First name clashing with surname?

[TruffleMama]

Hi all - my very first post to MumsNet!

Am 11w and 6d, awaiting Harmony test results (next Friday) so have thrown myself into baby names to take my mind off things.

We have tons of girls names, but we're really struggling with boys names.
My DP (darling partner) likes very strong names such as Vincent, Mitchell, Carter. I am not so keen. I prefer more softer, traditional names, such as Matthew, Joshua, Daniel, which he is not a fan of.

The only names we can agree on are:
Jack and Zack, which we both really love!

However, baby's surname will be Keegan.
I've repeated "Jack/Zack Keegan" to myself over and over and I feel they are hard to say together. I have to pause between each name to make sure I emphasize the K at the end of the first name and the K at the start of the surname.. otherwise they merge and it sounds like I'm actually saying: Jackeegan/Zackeegan.

My DP (darling partner) says it's not that big a deal as we don't go around saying our full names that often and for 90% of his life, he will be just be using his first name.

Just wanted to get some more thoughts on this please. Thanks in advance xx

If you say jack Keegan and it runs together, it is still obvious that it is Jack keegan.

It is fine, you are overthinking it!

How about Jacob? Or you could have his full name as Zachary with Zack as a nickname?

I'm with you - I think they're tricky. I'm imagining a professional scenario where you meet someone and say "Hi, I'm Zack Keegan".

Not a day-to-day problem though. Your DP is right in that respect.

Can you add your surname first so he's Zack Smith-Keegan?

I think they both sound ok with your surname, (really like Jack) but if you're really worrying how about Jackson or Zachary and then use Jack / Zach as NN?

It's so sweet of you to bother - and I know what you mean. Jake would also work here.

Why not ;) ask baby what s/he would like to be called. I spent a lot of time thinking about it all, and then when Seline came along, her name came to me, not the other way around. Good luck!

@steppemum

If you say jack Keegan and it runs together, it is still obvious that it is Jack keegan.

It is fine, you are overthinking it!

Hi Steppemum

You know, I actually never thought of that. You're right, even though the two names sort of merge together when said quickly without pausing to emphasize the two K's... it's still obvious that his name is Jack Keegan.
Thank you for pointing this out - it's made me feel much more positive about it now xx

Is the surname yours or your partner's? How would Jack/Zach sound with both surnames? Eg Zach Jones Keegan

My DP's surname is of a similar ilk OP and his first name not only rhymes but they both finish with an N. It's very awkward to say!

Jack Keegan is lovely and has a nice symmetry to it with the K ending and K beginning and agree with previous poster, they are clearly seperate names. Like your husband says 99.9% of the time people will only be using his first name anyway.

I agree that having the hard K sound at the end of first name and start of surname doesn't flow well

I disagree with OP's DP. Think of most of the people you know, people on tv etc and they are usually Firstname Surname.

With a popular name like Jack or Zac/Zack he'll be Jack K or Zack K at school, and Jack/Zack Keegan at work etc.

I think a name that doesn't end with a k would be better.

It'll be fine. If you take a pause or breathe between the two names it's perfectly clear and he will learn to do the same. It will only be an issue when giving his name to someone for the first time and you/ he would take care to pronounce it clearly in that situation anyway.

If your child has the same name as another child in his class he will be forever known (even when that child moves) as Jack/Zack Keegan. That said I think Zackery Keegan is beautiful.

I don't think it really matters, though I do see what you mean. I think Jack flows better than Zach, but I've no idea why! I would also consider Jackson or Zachary as a PP said as it would prevent this at least half of the time!

I think it could be mistaken as Jack Egan?

J/Zack Keegan sounds like J/Zack Egan.

I worked with a Lisa Redmond and people misheard the name as Lisa Edmonds. It meant wrongly addressed mail amd emails.

@steppemum is right in that Jack Keegan sounds the sane as Jackkeegan anyway. My first name and married names run together to form a different first name, which leaves people hanging for my surname eg: Emma Lyon becomes “What’s your surname Emmeline ?”.

But Jack/Zack Keegan is fine. He’s unlikely to be the only Jack/Zack in any group though.

Zackery is awful. It's Zachary.

I agree with others that Zachary Keegan flows better, he could still be known as Zach, but would have the option of introducing himself as Zachary Keegan if he preferred.

John Keegan and Jackson Keegan flow better.

I very rarely introduce myself as 'Mali Surname' at work, I just go by 'Mali' as I'm the only one! However, Zach and Jack - especially Jack - are quite common names so he will probably have to use his surname as well when introducing himself.

As you're not married I would give DS your surname, or give DS yourname-hisname to break up the k sounds. Jack Smith-Keegan, for example.

I would go Zachary and use Zach day to day. One of my boys has the exact same issue with the surname so we’ve used the longer form officially and he gets the shortened form in everyday life.

I think you're over-thinking it, which I completely understand as I overthought my DC's names!
Zachary Keegan is the perfect solution with nickname Zack. That way when his full name is announced in professional settings you lose the issue of the K sounds running together.
But honestly I wouldn't bat an eyelid at a Jack or Zack Keegan if that is what you really want.

I think it sounds clumsy, OP. My own name and surname combination is difficult to say because of the emphases unstressed/stressed stressed/unstressed and it's very clear my parents never said the name and surname aloud together before naming me.

I agree with the PPs saying Egan is the possible mis-hearing. My maiden name had the same problem, coupled with both first name and surname being a little unusual and in the case of my first name multiple possible spellings. It's one of the reasons I took my husband's surname - it wasn't irritating enough to be worth formally changing it by deed poll but when the opportunity occurred, I took it.

Thank you all so much for your replies, but I now no longer need help with boys names...

I submitted my post today to distract me from thinking about our upcoming Harmony test results... what are the chances... the results came through just a few hours after I submitted my post...

We're having a girl!!

Blood test result gave

@TruffleMama ahh great news! Congratulations OP! Out of curiosity, what names you like a girl?