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VERY picky boy's name challenge!

103 replies

BertieBotts · 02/05/2018 21:19

I'm coming up to 24 weeks with DS2. Need to agree on a name at some point.

DS1 was easy, we agreed on his name on the day of the scan and it just stuck. This time it's really hard! DH has totally different taste to my ex as well and I can't predict what he will like at all.

I should admit, I'm probably the pickier of the two of us. The problem is that it seems with boy's names I either really like them (1%), I really hate them (80%), or I find them okay but totally and utterly bland (the rest). I've also taught children which seems to add another layer of nightmare to the whole process Grin

Criteria (Skip to summary for less waffle)

We're English but live in Germany. It has to work in English and German. It can be a German name or an English name. According to German rules: It can't be a made up name. If it's not recognisable as either English/German by the average German person because it's unusual, we may be asked to get a letter from the consulate confirming it's a real name. It's also not allowed to choose a name which is more commonly known as a surname - something like Thomas would be fine, something like Bailey is not (real example a friend was refused). I don't mind if it's common or unusual currently but defo not a name you'd associate with somebody of a certain age group, like Wolfgang, or Steve.

Common German letter/pronunciation problems:
J is pronounced like Y
TH is pronounced like T or S
W is pronounced like V
V can sometimes come out like W
R as a beginning letter can be tricky.

Just generalisations, but does rule out a few names we like, particularly J names. Worth noting if they are very common English names, like James, they are pronounced fine, but names with a German equivalent like Jacob/Jakob (Yak-ob) won't generally come out as we'd hoped!

We will use one of two middle names which both end in the sound -ew. Our surname is one syllable with the -e- sound, and it sounds like a real word, so names which are also real words often sound ridiculous. Think along the lines of Webb (but it's not Webb). Grey Webb = definite no. Based on how these sound with the middle and surnames I've ruled out names ending in oo/ew, o, m, p, v or ch. DH prefers two syllables or at least a two syllable short form (e.g. Freddy).

We would really love a connection to space, fantasy or nature, but this isn't required (it just gives it more chance of breaking through the "meh" or "oh god no" filters). Apart from Welsh and German connections we don't have any other geographical links. I'm not really keen on names which mean things like "warrior" or other things relating to violence/dominance - I'm aware this sounds totally and utterly bonkers but I don't like the association of male = violence. And we're not religious and DH is quite keen to avoid religious names - but IMO this only really rules out things like Gabriel, Noah - something which is extremely common but also happens to be a biblical name like Matthew might be OK. The meaning probably isn't a dealbreaker - just a nice to have.

So far we've gone through:

Lars - DH doesn't like because "he will name the baby lala" - I still like, and think this is a stupid reason.
Robin - like the connection to nature/woodland, two syllables, Robin Williams, general sound. But I was unsure as it is quite close to DS1's name. DH has now gone off as he's realised it can be used for a girl too.
Leo - we may come back to this because it's the one we've both stuck on for the longest, but we were both under the impression that the other wanted a longer "proper" form and couldn't agree on one. I'm not hugely sure about the -o ending with either -ew middle name. DH suggested Leon which I really don't like. And I don't think Leon can be shortened to Leo. Now he's gone off it - not sure if this will come back.

I like but DH doesn't: Max, Emil, Tobias (Toby), Elfrid (but agree this is a bit too out there), Leonidas (Leo)

Currently (tentatively) considering - Idris. I love this name, have always loved it (my Grandma was Welsh and we spent a lot of time in Wales during my childhood) plus it reminds me of dragons. I like that Idris is a legend too, and an astronomer! DH is a bit unsure because he hadn't heard of it before, but I think he might be warming to it? He liked Idris Elba in some film or another. I do think the Germans will tend to pronounce it ee-dris with a rolled R but I don't mind that.

Summary:

Boy's name
Works in English and German
Two syllables (or two syllable short form)
Not ending in oo/ew, m, p, v, or ch
Not a real word
Not a made up name
Not a surname
Bonus for connection with space, fantasy or nature
Preferably not meaning something violent or religious

If you can come up with anything either one of us likes I will be very impressed Grin

OP posts:
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KarineAimee · 03/05/2018 08:22

Rufus means red and is a great name.

I know a Brit/German family who named their boys Elliot and Arthur.

Marv1nGay3 · 03/05/2018 09:44

Carsten

AllyMcBeagle · 03/05/2018 09:49

I picked a few Welsh and Germanic names of an app I use which have space/nature/fantasy meanings. I think these would probably work in English and German. I believe the list is free from typos but if you like any of them do check that they are a proper name and I haven't mistyped them!

My favourite is Haden.

Welsh:
Avon (river)
Dillan/Dylan (Son of the sea)
Glin (Glen/valley of water)
Morgan/Morgen (Great circle in Welsh/Morgen = morning/tomorrow in German of course); Morgun is circling sea in Welsh
Romney (Winding river)

Germanic:
Ahren/Aren/Arne/Arnt (Eagle)
Alfy (Elf or magical counsel but also means ready for battle so you might not be keen)
Alvie (army of elves!)
Arnold/Arny (Eagle ruler)
Bren (Flame)
Haden/Hadon (From the heath)
Hersch/Herschell/Hersh/Heschel/Hirsch/Hirschel (Deer; there is also the Herschel Space Observatory named after the astronomer William Herschel)
Lamar (From the sea)
Oberon (Bear heart - also the name of Uranus' major moon)
Ralf (Red wolf)
Rolf (Wolf counsel)

JessieMcJessie · 03/05/2018 09:52

You haven’t commented on the suggestion of Magnus? I know a lovely little Magnus.

I am also interested to think what name could be similar to both Robin and Orion. (I know you won’t tell us)

MummaGiles · 03/05/2018 09:53

Lucas/Lukas?

Pressuredrip · 03/05/2018 10:04

I love Idris

Rudy
Osian
Milo
Rowan
Sandy
Samson
Ivar
Evan
Theo

Synecdoche · 03/05/2018 10:16

I used to look after a lovely little German boy called Elias (el-ee-as). Great name.

craigglen · 03/05/2018 10:36

I worked in Germany for a while. Some nice names I liked -

Arno
Hardy
Sebastian
Stefan
Matthias
Andreas
Thomas
Ferdinand
Kai
Lucas
Oliver

PasstheStarmix · 03/05/2018 10:41

Quentin is cool, hate Leo ‘the lion’ though

LoveInTokyo · 03/05/2018 11:01

Oh I just remembered I have a half German cousin who has lived in Germany most of his life, called Rupert.

LoveInTokyo · 03/05/2018 11:03

And I guess if Rupert works then Robert will also work. I prefer Robert to Robin, which sounds a bit infantile to me.

BertieBotts · 03/05/2018 12:00

I've said his name on here before so I suppose no harm in revealing - DS1 is Ryan! It's quite different to the names I like now so I didn't really want it to cloud perception. There's a 10 year gap so no real need for them to be matchy matchy but Ryan and Orion would just be confusing. Rowan might be different enough, but not sure.

Sorry, not keen on Magnus. I don't know why, I just don't really like it. I think it's too grand. I defo prefer Robin to Robert/Robbie and not overly keen on Rupert either though I do like Rupert Grint :)

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 03/05/2018 12:07

I've taught a little Elias :) he is sweet but I prefer Emil.

I forgot to say I like Arne on the list, might use that if we were in the UK but a lot of our friends here are American and I'm not sure how much I like the pronounced version of the r in that name.

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 03/05/2018 12:11

Ha ha yes Ryan and Orion would be very wrong! As would Ryan and Rowena, definitely.

Good luck deciding, lost if good suggestions on here. I’ve slightly forgotten your criteria but have you considered Oliver? It’s too popular here at the moment but that might not be an issue in Germany.

JessieMcJessie · 03/05/2018 12:11

Or even Ryan and Rowan, bleeding spellcheck.

LordBuckley · 03/05/2018 12:24

Leonardo.

You can say he was named for da Vinci, both Germans and English people should pronounce it more or less the same way, and you can shorten it to Leo.

pipilangstrumpf · 03/05/2018 13:41

Can Germans pronounce Ryan?!

BaconCrispsGone · 03/05/2018 13:57

www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/advanced-name-finder

Think you need to register to use it (free), but you can generate a list of names from all kinds of constraints

Upallnightandsome · 03/05/2018 14:10

Idris is good. Otherwise...

  • I know a German called Leonis (which gives you Leo)
  • Or there is a German footballer (forgotten who) whose son is called Luan (which also means lion).

I also like

  • Sylvan - which is related to woodlands
  • Florian - again nature
  • Anton - just because!
RickOShay · 03/05/2018 14:13

Gustav

BertieBotts · 03/05/2018 14:16

Pipi - no not really! Grin I had no idea we would later move to Germany when I named him! He mostly gets Wyann (from children) or Rhine (from adults). And we end up with all kinds of creative spellings when someone has to guess how to write his name - and sometimes even when I spell it for them Confused

OP posts:
sonnyboo · 03/05/2018 14:25

Felix
Quentin
Markus
Darius

Fi1982 · 03/05/2018 15:58

Silas? Meaning ‘of the forest’

sonnyboo · 03/05/2018 16:14

That would probably be pronounced See-las in German.

OhBergine · 03/05/2018 19:55

DH is German so we're having similar conversations. Possibilities (apologies if you've already discounted some of these):

  • Fabian
  • Lucas
  • Wolf
  • Philip
  • Darius / Dario
  • Wilhelm
  • Rafael
  • Richard
  • Nico / Nikolai
  • Moritz
  • Mario
  • Arno / Arlo
  • Franz
  • Rafferty
  • Cosmo
  • Renee
  • Sasha