Aghh boys names - unusual but not crazy

[Laquila]

I love (but cannot use, for various reasons):

Gabriel
Rowan
Roman
Laurence/Laurie

I like, but not quite enough to use:

Alexander

I think I like, but am dithering over:

Jasper
Barnaby
Kester (nn Kit)
Gwilym
Auden

Help!! Any other suggestions?

Quillan is much nicer than Quentin, IMO! I love Alasdair, don't really see it as unusual though.

I do quite like Alasdair but feel it needs a Gaelic connection (which is admittedly ridiculous when I love Gwilym and don't have a Welsh connection...)

Tudor
Cassius
Casimir (I love this but DH has vetoed)
Hector

Alistair or Reuben, I love them!

I have a Patrick. He has never come up against another in this country. Fab name.

Reuben is not unusual...

Uhtred

I really like your top names and they are a good fit with Nathaniel but really do not like
Jasper
Barnaby
Kester (nn Kit)

Gwilym
Auden

I'm more interested in why you feel you can't use 4/5 of your favourite names? People don't own them.

Tudor! We definitely couldn't carry that off...;)

I also liked Corin originally but don't know I still do. Does anyone have any strong feelings about that one?!

Jumping in to say I have the exact same problem. I sort of like some boys' names, but don't love any of them. Of course el bump has waggled his bits at the ultrasound tech and so I've had to abandon the easier list of girls' names.

Of the suggestions so far I'm loving Kester with the nn Kit. My bump is unofficially named 'Kit' at the moment as it's the word for a baby ferret, and I volunteer for a ferret rescue, so it became a cute shorthand and an alternative to 'peanut' or 'bean' or any of the other cute nicknames for an unborn baby. Also hence my current MN nickname.

Just so I'm not just here to steal all your suggestions, here are a few of the less common names from my shortlist (which just may be a spreadsheet, and just may contain the 2013/2014 INS numbers for each considered name because I just may be putting too much thought into this!)

Duncan (doesn't go with my D- surname, but is a fab name and other people should definitely consider it!)
Jeremy (many of them in the news both for good and evil depending on your political associations; Corbin, Clarkson, Paxman, but it's a great name and by the time baby's grown up those people will be stepping out of the spotlight)
Westley (much loved Princess Bride character)
Gideon (universally hated on MN because of the George Osbourne connection)

Barnaby is dire.
Auden...I would put it in the same mental category as Robin. Probably expect a boy but wouldn't be surprised if it was a girl.
Conrad is lovely.
Alexander is alright, I've met so many it's zzz to me now.
I cannot stand Kester, it's too birdlike and seems very trendy.
Gwilym....not sure of pronunciation but nice enough.
Jasper is grand.

I like Corin!
Also Ezra, Elijah, Ciar, Lionel, Jared, Isaiah.

CaptainKit I'm loving the ferret connection! Also really like Jeremy, although I work with one and he'd be a bit taken aback if I named my kid after him...

Also like Westley (LOVE TPB) and Gideon but definitely put off by Osbourne, who is a revolting knobhead. Same problem with Cameron socialist sigh...

Lenny, Kenny, Dale.

Like Corin. Also Torin? I have an Alasdair - we are Scottish but I don't think you need to be. I've never met another child one - mine is 5.

TreadSoftly is Uhtred actually a name? I am strangely drawn to it! Pleasingly Arthurian...

I don't have friends who've used the top four names in the first post but don't think Gabriel works with Nathaniel, and Rowan and Roman do sound a bit odd with our surname. Lawrence/Laurence is too similar to a v close family member and whilst they of course don't own it, I still don't want to use it.

I do like Isaiah, but is Nathaniel and Isaiah a bit too Old Testament?! I'm Christian, but even so!...

It's so hard, having values and morals - some good names are completely written off before they even get properly considered!

I just posted in the "Jasper" thread - for rugby song reasons explained there, don't inflict Jasper on a boy!

Thanks busy :) just read your post though and to be honest, I think that issue is a bit niche...but I think I'm sort of going off Jasper a bit anyway...this is my problem, I have no consistency!!

Zachary

I like Auden - def. a boy's name.
I was also going to suggest Aubrey. I know two, both boys. Coincidentally, one had a sibling called Barnaby.
My grown up son is called Reuben, so I notice it when I hear it, and it has become quite popular. He was almost Gabriel or Roman, but someone I know beat me to it :/
I won't be naming any more babies, but would go with Auberon (had I not already used Oberon as a middle name!).
I'm not sure about Qu names, I just don't like the sound.
Corin is too much like Connor/Kai/Keir, for my liking. I do like Conrad, though.
What about Odin or Angus?

Or Geraint?

Scorned I actually prefer Oberon to Auberon! I've always like Geraint but the two I've met have pronounced it differently - one with a hard g and one with a soft g. What's the accepted pronunciation?

I've only known Geraint to be pronounced with a hard G.

I have an Elijah. I love it. Not too common, can be Eli for short.

I do like Elijah, although it's quite popular where we live so doesn't tick my unusual box. I know a couple of Eliases too - also nice.