Aidan, Ashton, or possibly Ryan - please help!

[ceebie]

Sorry for long post - bottom line is which do you prefer: Aidan, Ashton or Ryan - feel free to skip the rest of my rambling post and just vote!

We've been going around in circles for MONTHS now... please help!

I tend to like traditional names - easily recognisable as a girl's or boy's name and not too troublesome to spell (give or take minor variations) or pronounce. It is important to me not to have overly-popular names - we managed a name for DD which is not even in the top 100.

I've liked Aidan for some time, I like the meaning and I'm Irish so lovely to have a name of Irish origin, a good solid been-around-for-centuries name. Ranked 91 in 2010 but if combined with Aiden would be around 45th and if Hayden added would be around 28th. I think it's been quite popular over the last 10 years. (Aidan spells Nadia backwards but I think i shouldn't worry too much about that). Not sure I like the nn's Aide or Dan/Danny.

Then we hit on Ashton which DH and I really loved until recently, now we are starting to question it. We are wondering whether... no offense here.... is it a bit chavvy / trying too hard, or will date easily, or is a bit career-limiting (says 'working in Tesco' rather than 'goes to university', and although (currently) a cool name is it not quite friendly / cuddly enough for my little boy? I want a name that is stong and manly for an adult but that is also friendly and nice, IYKWIM? It's in the top 100 but I think around 77th in 2010, in the 400's in 2000 so becoming more popular. Could be shortened to Ash to make it more friendly, but that almost seems a bit of a non-name, it that makes any sense?

Ryan is next on our list but seems a bit too popular? 30th in 2010 but around 15th in 2000. Also reminds me a little of Ryanair.

Oh dear. Can you tell that we've been over-thinking this for that last 6 months?

DD's name is Sylvia, so the name has to sound ok with hers.

So... what do YOU like? (apologies again for the unnecessarily long post)

Ryan is a lovely name.

I like Ashton. Not keen on Ryan.

Aidan - footballer
Ashton - toy boy (marries older, richer, more wll known woman, gets famous, dumps her, she gets thinner)
Ryan - Canadian Mountie

I like Eric.

Ha ha I like your random post stranded but hate the name Eric!

Aww - it is my mission to get at least ONE MN'er to name their child Eric!

I would have been Eric in 1979 if I had been a boy (or maybe my parents were pulling my leg...)

I know a really nice Aidan, 40-ish, military officer. This colours what I think, of course, but I would ese Aidan as a strong yet thoughtful character.

Also like Ryan. Don't like Ashton (mainly because it makes me think of the chap who married Demi Moore, who I have no opinion on but would be tempted to ask if you were a fan).

I think in terms of "matching" to Sylvia, any of them would.

Thanks Lexi, now that I think of it, I think I started liking Aidan because of Sex and the City character - strong and dependable type.

Nope, not a fan of Ashton Kutcher. I figure he will disappear off the radar in a few years?

I actually find Sylvia much nicer, more elegant and classy than either of your suggestions, if I'm honest.

Know brothers Aidan and Ryan. Aidan doesn't need to be shortened, at home at least.

Otherwise, how about Ciaran or Brendan?

Aidan is also an anagram of Diana ...

Tell you what, it would be good if the MN baby names finder had a section "matches best with siblings called..." wouldn't it!

I like Ryan.

Aidan is desperately overdone these days, with all those dreadful misspellings that make me want to jump out of a moving car. Ashton is all "toyboy" to me, and tbh I think he will be around for a while, hitting the tabloids regularly.

What about Ciaran? That's always been one of my faves.

I like Aidan

I like Aidan best from your list, and agree with your own analysis in the OP.

The only one I like is Aidan. Ashton is a surname and Ryan has been completely taken over by superinjunctions and the name 'cheapened' (well for me anyway).

Sorry - posted too soon, like Jesters I agree with your OP.

Argh just lost a post!

Thanks poppydaisy for the compliments about Sylvia's name; we just can't find the perfect boys name.

Blue and oiko, I know a Ciaran who moved to the UK and got so fed up with people mis-pronouncing his name or calling him Ciara thinking he was female, that he is now known by him middle name Robert!

Brendan was further down our list but I just can't get excited about it, it doesn't help that I knew an Irish Wolfhound called Brendan.

Don't like Ashton or Ryan. Like Aidan.

I like them all, like Aidan best. Be aware that Ashton is more commonly used as a girl's name in the US though!!

oikopolis do you think Aidan is more over-done than Ryan? Also, what other spellings have you come across? I know there are two main spellings, Aidan and Aiden, and I've seen the usual array of weird variations on baby naming websites which usually I assume are largely made-up and rarely actually used!!!

lisaro not only is Ashton a surname, it is a name of various towns and villages too. Hmm, I think probably a good thing that we're getting over our fling with the name Ashton before baby is actually born..

Scores so far:
Aidan: 5.5 (takes the lead after an initial poor start)
Ryan: 2.5
Ashton: 1

plus a random vote for Eric
Not sure what BlueChampagne's views on the names were, but some helpful suggestions there!

ceebie I think Ryan was overdone in the 80s and early 90s, but not really in the present generation. Aidan, imo, is overexposed to the point of comedy in this generation.

I DO like Aidan!

oikopolis hmm, i think you have a point as I hear of more Aidans these days than Ryans, but the 2010 list of more popular names indicated otherwise (Ryan 30th, Aidan+Aiden 45th) - perhaps there are pockets of land where Ryans still rule?

Thanks Blue!

Aidan is good
Ryan is fine, esp if you are Irish
Ashton is chavvy