Need help whittling down a shortlist.

[XLII]

We've got ages until our EDD in July but because of that DH won't even entertain any conversations about names! Our other 3 DC have very normal names but with more interesting middle names so I'm hoping to carry this on with DC4. Because of this I'm hoping to use Ariadne as a middle name if we have a DD and Lysander for a DS. One middle name will also be a family name. Obviously this is all hypothetical as I haven't ran any of this past DH! What I would like opinions on is my current long list - what are people's thoughts in terms of useability/popularity etc? And how do the combinations for girls 'fit' together?

Girls (middle names Ariadne and Jean or Joy)
Matilda
Martha
Rosa
Scarlett
Juliet
Lydia
Phoebe
Tamsin

Boys (middle names Eric or James and Lysander)
Fergus
Jacob
Ewan
Lewis
Joseph

I'm a bit stuck when it comes to boys names so any suggestions would be fab!

Like Jacob and Joseph. Don't like Fergus.

Like Matilda, Martha, Scarlett, Juliet, Lydia. Don't like Phoebe.

Love Rosa Joy (wonderful) or Rosa Jean
Phoebe Joy / Lydia Joy both lovely.
Juliet Ariadne (not keen on two J's, so no Joy/Jean) nice, too.

Joseph Lysander hands down.

Joy and Lysander are actually my favourite names on your list.

Matilda- I don't like
Martha- I also don't like but do like Marta
Rosa- lovely name
Scarlett- really like this
Juliet- classic and feminine, prefer Juliette as the spelling
Lydia- good strong name
Phoebe- just reminds me of Friends
Tamsin- not bad but don't love it

Fergus- reminds me of a farmer for some reason
Jacob- lovely name
Ewan- really nice and not too popular
Lewis- don't love, don't hate
Joseph- probably my favourite

Favourites have to be Rosa, Phoebe, Fergus and Joseph, all lovely :)

I would go for a shorter first name if Ariadne is second. I think Matilda Ariadne Joy is a mouthful for example. In terms of what works best together, I like Scarlett Ariadne Joy, Rosa Ariadne Joy and Tamsin Adriadne Joy. I think Lydia Ariadne doesn't really work, though I love Lydia.

Love Fergus and Lewis. Similar names: Hamish, Angus, Laurence, Rory?

Love Scarlett, that was on my list for my DD. Boys names are very hard, Jacob is nice but quite popular, don't like Ewan, reminds me of a sheep

I've put your shortlists into my order of preference
Matilda - love it, was no. 2 on our shortlist for DD2, a few around but not overused
Martha - love this too, beautiful sound and strong at same time, I know a couple under 3
Rosa - simple but pretty, I know one
Juliet - as above, don't know any
Phoebe - OK, know a couple under 5
Lydia - makes me think of the Muppets singing 'Lydia the tatooed lady' but obviously this won't spring to mind for most people!!
Tamsin - don't like
Scarlett - really don't like and overused

Fergus - like this, different but not out there
Joseph - lots around these days but a lovely name and I like the nn Joe
Ewan - OK, don't know of any
Jacob - don't like
Lewis - really don't like

I think all the names you've come up with would go with your choice of middle names I prefer Ariadne Joy and Eric Lysander.

Matilda - yuk
Martha - yuk
Rosa - good but Rose is better
Scarlett - but too modern alongside the rest of your list
Juliet - lovely
Lydia- lovely
Phoebe - lovely
Tamsin - no

Boys (middle names Eric or James and Lysander)
Fergus - love
Jacob - love
Ewan- love
Lewis- ok
Joseph - ok

Can I add Patrick and Erica to your list?

My favourite combinations would be

Juliet Ariadne Joy
Lydia Ariadne Jean
Phoebe Ariadne Joy

Jacob Eric Lysander
Lewis James Lysander
Joseph Eric Lysander

Rosa and Joseph are my favourites.

I really don't like Tamsin or Scarlett, but like all your other girls' names. I love Martha, Juliet and Lydia.

Martha Jean
Juliet Ariadne
Lydia Joy

I like Joseph and Ewan (although prefer Euan). I'm torn with Fergus and Jacob - I like Gus and Jake, but not the longer names. I dislike Lewis, but due to bad connotations, so ignore me. I love Eric and James, and Lysander is extremely cool and suddenly one of my favourite only-for-middle names.

Joseph Eric
Ewan (Euan?) James
Jacob Lysander
Joseph Lysander