Help! Edward or Ernest?

[kitty1013]

Advice please!
I am expecting my fourth boy.
So far we have Frederick , Theodore and David. (We call them Fred, Theo & Dave.)

I want something not too unusual ie they won't spend their lifetime spelling it out, but equally not too common...so not Oliver! (It's a lovely name, but there are 3 in Fred's class...)

I like Edward (to be called ed or Eddie), my husband for some reason likes Ernie (I quite like the full name Ernest)

Views please?...or other ideas!

We foolishly gave our sons 2 middle names each so we are thoroughly boys-named out, ha ha!

I like both and both would go well with the other siblings. I have a soft spot for little Ernie though

I don’t think you could have Fred and Ed.

Edward, or perhaps Edmund? You risk ending up with a Fred and an Ed though, which might be confusing.

Edward

I prefer Edward but wonder if it sounds a bit too much like Frederick - would you end up with with Fred and Ed?

How about Jonathan, Matthew, Robert, James, Alexander, Henry, Arthur or Nathan. All fairly traditional but not too common and can be shortened.

Ernest, it goes lovely with the other names and so does nn. Edward has been quite popular last few years and Fred and Ed sounds wrong.

I love Ernie!

Ernie most definitely!

Neither! Too many Edwards, plus it's way too similar to Fred, and Ernie sounds awful to me!

Lol we are clearly bad parents as find the Fred/Ed thing quite amusing and only wish we could persuade our Theo to be called Ted (but he won't!)

Generally quite an even split though... I must admit I do prefer Ed or Eddie to Ernie . the only Ernie I "know" was Ernie Wise !

Ernest definitely. Fred and Ed - no.

Ernest. I think it suits a little boy and an adult.

Edmund!

Ok - so a definite swing towards Ernest. I do really like it as a full name. And the fact it's less common than Edward.

My children like the name Eric. But I'm not feeling it!

I quite like Ernest/Ernie but think Edward is perhaps easier to live with - though I'd definitely shorten to Ted (love!). Between Eddie and Ernie I prefer Ernie!

Edward! Ernest makes me think of that crap Xmas film, and Ernie is a Muppet.

Ernest!

Ernest is a family name for us and we have used it as a second name. I love Blackadder so I couldn't use Edmund.

I love Ed!

Might just be me, but when I think of Ernie, I think of the fastest milk cart in the west! I sing it every time!

I have a 10 year old Ernest so I’m very biased as we love our Ernie.

How about James nn Jamie?
Or Piper nn Pip?

Edward

I never saw the muppets. To me the only association is Ernest Hemingway!
Definitely think Ernest is the winner for me... only my husband is still stubbornly clinging on to Eric!

I have an Edward and a Fred and can honestly say we've never confused the two. Ernest is a lovely old-fashioned name but what if he's not earnest?! And Ernie always makes me think of Eric and Ernie. Have you considered Francis/Frank? It doesn't seem very popular these days but it's a lovely name. Or Christopher/Kit?

Of the two, Edward. But Eric is even better.

I'm sorry but Ernest is awful.

Ernest is Ernie the muppet plus the Importance of Being Ernest - i.e. gay.