Boy with no name - 3 weeks old and still undecided. Opinions on shortlist please.

[digital]

Time is running out and we still can't decide what to call our DS. After considering dozens of names we've now narrowed it down to four. What do you think of these?

Joseph
Theo
Otis
Ivo

What about Ivan rather than Ivo?

I like Joseph a lot, but Otis is funkier.

No to Ivo.

Theo is lovely, but is becoming a bit of a ;fashion' name, imo.

Joseph then Theo. I am a little biased though, DS2's middle name is Joseph. I'm still glad we chose it 10 years on though if that helps!

Joseph.
Please not Theo. It is really popular round my way, and I really don't like it!

Joseph is by far the best name on your list, I love it! The others - I don't hate them but am at best indifferent, sorry .

Thanks to everyone who has voted so far, it's helpful to hear other people's opinions, although we're still no nearer to making a decision.

It seems Joseph and Theo(dore) are the current favourites (by far) with MN, then Ivo and Otis. Not many people seem to like Heath! We've taken Heath off our shortlist now as it's the name we like the least.

Joseph was going to be DS's middle name but as we can't find a first name we love we're now considering using Joseph as a first name instead. I prefer Joseph to Joe but inevitably it would be shortened to Joe if we choose it as a first name. I'm also concerned that as it's a top 20 name there will be other Joseph's in DS's class or school year.

I really like Ivo at the moment but am concerned I'll go off it. It seems to be one of those names people either love or hate. I haven't read any Georgette Heyer btw so don't know how the character Ivo is portrayed in the novel.

I used to love Theo and it was a serious contender but I'm put off by it's sudden rise in popularity.

I'd prefer to have a name that's slightly unusual and not a current trend.I'm going to spend the weekend looking through name books (again) to see if I can find any alternatives.

Thanks again for the comments,
Digital x

I wouldn't choose a name based on popularity (or lack of) - you could name your baby Kenneth on the basis that it's really unusual these days and then 2 months later some celeb calls their baby Kenneth and every other child is named Kenneth or Kennita for the next 5 years

Do you want suggestions?

Here are some anyway :)

Peter
Declan
Matthew

Joseph is lovely, a classic name, and I don't think it is that popular (certainly not as popular as Jack for instance).

I'm afraid I'm not that keen on Ivo, Otis or Theo - to me they sound as though they are trying too hard to be on-trend, and I think he could definitely be one of many little Theos!

Boys names are so hard! Some usual names that made it on to our shortlist are Saul and Solomon (Sol for short) - don't know if they're your cup of tea.

Hope you find one you like!

How about Leo? Similar sound to Theo and it is unusual - there is one Leo in the whole of DS's school!

Also how about Seth?

Well if we're doing suggestions....
Gabe (or Gabriel)
Ivan
Nate (for Nathan)

We have a Joseph (Joe/Joey) and we liked Theo for DS2 but we knew 2 in a very small community so decided against it (and it sounded funny with our surname - we have 'ee' sound in it).

I like Otis, but agree with TSC - though there is Otis Ferry, of course.
Ivo - I like, too (Cocteau Twins connection), but not sure I would pick it.
Heath might date a bit, but I don't hate it.

What about Ivor - nn Ivo (unless your surname sounds like a noun, of course.)

Joseph for me too.

Ivo sounds like a nn, seems a bit unfinished. How about Ivan with Ivo as nn?

Theo or Joseph

Both are lovely, though very popular.

I was going to ask if you were a Georgette Heyer fan too! Ivo is a romantic hero - no negative connotations. I think it is a great name.

Joseph and Theo fine. Quite like Otis.

My son was nearly Joseph but I teach one and he can be a pain so went off it. Ivo is cool but may get mistaken for Ivor. We went for Eli in the end. Absolutely love it but some people, like the woman in the chemist, aren't familiar with it and think he's called Ellie! Heath is a bit silly and Theo reminds me of The Cosby Show. I'd definitely go for Joseph.

chickling - my 8 year old is Eli too - when he was in reception he was invited to an all girls birthday party, because they thought he was Elli

Sorry OP - still liking Ivo though

Joseph - lovely. Josiah is nice too and can have nickname Joe
Theo - like, particularly if short for Theodore
Otis - quite like
Ivo - OK

Eli is a lovely name, it was on my shortlist.

If i have another boy he'll probably be called Eli.

I only know of one boy called Joseph as a first name & he's about 20 yrs old now.

Joseph is my favourite from your list.

I second Matthew.

The fact that you all can only come up with Otis Ferry as an example of Otis proves that people don't necessarily copy celebrities when it comes to naming.

excellentadventure I think I was the one to mention Otis Ferry in response to TSC saying that it she felt it was a black name - and that's why I mentioned him, not that people have copied Brian Ferry. Did that make sense? It made sense in my head?

That was my point - that not many people copied Bryan Ferry. It was really in answer to RitaMorgan's post:

I wouldn't choose a name based on popularity (or lack of) - you could name your baby Kenneth on the basis that it's really unusual these days and then 2 months later some celeb calls their baby Kenneth and every other child is named Kenneth or Kennita for the next 5 years

The Otis thing shows that celeb use doesn't necessarily lead to popularity for a name.