Alfred or Aelfred or Roald or Robin?

[Lucylivesinamushroomhouse]

So we’re really struggling to name our baby boy (who is now over 2 weeks old!). His older sisters are Mina and Josana but always get called Minnie and Josie, and it’s really important to me that his name matches and flows with those. Josie has “named” the baby Ro Ro which could be short for Robin or Roald but I’m concerned that Ro Ro is too similar sounding to Jo Jo which we often call her! Husband wants an unusual name which has a great meaning or story behind it, or named after an aspirational historical/literary figure. Currently we’ve got a shortlist of...

Alfred (Alfie)
Aelfred (also Alfie? Or Fred but he doesn’t feel like a Fred)
Arthen (Artie)
Edmund (I like Ted, husband likes Ed, neither of us like the other nickname!!)
Roald (Roly? Too out there??)
Robin (Bobby?)
Rupert (Ru)
Percival (Percy)

We live in a very international part of London where unusual names abound. Hubby massive fan of Anglo Saxon name Aelfred and it’s growing on me too but neither of us like Alfie which is problematic!

Love Arthur but it’s really popular and indeed has already been taken by friends, maybe Arthen would be ok though? Artie is cute but would he get farty Artie?

Hubby and daughters like Robin and it suits him, but to me it just doesn’t flow with Minnie and Josie (am I being ridiculous??)

So as you can see we are totally stuck. Have come to realise there is no perfect name that ticks all the boxes. (Apart from Ted from Edmund but sadly husband doesn’t agree.)

Also he has a double barrelled (and very long) surname to contend with!! With initials FS so if he gets called Fred it’ll be FFS 😂🤦‍♀️

Any help appreciated! As you can see, total nightmare.

I like Roald and Edmund. Your initials definitely rule out Fred.

How about Erik?

Edmund. Ed.

I love Robin

Robbie or Bobbie could be short for Robin.

Robin seems like the least annoying.

How about Athelstan or Wulfric?

Yes Wulfric NN Wulfie

I like Edmund and Rupert best of your list.

Aelfred might look like a misspelling or pretentious version of Alfred to some.

What about Aelred? Maybe Red for short?

Oswy?

Reuel (J R R Tolkien's middle name)?

Roderick? - Roddy for short

Rollo?

I like Robin and Edmund.

Robin or at a push Edmund the rest are just daft names. The Robin I know has never been shortened and it’s a lovely name

Ha ha thanks everyone! Robin is lovely and I feel like if he was baby number one he might well be little Robin by now. It’s pretty inoffensive - the rest are quite polarising!! I just feel like it doesn’t match his sisters’ names, maybe I’m making that a bigger issue than it should be?

Edmund I love especially because of Edmund Hilary and the mountain connection, also the Narnia books make me think of my dad who read them to me when I was little. Feel like it’s a name he would have appreciated (otherwise we might give his name Andrew as a middle name).

Reuel another potential middle name after Tolkien and it means friend of God, which we like.

Hadn’t thought of Wulfric, Athelstan or Aelred- and after 2 weeks of researching and debating names nonstop I thought I’d thought of them all!

I like Robin (though not the diminutives), Rupert and Edmund best from your list.

If Ro (Ro-Ro) suits, how about Rohan or Rory? Rohan of course also has Tolkien links, being a kingdom of Middle Earth.

Wulfric is great. Even though I think that all these consciously unusual names, including Wulfric, are a bit infuriating, the sheer weird cuddliness of Wulfric triumphs over its infuriatingness.
I'm 55 and post-menopausal but I am going to do everything I can to conceive again so that I can have a Wulfric. Or at the very least I will buy a hamster.

I love Roald! Much stronger and more memorable than Robin.

Alfred is ok too but I hate Alfie.

I love Robin and I’m really confused by you keep referring to if it “matches” with the other names. They’re all separate individuals- would you dress them in the same clothes everyday and coordinating colours? I don’t get this.

For what it’s worth I think Robin sounds lovely with your girls names anyway. Whatever name you pick will end up “matching” a bit anyway because you picked it so that’ll be the name people associate as one of your three children. @Lucylivesinamushroomhouse

Roland or Rolando

Rollo, after the first Duke of Normandy?

Alfred or arthern are nice

I like Edmund best from your lust, but agree that Athelstan and Wulfric are awesome names!

I also don't get the going and flowing with siblings' names thing. They're individual people, not matching egg cups. They don't have to "go". I have 5 DC and never once considered this. The only time their names were ever together was on Christmas cards, etc.!
Just use the name you like.

It sounds like Robin is the name that's fitting him... It's such a lovely recognisable name but not too common.

In terms of 'matching' - it does. Minnie, Josie and Robin all have two syllables, so it flows and as he is your youngest it has a lovely ring with the 'n' at the end. Also being your boy I think it's nice the name which is his own.

Robin is lovely and definitely does match your daughter's names . Alfred is good too.
Or
Edgar?
Rex?
Rory?

I totally disagree, Robin doesn't match at all - it's quite little and jokey compared to the others, and he'll either not have a nn at all or be Rob! It's very insubstantial somehow.

I like Rupert best out of your list and that seems to fit better with the girls.

Wulfric is pretty cool actually. He'll definitely get Woolly though - oh hang on I'm liking it more and more! Wulf/Wolf also v cool.

I'd go for Rupert to be safe and Wulfric to be excellent.

Totally no to the others on the list.

Reading your OP again, 'Minnie, Josie and Robin' - I'd instantly think three girls. Hmmm.

I’d only ever think of Robin as a boys name

Robyn is the girls’ version

Edmund and Roald are the best choices based on your criteria and both go beautifully with your girls names. I think Edmund is great and lovely that it has meaning related to your dad as well as adventure etc.

I wouldn't worry about the nicknames for Edmund as one will emerge organically.

I think Rupert is a great name and 'Ro Ro' could quickly become 'Ru Ru' for big sis.