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Help with boys name! Not too unusual, not too common!

55 replies

cqssjoyful · 04/06/2015 16:22

Hi all

I need some help!

I am 31 weeks pregnant and having a boy. After 2 girls we are good at thinking of lovely girls names, but we cannot agree on ANY boy name. Sad

I seem to be much too picky, but as this will be our last child and only boy I really want the name to be perfect.

These are the criteria the name should meet (and there are quite a few!)

  • It can't start with A or B (our girls names both begin with A, and B is too alliterative with our surname)
  • I want a long version that can be shortened so it can change as he gets older (preferably a strong manly kinda name with a cuter version for when he's little)
  • Our surname has become quite a common first name so although I like a lot of the surname-y kind of names (eg. Grayson), I don't think it would work because people wouldn't know which way round his name was
  • My husband doesn't like unusual names but I don't want something too boring or too popular so it's not really any surprise that we can't find anything!

We both like Michael, Daniel, Benjamin and David - but can't have them because they are already in the family.

I really like Reuben and Robin and quite like Denzel (altho a bit out there) but they have been vetoed by my husband Sad I like Jed as a short name but not Jared or Jedediah or Jedward (!) as a long version.

I feel like we are running out of time and we are no further forward since our 20 week scan!
So if anyone has any suggestions that meet the above criteria I would love to hear them!
Thank you!

OP posts:
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ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 06/06/2015 09:36

Michael

our 10 year old is Michael and in ten years we have not met another Michael same age or younger than him!
we know a lot of children so I find this astonishing

MERLYPUSSEDOFF · 06/06/2015 09:37

I have a Thomas (dirt common Hmm according to sis) and Isaac. Both can be shortened to acceptable versions of the longer names.

I have been a cub leader at boys only pack for 20+ years. I have been put ff a load of nice names as I associate them with the not so nice characteristics of the child.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 06/06/2015 09:37

oh just re-read your op , saw you can't have Michael.
damm

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 06/06/2015 09:40

Sid / Sidney
Fergus / Gus
Travis
Jude
Rex

VixxFace · 06/06/2015 09:50

joshua
Edward
rowan
lucas
jameson
Louis

Autumndays14 · 06/06/2015 09:53

Loving Gregory! It's a name we had a lot at school but haven't really met any little ones. Gregory is good but Greg not such much if you are near the bakery! Laurence and Nathantial are also great. Douglas? I guess it depends on where you are though and how it would be pronounced. It's one of those names that sounds better in queens English!

Mouthfulofquiz · 06/06/2015 09:57

Wasn't Jed in the West Wing called Josiah?

CarriMarie · 06/06/2015 11:23

Jonathan
Laurence
Gregory
Elias

Stanley
Richard
Cameron
Alistair

cqssjoyful · 06/06/2015 11:52

Thanks for all the suggestions! I like Patrick - not quite so keen on Pat (or Paddy cos it almost rhymes with our surname). I like Seb and Sebastian but it sounds quite public schoolboy to me. Does anyone else have that connotation with it? I like Lucas and Toby too, but think they're getting too popular. I seem to have met loads recently!

OP posts:
BabyGanoush · 06/06/2015 11:56

Finlay (Fin) or Rafael (Raf)?

Mateo (Mat)?

Guyropes · 06/06/2015 12:05

Cqs... in an similar situation here! Boys names are so hard!

How about Colin?

Ps totally agree with you about Sebastian.

mrspremise · 07/06/2015 19:25

Robert. Can be nn Bobby when a little boy, then Rob for a teen, then back to Robert for adulthood (and Bert when old Grin )

ThreeGoldStars · 11/06/2015 20:16

Lennard
Saul
Vincent
Ross

SanityClause · 11/06/2015 20:20

I know a Gerald who is called Jed.

What about Marcus, if you like Lucas?

BikeRunSki · 11/06/2015 20:20

Isaac/Ike
Edward/Ned

PallasCat · 11/06/2015 20:41

Lucien - Lou, Luke
Theodore - Theo, Ted, Bear (Also Edward, Edmund for these)
Jeffrey/Geoffrey - Jeff/Geoff
Timothy - Timmy, Tim
August/Augustus - Gus
Isaiah - Iz, Izzy (might not be popular, but I think it's a great nn for boys, one to be reclaimed from the girls!)

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 11/06/2015 22:08

Jed could be a nn for
Gerard
Gerald
Geoffrey
Jeremy

A lot of traditional bible names are strong, manly names

Thomas
Joseph
Joshua
Peter
Samuel

They can all have cute versions.

Ipushedmygrannyaffabus · 12/06/2015 00:14

I was going to suggest Reuben or Robert but see they've been ruled out!

Gerard could have Jed for short?

Jacob/jake
Caleb
William
Zachary/Zac
Isaac
Alexander - an absolute classic and he could be Alex, Alec, Xander, Andy or sandy!

Yokohamajojo · 12/06/2015 11:45

Frederick
Alfred
Vincent
Sidney
Cassius
Elliot
Simon/Symeon
Edwin
Marcus
Jasper

HighwayDragon · 12/06/2015 14:18

Benedict/Benny?

BikeRunSki · 12/06/2015 18:44

Jonathan/Jonty
Alexander/Alec or Xander
Philip / Pip

RedToothBrush · 12/06/2015 19:50

All of the following are currently outside the top 50. They are long and can be shortened. They are fairly familiar though some are edgier/currently more fashionable than others.

DOMINIC
DOUGLAS
EMMETT
ERNEST
EVERETT
FREDERICK
FRANKLIN
GREGORY
JONATHAN
LAURENCE
MITCHELL
NATHANIEL
NICHOLAS
OSWALD
PERCIVAL
PHILLIP
RAFFERTY
REGINALD
ROBERT
RICHARD
RUSSELL
SIDNEY
STIRLING
STEPHEN
STUART
SYLVESTER
TERENCE

TIMOTHY
VINCENT
VICTOR
WILFRED
WINSTON
ZACHARIAH

PallasCat · 12/06/2015 20:08

Everett is nice Smile
I'd be careful with Emmet - might see a surge after Lego Movie! Wink

Stepawayfromthezebras · 12/06/2015 20:52

Emmet's what Cornish people call tourists - it's Cornish for ant

Strokethefurrywall · 12/06/2015 22:04

Sullivan nn Sully (I have one of these)
Lachlan nn Lachy (I nearly had one of these)
Nathanial nn Nate/Nathan
Jonathan nn Jono