We go round and round on boys names

[htf2]

We have roughly the same list of boys names as a month ago for our first baby and even think we are almost decided (the same as a month ago) but get no closer to actually making a call. We just go round and round! We like
Finn (Finley for a full name)

Clarence (NN Clarry),
Clancy (my dad would love it, there is a classic poem about a Clancy he could quote for the next 20 years)

Edmund/Esmond (I don't like Ed/Eddie though)
Cillian
Other names we had but are a bit less keen on now were
Kit (Full name Christopher)
Manny but I wanted a full name for it and couldn't think of one I liked.
Felix but I think a friend has taken it and don't like
it enough to jump in on it
Freddie but similarly a friend has a little Freddie and I don't think we would
Anselm for a flight of fancy - another thread threw up an Ambrose and I would probably consider that too! My grandpa would like Anselm :)

For second names the above list also, and
Charles
Desmond is a family name and DH's middle name
Coleman is my dad's middle name, also considering them...

FWIW our last names are both Irish although we are a few generations out of Ireland.

Interesting mix of names, is an unusual name important to you?

Because Freddie and Finn/Finlay are what I would call 'booming names' and I think may date. They are rising in popularity fast. I also dislike 'twee' names on boys and men- that's just me.

Clancy, sorry I just don't like this. It sounds too much like 'Nancy' to me which used to have negative connotations for men. Clarence however is lovely.

Edmund I love. Esmond I find a bit pretentious and a bit like a snake, it has a slimely feel to it to me?

Cillian and Kit/Christopher - LOVE

Manny I really don't like sorry.

Anselm and Ambrose, LOVE. Ambrose was on our list.

Felix is a cat (to me anyway)

Names that We had on our list which I wonder if you might like:
Lawrence
Noel
Hector
Horace
Edwin
Ernest
Clement

Manny can be a nn for Emmanuel.

Hmm, I don't think I am particularly attached to unusual names, does it seem like I am? That said, I do wish Finley wasn't so popular as I really like it!
I should have said Freddie would be Frederick, I don't love the idea of 30 year old Freddie. I think I agree that Edmund is preferable to Esmond. Anselm I am really liking, more so that Ambrose I think.

Thanks for your list toobreathless! Not bad at all - Laurence did nearly get onto the list, I don't love Laurie though it could grow on me. Noel is too soft for DH's surname, looking for two clear syllables. Clement came up but my BIL is a Clement, and french so 1. it's taken and 2. I'm sure if I said it the French way as we have been doing for 10 years that would come across as pretentious! I actually don't think I know how you would say it in English :P

The others don't really grab me I'm afraid, re Hector there do seem to be quite a few classic Greek names going around.

Clarence Finley
That way you could use the nn clarry or clancy
And i just think finley flows nicely

I love Clarence nn Clarry. Clarence isn't one you hear often nowadays, but Clarry definitely fits in with the popular Harry.

Clancy is nice too, I also like Anselm, Ambrose and Christopher nn Kit.

Finley and Finn are very popular at the moment, I know several born recently.

Anselm is great

I love most of your choices! Especially Ambrose, Felix and Edmund as they are all on my shortlist on my own thread on boys names.

Popularity bothers me a bit so I wouldn't use Finley, and I'm not a huge fan of Cillian.

Anselm and Clarence are great from your list, and I definitely think Christopher should be brought back as a classic name.

Other names we considered on a long list were Rupert, Wilbur, Ralph, Percy and Jolyon if any of those might appeal to you? We have quite traditional tastes!

Anselm as in Anselm Adams?
Interesting.

wonder if DP would go for that........?

I like your style, OP!

Emmanuel is gorgeous (personally I'm not as keen on Manny though)
Clarence is great
Love Anselm and Ambrose
Finn/Finley is lovely, I agree, but v popular
Laurence/Laurie - LOVE this!
Cillian is lovely but not sure what nn would be, and IMO someone, somewhere, at some point is going to want to nn your son!
Love Kit and Edmund, and another vote for Edwin here

You might also like:

Bede
Hunter
Corin
Haddon
Philip mm Pip
Aiden
Dashiell
Benedict

I think he was Ansel, gallicgirl? Could be wrong

Good suggestions thanks all! I'm Australian so nicknames are essential :P it's also a problem for Clancy and Felix but probably not using Felix. I am not telling the gender irl so hard to sound my friend out about Felix ....

I had not thought of Pip for Philip - I like that a lot, but BIL is Philip (phil) so not sure I could actually get Pip :P

and DH isn't exactly sold on Anselm, (although don't know this Anselm adams?) I'm on the case :D Laurie could grow on me very quickly...
Dashiell I have thought of but it's quite unusual so you just think Cate Blanchett, I think it's too strongly related for me, I don't want to feel like I'm copying.

I did think of Cate B as I was writing it, OP, but I think IRL not that many people will link it to her. Although Aussies might, actually!

The two Lauries I know are lovely (one toddler, one thirties) - I think it's a much underused name.

I really like Anselm and Ambrose from your list.

Arne is nice (Arnie for nn)
Tobias (Toby)
Leigh

and I love the name Bert. You could use Robert, or Bertram, or Gilbert (which gives Gil as another nn option) or Albert.

Cyril/Cyrus (nn Cy)

And it isn't unusual, but John is so underused now your DS would probably be the only one in his class. NN Johnnie, or Jack.

I have Louie on my list. Also like Louis as a spelling but was concerned people might mispronounce as I think it can be Louie or Lewis.

You are all just going through my family! There is a little Louis and an Arnaud and a Cyrus (not to mention a Clement and a Philip)!

Also John is my FIL.....

Love Finn but strongly dislike Finley/Finlay and hate them being lumped as the same name as Finn is a separate name in its own right - I'll get off my soapbox now!

Cillian also nice but thanks to a recent thread I'm amazed at how many people would pronounce it incorrectly so might depend on if that bothers you?

Yup, you're right, it is ANSEL Adams, not Anselm. Good job I didn't suggest it!

He's a rather fab photographer htf2. I've never heard Anselm before.

How about Darryl?

Great mix of names here! My picks would be Edmund with NN Ted or Ned, Ambrose or Anselm - all lovely, underused names. Think Anselm has a slightly more 'modern' feel to it than Ambrose, which I always think of as very bookish and scholarly.

Cillian is OK, but I'd worry about the nickname/shortening issue - for obvious reasons, 'Kill' isn't exactly ideal! Love Kit, but not a fan of either Christopher or Christian, and it somehow feels too insubstantial to use on its own. Finn is nice, but I dislike Finley/Finlay, and I think its popularity would bother me. Really like Flynn though. Felix is OK but it feels a bit faddy and 'now' (I'm a teacher and there are loads of little Felixes where I am in London). Not a fan of Clarence, it looks like I'm in a minority there!

I quite like Clarence, but am not sure about Clarry as a nn. Clarrie (different spelling but exactly the same sound) is a very well-known female name, short for Clarice, Clarissa or Clara. I'm not a listener to The Archers on Radio 4, but even I have heard of its salt-of-the-earth-countrywoman character 'Clarrie Grundy'.

Edmund/Esmond/Anselm/Ambrose/Kit - and John, as suggested by earlier poster - are all great names.

If it matters, Clancy might lead to questions such as 'do you have Irish connections?' and, though this is just a personal taste, I'm not keen on any surnames, Clancy included, as first names.

I like Clarence

a possible nn for Cillian : Ian

Thanks all! Some things to think about...
Darran isn't so great in Australia - they'd be Dazza :) Also aussies would definitely pair Dashiell and Cate B.
I wouldn't use Kit on its own, I do want a more 'formal' christian name plus a nn. Cillian, Anselm and Clancy do have nn issues which is a negative. Ansy? Ant I wouldn't mind...
And I know Finn is a separate name but if you have a Finley they are always going to be nn Finn so they are pretty connected!