First impressions of these boys names...

[Pinkballoons5]

Due date is only a couple of weeks away and while we have a few girls names picked out we are struggling to decide on a boys name (gender of baby is unknown)

I know a lot of these names are 'popular' but we're struggling so much that we cant afford to be fussy about popularity. Plus we only know max one child with each of these names.

We've got this list:

Charlie
Jacob
Dylan
Miles
Thomas (nn Tommy)
Fred/Freddie
Samuel
Jack
Callum
Connor

Names we like but can't have for various reasons:

Benjamin (two friends have children with this name - aged 4 and 1, I feel like this means we can't use it, although my OH disagrees.. thoughts?)
Harry
Lucas
Joseph
Joshua

Looking for some help in narrowing down this list please!

I like Thomas and Jack the best.

I dislike Charlie and Freddie - not personally a fan of most 'ie' ending boys names. Don't really like Dylan either - not sure why, maybe because I know a few dogs called this!

I know a very cute baby named Callum so unlike some PPs I can definitely see this name on a young child. You'll probably get some posters saying Connor and Callum are 'naughty boys names' as Irish and Scottish boys names seem to get that a lot on MN unfortunately, but that's a whole other thread.

Other suggestions - Matthew, Owen, Euan, Jamie, Caleb.

I never understand why people are so against popular names .

They get so popular that they eventually stop bring used and the bearer of the name will be Sue/Sarah/Olivia Surname all her life, or they become very popular quickly and fall out of fashion after a decade.

I don't understand why people feel the need for their child to have a door plaque or ruler with their name on it. Personalised things with the wrong spelling on it are not good. Charley probably won't be delighted to have a Charlie's Room sign on his bedroom door.

Thanks all. I think what I'm getting from this thread is that everyones tastes and opinions are so very different, you're never going to pick a name that everyone likes! I'm not sure if I'm any closer to picking a boy name but its certainly been an interesting read!!

We have quite an unusual surname so I'm not too worried about having a popular first name. There are so many different and unusual names out there these days even the most popular names aren't as common as they were back in the day (so I've heard!) I've been looking at the ONS data and none of the names on my list are in the top 3 for my area, so that helps a bit.

My taste is probably more traditional than others and thats okay. It would be boring if we were all the same wouldn't it!

I have to say I'm surprised about the seeming popularity of Dylan - my OH suggested that and my first thought was The Magic Roundabout!!! I've never met anyone called Dylan before.. It is growing on me though so its interesting to see other peoples opinions on the names.

Re: the names we can't use , its because we already have a DS with one of the names, and then the others are close family and friends childrens names or names that don't "go" with our surname.

Also I am 100% wishing we found out the gender, imagine all this dilemma and doubt and it ends up being a girl 😂

They’re all lovely, although as pps have pointed out some are quite popular. But they’re nice solid serviceable names. My favourites are Connor, Callum, and Samuel, but I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of them. I like Sammy for a baby then Samuel if he wants when he’s older. I do like Thomas but I hate Tom/Tommy. No actual reason why, I just don’t like the sound of it!

Also think maybe Elijah/Elias and Isaac would both fit in your list too.

From your list:

Dylan - ok
Miles - ok
Thomas - ok

You might also like these (less popular around here.):

Luca
Sebastian
Robin

Charlie - may get more popular with King Charles? Prefer Charles as proper name
Jacob - v religious vibes
Dylan - nice
Miles - ok
Thomas (nn Tommy) - lovely
Fred/Freddie - boring and overused
Samuel - lovely
Jack - fine
Callum - naughty boy name
Connor - under used

For me, Jacob is timeless and I also really like Miles.

My favourite is Jack! then Harry or Thomas

1 - Thomas
2 - Samuel
3 - Jacob and Miles
Dylan is alright

Others might be-
Rufus
Patrick
Laurence nn Laurie
Corin
Robert nn Robin, Robbie or Bobby
Ronan
Nathan
Jerome
Jethro
Jonathan
Jonas
Jonah
Josiah
Issac
Dominic

Charlie - done to death, but Charles if you must
Dylan - ok, bit noughties
Jacob - Nice. overdone in the late 90s/noughties, not so much now.
Miles - nice, taken together with Milo it’s getting overdone
Thomas (nn Tommy) - lovely classic and not to overdone right now
Fred/Freddie - done to death
Samuel - nice classic, not overused right now
Jack - done to death to the moon and back
Callum - dated and low rent
Connor - dated and low rent
It’s maybe a bit dull to use Ben if two friends have, but if you went for Benedict that would be a small point of difference

Miles is my favourite by far. I’ve loved it for years.

The others are much more ordinary/bland/ overused in my opinion. Agree with a pp who said Miles is more classy.

Miles, I love it

Thomas is lovely. If I had a second son he'd have been Thomas.

All of them are nice names though.

Not sure what a "low rent" name means. not sure I want to know.

Callum - naughty boy name

🙄

@Pallisers

It means the same as ‘naughty boy name.’ Roughly translated, it means ‘I’m a massive nasty snob who doesn’t like being openly classist so I use snidely little asides instead of saying what I really mean.’

Miles - love
Samuel - like
Jacob - like
Thomas, Charlie, Jack, Fred, Callum, Connor - don’t like

I don't get the love for Miles.
I mean, Miles Jupp? Posh comedian/comic actor?
Or the posh pretty boy named Miles on Made in Chelsea?
He's not too bright, and clearly loves himself. But he is very pretty.

Love Thomas and Samuel best. The only name from your list I don't really like is Miles.

There’s The Turn of the Screw as well. Which arguably makes it the naughtiest of the naughty boy names. Well, except for Damian/Damien!

Lucas and Samuel are the best imo