Help with boys names

[Fenouille]

I'm still in the early stage of my second pg. Don't know what we're having yet. DS has a name I am not crazy about after DH imposed his wishes on me against my better judgement. I've told him that this time I'm choosing the name.

If we havea girl then she will get my all time favourite girl's name which DH vetoed last time.

For a boy I've now gone off the second name we had lined up for DS. I'm pondering on Abel but I wonder if the biblical story should put me off (I'm not religious but it's true that Abel doesn't come out of it very well). I also like Inigo but I think it would give me the same feeling of slight embarrassment that I get when telling people DS's name so i don't want a second child with a name I feel faintly embarrassed about. I also have a soft spot for German names (not totally outrageous as there are family connections with Germany).

So ... what do you all think? Here's a tentative shortlist but other suggestions are also welcome...

Abel
Inigo
Heino
Malte
Sascha

Heeeeeeeelp!

Can you not use Frances as a unisex name? Therefore you get to use regardless of sex

I don't like Francis for a boy Totally irrational, I know. Maybe as a middle name

Sascha is a great boys name and my favourite from your list. Marcus also good.

And I think Frances is lovely too.

France's is the female version. Francis is the male. Call your child Frances and at some point in the future you will be on the receiving end of a "my friend has called her boy a girls name" thread!

Ha Saggy, maybe I wasn't clear - Frances for a theoretical daughter, Francis over my dead body for a son.

On that theme though, isn't Sasha a girls name in the UK? I've been away so long I can't remeber

Thank you Strawbs.

I like Inigo.

Remus, don't confuse me!

Sasha is generally a girls name in the uk. Sacha the more likely spelling if used for a boy or shortened from Alexander

And the German version is more usually with an sch in the middle. Thanks for the confirmation though FG - don't know if it's becoming a bit more unisex now? If you heard you were getting a colleague called that I suspect a lot of Brits would still expect a woman to turn up?

I see Sasha as a boys name, and the spelling Sacha is French. In Germany it is Sascha.

I think Sasha (Natasha) Obama is making the name more unisex perhaps?

Still prefer it for a boy!

Tbh I live in such a multicultural area ( London), that I wouldn't assume any name was either gender.

ATM I know boys, Emelie, Tasha, Eliza

And girls, Henry, thomas, jay jay

I think Sacha/ sasha/ sascha is unisex

Hi FG, I know how you feel, after a while you just learn not make any assumptions. But I'm also finding it difficult because of that because I can't tell if my name ideas are too weird for 'normal' people

Thanks for the confirmation Rachel - I must admit I thought I'd always seen Sasha as a girls name but I know several Saschas (male) now and that seems more normal iyswim.

OK, it looks like my final shortlist is:
Abel
Sascha
Malte
Rudi
Marcus
Holger

Thanks everyone for all your help - i will now ponder and namechange and then present my findings to DH.

Magnus

I think Magnus is awesome.

Sorry, Magnus is not for me! Too Scandi again I'm afraid, but thanks for the suggestion.

No worries - names are unique to all of us. I do think it's nice though.

It is nice. But Argh, it's all such a responsibility though isn't it?

Just quickly before you go... Milo or Milton (Milt)?

Milo.

Not sure about either tbh - isn't there a dreadful 'comedy' on r4 by Milton someone or other, that rules out Milton for sure Not sure about Milo, I'll maybe park it with Holger on the long list...

Milo is a very popular chocolate milkshake in Asia, every child drinks it (a bit like nesquick?)
...just so you know
tastes great tho

Thanks for the heads up - I remember reading that on here before. Tbh it wouldn't put me off particularly as I've said before, if someone wants to tease they will find a reason anyway