Down to the final three

[Overthinkingoverthinking]

After lots of debate we've finally got our shortlist down to three names for our boy due in a few weeks. Our surname is short, common and begins with an S. We have a different list for middle names depending on which first name we choose, so please could you give us your thoughts on these three names:

• Stanley - DH's favourite
• Archie - My favourite
• Jack - We both like but not sure if it's too plain with our surname and it's neither of our favourites.

Thank you!

Isn’t Jack a diminutive of James? I think James is much classier that Archie or Stanley, but then I’m of an age when those names were very cloth caps and ferrets, pigeon racing, and Woodbines.

If the surname is Smith I’d probably avoid Stanley/Stan as it just makes me think of the shoe.

I like Archie a lot and Jack is a classic name which is good at all ages

@CapEBarra Thanks for your reply! I think Jack is a diminutive for John? I quite like James but unfortunately DH doesn't! The cloth caps etc. comment made me chuckle as that's exactly what I thought about Stanley when DH suggested it!

Stanley - like, love the nn ‘Stan’ as reminds me of Stan Lee (also ds’s favourite tank engine)
Archie - not a fan, very popular atm and I think it will date
Jack - my favourite, a classic, doesn’t date

Also Jack is thought to come from the French version of James/Jacob - Jacques (I’m a bit of a name/linguistics nerd).

@cherryassam Thanks for your reply! As soon as I posted the OP I realised it looked like the surname was Smith, but it's not, so hopefully no trainer links, although thanks for flagging it!

I think Jack being a classic is what we like about it, although we can't decide if it being really common is an issue or not!

I would wait and see what he suits when he is born. Me and DH had a name set my whole pregnancy and when my DS was born he just didn't suit it. He looked like a 'Jack' and that's what we called him, had lots of compliments and on the name . I also love Archie but it's my Ddogs name, so couldn't choose that!

@Whatsthepoint1234 Thanks for your reply! I didn't realise Archie was so common at the moment, as we don't have many friends or family with young children so that's super helpful! Interesting about Jack coming from the French for James, @CapEBarra apologies it looks like you were completely right on that point!

@Unic0rnSparkle0405 thanks! I think that's really good advice and is definitely what my husband thinks we should do, I'm just worried that I still won't know when he's here and then I'll get pressured into making a quick decision, which isn't my strong point!

It was the first thing that came to mind but good that it’s not an issue for you! I do get a bit of a whippet image with Stanley, but it also makes me think of Stanley Tucci who I do really like, and Stanley cups which might not be a fad for that much longer anyway.

Jack is such a classic, I really don’t think you can go wrong with it. You could go for a longer name with Jack as a nickname - Jacob, John, Jackson, Jonathan. But I do think Jack is great as it is, sometimes names are popular for good reason.

I guess it partially depends if you’ll mind if your DS is one of multiple Jacks in his class at school etc.?

I love the name Jack! all the Jacks i know are hotties as well if that helps 😂

I don’t like Stanley

Archie is also a hard no from me. It’s a nickname - need to be an Archibald if you are an Archie, unless you are a family pet.

Jack is classic and definitely the best of the three, it's not that common anymore with little ones, there are far more Alfie's and Archie's than Jack's.

Archie is alright but very common at the moment and will probably date. It's also a bit of a dog's name, don't know whether it's just where I am but we meet several little Archie's on our morning walks!

Stanley is nice, Stan is cute. It's one of those names where I think he'll really have to look like a Stan when he arrives.

They're all fine names, I don't think you'll go wrong with any of them. See what he suits when he gets here, he might be a completely different name when you meet him!

Jack classy but simply

Archie was cool before Meghan Markle claimed it, should have called dibs

Jack is a diminutive of John (see for example 'Jack Kennedy' aka John F. Kennedy). The idea that it comes from Jacques/ James is mistaken.

dmnes.wordpress.com/2017/01/28/why-is-jack-a-nickname-of-john/

Stanley
Archie
Jack

I like them all as long as you don't go for hideous alternative spellings such as

Stanlee
Archee
Jak

Fwiw, I think you should choose either Jack or Stanley.

Archie has been done to death, and has now migrated to golden retriever name territory.

Jack is actually a diminutive of John, which is actually a great name and rarely used now.

Jack is definitely the best one. But Stanley is nice too.
Don’t like Archie. It’s too twee. And likely to get lost in the many Archie’s, Alfie’s and Albie’s.

Definitely Jack.
There are lots of Archie's around at the moment. And Stanley is also very popular but still makes me think of an old man in a flat cap, sorry!
Jack is a timeless classic. He won't be the only one but it's a name that doesn't date and will see him through from small cute toddler to teenager to adult to old man perfectly.

Honestly it will come to you when you see his little face! 😍 it took me a good few days to finally decide as I had a traumatic birth unfortunately but as soon as I seen my little boy Jack did come to mind, it just took me a few days to confirm that was the name, if that makes sense. There aren't many babies named Jack here so I wasn't too worried about it being overly common. Good luck with the birth when it comes ☺️ x

OP, both my boys have very ‘popular’ names, I think it depends on your area. My ds1 a top 20 name (in his birth year) and ds2 a very popular diminutive of a top 10 name for his birth year (only the diminutive works in our language). Ds1 only knows one other boy with his name in his year and ds2 is the only one of his name at his school. Popular names are popular for a reason!

Jack 🥰

Jack would be my first choice, Stanley a close 2nd. My colleague has a son called Jack, and her surname is a single syllable. It works, because that's his name.

Archie would be a no from me.

Fit lads called Jack tbf

Jack is fabulous

I don't like the other two at all