Thomas (Tommy) or Benji?

I like Thomas, good strong name
Not as keen on Tommy though but Tom is nice

Benjamin.

Thomas or Tomas

Thomas and Benjamin are both handsome. I've never met a Thomas who wanted to be known as Tommy, nor a Benjamin who liked Benji. I would use their full names or Tom and Ben.
Others you might like ..

David
Bruce
Mark
Hugh
Alistair
Grant
Keith
Victor
Paul
Neil
Leonard
Angus

What other names have you considered?

Saul.

I know a Paolo. Admittedly he has an Italian Dad, but if my DH had suggested Paul, it is one I would consider as a compromise?

It isn't hard to pronounce or anything, but just has a bit more swagger and finesse than Paul, which I agree is a bit dated and staid.

Thomas and Benjamin are both lovely names. I slightly prefer Thomas (Tom) but only just.

I don’t think your name lists are very different at all (with maybe the exception of Blake!). Alexander is a very traditional name - I think the same person who considers Alexander would also consider Oliver, George etc. Rhys is quite nice. Paul is very traditional but obviously not very current. I’m sure it will come back, but most of us know lots of 45-60 year old Pauls and none younger.

I love Thomas and Benjamin but prefer Tom and Ben as nn. Benji sounds like a dog.

Sorry my first thought was also that Benji is a name for a dog.

But Ben and Tommy are both fine.

I like Tom, Tommy is ok for a baby/toddler (not keen on Thomas, not sure why!) and Ben/Benjamin is fine, but definitely not Benji.

I like your suggestion of Harry and his suggestion of Alex. Alexander to Alex should fit the vibe you were going for?

Just to blast out a load of names for you:
Noah
Henry
Leo
Louis/Louie
Max
Alfie
Archie
Reuben
Rupert
Arthur
Elijah
Lucas
Arlo
James
William
Miles
Caleb
Zachary (Zac etc)

I have a Sebastian and Benjamin , I call mine , BAs & Benj but they get called Seb & Ben by friends . Family members call my two , bassy, and benjy , they are 28and 22 😂 they don’t mind at all . We are all very close.

I take Thomas ( Tom ) and Benjamin out of your choices . ( obviously your choice to decide how to shorten it ) .

Thomas and Benjamin (nn Ben not Benji) are both very nice names, but no good if you don't both love them OP. Alexander and Benedict are both good suggestions, or how about:

Ethan
Joshua
Toby
Ryan
Dylan
Saul

Alexander and Paul are both very traditional. Yours are more Royal/common.

Thomas over Benji any day.

I like Thomas (and Tommy) and I like Benjamin (and Ben) - but Benji is icky, sorry.

How about Billy?

We have a father and son in our family who are Benjamin and Thomas so I love both.
How about Samuel?

I love Benedict though, if you think you could convince him!

Well in a world of increasingly bizarre names on these threads, I am relieved to finally have a thread where I can say I think both these names are lovely: traditional, versatile and both shorten nicely. I'm not sure why you are getting so many negative responses!

Thomas is a good, solid name and I have many friends who have chosen it as a first choice. I think Tommy is underused and rather sweet as a nn on a small boy, and it will easily shorten again to Tom as he grows. Great name.

Benjamin is similar, and I rather like Benji as a more unusual form of shortening. I have not known one since I was a child. Again, it easily shortens to Ben as he grows, if he prefers that.

With both, I'd go for the full name on the BC and call him Tommy or Benji, and I'm presuming if you like traditional names you are probably thinking that too.

Alexander I like, if his Dad was up for that, but I agree Alex itself is not quite as nice, and I prefer Tommy/Tom or Ben/Benji.

Both classics which have tapered off since I was a girl, when they were used a lot more. Time to bring them back a bit - and I think you should feel relieved you have found such nice compromises.

If it's any comfort, I prefer them both to George, and Harry and Oliver are quite overused, though nice.

@firsttimepregnanthelp , give the baby your surname, not the father's.

Should you split up, you'll be glad you did.

love Thomas and that it can be shortened to Tom or Tommy. He can be Tommy as a toddler and become Tom as a teenager.

Not keen on Benjamin but every other boy in my school was a Benjamin

I much prefer Thomas, but really dislike Tommy as a nickname. Tom is fine.

Gabriel, Gregory, Edward, Sebastian, Daniel, Joshua
All can be shortened.
Good point from PP about surname,also initials and middle name.

I don't believe in compromising and think you need to find a name you are both happy with.

Blake and Rees are both names you need to love because they are fairly unusual and have a slightly unisex vibe (Lively/Witherspoon).

Alex/Alexander is as boring as George, Harry and Oliver. Paul is nice but seems very 1960s.

Tom and Ben are by far the best on the list IMO because they could be any age.

Not keen on Benedict. Seems a bit like 'we wanted a name that's a bit different'.

What is your surname? The name needs to flow with it.
For example, Ben Down or Tommy Robinson might not be a good idea.
I'd start a new line of thought and think of some new ones, and look at how they go with the surname.

Quite a few of your names, if not all of them, could be surnames. (Debbie Harry, Floella Benjamin etc)