We can't agree on a name!

[lezard0]

I'm not due until may but we are trying to decide on a name

Me and my boyfriend have 5 favourite names and we don't like each others

My list is:
Levi
Caleb
Riley
Nicholas
Gavin
And his list is:
Rex
Nathaniel
Kyle
Calvin
Lance

We don't want a name that's too popular like Theo for example

I don’t have suggestions exactly but wanted to note you do have some names that are actually quite similar and cover some common ground. Nathaniel and Nicholas, Caleb, Calvin and Gavin. Riley and Kyle. It sounds to me like you actually do like similar sounds and letters- could be worth searching names within those letters groups if that makes sense.

As an aside, when i searched Caleb, Calvin, Nathaniel and Nicholas for similar names, they all suggested the name Benjamin as a similar option. Don’t know if that helps! Best of luck, it’s tough but you will get there 😁

I’d choose Nathaniel or Caleb, although Caleb I’ve heard pronounced a couple of different ways, I’m actually not sure which way is right. The others are just not my taste. Good luck!

If there is a long name you can agree on and one can use a short version they like, like Nicholas and using Nico.

Have you looked at namedtogether? You each tick the ones you like and compare to see if any are the same.

This isn't helpful, but Caleb, Rex and Nathaniel are quite nice. The rest are awful. Please don't call him Gavin or Lance.

Would a name app like Kinder help you? It's basically Tinder for names. It make take some of the pressure of 'his names' and 'my names'. obviously you both have to be open to liking names outside of your top five for it to work, but it might help you both get a new list together.

Nicholas or Nathaniel

Yeah your lists aren't that dissimilar. Something like Max, Jacob, Calum might fit the bill.

Just cut it to two of your which he hates least and two of his which you hate least.

Once baby arrives, that's only 4 to choose from - or something else may spark your fancy then.

Nicholas and Nathaniel are great names.

@NannyR

Nicholas and Nathaniel are great names.

Those are my favourite as well.

Gavin? please don't call him Gavin.
You both have some nice names. I love Nathaniel and Caleb personally.
DH and I couldn't agree either. I would recommend waiting until he is both with a small list of names you would both compromise on and deciding then.

Born not both

Your lists are quite similar in style, so I think you are half way there and should be able to find some common ground. It's not as if one of you likes trendy 'hipster' names and the other only likes classics. Keep talking.

Hmm, you do have a fair bit of common ground there...

Levi, Caleb and Calvin - quite strong masculine biblical feel - so how about Reuben, Jerome, Jesse, Joel, Jude, Jonah, Eli (nn for Elijah or Elisha), Silas, Seth, Luke/Lucas, Linus, Blaise

Nathaniel and Nicholas both traditional, but not super popular - so how about Tobias, Jonathan, Raphael, Gabriel, Dominic, Joshua, Rafe, Rufus, Gideon, Alistair, Lucian, Julian/Julius, Justin, Sebastian, Patrick

The others on both lists all feel quite paired down and contemporary - so how about - Max, Rory, Ronan, Finn, Finlay, Fionn, Kester, Ciaran, Cormac, Franklin (nn Frank if you want), Aaron, Aidan, Gawain, Lorne, Lorcan, Lachlan

Of your lists I think Levi, Caleb, Nicholas (nn Nico or Cole), and Nathaniel (nn Nat/Nate/Nathan) are all really nice. Calvin is ok. But Riley, Gavin, Rex and Lance all have quite a downmarket feel so I would personally avoid them.

Of your lists Nicholas and Nathaniel are lovely and give you the most options for calling him something different (Nick/Nico/Cole and Nate/Han/Neil), if the other doesn't like the longer version of the name. So you could compromise in that respect, or perhaps by choosing Caleb or Calvin for the BC and both call him Cal instead (my personal pref is for Caleb of the two). Otherwise I think you need to keep looking till you can find something you can both agree on, sorry.

I really like Nicholas and Nathaniel.

Is the baby having your surname?

Try one of those baby name matching apps if you haven't. You might end up surprised at how many you agree on :)

Nicholas and Nathaniel are good. Caleb and Rex are fine. I dislike the rest. Eventually one of the names will grow on the other person, or you'll come up with another one that you both like.

Out of the list I only like Rex. Sorry!

Wow that's an eclectic mix of names!

'We don't want a name that's too popular like Theo for example'

Sometimes there's a reason names are unpopular!

A big no to Gavin and Lance

What about Cal? That way you have Calvin / Caleb

I agree that you have a lot of common ground. I bet if you went through a baby book again you'd have some joint names on a longer list.
I agree with everyone else - Gavin and Lance are not sure a come-back, any more than Sharon, Tracey or Wayne are.
Calvin, Nathaniel and Caleb are all good names. Cal is a great nickname so maybe Callum or Charles?
Both of you have some biblical names on your list. How about these as less common biblical names? -
Micah
Jude
Jonas
Ezra
Amos
Simeon
Nathan
Ethan