I can’t find a boys name I like!

[Trousersareoverrated]

I love Max but it has been used by a close relative of DHs. We can’t seem to agree on anything else. Anyone have any inspiration for me? I was thinking something short and simple as we have a long complicated surname. DH hates all the ‘plain’ names that I love like Ben, Sam and Tom. He likes names that I hate including Alfie and Dexter.

How about:
Louis
Alex (Ander)
Jack
Finn
Flynn
Kit
Oliver
Harry
Henry

Maxes I know have brothers: Alex, Jack, Aaron, Tom, Finlay

Thank you @Chilldonaldchill - I do like some of these too! Finn, Oliver and Louis are out because of people we know. I like Harry and Jack but worry they are a little too popular (and that DH will think to plain!)

How about a half way house as a compromise

Tristan
Casper
Griffin Griff
Idris
Nathan Nate
Laurence Laurie
Vincent Vinnie
Caleb
Seth
Ellis
Wilfred
Spencer
Rex

Short plain and simple and sounds a bit like Max...

Mark

It's an old classic. Not popular at the moment. Due a revival.

If your DH likes Max he might like Mark.

I have an Arthur

I also liked
Elijah
Henry
Albert (Albie)
Oscar
Barnaby
George
Rhydian
Caspian

I know an Abi. Oh and a Jed and a Seb. Not the same family obviously!

Oscar
Axel

Drew
Joshua
Otis
Gus
Hugh

Joel
Toby
Zach
Caleb
Oscar
Isaac
Hugo

Ted (Edward)
Matt (Matthew)
Greg (Gregory)
Pat (Patrick)

Not sure why you can't use Max if that is what you want. Two of my grandchildren have the same name - no problem there. They are cousins and there has been no difficulty whatsoever.

Your son and this other Max will grow up very quickly and probably never see each other; so what is the problem?

Asa
Doug(las)
Moses
Evan
Rex
Shay
Casper
Gus
Fox
Wolf
Duke
Drake
Otis
Derry
Ellis

Maxwell
Rowan
Harry

Thanks! Love some of these - DH has already vetoed some but there are some new ones I can suggest to him. Max is definitely out as it is the name of a cousin who he is likely to see at least monthly growing up.

Alexander? Then he could be an Alex (simple) or a Xander (fancy) or both interchangeably

How about

Hugh/Huw (welsh spelling)
Owen
Leo
Jude
Idris
Luke
Kit (Christopher)
Paul
Peter

I know your DH may consider names boring but having teenagers I can tell you there are no Johns, Peter's, David's in either on my teens classes. It's packed with Alfies's, Freddie's, Harry's and Finley's - not that there's anything wrong with those names (I have a Harry myself) it's just that I think some people have a misplaced idea about what's 'boring' these days.

OP what is the issue with two cousins called Max? We have two Milly's in the family after a relative, and I have a friend whose little boy and his cousin are both called Jack. They see each other all the time. It isn't an issue for anyone.

Archie
Tommy
Billy
Sidney
Lenny
Jasper

We had a similar "brief", wanted a short first name because of a long surname (two surnames actually) but didn't want an overly popular name like Ben, Tom, Sam etc. I also really like Max but couldn't use it because it doesn't go well with my surname.

Some other names I like

Adam
Ethan
Ivo
Jacob /Jake
James
Leo
Levi
Reuben
Toby
Zack

Aidan
Evan
Leon

I had similar difficulties settling on a boy’s name when I was pregnant and was quite relieved when I had a DD as we had a few girl options we were both happy with.

I think had she been a boy we’d have ended up going with Charlie, but I was never totally sold.

I loved Max too but DH wasn’t keen. There are two Maxes in the baby group I go to so it’s obviously having a moment, but it’s pretty timeless too.

I also loved Alex(ander) - vetoed by DH as that’s his best friend’s son but we both loved it.

Others on our list were:
Henry
Elis
Blake
Owen
Matthew
Theo
Nathaniel (Nate)
Gabriel (Gabe)
Spencer

Sonny? I think it’s a lovely name and I know a sonny with a three syllable surname that goes lovely.

Would none of you really be a bit surprised if your sibling called their child by the same name as yours less than a year after their birth? I would have thought it is a no no!

I know a 'Jax' at first I thought it was just short for Jackson but the child is actually registered as Jax! I really like it!

@Trousersareoverrated

Would none of you really be a bit surprised if your sibling called their child by the same name as yours less than a year after their birth? I would have thought it is a no no!

I’d be really surprised to be honest!

DH and I strongly considered the name James as it’s a family name for both of us and we like it. DH’s brother’s wife was pregnant at the same time as me, baby due a few months later, except they had a scan and found out they were having a boy and he’d be called James. That was that straight off our boys list, no way would we have used it if we’d had a boy, even though technically he’d have been born first and they live abroad so the cousins won’t see much of each other. We would have used it as a middle name though.

I get it when people say no one owns a name and there’s no reason you shouldn’t use it, I know that’s true really but it just wouldn’t feel right to me.