Boys Name Struggle

[shoesarefab]

So I have two girls (Delilah and Bathsheba), but I’m due a boy beginning of September. I am seriously struggling to find something that I love. Ideally it would be Old Testament, 3 syllables, outside of the top 100 and have a good story behind it. I think the problem is I had a third girls name that I would have used and I really love the stories abs meaning behind my daughters names. I just don’t have that with a boy. My current list follows and there is a “a problem” with all of them.

Aurelius (DH hates)
Balthazar (too close to daughters name)
Ezekiel (logical next step from Zachary which is gaining popularity fast)
Gabriel (DH hates, top 100)
Isaac (top 100)
Hector (my cousin has a Hector)
Solomon (conjures up images of ultra Orthodox Jews or Sol Campbell the footballer).

Please help, I’m starting to panic massively now!!!!!

My first thoughts:

Asher (only two syllables, but means happy!)
Nathaniel

From a list:

Abraham
Absalom
Ariel
Azariah
Barnabas
Bartholomew
Baruch
Ebenezer
Eleazar
Eliakim
Elisha
Elijah
Eliud
Emmanuel
Esdras
Ezra
Isaias
Ishmael
Japheth
Joshua
Jeremiah
Jonathan
Josiah
Malachi
Mattan
Matthias
Obadiah
Othniel
Phineas
Raphael
Samuel
Simeon
Thaddeus
Zachary
Zachariah
Zuriel

My husband did suggest Ezra but it’s top 100. I just don’t love anything this time round which is my biggest problem. I feel a bit “meh” about everything on my list 🙈

Theophilus

I did think Isiah?

How about a variant like Esdras or Ezras?

Can I ask why being outside the top 100 is so important to you?

There's always a risk if you choose something that it will have a popularity surge later... Better to choose something you like regardless?

No contribution to make but oh my goodness Bathsheba 😍

Isaiah is very nice - normally Isaiah or Isaias, not Isiah.

Why does it have to be outside the top 100?

Isaiah
Lazarus
Elnathan
Elisha
Gideon
Josiah
Malachi
Phineas (although Finn is very popular)
Thaddeus

I want it outside top 100 because I’m an Emma, I’ve been know my entire life by my surname and I hated that so didn’t want my children to be one of several in the class

The difference between #100 and #90 is minimal - maybe 500 uses vs 700 uses, as opposed to 5000 for the top names.

If you like a name that is, eg, #93, you should go for it. Don't let an arbitrary cut off spoil a name!

Zebedee or Gideon?

But are they really going to be several in the class if a name is way down in the 80s or 90s? Seems a bit OTT to reject nice names just in case they meet someone else with that name. There's a big middle ground between "several in the class" and "must be super unusual".

(FWIW I have a very common name too. I get that it's annoying. One of my DC has a top 50 name and the other has a top 100 name. We meet someone else with either of their names about once a year).

@atticarose oh really? And the numbers cover England and Wales don’t they? I still think that rules out Isaac as it’s top 20. Gaberiel was late 60’s but unfortunately DH hates it.

Delilah was top 500 when I picked it and Bash hasn’t even made top 1000 (although I understand it’s popular in the South amongst the religious).

The Deep South in America that is

If you use behindthename.com it will show rank, percentage, and number of uses for various different countries. Good luck!

I really like Ezekiel from your list. Malachi and Isaiah go well with your DDs' names.

Thanks, I’ll check it out.

Yes, I think Ezekiel is probably a front runner. I just really wanted a name I was completely in love with like I am with the girls names!!

Actually, I really love Balthazar, I just don’t know how I’d make it work with Bathsheba

Love your girls names and the suggestions of Balthazar and Ezekiel. How about
Quentin
Xavier
Thaddeus

I do quite like Thaddeus but think it might be a bit heavy? Boys names are so hard 🙈

What about Issachar or Othniel? I enjoy pp suggestions Zebedee and Malachi. Also not biblical but Sylvian would match your girls imo

From Old Testament I really like Josiah and Obadiah

How about Shakespearean names as another source of longer names? Lysander?