Joel or Nathan ... or something else?

[Wednesbury]

Trying to find a name for DC3, who is a boy. 7 weeks to go. We already have a DS1 Alexander James.

I like Nathan, DH has suggested Joel as a maybe but doesn't really like Nathan. Our surname starts with a J but I quite like the consonance. I'm not averse to Joel (and I don't like many boys names) but I'm not sure either.

I don't like any of the 'ie' names, Archie, Monty etc, prefer the name to end in a hard sound. I'm looking for the elusive classic without being too popular or out there. I probably prefer names starting with or including A, C, J, N, S, Z (have synaesthesia and have strong preferences for letters). DH doesn't like Zach or otherwise I'd consider Zachary but not keen.

I also have a friend with a DS called Nathan but he is known as Nate - I'd stick with Nathan or prefer Nath as a shortening. Dh has said he could live with it but is not keen so I'm trying to find other suggestions.

Other names I've sort of liked: Adam, Saul, Asher, Fraser.

Which do you prefer out of Joel and Nathan? Do they pass the 'high court judge' test?!

Any other suggestions welcome!

Both are nice but given the choice I'd choose Nathan! Like Adam from your other choices too

I've got a Nathan Alexander, so I know which I prefer, but Joel is nice too :)

It's such a lovely balanced name, almost a palindrome and made up mainly of A and N which are both lovely clean and structured letters. This sort of reasoning sounds like madness to DH though!

I also think it goes better with DS1's name and DD's (Elena) than Joel does.

Thanks for your replies

I also prefer Nathan, but do like Joel. Adam is good too. How about Sachin? Jasper?

Nathaniel?
Much prefer Nathan to Joel. The Nathaniel I know is known as Nat.

I really wanted Joel but DH didn't. Thoroughly excellent name.

I prefer Nathan, it's a handsome name.

Jasper is a bit too velvet jacket for me, I like Sachin and also Sacha but we have no Indian connection and also Sacha is a Greek version of Alexander, I think?

I definitely prefer Nathan to Nathaniel but hadn't thought of Nat as a shortening. I do like Joel in that you don't hear too many of them and it's a straightforward name. I think I'd like Nathan Joel, ideally.

Hmm. I like things to be organised in advance and am treading a fine line not wanting to push DH too much on it!

Much prefer Nathan.
How about Jacob or Ethan?

I think Nathan sounds a bit nasal, and Joel always seems a bit like Joe with an extra unnecessary letter tacked on.

I also have synesthesia and the N and Th plus As in Nathan make it a much darker name than Alexander im[very weird]o.

I would combine sounds to some extent and go for Nathaniel as suggested by BikeRunSki, which sort of matches Alexander for length and formality and [synesthesia alert] lightness conferred by the letters I, E and L. You could use Nat as a nn.

I prefer Nathan to Joel, Nate is a nicer nickname that Nat.

Joel is a be-mulletted mechanic from New Jersey circa 1984.

I prefer Joel to Nathan. I love Zachary but hate Zach.

Sacha can be French, or Sasha is the Russian diminutive of Alexander.

I have a Baby Nmes book on my desk. What about:

Aidan
Carl
Jason
Simon
Zain

they're all quite short, aren't they?

Joel

My sons(michael) best friend is called Nathan & is a pretty cool teenager. Only just found out his full name is nathaniel! People usually call him nathe for short.

Adam (I have one)
Luke
Edward
Isaac
Dominic
Evan

Not keen on Nathan or Joel, Nate is an awful nickname. Joseph?

Not keen on either tbh

Similar to Alexander :
Henry
Theodore
Sebastian

I much prefer Nathan or Nathaniel over Joel.

I know a family of 5 boys - Joel, Nathan, Benjamin, Samuel and Michael: any of those any good?

Oh I know brothers called Nathan and Joel.

Nathan but I'm biased. I do think Joel is a bit or a wishy-washy nothing sort of a name much better as a middle name than a first name

What about Jonathan, goes well with Alexander and plenty of nn options, including Nathan, or Joe ?

Joel is really nice - so is Jonah.

Nathan is my number one boys name, love it!
Joel is fab too and was on our shortlist along with:
Hayden / Aidan
Christian
Dominic
Joseph
Marcus
Leon
Zachary
Ciaran

Also like Simon, Daniel, Rowan, Tobias, Owen, Drew, Shaun, Anthony and Harris.

I have a ds called one of these, and a nephew called the other

Of the two I prefer Nathan but I'm biased

Also love Zachary, was our no.2 name but we ended up naming him after my grandfather. Also Jacob - lovely name. And Saul is gorgeous!

Dominic? Daniel? Isaac? Damon/Damien? Casper?

There must be a swathe of us kind of folk who like these kinds of names. Make a change from the plethora of oscars, Georges, Archies etc too, which are nice, but not so original any more.

I knew a Nathaniel, he was known as Than, said as in thankful, rather than more than.