8 days old and at this rate we're going to be stuck with "Nigel". Help!

[Sparklies]

This is DC3, we have two DDs Bethan and Catherine. We've been calling the baby "Nigel" as a joke since we found out he was a boy but at this rate it's going to stick, especially amongst our DDs, unless we name him properly and soon!

He has red hair like his daddy and one of his sisters, and his surname is two syllables starting with "Th". We don't like very popular names, but at the same time we don't want to go too far out there. Think position 60-250 in the baby boy name charts - the further down the better.

We really liked "Flynn" but it sounds too close to "Catherine" his sister. We also liked "Ethan" and "Nathan" but they sound too close to "Bethan" his other sister At one point we considered "William" but already having a "Catherine" and being born the day before the royal wedding.. yeah. Not good.

Our shortlist is currently:

Raphael
Gabriel (DH's favourite, but I worry over the "Gay" nickname possibility?)
Ellis
Elliot(t)

Other ones we've considered (but probably ruled out) are:

Asher
Elias
Myles
Griffin

Thoughts on the top four especially appreciated, but any other ideas welcome as you never know. However we've been running around in circles with this for months so I doubt there's a name we haven't considered!

Thanks!!

[Gracie123]

Thanks carrots I like alliteration on rhyming surnames with first names (mine does!) but OP only gave the first two letter of her surname so I couldn't rhyme it.

I like the name Theo though, it means 'gift from God'. Don't know if your religious but I like it. It has swag, like 'I'm Gods gift...'

I also like Asher though...

[Sparklies]

Thank you everyone!! Very much appreciated and given us plenty to talk about - if nothing else to confirm things! Lots of the alternative names suggested we can't use for various reasons such as knowing unpleasant people with those names or friend with children with those names etc etc.

I think we're probably down to either Raphael or Gabriel with probably Elliot(t) as a middle name.

We're favouring Raphael slightly mainly because of the nn potential with Gabriel, but also because it's very, very popular in the US right now and there's a good chance we might emigrate there this year. Also we are not religious and Gabriel is rather better known as an angel than Raphael. I think we also prefer "Rafe" to "Gabe" as well.

And Bethan said VERY indignantly today "You can't call him Gabriel for goodness sakes, that's the name of my nursery friend!"

Having said that, Gabriel does fit in better with our girls' names! I think. Not that it should matter that much. To confuse matters I think I personally prefer the long form for Gabriel and the short form for Raphael.

DH has suggested tossing a coin.

I think it is safe to say "Nigel" is out. Apologies to all those Nigels out there..

[robincousins]

gabriel in my mind suits a blonde fair child
while raphael feels more suited to a dark haired child with a more mediterranean complexion imho .

maybe that could help in making a decision

we chose gabriel over raphael for our ds on that basis as he was very blond at birth and has remained so . funnily we also have a bethan.

our gabriel is always gabe never gay as a nn

[mathanxiety]

Lots of Gabriels in the US as it's a name that crosses over into the Hispanic community. Raphael would be much more unusual.

Nigel would be really, really unusual in the US, without the 'wet' associations it has in Britain. It would be seen as very posh

[sleepingsowell]

I like Gabriel alot. Gabe is a nice nickname.

How about Leo? Bethan, Catherine and Leo sounds a lovely trio of names to me, all stylish and quite classic names.....

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

Asa ? I LOVE Asa and wish i'd used it

[FoxyRevenger]

I love Gabriel and Raphael, but I think they sound a bit clunky with Elliot as the middle name, there's a double 'ell' sound in there that's quite hard to get your tongue around.

Having said that, you won't be saying them out loud together all that often so if you love it go for it.

[Incapinka]

I know a Gabriel (Gabriel Marcus) and at the age of 19 he had enough and decided to call himself Marcus instead. Prior to this he was known as Gabe and was a very nice chap...

I do know 2 very nice Nigel's too!! And at least you have a name - my bump has been bizarrely knows as Wardrobe which my grandmother is not impressed about at all!!

What about Ralph or Rufus? I also really like Rory...

Good luck!

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Bugger. I'm pregnant with a ds and we have picked Raphael. It's the only name we agree on.

It's popping up on MN all the time. Two newborn siblings at dd's preschool have been called Raphael in the last month. Paula Radcliffe's ds is Raphael. My cousin has it on her shortlist.

Every name I've ever picked goes the same way. And it shouldn't matter a jot, but dd is is already Firstname P because the name I adored for a girl became really popular.

I might use Rory or Rufus instead.