Quirky middle names

[JellybeansDaddy]

We are expecting our first child in January 2013 and have begun choosing names. We are pretty certain that it the jellybean turns out to be a boy, he will be Oscar Jacob and if she's a girl, Iris with a middle name beginning with A, J, H or M. We are slightly tempted to choose something a little whimsical as Iris is rather dignified and classic and perhaps slightly stuffy. Afterall, it's only a middle-name so if they hate it then they need not tell people about it.

Possibilities include;

Amandine
Agatha
Halcyon
Honesty
January
Jubilee

Are these way too eccentric or are they reasonable ?

I believe that only the first two are people names... and only one of those not too bad...

I know a few Amandines. Do you have a french connection?

Oh - I've got one... Olympia.

We're Jewish and like most Jewish families, we have a history in a lot of European countries. My wife's great-grandfather lived in France, as did my grandfather for a time.

According to the Social Security statistics, there are 897 people named Halcyon in the USA. So, not at all common but still a 'people name'.
Honesty is a pretty traditional virtue name, along with Patience, Charity etc.
January Jones is an actress (her real name, not a stage name).
Jubilee is a little weird, I will concede.

OP of these I would choose Halcyon, which surprised me as had you asked me if I'd like it as a name, I'd have said No. It's a bit 1920s or 1930s.

Honesty is a plant, i wouldn't think of it as a virtue / quaker name like Hope or Faith

Jubilee would link her birth to the year she was born, but I'm not sure that is a good thing.

I hate the two A names, particularly Agatha which I think sounds old lady-ish e.g. elderly aunt, sorry.

Sorry but I don't think any of them go particularly well with Iris. Is there a meaningful unusual family name you could go for?

If the baby isn't born before January, I would avoid Jubilee etc as it's the wrong year and that'll be even more odd.

Iris Amandine sounds lovely

Iris Octavia, Iris Clementine, Iris Melisande, Iris Philomena, Iris Angelica?

Oo, Iris Octavia's very nice, VolAuVent. That one gets my vote.

I would go for Modesty, Jewel, Angelica, Harmony

Araminta
Amaranth
Jewel
Juno
Honor
Margot
Mirabilis

Also, sorry, meant to start with 'congratulations'!

. Sorry. Couldn't resist.

How about Jellybean?

I like them all. I also think eccentric middle names are a good plan. DS1's 2nd middle name is Zooey - after a character from a Salinger novel. DS2 will have either Ambrose or Avalon (not decided yet) Go for it!

I like Jubilee.

But then my youger DD's middle name is Bee...as in bumble. Chosen by DD1 who was three at the time....so I'm biased on slightly silly middle names.

I like Iris Amandine, had a nice sound to it. Softens the Iris.

Spoken ! Love Bee, very cute! Nieces middle name is Bliss, I love that!

Similar to Jubilee or Juno that have already been suggested, how about Juniper?

I don't like Halcyon or Jubilee. Others are nice!

I like all of them except Jubilee. There's also Alcyone as a version of Halcyon.

Agatha and iris are the same type of name. I dont think agatha is quirky at all

January is naff as it is her month of birth. I think it would be quirkier to have the day of the week!

Jubilee is a bit late by January!

The others are ok

My grandad had a middle name he hated and his teachers at school always made sure they read out his full name and as he got older there were forms to fill in. He hated it so much he didn't give his kids middle names!

So don't go for something wacky on the basis they won't use it!