Name Koa for a boy?

[Soph903]

Hi, we are due our baby boy soon and love the names Koa, Oakley or Arlo but so far Koa seems to be the favourite. We like more of the unusual/less common names what does anyone else think? Any name suggestions? Thankyou.

Koa isn’t to my usual taste but I don’t dislike it.

Other ideas -

Koby
Colby
Cody
Brody
Bohden
Cyrus
Silas
Kai
Cian
Bohdi
Caden

I agree with others that unique and cute aren't the best drivers for a good name. Squidge would pass that test but it's a terrible name. And as you say, Koa isn't even cute. It's just a random sound that likely won't suit him later on. Oakley is a surname or sunglasses. Arlo I don't mind. At least it's an actual name. I'd stop fixating on the uniqueness and adding h's (which just shows how he's going to be spending his life telling people how his name's spelt) and factor in a bit more common sense. Your DC will be cute and unique without a tricky name.

And in case that sounds harsh, it's because I've got what was a very rare name (although still an actual name) when I was growing up and it was a massive pain in the arse. It's become a bit more common now, though mostly in other ethnicities, but it took me at least four decades to adjust to not disliking it. So have a really good think about his day to day life before saddling your DS with anything too unique.

Kodiak?

@Pocketfullofdogtreats , no one bats an eyelid at e.g. Phoebe and Chloe (Greek), Sarah (Hebrew), Richard (German) etc etc,...

But some of those names have been in use for centuries.
Phoebe and Chloe were fairly unusual until the 1980s, but they've been used a lot since.

And there's no recent history of cultural oppression/appropriation with those names either.

Reminds me of the viral youtube video of the middle class white couple wanting to call their boy Demarcus and the black midwife trying to explain why it's inappropriate!

Arlo is lovely. Not “unique” but definitely the best pick of your options.

Another one who knows “CODA” as child of deaf adults.

@SoOutingWhoCares , that's a separate issue, but a valid one.

Yup.

Why can’t you have a name from outside or your culture? Do all the Sarah’s and Adam’s ans Eve’s and Noah’s have to be hebrew?
I have a French name, I’m not French nor do I have any French heritage. On the few occasions I’ve been asked I just say ‘no, no French heritage’ and that’s that. It’s a total non-issue.

Koa is lovely @Soph903 if you like it. Use it!

Thankyou!

I like Koa & hear of parents calling their children similar names like Crew, Cree, Kai etc all the time. I don’t think you need to be of a certain heritage to get away with it but maybe older people will think so.. I personally wouldn’t go with Arlo as it seems super common. Hudson is cute and has a similar vibe.. don’t want to put you off but the Rooney’s called their kids really similar names so take a look at those, think they’re Cass, Kai, Klay?

"unique" names are over rated, especially when they have potential for being turned into an unfortunate nickname

he will be called koala within five minutes of starting school

arlo also can be twisted quite badly

Oakley is ok...

Nope. I immediately thought of koala and that's what he'll get at school.

I've never heard of it and it sounds like another made up one to me (appreciate it's not if used elsewhere in the world)

Sorry but it sounds like a cross between a snake and a fish

I know a Korean Koa and he's a surf dude so it's suits him. Oakley being sunglasses (and a dog's name) also screams that you want a cool, surfy, hang 10 son. If you live in Cornwall, maybe. If you live in Croydon, probably less so. I always worry about boys with 'cool' names who come out shy and nerdy. It's a lot to carry.

My first thought was Koala. When you give your child a name you have to picture them as a 50 year old using it. I prefer Arlo to Oakley any day. Oakley is namby pamby.

I don't know what's happening these days. what's wrong with normal names like John or Paul or whatever is appropriate depending on cultural background

why do we feel the need to make a statement with our children's names? they are their own people. if adults like eccentric names so much they should change their own names

Oakley - awful and I hate this name. Doesn't sound like a name for a person.

Arlo - very common now and don't personally like it as seems more suited to a dog

Koa - not keen on it

@TheOriginalEmu , Do all the Sarah’s and Adam’s ans Eve’s and Noah’s have to be hebrew?
Those are names of Hebrew origin from the English version of the Bible so the comparison isn't the same.

You probably have a name that was fashionable in the UK when you were born. Michelle, Suzanne, Nicole or Danielle probably. Koa is significantly more unusual.

@FlatWhite2 , Cai (pron. Kigh) is a regular Welsh name. The Kai name looks a bit 'rooney'.

I'm a teacher and in 15 years I have NEVER heard of a child being teased for their name.
At the very very most they are given a nickname they don't like based on their name eg Alex but they prefer Alexander. Or a nickname their parents don't like eg they're John Paul, not JP but the child themselves doesn't care

And we talk to their classmates and that's the end of it.

@LizardOfOz I have also worked in schools and have definitely heard children being teased because of their name.

I used to be a child and was teased about my name but not in front of the teachers.