Duncan, Simon, Daniel, James, Joseph, Jack, Harvey, Miles, or Luke?

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Empress13 · Yesterday 09:53

danascully96 · 25/09/2026 15:10

Thank you for your detailed feedback! I do love Joseph and the nicknames Joe and Joey. Joe in particular is something I don’t hear much nowadays and I like the manly, coffee imagery I get from it ☕️

Daniel seems really sprightly; I love the bounce to it. My nephew is Peter, so I feel like it strikes a similar gentle yet noble chord. And I love the nickname Danny because of “Danny Boy.” Just not keen on Dan.

I’m in the US, so Simon would be seen as underused rather than dated here because it was never as massively popular here as it is in the UK. When people hear Simon in the US, they think British (or Jewish), which makes the name more charming!

Luke has always been a favorite of mine but I like double-syllable names more than monosyllable names.

James, Joseph, Daniel, and Simon are my frontrunners.

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I would choose Joseph a good solid name and can be shortened to Joey when little and Joe when he is older 😁

JoyousWriter · 25/09/2026 15:39

Is it 1972?

The least awful in that list is Daniel.

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danascully96 · 25/09/2026 15:10

CruCru · 25/09/2026 08:04

I like Luke and Robert the best. I also like James but I don't like Jamie (which was the nickname where I grew up - perhaps in other places it is Jim or Jimmy, which I like). Joseph is nice too - do you like Joe / Joey as nicknames? - but very popular in my friend circle.

Simon and Daniel are nice names. I would find it refreshing to hear them used now. They used to be very popular in Jewish families when I was young - but I suspect I am much older than you so may not be the case now.

Harvey would be okay but it always seemed to be the name of a friend's irritating younger brother when I was growing up. Usually really badly behaved. BUT this is my own prejudice.

Duncan - difficult. PJ and Duncan were what Ant and Dec used to be known as. It isn't to my taste but you can spell it and pronounce it.

Jack was very popular a few years ago. I like this a bit less than Duncan.

Miles - I like this the least.

Thank you for your detailed feedback! I do love Joseph and the nicknames Joe and Joey. Joe in particular is something I don’t hear much nowadays and I like the manly, coffee imagery I get from it ☕️

Daniel seems really sprightly; I love the bounce to it. My nephew is Peter, so I feel like it strikes a similar gentle yet noble chord. And I love the nickname Danny because of “Danny Boy.” Just not keen on Dan.

I’m in the US, so Simon would be seen as underused rather than dated here because it was never as massively popular here as it is in the UK. When people hear Simon in the US, they think British (or Jewish), which makes the name more charming!

Luke has always been a favorite of mine but I like double-syllable names more than monosyllable names.

James, Joseph, Daniel, and Simon are my frontrunners.

OP posts:

CruCru · 25/09/2026 08:04

I like Luke and Robert the best. I also like James but I don't like Jamie (which was the nickname where I grew up - perhaps in other places it is Jim or Jimmy, which I like). Joseph is nice too - do you like Joe / Joey as nicknames? - but very popular in my friend circle.

Simon and Daniel are nice names. I would find it refreshing to hear them used now. They used to be very popular in Jewish families when I was young - but I suspect I am much older than you so may not be the case now.

Harvey would be okay but it always seemed to be the name of a friend's irritating younger brother when I was growing up. Usually really badly behaved. BUT this is my own prejudice.

Duncan - difficult. PJ and Duncan were what Ant and Dec used to be known as. It isn't to my taste but you can spell it and pronounce it.

Jack was very popular a few years ago. I like this a bit less than Duncan.

Miles - I like this the least.

iamnotalemon · 25/09/2026 03:26

CopiedMyBlottingBook · 24/09/2026 07:41

Aww, I'm in my 50s and I still think Blue are gorgeous 😆

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Haha. I don’t think they are gorgeous any more but I do still love their music.

LancashireButterPie · 24/09/2026 20:36

James

cartagenagina · 24/09/2026 08:20

James

TurquoiseGoldPeaches · 24/09/2026 08:13

James

Dee51121 · 24/09/2026 07:58

I would definitely say underused names that are well-established but more divisive. I'm not sure that 'names everyone likes' are actually names everyone likes, they are just inoffensive.

Based on this, Duncan stood out to me on your list. Definitely the most interesting of the bunch. Personally I think James is the most boring.

NormasArse · 24/09/2026 07:47

Duncan and Joseph are my favourites.

Not in your list, but I also love Julian.

CopiedMyBlottingBook · 24/09/2026 07:41

iamnotalemon · 24/09/2026 02:59

I thought these were all the Blue band mates at first (showing my age) 😂

Aww, I'm in my 50s and I still think Blue are gorgeous 😆

iamnotalemon · 24/09/2026 02:59

I thought these were all the Blue band mates at first (showing my age) 😂

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danascully96 · 24/09/2026 00:42

CloudyWithAChanceOfCustard · 23/09/2026 22:22

Duncan? 🤯 Absolutely awful!

Harvey…not much better!

Miles and Simon…sound a bit wet to me.

The rest…just ok.

I would start over if that were my list I’m afraid OP. Sorry!

Happy to take suggestions!

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Wewinnow · 24/09/2026 00:02

Not Duncan or Harvey but the other names are great.

LadyGAgain · 23/09/2026 23:21

Luke or Daniel.
or Myles with this spelling.

CloudyWithAChanceOfCustard · 23/09/2026 22:22

Duncan? 🤯 Absolutely awful!

Harvey…not much better!

Miles and Simon…sound a bit wet to me.

The rest…just ok.

I would start over if that were my list I’m afraid OP. Sorry!

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danascully96 · 23/09/2026 21:55

Vbactales · 23/09/2026 21:10

I have a young Duncan (under 10), it’s exceptionally unusual these days but a name everyone knows and is timeless. I like it more and more tbh.

I love Duncan too! It seems so warm and friendly. 🍁☕️🕯️ I also love the Scottish/medieval vibes to it. It’s such an underused name too, so it’s really special!

OP posts:

CopiedMyBlottingBook · 23/09/2026 21:13

Duncan - it's unusual these days.

Vbactales · 23/09/2026 21:10

I have a young Duncan (under 10), it’s exceptionally unusual these days but a name everyone knows and is timeless. I like it more and more tbh.

Excellentsausages · 23/09/2026 19:11

The only ones I don't like are Miles and Simon, because of the sound. And James because I've known a couple of unpleasant ones - although think you're the poster who said they'd shorten to Jamie which makes it better.

Duncan is Shakespearian/Scottish more than anything else to me - I know a little Duncan and a little Daniel so they don't feel that dated.

SatinHeart · 23/09/2026 15:48

Some people are much more bothered than others when it comes to how popular names are. But I would say there there's eleventy billion little boys called Jack where I live. It's head and shoulders above everything else in your list in terms of popularity round here (which I find odd as I'm not a fan).

My favourites are Duncan, Daniel and Joseph from your list.

Gobbledegoo · 23/09/2026 15:35

Put all the names and more on paper into a bowl: Pick out three and see if they fit with your family name saying them out loud. I have several friends who chose 2 names for each child and ended up calling them the second name that was on the Birth Certificate!

Spidey66 · 23/09/2026 15:29

In order of preference
Joseph
Jack
james/Daniel/Robert/Luke/Simon
Harvey
Miles
Duncan

GoodGirlFaith · 23/09/2026 15:24

Miles
James
Joseph

All such great and handsome names! <3

Marycontrarygarden · 23/09/2026 15:22

danascully96 · 22/09/2026 21:35

EDIT: Forgot Robert.

Which is the best? Is it better to go with names everyone likes, or to go with underused names that are well-established but more divisive?

Is he going to be in a boy band?