I just threw a baby name book across the room - argh!

[Somerville]

Stupid baby name book, where the boy section is missing one syllable names.

Well... there are a few that are short for something (Matt, Nick), which I dislike on their own, and having a longer name on BC defeats the purpose.

And a few more that are just... not very dashing interesting.

Oh and others that don't fit our other essential criteria - which is not ending with the letter L and being able to work okay in both France and Ireland as well as UK.

Indulge me for a moment that the issue is my baby name book and not our (unfortunately, wholly necessary) criteria, alright?! Any ideas?

Edgar nn Ted/Ed/Eddie?

Dan
Carl
Joel
Conn
Wyn
Grant
Scott
Todd
Lee
Kurt
Heath

Pick a name you like, regardless of length.
I know people with 3 syllable first name and 4 syllable surname combinations and it's fine.
Many long names shorten just fine (Max, Xav, Chris/Kit etc).

Patrick is a good French and Irish name.
My fave so far is Xavier.
Would Zeb be OK, short for Zebedee?

What my child with a clunky 7 syllable surname needs is to be called... Zebedee?

Gulliver.

I was hoping it was an autocorrect from Zebediah :)

Zeke
Kermit....

Max all the way!

I like it. Zeb Soanes gets away with it. I guess it wouldn't be for every one.

I think a 'safe' name is probably best. Easier to live with.
Max but not Maximilian.

Beau.
Beau Somerville Lovely
Are you giving him a middle name as well?

Beau Sebastian Somerville Lovely.

Do any of these appeal OP?

James
Reece/Rhys
Marc / Mark
Vance
Vaughn
Neal/Neil/Niall
Ross
Bryn

The thing about Nick names is that often the parents don't influence them in the longer term their friends do. We had a "ned" become an "Eddie" ! A nn that would have been used over my dead body.

Xavier
Magnus

Just go for something not too long but that you like.

Does John need a nickname when It's a nn itself for Jolyon and Jonathan. You cd go the other way to the existing dc and have nn Johnnie.

I'm feeling you with nns developing that are nothing we'd choose as parents. That's happened to all my older kids. In one case the nn has very little to do with their actual name.

Baby Beau Somerville Lovely is kicking away madly today. Maybe he likes one of these names.

"What my child with a clunky 7 syllable surname needs is to be called... Zebedee?"

LOL

Why do people keep suggesting Beau? You do all know that it's French for beautiful, right? And that it would sound completely ridiculous to anyone who speaks French?!

Max Max Max. That is all

I had another thought... I wonder if a 3/4 syllable first name might actually sound better with the 3+4 syllable surname - it might balance it out. If you picked a longer name with a one-syllable shortening/nickname, the shorter version would still be used everyday. He'd be like his siblings then.

Beau is perfect op

I think that Max Somerville Nomdefamille sounds great.
I don't like Beau as a name.

I know at least 4 little Maxes and several Rafes. Both good names but fashionable. I know an adorable baby Beau but is it used as a name in France? Several people have mentioned Guy which is a strong name and due a resurgence, I think. Obviously works well in France too. Re Hugh I don't think of Grant as have known some nice Hughs, don't let one actor put you off.

"I know an adorable baby Beau but is it used as a name in France?"

No! Of course not. Belle isn't either.

The next time I'm bored I plan to pretend I've fallen for the name Beau, just to watch DH splutter.

Honestly, Em, every single person who knows our surnames has looked dubious while saying some variant of "Oh well, at least you'll be able to give him a really short first name."

I'm not saying we won't brazen out giving him a longer name than is ideal. We might.
But it's nice to have Max on the list too.

I like Guy.

"The next time I'm bored I plan to pretend I've fallen for the name Beau, just to watch DH splutter."

One of my FB friends* announced the birth of their DAUGHTER Beau... I definitely spluttered. A lot.

*Not an actual friend so I don't see them and luckily don't have to keep a straight face in their presence.

I love reading passive-aggressively polite replies to out-there baby name announcements on FB. I just don't want to get too many of them ourselves.

One of my FB friends* announced the birth of their DAUGHTER Beau... I definitely spluttered. A lot.

*Not an actual friend so I don't see them and luckily don't have to keep a straight face in their presence.