Help with boy names please!

[WookieWoo]

Hello,

I am 17 weeks pg with my second son. Since finding out he is a boy I've been calling him Benedict in my head. Only problem is, my husband isn't keen (he originally suggested it but then vetoed it this morning as he doesn't like "Ben"!).

So I was hoping to get some opinions on the other names on our shortlist and any suggestions of similar names.

Here is the list so far (each with the middle name Philip):
Dominic
Edward
Laurence
Charles
George
Zachary (DH's choice - I'm not keen but still open to it)

Our first son is called Alexander and our surname only has one syllabale so I quite like long-ish names.

So, what do you think?!

Thanks!!

We too have a short one syllable surname. I would suggest a two syllable name as anything longer may be shortened to a one syllable one....

In fact all suggestions (except Laurence) above will end up one syllable - Dom, Ed, Charles, George, Zach and this may not sound nice with your surname (it wouldn't with ours).

How about Felix, Quentin, Toby/Tobias, Dylan or Nathan?

I like Quentin and Dylan so will add them to the shortlist. Having previously suggested Nathan and Felix I know they will be vetoed!

Zach really doesn't go with our surname (it ends in a "k") so sounds to kk. I guess Dominic will be the same. Mmmm.

Thanks for your suggestions!

I like Dominic and George best. Like the others too other than Laurence..

Frederick
Henry (maybe too short)
Sebastian
Oliver (maybe too short)
Benjamin (clearly out though as Benedict is!)
William

All my favourites so not sure to your taste. Nicholas would also work although a bit Russian classic with Alexander maybe???

I like Laurence then Dominic. As it's a longer name, the c/k sound at the end won't be so obvious as with Zach. It's also likely to be abbreviated to Dom.

Laurence is a girls name in France, the feminine form of Laurent (like Florence/Florent), so I'd avoid that for a boy (you never know where they might end up one day ).

I agree about an unshortenable 2 syllable first name with a short surname (or 3 syllable that shortens to 2, like Alex). I like Henry, Quentin, Dylan from suggestions above or how about Oscar, Marcus or Ronan?

I think Laurence is lovely, and I wouldn't get too excited about its implications in another country, because that happens all the time - if the baby I'm currently carrying was a girl, one of the name contenders would have been Cora, which is a supermarket chain in France, so rather like calling one's baby Tesco!

I like George and Edward but most of your names would make him sound very royal!

I think Nicholas is also lovely but would end up being Nick, and that wouldn't work.

I also have a one syllable name ending in -ck and it's HARD. I feel your pain!

Hugo Hugh are nice strong names

Thanks for all the ideas so far!

I love Oscar and Marcus but they were vetoed last time so doubt they'll make the shortlist this time unfortunately. Frederick and Sebastian are also lovely - think DH mumbled something about liking them the other day so they are on the list now.

I'm glad a couple of you like Laurence. I was unsure about spelling so would Lawrence make it less girly in France?!

Problem is, I still love Benedict. But doubt DH will change his mind. I think he only suggested it as he was watching Sherlock Holmes!

Perhaps some ideas on how Benedict could be shortened to something other than Ben???

Cheerful - I secretly loathe our surname. DH loves it as he thinks it is a good strong name but I don't like the sound and it is difficult to find names that go nicely with it. Grrrr.

Omar - love Hugo but my friend mocked it the other day. Said I'd have to send him to private school with that name. Don't know if that should bother me!

I absolutely love Benedict and have set my heart on it as hypothetical-and-probably-never-happening-DS2's middle name (not helping, am I?!) Dominic's lovely as well.

Other names I love: Lucas, Isaac, Jacob, Dylan, Elliott, Elias. We know a female (Belgian) Laurence, so I'd use the Lawrence spelling.

Wookie, honestly, you could go around the globe worrying about whether a name implies the wrong sex or means something rude or funny in hundreds of languages. My ordinary Irish surname apparently sounds very similar to a very rude word for a bodily part in Greece. We're considering naming our baby-to-be Naoise, in the full awareness that for the average UK person that sounds like the Hindi girl's name 'Neesha', if they even figure out how to pronounce it in the first place.

Perhaps some ideas on how Benedict could be shortened to something other than Ben???

Neddy?

Ploink - I can't stop laughing! Think it's too close to Noddy! Although better than my only other alternative of Benjy!

Cheese you are right, who cares if the French think my son is a girl!

Just went a bit ! crazy in the last post.

Sorry but I don't like Benedict because I am NOT a fan of Benedict Cumberband and can't understand why he is thought of as even vaguely fanciable (good actor but not attractive!). It also makes me think of Benedictine monks.
Don't let me put you off though
Have you considered Eric?

WookieWoo I thought Neddy was ok! Didn't think it was going to make anyone laugh so much

Ned then?

My eldest boy is Edward - people often comment on how they like the name, even though it's well known it isn't used much(at least where we live! - he was the only Edward at nursery and primary school) When he was little we called him Ted or Teddy It's a 'classless' yet strong name

The names i like could be shortened to Charlie, Laurie and Ted? George is a strong name and I know a Dominic who's called Dom.

I find Zach to me a little too modern. Biblical names only seem to suit Yorkshire folk to me.