Arve for a boy

[Growingyou]

DP are at odds with naming our first DC. I really like Thomas, Samuel and Arthur, and while DP says he likes all three, he's pushing for something unusual. So far suggestions have included Gunnar, Hem, Pep, Dash, Tasman, and Arve. I'm not sure some of these are even names! The only one I'm vaguely considering is Arve (though this could be pregnancy hormones). Would really appreciate your reactions to Arve.

..is your husband having some kind of breakdown?

Not Arve but I would have Gunnar or Dashiell as a middle name.
Thomas Dashiell Smith
Samuel Gunnar Jones

@emmathedilemma I was amazed I was the first to be honest. Its stuck in my head too😂

I quite like Arve and Gunnar.

I’m Scandinavian so I like lots of Scandinavian names; I still know that some names just don’t work in English...

Arv or Ar-vee or Ar-vay?

Sounds like Harv, Harvey and Ave (Maria)!

Dashiell and Pepito are interesting names. Does your DH / family have Scandinavian heritage? Italian?

The pronunciation is key:

'Arve' pronounced like the verb 'carve' sounds like a North Londoner who CBA to say 'Harvey'.

'Arve' pronounced as two syllables 'ar' followed by 'vey' creates the Latin word 'Ave' which means 'greetings', or 'hail' - 'Ave Maria' means 'Hail Mary'. Great for Catholics, Latin speakers and so on but otherwise liable to cause issues IMO.

I like Arve, (pronounced correctly) but im in Norway . I dont like the "arv" or the "arvee" pronounciations which just seem weird.
Its a pretty old fashioned name in norway

Yes it’s fine n Norwegian! No one here would be able to pronounce it correctly, though - as others have said, it’d likely be one of the three options already mentioned, none of which make sense or come out sounding like a good name.

I'm sorry op but it sounds like something a pirate might name their baby aaaaarve!!!!

Is your husband a 6 foot 2 scandie - or does he wish he was?! Arve does sound like a Harvey from London, the rest I would assume were huskies. Tell him he will be very lucky to choose a middle name if he carries on like this.

Arthur nn Art was a good suggest from PP. Dashiell is a way of getting round dash, Philip nn Pip rather than Pep, Thomas nn Tam (Scottish), Sampson rather than Samuel?!

Scandie/German ish names that are workable in UK - Soren, Stellen, Anders, Nikolai, Alexander, Stefan, Magnus, Axel, Ivar.

Scottish that might appeal - Kester (form of Christopher), Struan

Otherwise - Guy, Blaise (Irish saint), Diggory nn Dig, Nathaniel nn Nat, Al as a nn for Alexander, Alistair etc, Ivan, Joel, Seth, Rufus, Rafe, Rory, Amos, Jonas

Arve is nice enough - I'd probably assume you had some Scandi links (and I've only heard it pronounced like Ar- veh, is that incorrect?) , but there's nothing wrong with it imo.

Gunnar also seems useable - although quite macho sounding in the UK. Not sure about DH's other choices though. Of your choices, I love Samuel and it's slowly getting less popular, year on year.

You and DH might like similar Gustav? Has some of the sounds from Gunnar and Arve and is popular in quite a few European countries - it also has the well known nn Gus (which is more commonly heard in English speaking countries, if he dislikes Gustav when older for some reason).

It sounds like a dreadful shortening of Harvey.

Samuel, Thomas and Arthur are all great names.

Unfortunately I don't like any of your more unusual choices.

Oh and if you like Samuel, you might like the less popular Nathaniel? You could always use the nn Han, rather than Nate if you prefer the "Sam" sound.

It looks like it rhymes with Marv to me. Makes me think of a cartoon character laughing "arf, arf".

We need more context about the Scandinavian link, or lack of! Will baby have an English surname?

Hmmm, it looks too much like a type for arse to me

Typo

Arve in Danish means "inherit" as a Dane it's not a name would pick. Googling I learned there was a Norwegian Trumpeteer called Arve Henriksen. I will admit to never having heard of him.

Gunnar is a ok name I have known a few they are all good guys.

Yes I agree but I’m picky - I don’t think Gunnar sounds right unless it’s pronounced properly, which it won’t be.

I love Samuel, Thomas and Arthur.

I don't hate Gunnar, and could work if you have Scandinavian links

Arve sounds like a Harvey on Eastenders.

Your husband's other choices would be lovely for future family pets. Pep and Dash would be adorable for a pair of spaniels.

What about Magnus? Unusual here, Sandinavian and a good name.

I know it's Arve that others have focused on as the odd one, but Tasman has me laughing my head off. It immediately brings to mind a buff guy saying 'I. AM. TAS.MAAAAN!'

I think pp are right, your husband shouldn't be in charge of names. Arve sounds like a mispronunciation of Harvey, Gunnar just sounds violent and I wouldn't be comfortable yelling the word gun at the child to get them to come back, hem as in hemming trousers, Dash as in the incredibles, pep and in pep talk and just isn't an adult man name.

Sorry, I prefer yours. My naming criteria was easily spelt and something everyone had heard of to minimise misspelling of names. I say this as someone who has a 'special' spelling for their name(think Kelli instead of Kelly) and I absolutely hate all the stupid made up spellings people give their child. I hate people spelling my name wrong or assuming it's something else. I don't feel it's fair on the child to saddle them with that annoyance for life.

I would have thought there was some good middle ground here. Your names are very common and your dh's aren't really going to work in the UK.
How about:
Corin
Torben
Theon
Kit

I always assumed Dash was nn for Dashwood, which I actually like.
I have known a Gunnar, pronounced Goo nar. Not keen tbh. Arve, not keen.
I know a lovely lad named Samuel and also a Thomas, again a nice lad. So nice associations with these names.
Can you compromise with a more unusual middle name?