OK, big ask this one but please help!

[meadowlarks]

Right, DP and I are TTC. So I know this may seem astronomically early to be discussing names but if you knew how polarised our tastes were you'd understand that the sooner we can work something out the less torturous this process has to be.

Basically, for a boy, we both have really set ideas of what we want. I like posh more traditional names and he prefers more common straightforward ones that are generally shorter. So, as a compromise we'd like a longer name that can be shortened easily. So far, we like:

Augustus nn Gus
Bartholomew nn Bart
Walter nn Walt
Algernon nn Algy
Wilfred nn Wilf
Jeremiah nn Jem

However, there are exceptions to this: I have a massive Italian name fetish and I love Nero (yes, really), Jacopo, Raphael and Giuseppe. The problem is, we're not Italian in any way and fear it might look odd on an English kid. We also like Vere (a family name on both sides), Cuthbert (my granddad) and Alban.

For girls, we both think Julia's beatiful (think Diana Quick in Brideshead Revisited) but maybe a little common. We also like Astrid, Elizabeth and Minerva.

Any suggestions/comments would be welcome!

Ohh. I've just been informed of some politician whose name was Cuthbert nn Cub. Anyone else think that is so cute? I'm so tempted to go with Cuthbert now.

Thanks re: name. Not fond of Cuthbert sorry - but do have rather a soft spot for Quentin and Peregrin!

Algernon is dreadful.

Your girls names are much nicer.

I loved: Christopher - Kit and Philip - Pip, but they were vetoed. We went for Edward - Teddy. Any use?

I like Augustus/Gus and Jeremiah/Jem. I also love Quentin (but am biased as have one .

Julia is nice - classic and feminine. I also like Elizbeth.

sorry, Elizabeth

Ookey dokey...

Augustus nn Gus - I love Gus and Augustus is fine. However, if you like the Italian names than Gus can also be short for Gaspare
Bartholomew nn Bart - hmmm, ok, but I don't love it. I think I prefer Tolly as a nn
Walter nn Walt - actually my grandfather was called Walter but he called himself something completely different because he thought it was too old-fashioned! I think it sounds very American
Algernon nn Algy- Algy sounds like mould
Wilfred nn Wilf - a dogs name. Cute, but a dogs name.
Jeremiah nn Jem - like it
Jacopo - good name but Jack sounds very ordinary compared to your other choices
Raphael - love it and definitely works regardless of your b/g
Giuseppe - one of our favourite Italian names but it is VERY italian if you have no italian b/g
Vere - sounds more like a surname to me
Cuthbert - bad associations but Bertie is great
Alban - i knew an Alban at school. he was gorgeous and very cool. I like it

Julia - not common nowadays, more for late 60s/early 70s babies so definitely awaiting a revival. I think Juliet is a little prettier? Julianna a bit more unusual with more nn possibilities and has more of a European sound?
Astrid - ok, but makes me think of space suits
Elizabeth - much more conservative than your other ideas but has nice nn possibilities
Minerva- not for me

What about:
Oscar, Alfred (alfie), Reginald (reggie), Henry, Charles (charlie), William (billy), Luca, Lorenzo, Rocco, Stefano, George

or

Francesca, Cecily (cece), Tabitha, Catriona (kitty), Elena, Elise, Verity...

I hope you have a girl or a change or heart about boys names.

Algy??? Sounds like some green slime you might find in a pond.

Julia and Elizabeth are wonderful names.

boysnamesarehard - Indeed they are! Thanks for such a helpful post. I'll try to reply to all your points:

• I had no idea that Tolly was a NN for Bartholomew - I love it! That's definitely replacing Bart.
• Walt is very American, I think because of the Disney association, but I still like it.
• I've heard the mould thing a few times but it doesn't bother me. I knew a fantastic Algy who was rather dashing and totally un-mould like!
• Wilf, a dog's name??
• I know what you mean about Giuseppe but it's such a shame because I love it!
• Vere is originally a surname that has come to be used as a first name. It doesn't bother me.
• Cuthbert - what bad associations? I only think of tintin!
• For some reason, I've never liked Juliet or its variations as much as plain Julia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bash_Street_Kids

'Cuthbert Cringeworthy - The brightest child in the class, and a teachers' pet who tends to be bossy, rude, spoilt and ostracised by the others.'

Oooh dear... But then again, people haven't stopped calling their sons Robert because of Mugabe.

He's not a ridiculous cartoon figure though. Also, Robert isn't a rare name, so has many associations.

I have to be honest (sorry!) and say that, if I met a child with that name, I would immediately think of the Beano character. I also think many people consider those names to be fairly poncey, and unless you're really rich and planning to send your child to the top private schools, I expect they could lead to bullying.

I do think association is important. Jem, for example, I associate with To Kill a Mockingbird, which is good.

Bart will always be Bart Simpson I'm afraid. Also it rhymes with fart..

I do admire the fact you're looking at unusual names though, and I think you will find a lovely one. Just not sure you have yet.

I thought I was bad with coming up with names. I actually burst out laughing when I read your list.

OP, how about Howard for a boy? Just wondering if you'd like it as I think it's similar to your other choices.

By the by, the other day I came across someone with Tennessee as a first name and was instantly sorry I'd already given my son the middle name of William. If I'd been reminded of Tennessee when pg I would have been very tempted.

I love the name Ptolomy but DH wouldn't.

Rachxx - now now, if you can't say something nice....

I like Wilfred but that's cause I like Fred. Prefer Frederick as given name tho.

I don't think it would be great to name a child Algy, Bart, Walter or Jeremiah tbh.

Gus is nice, how about Angus, a a bit less out there?

Your Italian names are nice but the only Jacopo I know is actually Italian .

Julia is nice, I don't know any at all. Elizabeth is also good and due a biiiig comeback.

The CHILDREN, won't somebody PLEASE think of the CHILDREN.

Oh and how about Julian for a boy ??!

Clary - Thanks for the input. I'm not liking Angus to be honest. I so wish I was Italian so I could have an excuse to use Jacopo!

Apocalypse - Simmer down, simmer down. Julian and Julia?

Right, overnight DP has had some sort of epiphany and is now dead-set on Vere because it's "simple, easy to spell and pronounce" etc. And obviously as it was his dad's name it's very close to his heart...

So what do we think? Julia and Vere? With a simple first name I might be able to get my way with an Italian middle name.

OK - I think I need to bring some order on the Italian names front

Jacopo is not the translation of Jack (that would be Giacomo), and although I like it will cause a lot of pronounciation problems (the J is not pronounced as in Jack, it's pronounced the same as the i in indigo). Not worth the risk imo.

Raphael - not Italian at all. The painter was called Raffaello Sanzio, so Raphael is totally foreign to us (Raffaello is nice enough and not very common)

Giuseppe is very classic and traditional - what your gradnfather would be called. More common in the south in general.

Gaspare - just don't.

Are you planning twins? why are you worried about the names going together?

Minerva - I know that Jacopo is Jacob and not Jack but if the op isn't Italian then the chances are that family/non-italians who read it would presume it was pronounced with a 'J' and therefore Jack would be the shortened version. Definitely not 'yak' which is what it would actually be.

Raphael works well if you like Italian/Spanish/French names regardless of the form it takes in each of those countries. I love Raffaello but interestingly there are 5 in my family so I think of it as very common!

We know a fab Gaspare, nn Gus. I know it is very old fashioned and Southern but I still prefer it to Angus or Augustus (gloop!)

Oh and Cuthbert is definitely the Beano association. To me it represents all that is ridicule-worthy in a name.

Augustine? (nicer than Augustus imo)

Augustus nn Gus - I can see it suiting a toddler, but not a teenager or adult.
Bartholomew nn Bart - With 'Bertie' or other as nickname, I like. (Bart would always be the Simpsons for me.)
Walter nn Walt - Not keen.
Algernon nn Algy - Like it. It can be shortened to Al, Algy, Nonny... any number of family nicknames.
Wilfred nn Wilf - It tapers off a bit at the end, to me.
Jeremiah nn Jem - Unusual, like it!
Nero - I just see Christopher Biggins in I, Claudius and start shuddering. Sorry!
Jacopo - Cross between Jack and Pokoyo?
Raphael - A little too pretentious for me...
Giuseppe - Would have no idea how to spell it.
Vere - Pronounced as in "the car started to veer wildly"?
Cuthbert - Could also be nicknamed Bert.
Alban - If this name is taken anywhere near an Essex accent it turns into 'aw-bn'. I find it really hard to pronounce, actually!

Love all your girls' names.

Vere sounds like a verb to me, although I'm sure it is a proper christian name, I sure have never heard it......

I have a 4 year old Wilf (coincidently one of your other boys names is my surname). I have never regretted calling him Wilf and it has always suited him. Ocassionally gets called Will but don't mind too much.