Refine my boy’s list

[HisHX]

Please help me cut down my (fat too long) boy’s list! Any connotations I should be aware of? Any excessively common right now? Any that are objectively awful that I’ve somehow become name blind to?!
thanks! X

Barney
William (Billy)
Charles (Charlie)
Dominic
Ethan
Eric
Finn
Fraser
George
Jack
Jesse
Joseph (Joe)
Jude
Leonard (Lenny)
Milo
Otto
Rory
Samuel (Sam)
Sid

Far too*!

I would say Jack, Finn and Rory are all really popular where I am (they are all lovely names though!)

My favourites from your list are Samuel (Sam) and Jude.

Charlie, Finn and George are very popular.
As a teacher I'd also say there are at least 3 Joes in every year group without fail.
I really like Milo but know quite a few babies with that name.
I love Otto and Ethan.
Also worth remembering if you absolutely love a name then don't let popularity put you off. When it's your own DC's name, it won't matter.

None are 'awful', it's just a case of personal preference.

My favourites in no particular order would be

Sid
Ethan
Eric
Joseph
George

Least faves

Rory
Otto
Finn
Fraser
Jesse

Keep.

Ethan
Finn
Jude
William.

Also like Otto

Lovely list. Joe, Sam, Finn, George, Rory very popular at the moment. Otto and Milo I think will date badly. The others are all lovely, my favourite is Leonard/Lenny - such a good name, strong as well as with a nice sound, and not too common these days.

Barney - I like as a NN for Barnaby or Barnabas but not as a stand alone name

William (Billy) - it's a nice classic, not a fan of Billy at all though, 'billy the kid'. My favourite NN is Liam but I also like Will

Charles (Charlie) - like Charlie, hate Charles. It's so stuffy sounding

Dominic - I like it. Nice classic

Ethan - not a fan

Eric - really not a fan. Always seems very American to me

Finn - it's ok. I prefer Flynn

Fraser - not a fan

George - hate George

Jack - like it

Jesse - really dislike, but maybe because the only one I know is a spoilt brat

Joseph (Joe) - really like Joseph but not a huge fan of Joe

Jude - lovely, prefer Judah NN Jude

Leonard (Lenny) - Leonard is ok. Hate Lenny

Milo - really dislike it

Otto - not a fan

Rory - lovely

Samuel (Sam) - like it, prefer Samson

Sid - ok as a NN for Sidney, prefer Sydney on a girl

The only 1 with a connotation for me is Barney as I immediately think of the purple dinosaur.

My top 1 would be Dominic

It was 1 of my suggestions but DP knows too many.

Barney - still associate it with the big purple dinosaur. Or a cat. My neighbour was calling out for their son called Barney and I thought she was trying to call her cat
William (Billy) - beige name
Charles (Charlie) - another beige name
Dominic - ok
Ethan - very very popular
Eric - haven't heard this name for a while.
Finn - very very popular with all the Finley's
Fraser - like it
George - like it
Jack - not a fan
Jesse - no opinion
Joseph (Joe) - beige
Jude - nah
Leonard (Lenny) - not a fan
Milo - like it
Otto - not a fan
Rory - like it
Samuel (Sam) - wet
Sid - the sloth

I’d go for Sidney nn Sid, Barnabas nn Barney or Dominic

a few alternatives below

Barney - as a nn for Barnabas / Barnaby great - it’s too babyish as a full name
William (Billy) - done to death
Charles (Charlie) - done to death
Dominic - nice
Ethan - a fad that’s had it’s day. Elijah?
Eric - it’s due a revival, but.. no
Finn - overused
Fraser - only if you are Scottish
George - done to death
Jack - done to death to the moon and back
Jesse - great
Joseph (Joe) - classic, Josiah nn Jo more unusual
Jude - nice, having a moment though. Joel would be more unusual
Leonard (Lenny) - same as Eric, it’s due a revival but it makes me think of a 50s dad washing his car so no
Milo - overdone, will date. Miles or Giles?
Otto - same, also makes me think of Nazis. Ivo or Ivor?
Rory - same, sadly because I love it. Robert nn Robbie?
Samuel (Sam) - classic but been overdone, Daniel or Michael fresher right now
Sid - if short for Sydney then great

Some of these names are super popular right now and some were popular when I was growing up (I’m in my 20s). Traditional boys names will ALWAYS be popular, so keep that in mind.

The most popular names right now: William, Charlie, Ethan, Finn, George, Jack, Joseph, Sam.

I’m not keen on Dominic, Eric, Fraser, Milo, Otto, Rory and Sid.

My least fave:

Barney- purple dinosaur
Eric - 80s vibes makes me think of Trump's son
Rory- super popular rn
Milo- not keen
Jesse- not keen

Best names
Fraser
Sam
Otto
Joseph
Jack

OK
Billy
Charlie
Finn
Dominic
Lenny
George
Jude

Barney- dinosaur
sid- naff
milo- Aussie drink
leonard- bbt

Barney - dislike, Flintstones
William (Billy) - ok
Charles (Charlie) - dislike
Dominic - like
Ethan - ok
Eric - dislike
Finn - like
Fraser - love
George - hate
Jack - like
Jesse - dislike
Joseph (Joe) - like
Jude - negative connotations, Jew in German, written on yellow stars
Leonard (Lenny) - have a friend with a Lenny and it's really grown on me.
Milo - Aussie drink
Otto - ok
Rory - like
Samuel (Sam) - ok
Sid - hate

Other suggestions:
Ezra
Evan
Elis
Flynn
Findlay
Jonah
Lawrence (Lawrie)
Casper (Cass)

I like Finn and Jude.

Barney is a dinosaur.

Barney - prefer Barnaby
William (Billy) - ok
Charles (Charlie) - like
Dominic - don't like Dom
Ethan - ok
Eric - ok
Finn - nice but too popular
Fraser - like
George - like
Jack - nice but too popular
Jesse - dislike
Joseph (Joe) - ok
Jude - dislike
Leonard (Lenny) - ok
Milo - dislike
Otto - dislike
Rory - ok
Samuel (Sam) - like
Sid - don't like

William and Joseph are my favourite.

Barney NO. Big Purple Fella!
William (Billy) Will not Billy
Charles (Charlie) ✅
Dominic (nah)
Ethan (nah)
Eric NO dated, not due a revival
Finn OK
Fraser NO, again dated
George ✅
Jack meh
Jesse. NO - too frilly for me, for a boy.
Joseph (Joe) no, just dislike.
Jude no, again just dislike
Leonard (Lenny) no just no
Milo it's a Tweenies character/hit drink
Otto Dear God No
Rory 'ok'
Samuel (Sam)Noooooo
Sid Definitely NO.

some suggestions...

nathaniel nate
Mathew Matty
benjamin Ben

Good Luck!!

Barney - no
William (Billy) - William = great, but I'm
not keen on Billy (Bunter)
Charles (Charlie) - love it
Dominic - love it
Ethan - ok
Eric - ok
Finn - ok
Fraser - ok
George -nice
Jack - nice
Jesse - no (Jessie = effeminate man)
Joseph (Joe) - love it
Jude - ok
Leonard (Lenny) - nice
Milo - no (it's a milkshake mix)
Otto - love it
Rory - love it
Samuel (Sam) - love it
Sid - no, it's a diminutive

Barney - nice as a nn for Barnaby but Barney on its own is just a big purple dinosaur
William (Billy) - I like William but Billy always seems a bit unpleasant to me for some reason
Charles (Charlie) - ok
Dominic - lovely
Ethan - slightly dull to me
Eric - ok
Finn - lovely but popular
Fraser - ok
George - ok
Jack - nice. Strong and pleasant. Popular though
Jesse - lovely but you will get plenty of the older generation saying that it means a feminine man
Joseph (Joe) - ok. A bit dull
Jude - lovely
Leonard (Lenny) - don't like
Milo - nice
Otto - lovely
Rory - ok
Samuel (Sam) - very dull to me
Sid - don't like

I would go for Dominic. Second choices for me would be Jude or Barnaby (or William but with Will as a nn)

Dominic
Ethan
Finn
Jude
Milo

Thanks everyone! Not much love for Barney (I would’ve used Barnaby nn Barney), I thought the purple dinosaur/Flinstone days were long gone but obviously not, so that’s been helpful! Removing that one, Eric, Joseph and Leonard. Also swapping Finn for Flynn as someone suggested. “Shortlist” of 15 😂

Sid Barney Otto and Milo would go for me. I really dont like any of them.
My favourite is Joseph but you've ditched it!

Charles (Charlie) 3 but only for charlie I don't like charles
Eric 4
Finn 1 first three on my top ten I love
George 7
Jude 9
Leonard (Lenny) 6
Milo 8
Otto 2
Rory 5
Sid 10 least favourite