Rafe, Jago, or something else? Any ideas please!?

[bananafarmer]

We are SERIOUSLY struggling with a boy name. We have a v boring, common English surname and need something that works with that but isn't totally ordinary.

I love the name Raphael but think it feels very frilly with our surname and potentially a bit pretentious on a v caucasian looking little boy/ grown man.

Jago appealed initially because I am Cornish, but I'm not actually sure I really like it and it isn't quite an ugly sound.

Rafe I am very fond of but get the impression lots of people hate it.

Please help!!

Otis, Milo, Tristan? I like the sound of Jago though

I love Jago. Rafe is also nice.

Felix
Milo
Miles
Ray
Vincent
Benedict
Dylan
Herbie

I like all of those, and there are a lot of Raphaels of all hues about (it’s a biblical name so no reason why not). It can work very well offset by a plain surname.

I’d go for Rafe, but other thoughts -

Jethro
Jerome
Silas
Rufus
Saul
Guy
Luke
Seth
Joss
Joel
Blaise
Nathaniel
Gideon
Cassian
Lucian
Alistair
Tristram (Cornish)
Jowan (ditto)
Christopher nn Kitto (which is a Cornish diminutive)
Kester
Hector
Patrick
Laurence
Barnabas / Barnaby
Tobias
Gabriel
Zachary / Zachariah
Julius
Sebastian
Justin
Abraham nn Bram
Josiah

Jude, Max and Elijah / Eli also, but v popular

I love your name choices and know a couple of wonderful Rafas- as they refer to themselves (one Italian, the other Mexican). I also love Jago.

Can I suggest…
Rex
Ivor
Inigo
Bhodi
Aslan
Linus
Django
Atticus
Blake
Elias
Evander/Evan
Quentin
Orson

Angus
Amos
Caspar

You need …

roscoe

Reuben

Jago is weird. Raphael is poncey.
Go for Rafe.

What about Jesse or Harry

Gabriel (Gabe)

Really like Jago. Also like Gabriel/Gabe (was a close second for DS’s name choice).

I think Reuben or Tobias

Ooh yes Reuben or Tobias are good. I do like Rafe too. Otherwise
Hugo
Kit
Nate
Max
Lucien
Laurie

I like Jago.

Ivo
Magnus
Rowan
Jasper

Jago is a beautiful name and we considered it too, but I think to someone who isn’t Cornish or aware of it as a Cornish name, it possibly hits the ear more like a Jayden/Kai/Kayden type name; totally not our vibe. That was our worry anyway.

Rafe I love! Boy names are so hard, I struggled to pick one 🙈 Other names I liked were: Milo, Max, Otis, Roman, Hughie, Reggie, Vinnie and Kit

I love Jago and Raphael. Not keen on Rafe.

DS has a mate called Kim, which is pretty cool for a boy. But I like any of the big-hitting biblical names, like Jedediah (nn Jed) or Jethro, Gabriel, Joel, etc.

Some really great suggestions here, thank you. I also really appreciate the feedback on Rafe / Raphael / Jago - it's really helpful. I could've named 20 girls really easily, boy names just seem harder because the ones that are straightforwardly lovely to my ear are just SO popular / common, and with our surname they'd sound so totally run of the mill. But I don't like frilly, pretentious names either, and don't want to lumber the poor kid with one of those names they have to almost live up to. Argh, so hard!

Jago, Jethro, Milo, Silus, Toby.

I like Rafe, and Raphael-it’s not biblical, though, as pp said. Jago is also good.
Miles
Marcus
Guy

I love both! Other suggestions

otis
otto
rudy
rufus
ralph
rupert
rowan
hugo
milo
arlo
zach
ludo
ivo
seth
evan
flynn
quinn
eric
jude
felix
casper
jasper
kit
torin
wilf

Really like Jago and Rafe.
Prefer Rafferty to Raphael nn Raff or Rafe.
Also like Jude, Kit, Jasper, Rory, Seb, Felix, Laurence, Finn

Prefer Rafferty

Is Casey awful?