Rhyming first and last name... can it ever work?

[thunderandsunshine01]

Not sure what we are having yet but we have always had 2 boy names shortlisted from the get go.

Nolan
Tobias (Toby for short)

Whilst I think I prefer Nolan slightly, Tobias has always been the front runner due to our last name which rhymes and has the same number of syllables as ‘BODEN’ - also ends with the letters DEN. Can we ever make Nolan work or is it a no go? These are some middle names we like so combo suggestions are welcome! (Would two middle names work better to make it less rhymey?!)

-Stanley
-Grayson
-Elliot
-John (family name)
-Cameron
-Otis

Nolan would be a no from me.
I’d go with Elliot or John

I don't like Nolan as a first name. Middle names are rarely used in day-to-day life.

Of your list of names, I like John very much and the nn Johnny is great.
Tobias is ok, but I prefer Toby.

-Stanley - ok
-Grayson - dislike
-Elliot - a bit wet-sounding as a first name
-John (family name) - love
-Cameron - it's been very popular in the past and will be Cam
-Otis - dislike

If it rhymes with the surname I just don’t think you can use Nolan, using middle names as an attempt to correct it won’t work.

I think you already know Nolan is a no go. Tobias is lovely, Stanley the next best IMO.

I remember seeing a patient with a rhyming first and surname (she married into it). The waiting area would always chuckle when she got called in and she had to constantly explain it was her married not given name, loud enough so the waiting area could also hear the explanation,

My middle name rhymes with my partners surname, if I took his surname I’d completely drop the middle name, again, it just sounds so daft when it rhymes!

Ooh sorry not sure if my OP was clear, the other suggestions would be middle names only! We really love Nolan and Tobias, so I’m just really looking for opinions on whether we could get away with having Nolan with our last name - perhaps some of the middle name suggestions might make it work?

@reeny19 These were my fears! Possibly may have to veto Nolan then. Interesting to see that you’d drop a middle name if it rhymed with the last name too... there goes plan B!

None of the middle name suggestions will make a scrap of difference in day-to-day life. Without knowing what the surname is, I can't tell if it rhymes or not.

@MikeUniformMike just the first letter changes from the word BODEN

Something like Nolan Roden? It's a bit sing-songy.

I still don't like Nolan as a first name. It's too surnamey.

How about Roland?

I work with someone with a rhyming name, every time I speak to him I'm thinking why did your parents do that to you?!

-Stanley - don't like this at all
-Grayson - like! Good strong name
-Elliot - eh
-John - boring
-Cameron - i like this
-Otis - no but I don't know why

Grayson Tobias could work

It works for Roland McDonald

Well tobias is much nicer but Nolan Woden doesn't acceptability rhyme

Jason Statham seems to have survived, but in general probably not a great idea.

I have a Tobias/Toby and love his name.

Tobias. It's a lovely name and it'll be fine with your surname.

I worked (a very long time ago) with Mavis Davis. Everyone found it hilarious, especially as it wasn't her birth name & she'd married into it.

Tobias Jareth Woden works

@Svalberg I knew a Mavis Davis too! Wonder if it was the same one.

I also knew an Alan Allen. His mother remarried and he took his stepfather's surname.

Really dislike Nolan and definitely doesn't work with your surname.

Stanley - I love it!
Grayson- sounds like a butler for a superhero
Elliot- lovely
John - a classic
Cameron - Like it
Otis - sounds like a dog's name

@bridgetreilly She'd be in her 80s now I think!

At a guess, the one I knew would be older than that! She was a friend of my parents. With a husband in the RAF, if I remember rightly.

The husband of mine was the last group to do National Service, so that makes him about 18 in 1960 (ish) I think, and she'd be a similar age I guess, so around 80 now

Nolan Boden doesn't actually rhyme, technically, but it does sound very awkward, and I don't think it works awfully well with the possible middle names.

Tobias is lovely. Tobias John is perfect.

Is your name Holden? Nolan Holden is awful, but Tobias works very well.

You could make it work would as the first of two middle names.
So Tobais Nolan John Boden, for example.