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!

Back!

minerva - Thanks for clearing that up, sorry if I came across as horribly ignorant. The point is that I didn't want a name that was extremely non-transferrably Italian for an English child. Also, what's wrong with Gaspare?

Soup - No sorry I meant it as in "Julia for a girl, Vere for a boy?" not as in twins.

mathanxiety - Yes I do like Augustine. I think either way we'd call him Gus.

Sunlight - I know an adult Gus so it's not a weird prospect to me. And yes, Vere is pronounced as in "veer to the left", which I don't see as a particularly bad thing.

deliakate - Wikipedia it. There have been quite a few noted Veres. But it is unusual, I grant you.

I love LOVE Jeremiah, not as keen on Jem. I would have suggested as Nathaniel as well. Or Isaac?

I love Elizabeth too, glad Clary thinks its due a comeback. Just named DD2 Elizabeth, nn Lizzie.

Also like Julia, that was on my list too (but not DPs but his list got ignored) :D

Good luck with TTC

I like Alban the best tbh of your boys names with Jeremiah as a second choice. Not keen at all on the others. Too old fashioned for my taste and maybe a bit awful for your child at school etc.

my cousins boy is called Alban Frasier but I guess that might be too modern for you.

Julia and Astrid are lovely though.

Good luck with TTC anyway x

Gaspare has become a bit of a comedy name I am sorry - there was a famous comedian in the 80s-90s (a bit like Morecambe & Wise type of thing). But it is also a name that is often use in children fairy tales for "good" but not very clever characters.

Of course these are "Italian" considerations, but I would like to know if I was using a foreign name from a place I am not related to (a bit like those poor boys called Lucca instead of Luca).

5 Raffaellos???? How? I think I may have met one in my whole life!

meadowlarks, I think the best thing for you and your DP to do is to take a holiday to Italy to TTC. Then you'll have a good reason to pick an Italian name, and you can also keep an ear out for any good names you hear while you're out there.

I realise this could potentially be expensive if you don't conceive the first month, but holidays are notoriously good for relaxing people and letting nature take it's course!!

I like Augustus and Jeremiah for a boy, i like Wilf, but not wilfred. I like Astrid for a girl.

But, at the end of the day, best to not get to overloaded with the opinions of others, when your baby arrives, you will know him/her and the name that suits, and that will be it, who gives a toss if others like it. I would say, pick a name and don't tell anyone what it is til you have named baby!

It was when you posted "Julian and Julia? " that made me think you were planning twins :o

could use Jeremy instead of jeremiah but no to algernon (algy was one of rupert bears friends)

I like all your OP names.

except Nero for obvious reasons.

minerva - Oooh I see.

sarahtigh - Jeremy was exactly what I was trying to avoid!

saucetastic - How refreshing

Right; DP has now gone off the idea of an Italian name in any capacity, apparently beacause it's "pretentious". And now through a mixture of his philosophy PHD and love of Constant Lambert he has come up with this: Vere Anselm Elias Constant.

I know that's essentially nothing like what I described in my OP, but I do actually like it. What do you reckon?

Not bad.

Vere might get changed to Vera in the school playground, but you can never really predict these things. Constant is nice (Constantine would be nice too). Anselm and Elias really nice imo.

I think Vere is a great choice. It is my grandads' middle name (Clement Vere) and it sounds classic, masculine and is simple to pronounce/spell. Also not overused as so many other names on here.

All names can be changed in the school playground. I'm actually surprised at the popularity of William given the inevitable Willy connection .

mathanxiety - Well, like mopsy says, there are far more common names that you can take the piss out of. I hardly think a slight resemblance to Vera is going to be mentally scarring. Besides, DP's dad never had any issues being called Vere.

mopsyflopsy - Hurrah! Exactly what we think too. I love Clement/Clem too but DP thinks it sounds camp.

Meadowlarks -- I think it's a really nice name. Vere has a sort of dignified coolness to it. The four names in combination are really good. (And I love the idea of keeping up family names)

"Dignified coolness" I'll tell my DP that.

MrsVWoolf - Thanks for the input. We're now pretty set on Vere Anselm Elias Constant so none of the above!

Hurrah! I love the name Constant. And I would use it for one of mine were it not strangely common amongst some of my not very related rellies (family name over that side)!

Vere does make the think of the hotel chain though. Can't you put Elias first for your not-yet-conceived baby's name (pleeease)?

Yes I think that works well. The only suggestion I would make is to swap a MN for just one that's a bit unremarkable. Just in case you have a son who prefers to be in the background. (My husband is one such and would hate a 'dignified name'. But my bro would love to have been given your choices)....

Love Constant. Also reminds me of Earnest...

Haliborange - Yay for Constant! I did think about it as a first name but there are all sorts of pitfalls to giving a virtue name. And with Vere, you're the first to say you think of hotels, so it doesn't bother me personally. I do very much like Elias but Vere won over with the family connection.

Muffin - I know you're talking sense but I'm not very sensible I'm afraid. There were 101 Eliases born last year and it's getting more popular, so he could use that if he preferred. I don't think Vere really screams attention-seeker anyway.

Haliborange - Yay for Constant! I did think about it as a first name but there are all sorts of pitfalls to giving a virtue name. And with Vere, you're the first to say you think of hotels, so it doesn't bother me personally. I do very much like Elias but Vere won over with the family connection.

Muffin - I know you're talking sense but I'm not very sensible I'm afraid. There were 101 Eliases born last year and it's getting more popular, so he could use that if he preferred. I don't think Vere really screams attention-seeker anyway.

Woah, didn't mean to double post there - sorry!

Bumpity bump bump.