A name like Jonathan, but not

[PetShopGirl]

Having more or less set our hearts on Jonathan (nn Jonny) for DS2, we've suddenly realised that this is the name of SIL's ex DP with whom things ended quite badly. I know it's a bit odd not to have noticed before, but ex was only ever know as Jon and we just hadn't made the connection. So, it's a no-no apparently .

DS1 is Christopher (nn Kit) and I really want something with a similar vibe - ie not overused, yet still quite classic and with a cuter boyish nickname.

Names that end in an s don't really go with our surname, and I'm also keen to avoid what I would consider to be particularly 70s/80s names (ie boys I went to primary school with!) like Peter, Matthew, Michael and Simon, as might seem a bit themed alongside Christopher.

I quite like Dominic, but other than that am stumped. There are basically like, NO, names for boys...

Names I do quite like but can't use (and I realise don't necessarily fit with the above criteria either) are:

Barnaby
James
Hugh
Nicholas

Any ideas? I'm going to be really fussy about this though, sorry .

Thanks!

Michael
Sebastian
Richard
Peter

Use Jonathan if you love it. It's not an unusual name so you're hardly naming the baby after the exp. Who's being funny about it? The sil?

Nathaniel/ Nate

I would use it anyway. If anyone questions it, breezily say 'oh really? I always knew him as Jon, it never occurred to me that his name was Jonathan'

I'd say most people would consider Jon/John a name all of its own rather than being short for Jonathan.

Philip (Pip)

Alistair (Ali)

Edward (Ted)

Alexander (Alex/Xander/Sandy)

Julian (Jude/Jools)

I think Bill would work well William with Bill or even Billy as nn.
Fwiw I really like Peter too

Timothy is the first one that came to mind.

Benedict
Zachery
Harrison
Joshua
Oliver
Raffery
Tobias

Jacob
Lucas?
Or, yes, the world needs more Tims.

Daniel (Danny)

I love Edward (Ted) but can't use it for very similar reasons - was why we couldn't call DS1 that!

All other names suggested so far we have considered and either not keen or can't use for other reasons.

So far, we haven't actually mooted the Jonny idea with anyone else but fairly sure that MIL will not approve and SIL would be upset. They are a particularly sentimental family and MIL and SIL are extremely close (ie do everything together) since FIL died. DH is quite detached from then and pissed off that they would be upset, but is loyal and kind enough not to want to do that.

I do agree on the Jon being a separate name thing, and neither of us are even 100% sure he was actually a Jonathan but guess so because of the lack of an h. The trouble is, if we ask (MIL, doesn't seem fair to put SIL on the spot) and the response is negative then it really will need to come off the table.

Oh, it's so annoying!

Is it the Ted or the Edward bit that's the problem there?
Theodore nn Ted might do the job, or Edmund?

(I do also know an Edred and Edric, but think that's a different vibe!)

It's the Edward bit, but Theodore doesn't seem to suit our family somehow and Edmund reminds me too much of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe!

David/Davy
Philip/Phil
Miles - can't think of a shortening but it's a very classic name
Charles/Charlie
Henry/Harry
Thomas/Tom
James/Jamie
Robert/Robbie
Richard/Rich or Richie - personally I like Dickie but I entirely understand why few parents nowadays would go for that as a nickname
Benedict or Benjamin/Ben
Julian/Jules
Louis
Lewis
Laurence/Laurie

Fair enough.

Hmm... we know a lot of kids, but most of them seem to be called Jake, Tom or Alex.

Following the Jonathan theme, David (Davy) actually isn't much used at the moment. Or Joseph (Joe, Joey).

Non-Jakes around here:
Duncan
Henry
Patrick
Charlie

Ooh, yes, Robert is excellent, Mimsy. Robbie for a tiddler, Rob for an adult.

I quite like Laurence but not sure whether it's 'strong' enough (ditto Timothy). Also like Robert, but we have one in very close family.

Miles is good too, but have a friend with a very new Miles so probably couldn't use.

Already know loads of Jacobs, Joshuas, Williams and Josephs. David I put in the 70s/80s boys at primary school bracket.

See, told you I would be fussy...

Quite like Patrick.

Jonathan with Jonty as a NN? By the time he grows a bit your family will only associate your DS's name with him, not with an ex.

(I feel fairly certain of this- DH's preferred name is DS and been a DD was also the name of his ex-wife..... he honestly had not noticed as she used a NN too. ).

I need to edit before posting.... that was meant to be 'Dh's preferred name if DS had been a DD..'

What do you think of Fergus? It's growing on us. Should we be Scottish (we're not Scottish)?

Toby, short for Tobias/Tobin/Tobit?
Finn, short for Finlay/Finbar/Fintan?
Olly, short for Oliver?
Freddie, short for Alfred/Wilfred?
Gus, short for Angus/Fergus?

I would use Jonathan.

Patrick is lovely. I've never been all that keen on Fergus but I wouldn't say you need to be Scottish to use it.

Ruaraidh/Ru/Roo
Harrison/Harry
Austin
Marcus

I like Lawrence and Jonathan and Nicolas though.