Can anyone help whittle down my big fat highly specific list?

[SSLYBY]

Just found out that DC1 is a boy, which is great, but my name taste is quite unorthodox for most. So, I've decided to have an underused, historic but legitimate name for a first name and reel out the more fanciful choices for the middle names. Any suggestions/combos would be helpful. Slaps in the face also welcome.

First names:
Alec
Basil
Rupert
Edwin
Lucian
Kenelm
Leopold (Leo)
Gilbert

Middles:
Caius
Alaric
Augustine
Ferdinand
Valerian
Constant
Aloysius
Ulysses
Aurelian

Upatdawn I LOVE Rupert Ferdinand Aloysius :)

Ermmm...Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You know the ones in the fire who didn't get burned. Not Yiddish, Jewish, Old Testament - like Adam, Daniel, Jacob etc.

Wasn't there a Shadrach Dingle in Emmerdale?

And Butch :o

[Disclaimer: I no longer watch any soaps at all]

Basil Ferdinand is a smashing name!

Thanks everyone. DP has piped up with a possible combo: Basil Lucian Ferdinand Strang. Thoughts? We're still firing ideas around so this is by no means the final choice

Oh yes, and we're going with the first name, rejected first name, middle name format. Hence Basil Lucian Ferdinand.

Only if you use Lucian as his main name, I can't deal with the concept of Basil - it's a herb, B Fawlty and a cat's name, maybe it was a Bishop or saint too but to me more like Parsley. Also shortens to Baz which suggests Barry which I'm not keen on.

Like the other two though (was secretly hoping you'd use Aloysius too, not enough people do)!

lottie - Sorry, I think Basil's here to stay I honestly do love Aloysius, but because it's got so many syllables it's hard to configure. I will try my mightiest to get in in there though!

I'm so sorry but I couldn't stop giggling at these names. Would you really call your son Basil? Would you like to go through life called Mint?

The Basiiiiiiiiiiil - Fawlty Towers connection will not die out for generations to come. You really do need to think about that - added to the fact it's a herb.

But lots of herbs/plants are names too - Rosemary, Violet, Heath, Bay, Rose etc. And yes, Lula, I know a Minty (short for Araminta).

Many boy's names you can think of that are flowers or herbs?

one of the best names around at the mo is Petroc Trelawnay IMO of R3 fame. You could use that esp if you are Cornish, it's very Cornish.

Oh and OP I have always liked Auralien and Edwin, but although DC have quite unusual names, I couldn't do it to them.

Seeker, Basil may be the most 'common' botanical name, but a I can also think of these:
Rowan
Basil
Linden
Herbert
Clove
Myron
Mace
Dale
Ash
Aspen
Valerian
Forrest
Kale
Reed
Huckleberry

But more importantly, I can think of worse associations than a herb !

I can think of worse associations than a herb too. But I'm not a 10 year old boy about to start secondary school. Oh well - go on everyone "be brave". Let's hope your dss don't mind "being brave" too. It's them that'll hqve to deal with it on a daily basis. All you have to do is deal with being told that you're " such an individual" or "so quirky". Bear in mind, however, that people in reql life will have the same views as people on here, they just won't tell you, and they'll dredge up something complimentary to say!

Another drawback of Basil is that it is bound to become "Bazza" in the playground. But perhaps you wouldn't mind that.

I like Edwin, Rupert, Gilbert. But I think all your suggestions, while less commonly used, are fine and actually make a refreshing change from all the Jacks, Alfies, Charlies round me here.

seeker, I think one has to look at the benefits of a more unique name over a person's entire life (and not just as a hormonal teenager). In my opinion there are at least as many, if not more, benefits of having a more unique name than one that is shared by thousands others. None of the OP's suggestions are that outlandish anyway imo.

What does Bazza mean ?

I know an Augustine (first name) and think it's fab. My own preference would be Gilbert so Gilbert Augustine would be just lovely.

Bazza doesn't mean anything, but it's a type of nn that would irritate me enormously.

Love Aurelian - but we decided not to use it ourselves because it sounds like 'Our Alien' in some accents.

Aloysius - could be cool, but difficult for a LO to write their own name.

As an aside, my dd is 'Marissa' but is constantly called 'Melissa', including in nursery (by some of teachers/ staff). She's started calling herself 'Melissa' - I will have to bring it up. So nothing that 'sounds like', I would say.

I have Lucian and Ferdinand on my list too.

I have Constantine on my list - but not sure if you can use if if you have no greek blood in you.

I also like Rupert. I met a very sweet Edwin once - they called him Win for short, but I have an Edward so couldn't use that.

I like Augustus not Augustine

(should say my H is not as understanding as yours, so I will probably end up with a Tom or a Joe!).