Advice on names

[yhelaiuk]

English is not my first language. Sometimes my colleagues and friends would comment on some ones' name "such a beautiful name". I really don't get it. It's such a delicate acquired taste that I dealt I will develop in time to name my very first baby boy.

DH and I are thinking of giving him an English name as well as a name in my native language as a middle name.

Choosing English names has been a really difficult task for us. The names DH likes are
Alistair
Darren
Derek
Elliott

I like A names and T names
Andrew
Adrian
Andre
Tobias
Timothy
Elliott

We both like Elliott, but his surname is Lee. Are there too many l sound in the name? Plus Elliott sounds like a bit like idiot. We are concerned whether he will be teased on that.

Then I came across the name August. My baby is due in August. My history-loving DH is really fond of the story of Augustus the Roman Empire. But the name is not on UK's popular name list. Is it too weird to name a boy August these days?

How about two parts names? Will August work for a two part name? If we want August in the name, does it sounds nice as a first or second part?

Eli-August (I do still love the name Eli)
Derek-August / August-Derek
August Andrew/Andrew August?
August David/ David-August (I like the name David in a two part name but not just on its own)

Together with his surname, how does these names sound to you?
Other names appreciated too! We do welcome more ideas, our name list is tiny...

I really like Elliott and don't think it sounds like Idiot at all. it is becoming more popular and don't thin khe would be teased at all.

If i'm honest i would say he is more likely to be teased over the name August because it is not really a popular name in England. The only August i have ever heard of is a celebrity baby name, which generally makes it quite 'weird'

I have never known of a boy having a two parts name or a double-barreled first name. To me is is quite girly having a double first name, and i personally think it sounds a bit silly for a boy, whatever the combination.

From your lists, i only like...
Elliott
Andrew
Adrian
Timothy

Elliot is a nice name and has no connotations

Derek and Darren are both old-fashioned and not in a hip, good way

Alistair is fine

Andrew is nice - it was a popular name in the 60s and 70s but is classic enough to be unremarked on now

David is quite similar to Andrew - a safe choice

I love August! The one I know is only ever known as Gus, and I like that. August itself would be really unusual and I know that, as a person with an unusual name, you can get fed up with explaining it. I think it's possible he'd be teased

Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't do a double barrel name! (my own opinion).

P.S, my suggestions:

Michael
Patrick
Marcus

Could you not do August with Gus for short?

Other A and T names are...

Aidan
Adam
Aaron
Ainsley
Ashley
Alexander
Anthony
Antony
Arthur
Archie
Alfie
Alfred
Albert
Alec
Alvin

Tristan
Travis
Todd
Thomas
Theo
Theodore
Teddy
Toby
Tony
Tam
Tye
Tyler
Taylor

Other names you might like...

Robin
Robert
Richard
Christopher
Ellis
Evan
Eric
Samuel
Simon
Dean
Devon
Jason
James

Agree with earlier poster that double-barrelled names are unusual for boys in England, except for a very, very few exceptions, such as John-Paul (in honour of the late pope).

Traditionally, two names for boys - without a hyphen linking them - are slightly more usual in Scotland, because, in the past, there was a very small range of 'standard' boys names to choose from. I know of middle aged men named John Alec, John Hector and Angus John, for example, but have not met any young boys with two names.

In 2014, the last year for which national statistics were available, there were 23 baby boys named August and 16 named Augustus. See detailed tables - link in Section 10 of www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/babynamesenglandandwales/2015-08-17

August is a 'new' name for boys in English; Augustus is more traditional. It was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. In Ancient Rome, it was originally a title rather than a name.

Anselm
Alexander
Thomas
Tristan

I just love Andrew. Love it.

Prefer Aidan to Adrian.

No to Darren, Derek and Timothy.

I like August David

Thanks for the inputs! Really saves me from making the mistake of giving him a double-barrelled name. I do live in Scotland and see two-part names every now and then. I always thought they are nice. Totally unaware it is unusual for boys.

I like names that are less common but not too unusual. Elliott is certainly back on the top of our list! I will keep on thinking about August. I just assumed it is like April, a very Youthful and vibrant name. It also gives a mix of old and new feeling. I like Gus better than Auggie for a nickname for August or Augustus. I just thought it is too short to go with the Surname Lee, is it???

We discussed Augustus before, and I thought it is a bit too Royal and ancient. Does it suit a boy better than August?

Aaron was on DH's list.
I like Samuel, Alexander, Anthony, Tristan, Archie, and Marcus.

Thanks, the list is growing!

OP, if you are in Scotland you might like to see these detailed tables of names for babies born in Scotland, just updated: www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/names/babies-first-names/babies-first-names-2015/babies-first-names-2015

I agree with you that Augustus does sound very grand and perhaps rather old-fashioned, and that August sounds much more modern. Either would be unusual but not outrageous. Gus would be a good nickname for either, and is quite well known in Scotland. Among the other names you suggest, I prefer Samuel, Alexander and Anthony. I like David and Andrew also.

Elliott Lee is lovely. Andrew is nice too, well known in Scotland but not heard so much these days.

Adrian is a bit dull, and is also very English to my ears (would stand out for that in some parts of Scotland). Derek and Darren used to be popular but now seem a bit dated - I think people would find Derek particularly surprising, and not in a good way unfortunately.

August has a nice sound but personally I find it a bit fancy for a first name. How about two middle names?

Agree with others that a double first name is hard to carry off, particularly for boys, and tends to be restricted to limited classic combinations such as John-Paul and, erm, that's it!

Congratulations on your baby!

The only double first names for boys i have known are Jean-Pierre - Who is South African, and so is his name.

English ones i have heard are Gary-Lee and Robbie-Joe, both of which sound completely ridiculous in my opinion. All lovely names, but not together!!! Please don't give him a double first name.