: Are less likely to run together with Avery even though the sounds are similar.
(But go with River if you love it) 🙂

AskingForAFriend12 · 02/01/2024 16:20

Rowan is the best.

villamariavintrapp · 02/01/2024 16:17

Go for River if you both love it. Only slight thing for me is it sounds a bit similar to Avery-all the same sounds just slightly different order. But it's much better than others on your list.

CynthiaKnicksOn · 02/01/2024 16:13

If you both love River then go with that! Job done Smile

I like it too fwiw

wingsofabird · 02/01/2024 16:13

I love Sullivan, Eli and River @noaddedsugarx @Timemysticaltime
Rowan I prefer for a girl and know a few girls called Rowan. There's lots of baby boys called Roman with an M (name sprung from nowhere, in the top 30 names now and still rising fast) depends if that bothers you that there's potential for confusion and for the names Rowan/Roman to feel more overused and trendy than you may be expecting

Onelife2024 · 02/01/2024 16:10

I love Eli, Rowan and Zachary

River isn’t to my taste, but as you say it would be boring if we all chose the same names!

TheIsleOfTheLost · 02/01/2024 16:03

River is a beautiful name and you both like it, so go for it. It was on my list, but dp knew someone with that name that he didn't like, so couldn't use it. You can't control how popular names are, so don't make that your deciding factor. 15 years ago names like George and Arthur were still uncommon and now people love them.

From your list I also love Rowan. People on mumsnet tend to be very Conservative about names, so might not be the best place to ask if you like slightly different ones. I like Carter as a surname first name too.

Spaghettieis · 02/01/2024 16:02

Rowan is spelt with an A, and absolutely do not use Cohen if you’re not Jewish. Zachary is nice. What about Marco, Ethan, Caleb, Maxwell, Josiah?

Mumofgirls2017 · 02/01/2024 16:00

How about

kai
roman
fletcher
oakley
harley
beckett
cassidy
lennox
elliott
carter
grady
marlow
jaxon
flynn
finch
woods
brooks
jenson
jesse

MargotBamborough · 02/01/2024 15:57

I like Jonah too but your wife doesn't, so...

MargotBamborough · 02/01/2024 15:56

noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 15:52

@APurpleSquirrel yes definitely! We were so certain of our daughter’s name and people would say ‘what if she doesn’t look like that name?’ but imo they will end up suiting what they are given. Rowan is a lovely name!

I think Rowan and Avery go well together.

Gnomegnomegnome · 02/01/2024 15:56

I like Jonah, Rowan and River. Probably Jonah the most.

Original poster
noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 15:53

@ThatSoddingCat nope not American but I can see why you would think so from the names!

OP posts:
Original poster
noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 15:52

@APurpleSquirrel yes definitely! We were so certain of our daughter’s name and people would say ‘what if she doesn’t look like that name?’ but imo they will end up suiting what they are given. Rowan is a lovely name!

OP posts:
ThatSoddingCat · 02/01/2024 15:46

I'm guessing you might be American. Is that right? I don't like any of those names, except perhaps Cooper - I had a cat with that name.

ginasevern · 02/01/2024 15:45

Don't like any of them very much and most of them have been played to death but out of your list I would choose Zachary or Rowan. Cohen would be very inappropriate.

Original poster
noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 15:44

apronbellybarbie · 02/01/2024 15:22

River, Rowen & Zachary are all lovely

Go with your heart 😊

Congratulations on your baby boy & good luck with everything!

Thank you so much! 😊

I actually came on here expecting to be told how awful River is and be even further put off so I'm pleasantly surprised.

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 02/01/2024 15:44

My DS is a Rowan - so I'm biased too!
Other names on our list were James & Jenson - but now looking at him, he's definitely a Rowan.
So what I'm trying to say is, whatever you decide will be right iyswim? As once it's your child's name it just suits them.
Go for River if that's what you really like/want.
My DDs name is a marmite name but she loves it.

Original poster
noaddedsugarx · 02/01/2024 15:29

Filthyslattern · 02/01/2024 15:20

Rowan is nice.
The rest are awful. I am sorry.

No need to be sorry 😃 the world would be boring if we all had the same taste!

OP posts:
theduchessofspork · 02/01/2024 15:25

I really like Zachary and Jonah.

I like Rowan too but there are a lot of Rowan/Reuben/Roman/Rory type names about.

I’d avoid Bodhi (a bit like Nevaeh, a lot of people find it ridiculous) Cohen (could be offensive) Holden (mostly famous for Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye who was something of a sociopath) and Cove (just odd)

The rest aren’t my thing but they are OK.

I’d use River if that’s the one you both love

uncomfortablydumb53 · 02/01/2024 15:24

I have an adult son, Rowan
So I'm biased He loves his name and has never known another
I wouldn't spell it Rowen
Cooper is a surname used as a first name

apronbellybarbie · 02/01/2024 15:22

River, Rowen & Zachary are all lovely

Go with your heart 😊

Congratulations on your baby boy & good luck with everything!

BROWNBANANABITS · 02/01/2024 15:21

Nb assuming you're in England/Wales River is increasing in popularity but still outside the top 100 names

names.darkgreener.com/#river

Swipe left for the next trending thread