1st time - grateful for some thoughts

[giantpurplepeopleeater]

Ok, so this is the first baby for partner and I. We haven't spent a really long time thinking about it - but partner seems to think we can just think up a name we like and that should be it. I think perhaps we need to give it some more thought!!!

So after a couple of hours yesterday and a book, we came up with a short list of names we both like, but I would welcome some thoughts please....

Boy:
Joshua
Ethan
Owen
Brandon
Xavier

Girl:
Caitlin
Evelyn
Imogen
Ella
Sophia

Don't want to come off sounding to 'try hard' and have had to avoid some of the names I would have had on the list due to other friends having them.

So what does everyone think??

Joshua is lovely nut is extremely popular, but then again, it's popular for a reason- cos it's nice!

Ethan is lovely, Dannii Minogue has just called her baby that though so it will probably become quite popular, again not always a bad thing if it's a nice name which it is.

Owen, really don't like it, don't know why, seems old fashioned.

Brandon, a bit too modern, not my taste.
Xavier, again not my taste.

Caitlin is nice, very popular though but it's popularity seems to have already peaked which may mean it will sound dated in a few yrs.

Evelyn, very pretty.

Don't like the others sorry!

BUT ^ not nut haha.

Thanks Violetsmile - Funnily enough Joshua is my fave and Ethan is his fave! The PILs really like Brandon and my parents have yet to give an opinion (which in my experience with my parents I think means they don't like any of them!!)

I love Evelyn - but I have a friend called that - would it be weird to name our little one that, but not really after her??

Joshua...OK, I like Josh
Ethan...love it
Owen...love it
Brandon...love it (but know one who gets nn Brandy!!)
Xavier...hate it, too weird/confusing spelling, mixed up with havier etc etc (sorry)

Caitlin..ok bit 5-10 years ago, will prob get 'cate'
Evelyn...not keen, bit old lady but like Eva
Imogen..like alot but all the ones I know (4) get 'Immy' so depends if you like that, you could have Ginny though
Ella...like
Sophia....like

My vote would go to Brandon and Imogen

Forgot to say I have an aunt Evelyn and she hates her name as she said it was like 'evil'

Ha ha Jellybeans - evil!!!

Hmmm your right about 'Immy' don't like that at all but we could encourage something different.

I know what you mean about Xavier - the other one we came up with was Artemis or 'Arty' which a felt was a bit weird and confusing too.

I like Joshua, Xavier, Imogen & Ella.

Is Ella very popular in UK?

I´ve only ever known one-she was one of the nicest people I´ve ever known-would be in her 90s now-so unusual for that age perhaps?

My favourites:

Boys - Ethan and Owen

Girls - Imogen and Evelyn

Boy:
Joshua- A lovely name but so popular it's lost its appeal. Just keep thinking 'oh another one'
Ethan- I don't like this name at all and don't understand its popularity
Owen- Bit similar to Ethan in sounds, dislike
Brandon- nope, too American surname
Xavier- If you're trying to avoid try hard, this is not the name for you

Girl:
Caitlin- Popular and people like to spell it lots of different ways, Katelyn, Kaytelinn etc, you'll come up against it time and again
Evelyn- pretty but the nicknames Eve and Evie are all over the place
Imogen- v pretty
Ella- Oh God not another one
Sophia- pretty

I'd prefer Brendan to Brandon. Owen is probably my favourite from your boys' list, and Caitlin from your girls' list.

Ooh - very mixed response on some of these!!

You see the problem is, we managed to come up with a list of about 20 names for each sex that we really liked - then partner said we should pick our top ten (both of us seperately) and then compare - whatever matched would stay on the list!

So some of the names that I really liked have been knocked off - like Marcus or Declan for boys and Bethany or Caroline for a girl!!

I guess that is what I am struggling with. I feel like this is a really big decision and little one is going to have to live with whatever decision we make forever - so I am not loving the arbitrary way which he thinks we can choose these!

Should I just keep the long list and pick off that when baby comes, or is 20 of each sex way too many??

Love Joshua and all the girls names you have! x

Marcus is lovely.

It's not really arbitrary though - you need a list that you both agree on. I had some strong preferences for DD but had to keep reminding myself that she was his duaghter too.

Over the course of the pregnancy we got down to about three for each sex, and then just chose when she was born.

PS Brandon is a "naughty" boy's name IMO.

Joshua - like
Ethan - like
Owen - quite like
Brandon - not so keen
Xavier - like

Caitlin - not so keen
Evelyn - like
Imogen - OK
Ella - OK
Sophia - like

Thanks guys.

Clemetteattlee - I see what you mean - might have to give up on some of the names I thought were nicer so that it is something we both agree on. I know that he has had to do the same - he really liked the name Tristan but I didn't choose it in my top ten!

And Brandon being a 'naughty' boys name made me . I discounted a few names that my partner liked because I knew someone who had that name and had some strange associations!!

Still got three months to go so have plenty of time to think, but at least some of these are going down pretty well!