strong, romantic baby boy names: orion, augustine, salem, sebastian, milo?

[montrose2132]

So, we are having a very difficult time finalizing our name choice for our baby boy who is due in only a few months.

Our finalists include: orion, augustine, salem, sebastian, and milo.

Our last name starts with an f sound and rhymes with hill-ups.

We like Orion a lot, but we are worried it will lead to a lifetime of frustrated introductions and pronunciation controversies. We also love sebastian, but worry it is way too common.

Mostly, we are looking for a name that is strong yet romantic, unique enough to support the independent individual we hope to raise, and that travels and ages well. I also like the idea of using a name that has been used in multiple cultures for more than a thousand years, as a way of honoring our collective legacy and acknowledging that meaning and wisdom lie not just in the present or the future, but also in the archaic, simpler past.

Combos we like:

Orion Augustine
Salem Augustine
Milo Salem
Augustine Orion

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

Grumpy I actually thought you were joking. Because Salem clearly isn't a name for a person. Male or female. My mistake.

And informing the OP of where the name Salem comes from has nothing to do with having a superiority complex. It's very relevant to someone considering calling a baby that name.

I find it difficult to believe that anyone would really want to call their child (male or female) Salem. How one earth did the OP get the idea that it was a romantic name? Or that it's been used in multiple cultures when it's not a child's name but a place, and one that for most people is associated with some really dark stuff.

I'm also a bit puzzled that the OP is concerned that Orion might be mispronounced. It's a bit unusual sure, but as it's the name of a constellation shouldn't be too hard for people surely? I mean some people might think it a little unusual but that seems to be the OP's aim.

Milo isn't that common anymore as the Tweenies are long gone, but I don't think it's used much outside of the UK is it? I don't think it's particularly old either.

Sebastian is a bit more common (top 100 anyway), but then as it is used in many cultures (so meeting one of the OP's stated aims) that's not too surprising. I doubt he'd meet many others though.

Orion is cool! Augustine could be great if he can pull it off! Milo is a bit of a dog's name (I know one boy Milo and three dogs) and every boy born round here seems to be called Sebastian....

Ah here, leave the name Milo alone!! It is the coolest little boys' name ever (and belongs to my nearly 2 year old ds!!). Everyone told us that the adored the name when he was born and if there was anyone who didn't comment, well I didn't really care about their opinion.

OP, Sebastian was on our list too, but lost out due to its popularity. Also, for what it's worth, our little Milo is an extremely strong, wilful and funny little man with lots of personality and a cracking sense of humour.

I would just love to read the names the Milo-bashers like. I'd hazard a guess as to what sort of names they would be!!

Out of interest, what sort of names would they be?

Re coolness - am not remotely qualified to comment.

Milo is an old name in Germanic-language coutries. It is perhaps a version of the Latin word Miles (= soldier) or perhaps a version of the Slav name Milu (= 'gracious') which also gives us names such as Bogomil www.behindthename.com/name/miles/related.

In the UK - specifically England - the most usual version of the name for the past 1000 years approx has been Miles or Myles. In the UK, Milo is a new and modern variant, though it has had a much longer popularity elsewhere in Europe.

How about these?

Saul
Hugh
Edgar
Edwin
Dominic
Jerome
Fabian

Roman
Dominic
I like Sebastian

Orion is an awesome name. And I'm not a bit resentful that DH totally vetoed the name, even as a middle name. Even DS1, who is now 16, thinks it would have been awesome to have been called Orion. Pah.

Milo is also lovely, I know a couple and they are gorgeous.

I prefer Augustus to Augustine, and love the nn Gus.

Not so keen on Salem, as it reminds me of the witch trials and the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

I prefer Sebastian. Orion, Augustine and Salem are too much and sound snotty.

Orion is lovely. Definitely my favourite and he'll love having his own constellation when he's a bit bigger

Eric
Caesar
Jesus
Barrabus

ficidy - I too would like to know which names you think I, as a Milo-basher, would choose.

I just want you to use the name that DH will never let me use:

Auberon

[sob]

I really like Orion of your choices.

Rufus speaks to me

Love Augustine. What a fab name. Never heard of it before!

Orion rather wonderful too!

August Orion sounds a great name to me.

Hector?

Someone suggested Barrabus - why would you name your child after a thief condemned to murder but who got out of being crucified at the last moment?? Its a similar reason why people dont used Judas which imo is such a shame as, ignoring the ghastly connotations, I think it is such a cool name!

Ooh loving Constantine but would people pronounce it with the last syllable rhyming with '-teen' or '-tyne'??

Ambrose
Cosmo
Eleazar
Francis
Leander
Demetri
Aubrey
Lysander
Ptolemy (?!)
Icarus
Sylvan
Abner
Adriano
Fabian
Leontes
Isambard

Sebastian and Milo were in my list for ds but discarded as being too common (Altho like the suggestion above of Basti as a more unusual version instead of Seb), & also for having dubious or common nn's/abbreviations.... Kids will Always shorten their mates names so uber important to choose a name you can stand hearing the shortened version of for the next 20yrs! A pp has already suggested this but I Love Oberon also! V. Strong & romantic, with a cool abbreviation (especially if you or oh are star wars fans!)...

And I also approve of Hector as I wanted this for DS also but was vetoed by oh on basis I chose dd's name.... :(

Isis
Zodiac
Lazarus
Isander
Herod

I know quite a few dogs called milo.
Sebastian is the Isabella of boys names.

Augustine is amazing!

Balonz

I met a 14yr old Hercules yesterday.
And a Morrisey.
Marcus?