Baby Boy name help! - Hector or Alden?

[Meebs]

DH and I currently have the two above names as our front runners for our baby due in October. I prefer Alden, yet now DH has informed me he never really liked the name in the first place despite having these 2 in our shortlist for a couple of months.

Firstly, is Hector a popular name now and is it a bit faddy? Don't really want DS to have 5 other little Hector's in his class.

Is Alden 'a bit too weird' as DH would say, or should I push for it?

Any other name suggestions similar to Alden that DH might approve of? Little upset now since I thought I'd get my perfect and preferred name out of the two. (pregnancy hormones not helping)

Thanks!

I love Alden. I've never seen that name before. It would be mistaken for Aiden quite a lot, though.

I'm not too keen on Hector, and it immediately makes me think of Hector's House (only older people would think of that).

I like the pp's suggestion of Aldous, Edwin and Julian.

I much prefer Hector. Neither name is very popular, though, so I wouldn't let that be a factor.

I know an Alden, I believe it is an Anglo Saxon name? I think you have to go with what you like and just hope that he doesn't hate it! But if you're not convinced and you're getting a lot of negative feedback then maybe think again?

Hmmm, lots of mixed reactions here!

I like Aldous, but DH's few and far between suggestions are usually in the realm of Daniel, Thomas, Philip etc. So I doubt he'd go for that.

Alden is pronounced All-den just in case people were wondering and it's definitely a real name!

Never heard of Hector's House???

Might be going back to the drawing board, again...

I really like both but probably prefer Alden!

Not a fan of Hector, sorry.

I would stick on the Alden route and try similar names such as:
Alwyn
Alaric
Edwin
Aspen
Aiden

Alden sounds a little like a place name to me but I prefer it over Hector and think it would be fine for a little boy.

People will always say 'Aiden' instead of 'Alden'. Hector is lovely but v popular now.

Hector

On pronunciation, I think there are three possibilities for Alden:

All-den (as in All)
Al-den (Al as in Alistair)
Ol-den (Al as in always, alternative)

I realise I'm naturally going for the third one. I could be persuaded to the first. The second sounds odd to me.

Still think it's lovely. I also like Edwin, Arlo and Aldous. How about Aloysius (Al-oo-ish-us) for something frillier? Or Ignatius nn Iggy?

I like Hector, it's a pretty traditional name in Scotland so not faddy.

Alden? Nope. It's a surname.

Hector - great name IMO - can't be easily shortened and not millions of them.
Alden - nope. he'll spend a lifetime spelling it to people. It might be listed as a name in a baby book somewhere but it's really not.

Hector can easily be shortened! 'By heck it's Hec!'

I quite like Hector. I've only come across one, he's 2 so I highly doubt they'll be loads in his year at school. It's a nice name with alot of history though may be difficult to pull off if he's a bit weedy as a teen?

Not a fan of Alden at all, it's not really weird, I just don't find it an attractive name sorry

Daniel, Phillip and Thomas are much much better names

Daniel, Phillip and Thomas are much much better names

Well, that's an opinion. Personally I find Alden much nicer and more interesting. I also already know a dozen men/boys named Dan, Phil and Tom... I'd love to meet an Alden!

How about Aubrey? The beginning sounds the same, and isn't too crazy/out there.

What the Hec? Just call him Tor.

Alden is wet and Hector is grim.

Try again OP, there are some lovely names out there - even some of the 'boring' names your DH likes.

How are you expecting people to pronounce Alden? Because I guarantee you will get two varieties. Ol-den and Al-den. I have a surname that starts with this sound and it's incredibly irritating for it to be mistakenly spelt and mispronounced more often than not by others.

Oh I like Alden.. just googled to see origin, shame it's not welsh I need a welsh name for DS 2

Also Hector is lovely I imagine he'd be a right cutie

I dont like Hector at all. It sounds too harsh as for me.

Alden is nice I think, but maybe consider for less confusing option. Imagine you would have to explain how to pronounce and spell your name.

And try to go through full list again. We picked up final name after baby was born))

Hector is a great name, I like the link with the Trojan hero and that it means "holding fast and faithful". It's a traditional name, without being overused.

The current meaning of 'to hector' would bother me.

Love Alden though

The only Alden I have ever heard of was the character Alden Pyle in the film of Graham Greene's The Quiet American, played by Brendan Fraser when he was VERY young and handsome 😍

I don't like the sound of hector. Alden is ok but maybe too unusual and not well known as a name. Aldous would be a good alternative, it is a well known similar but unusual name. Although I may have spelt it wrong.