Baby boy - James, Robin, Fredrick, or Francis?

[MistyInTheRiver]

I’m pregnant with a boy, first baby, due in a couple of months. We’re still debating names and although we’ve got a shortlist of sorts and I like them all, none of them necessarily feel like “the one”. We want something relatively traditional/classic, although I’d probably be happy with something more modern but my husband definitely leans more traditional.

Names we both like:
James
Robin
Fredrick
Francis
Laurence

Names I like but DH doesn’t sometimes for spurious reasons:
Tristan
Fabian
Jasper
Cedric
Sebastian

I’d appreciate any thoughts on these, or any suggestions of names we’ve not considered!

Another vote for James! It's classic and lovely.
It's not overused either.

James is probably my all-time favourite boys' name. Go with that! Can't go wrong with it.

You got it.
‘ie’ names just make me heave.

James
Francis
Sebastian

Ronan

I like Laurence and Tristan best, I like Robin too but think it’s better as a diminutive of Robert for a boy.

Francis is nice as well but lots of Francis/Franks about now, James and Frederick way overdone

Patrick
Alistair
Rufus
Gabriel
Xavier
Cassian
Lucian
Michael

might be others

James is just so timeless (along with names like William, Edward, Alexander, Thomas, Joseph etc), that it would definitely be my first choice - it’s one of those “can’t go wrong names”, especially since it not as overused as it used to be. I love a completely timeless name as you can never guess age or background or often nationality- all of which I think is a big bonus for many people.

Frederick would be my second choice - it rises and falls in fashion a bit but still feels classic and as a longer name has a myriad of less obvious nickname possibilities too (such as Ed, Red, Erik, Rick etc) which he might appreciate.

James is my favourite, followed by Fredrick and Laurence. Like Robin too.

Love James, like Frederick (but only spelt that way) and Robin, not that keen on Francis for some reason although I like Frances for a girl.

It's nice to hear of someone thinking of using Robin as it seems to get bad feedback sometimes, but it's actually a nice name with plenty of history.

James
David
Alex
Harry

Patrick
Elliot
Jonathon

I like the names you both like, with the exception of Laurence.

Frederick and Francis are my favorites. I love Freddie and Frankie as nicknames.

Suggestions:
Clement
Barnaby
Tobias
Jonah
Isaac
Oscar
Conrad
Edmund
William
Joseph
Myles
Anthony
Henry
Nicholas
Arthur
Benjamin

Some more classics for you:

Christopher
Richard
Andrew
Jeremy
Timothy

FWIW both my DC have names that default to ‘ie’ nicknames and they simply don’t respond to them. They are always known by the long version of their names. DC2 is particularly insistent on that.

@MistyInTheRiver
James, Frederick, Francis and Laurence, all good. But I hate the name Robin, - I find it really unmasculine. And I'd avoid Laurence because of nn Larry.

I can understand your DH's objections to the 'fancier' names.

I adore the name James.

It doesn't have to be shortened. In fact the ones I know are always James.

I know 2 Jamie's as well (both adults in thier 40's) and Jamie is their given name. In fact it's only on here I've ever heard Jamie being the automatic nickname of James?

I love the names on your list, I will say that your baby will definitely be in a class with a James and Freddie/ Fred (when Frederick inevitably gets shortened)