Thoughts on our top 3?

[FoleyHuck]

We haven't found out the sex of our baby due in June, so we've got short lists for boy and girl names. Girls we're struggling to decide between the 3, Boys we're struggling to settle on one of the best 3 we've come up with.

No firm ideas on middle names yet either so open to suggestions. Our surname is 2 syllables.

Thoughts on any of our top 3 welcome, or new suggestions for a boy!

Edith
Matilda
Astrid

Oliver
Rowan
Xander / Zander. I prefer the Z spelling as a stand-alone name, if it weren't for the fish association.

Thanks in advance!

I adore Astrid. The others are good but Astrid wins for me.

I don’t have a strong favourite from the boys list- I like Oliver and Rowan with Rowan probably just taking the lead.

Lovely list ❤️

I love Matilda, but it is popular.

Astrid is strong and not overused.

Not keen on Edith.

Oliver is a great name, but so popular for so long.

Rowan I absolutely love for a girl, less keen for a boy.

Not keen on Xander (and definitely not Zander). Alexander is a good name.

Astrid first then Edith
Rowan.

Girl - Matilda. Very nice name.
I'm not so keen on your other two

Boy - Alexander is a great name. X/Zander is having a moment but that will pass and they'll all be of the same vintage. Depends if you mind.I'd definitely go with the full name.

Oliver is fine
Rowan is ok

I wouldn't worry about a name being popular if you like it.

Thank you

Alexander / Alex is unfortunately ruled out for reasons, so it would be Xander as a stand alone name.

It bothers me a bit that Oliver is so popular according to lists but actually we only know one, he's an adult, and we think he'd be quite tickled to have a little namesake. We don't know any children called Oliver despite its recent popularity.

Girls - matilda. great name, not keen on the others

boys - Xander (would probably go for Alexander though and then shorten to Xander). Oliver (shortened to Olly) and Rowan are also fine but not as nice

Astrid Matilda
Alexander Rowan (Xander)

Edith and Alexander are great. Then shorten to Xander.

Not Edith but the others are okay.

Matilda is awesome. It’s my 4th MN but I wanted it for a first. I like Edith too.

love Rowan from your boys

henry
jasper
jude
spencer
otis
levi
alexander
zachary
sebastian
victor
Asher

I like Matilda, Edith and Oliver best.

How about Owen? Sounds similar to rowan.

I love Charlotte, Amelie, Alice and Eloise for girls. Kind of the same vibe as Matilda.

I like all your boys names, I’d find it hard to choose between them - maybe Rowan, although if it was Alexander nn Xander that would definitely be top (but would definitely use the Xander spelling either way - tbh I’d assume the parents of a Zander couldn’t spell 😜) .

Less keen on your girls choices. I suppose Astrid is kind of Euro cool so would probably be my pick , though I love the history/namesakes of Matilda (if not so much the sounds of either name). Definitely not Edith for me though - I understand Edie is trendy/hipster but Edith just sounds so dowdy to me.

@IamnotwhouthinkIam Probably pertinent to note that DH is euro-cool (well he's euro; not sure about the cool). Astrid is a name we pulled from lists in his home country and is his favourite.

We're not on the UK mainland and many of our friends here are from mainland Europe so a more mixed bag of names in our lives in general I think.

Edith is a beautiful, classy name. Of the boys I like Oliver best, though it is quite popular.

Astrid is my favourite of your girls names - especially with the links to your DH heritage. I really like “Edie”, but not sure about Edith. Matilda is ok but I’m not keen on Tilly for an adult.

Middle name ideas -
Astrid Matilda
Astrid Amelia
Astrid Joanna
Astrid Juliet
Astrid Olivia
Astrid Elizabeth
Astrid Eliza
Astrid Estelle
Astrid Celeste

Oliver is my favourite of your boys names. It’s hugely popular where I live, but if it isn’t too overused around you then it would definitely be my top pick. I’m not so keen on Rowan or Xander / Zander personally.

Other ideas -

Max
Zachary
Isaac
Sebastian
Leo
Oscar
Finlay
Flynn

All the names on your girls list are lovely, Edith is my favourite.

I'm not keen on your boys names, have you considered...
Guy
Jasper
Rafe
Felix
Lars
Erik

Astrid & Xander are my favourites by far

Really dislike Edith. I love Astrid.

Both fab lists. Edith and Astrid are fun and Matilda is good. Think the Zander name might be a bit confusing and he could spend his life spelling it out?

Really like Astrid but have you considered Ivor or Ivan?

Astrid by miles, Matilda is very common at the moment and Edith isn’t for me.
Rowan of your boys names., Oliver is nice enough but again too popular for my taste, Xander I’m not sure. It’s is always going to be Buffy related for me, so that depends on how how you feel about that. (If it even is culturally relevant to you).

I think I'd go for Astrid Matilda.

I'd pick Oliver for a boy.

Astrid and Xander. Lovely names!

@FoleyHuck - I always associate Astrid with the RL photographer played by uber cool Sheryl Lee in the Beatles biopic. Lots of 60s black clothing, eyeliner and a pixie cut 🤩- sounds like your family background means a DD can pull off a Euro cool name!

Edith and Rowan are the only names that I like.