Boys' names are impossible

[AntoinetteCosway]

We don't know yet whether we're having a boy or a girl but if it's a boy we're going to be really stuck for names.

I like:

Henry-DH not a fan
Toby-on principle I prefer 'full names' but I don't like Tobias so this is prob a no
David-there are about 60 million Davids in the family already
Frederick-DH utterly horrified by this one
Hamish-ditto
Arthur-v close friend (of many years) has just named her son this
Alfred-DH thinks this is a joke

The only name DH likes is James, which I don't mind, but I don't like Jamie, Jim or Jimmy and I think it's silly to pick a name where whatever nickname the poor boy gets or chooses I will be disappointed!

Any suggestions? Basically we don't like any of the more modern, fashionable names like Oscar, Milo etc.

James can just be called James though?

I like Sebastian..

I know a James who is 24, and has only ever been James.

You just go, 'no, James, not Jimmy - just doesn't feel like me' when anyone gets it wrong.

I have to do this with my own name. Never really a problem.

We just had a girl, so i can donate my boys list:

Basil
Lyndon
Frank or Francis
Patrick
Nicholas
Gilbert

I'm sure there were some more....

We would just call him James but I want to make sure any name we choose has nicknames we like as we won't be in control of those! For instance, my name is something like Charlotte and my mother has not forgiven me for becoming something like Charlie at school as she hates it.

Sebastian is lovely but a close relative has just used it.

Thanks all, keep em coming please!

Charles
William
Rufus
Matthew
Jeremiah
Robert

Incidentally, DS has a friend called James, he's never called anything but James

I'm marking shortenings I like because I do think you can/should steer people if there's a shortening you actively dislike.

Edward (Ted)
Christian (Kit)
Timothy (Tim, obvs)
George (doesn't get shortened IME)

What about Max, just Max on its own like Max de Winter in the book Rebecca?

I've got sons - some of their friends at primary school who have great names are:

Robert
Nicolas
Edward
Adam
Dominic

Max de Winter is Maxim though - in fact I think he's Maximilian but wifey calls him Maxim and his friends call him Max.

Dominic
Reuben
Seth
Victor
Jacob
Myles
Rory
William
Christopher
Jude
Benjamin
Jesse

What about Jay as a shortened form of James? Or if he has a middle name like Robert he could be JR? I feel your pain, we are having a boy name nightmare as well.

How about:
Charles
Isaac (isa or Zac)
Zachariah
Matthew

Charles and William are possiblities. I love Edward and Christopher but DH doesn't.

We are too hard to please I think. It has to be totally, totally traditional. Even the Biblical names like Noah and Isaac seem too faddy

Robert is great, incidentally, but it's my brother's name so it's out.

Any other family names you've discounted?

Names really don't have to be shorted my DCs names aren't. I never understand this preoccupation with NN on MN.

How about Teddy

I don't mind if they choose to shorten their names (or if their school friends choose to, more like!) but I'd like to choose a name where I like the most obvious nicknames too. I know I can't control it if they decide to be called something totally random or based on our surname or whatever so it's not a total preoccupation, but I'd like to avoid potential nicknames that I know in advance I don't like!

No other family names we've discounted. Other family gems are Simon and Brian which aren't anywhere near the running!

Ambrose
Evelyn
Noel
Jesus
Abraham
King
Zane
Xander
Xavier
Vikram
Matthew
Keith

We didn't like most shortened boys names. However wevwe've had a girl, so these were our names:
Matthew (don't mind Matt)
George
John

I also love Noah and Liam but DP hated them so were not on the list.

George is lovely. DH is worried about the royal effect but given most of the names we like have been monarch's names at some point I don't think it's an issue!

Alan
Alec
Andrew
Duncan
Francis
Gregory
Guy
Hugh
Ian
Jonathan
Laurence
Malcolm
Martin
Michael
Nicholas
Peter
Richard
Stephen

Luke, Oliver, Joseph, Samuel, Mark? Trying to think of traditional names which haven't been mentioned...

Ooh, Hugh and Luke are going on the list. Thank you!

Sorry for any repeats:
Theodore
Philip
William
Albert
Bertram
Conrad
Lionel
Edmund
Ernest
Ezra
Richard
Michael
Andrew
Anthony
John
Daniel
Jeremy
Owen
Rowan
Gerald
Victor