Boy names both classic yet not too common?

[User3056]

Wondering if anyone can advise? I’m desperate for our soon to be ds to have a relatively traditional/classic name and yet my husband would like something that is not popular as he so likes having a unique name himself.. so we are coming at it from completely different perspectives. If I had total free rein I would love an Oliver or Theo and he would probably like Forest or Bodhi.

Our current list is Nicholas(Nico), Raphael(Rafe), Christopher(Kit) or Joseph(Joey). I’ve obviously looked at ONS data for these to see their popularity but can anyone tell me if these names are particularly common or names they hear regularly/have many of in their baby groups etc, as would like to find a good compromise with dh.

Edited as lost a part when posted

dhs name is Nicholas we have not met many of them through the years
Christopher/Kit and Joeseph. I know several off between 3 and 70.

Never met a Raphael.

other suggestions.
Conrad
Benedict
Reginald
Douglas
Emmett
Edmund
Duncan
Alistair

Igor

Rafe/Raife - I hear this a lot! I prefer Rafferty.
Kit - I know one and they're under the age of 18m.
Nico - I know a small handful.

How about:
Benedict
Sebastian
Ralph
Tobias
Jasper
Giles
Myles
Reuben
Wilbur

Felix .

William ❤️

The Nicholas i was at school with was nicknamed knickerless 🙄.

From your list i like Christopher, so many NN options too for the cute years then a nice professional CV name for adult life.

Lucien
Michael

I know a few Joseph’s & 1 Raphael.
I do know Nico’s and Kit’s also but not the full name.

Other ideas

Austin
Benjamin
Cameron
Edward
Jasper
Joel
Miles
Ralph
Vincent

Joseph is a timeless classic - but this means it’s never been out of the Top 100 in England (if you are in England?). See also similar style names like William, Edward, Alexander, Thomas, George, James, Michael, Daniel etc. Personally I love names like these and don’t tend to worry about popularity over much, because although “popular” the numbers are decreasing year on year of these classic/traditional style names (it would be likely be bad luck now, or an area specific popularity spurt to get 2 in a class). If it helps, the only Joseph’s I know are teenagers.

Of your other choices both Nicholas and Christopher are lovely - both classics that have moved slightly out of fashion but with trendier diminutives which make them feel more current (Nico and Kit respectively). Laurence (Laurie) would be a similar style imo.

Raphael is fine but I wouldn’t really call it a traditional/classic in this country. It also feels a bit trendy to me - but that might be because I see it mentioned on these boards regularly. Personally I don’t know any in RL. Most of the young boys around me are called names like Noah, Theo, Leo, Alfie, Freddie, Charlie, Harry etc. I’d especially avoid names ending in “ee” or “oh” if you don’t want a trendy sound.

I’d also perhaps consider classic names that for some reason rarely make the Top 100 so seem fairly timeless - thinking of names like Owen or Nathaniel.

Christopher and Nicholas were two which jumped to my mind straight away when I read the title of your thread.

I love the nn Kit but really not keen on Nico, it feels far from classic (in this country at least). Personally I would shorten Nicholas to Nicky when young, Nick when older.

Joseph is lovely (although I prefer Joe to Joey, personally). However, I feel it's probably far too popular for your husband. I know quite a few of various ages. It's still hovering just outside the top 50. I feel it's one that will always be in the top 100 as it's so classic.

Raphael isn't for me. It feels very of the moment, rapidly rising so again probably not the name your husband is looking for. I wouldn't call it classic (in this country at least).

Suggestions:-
Nathaniel
Matthew
Dominic
Lawrence
Vincent
Alistair
Jonathan

I met a baby Laurie recently and have decided our next DC will be named the same.

Classic but not too common...

Charles
Richard
Timothy
David
Basil
Bruce
Alistair
Geoffrey
Hugh
Victor

Hurbert
Vaughan
Cecil
Rupert
Cyril
Basil
Barney
Winston
Sigfried
Tristan

Oops *Siegfried

We have a Joseph, and I accepted that there would probably be lots of others named that in school, nursery etc… but we’ve only met one other child with that name in the last 13 years. Our son prefers Joey and we haven’t come across any other kids going by that nickname so far. So even if you choose a classic, relatively popular name it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be one of 4 named the same in a school year group. You just have to find a name you both agree on (I know that’s not easy!) and accept you have no control as to whether you will run into lots of others named the same or not. It doesn’t really matter, I was one of 3 same named people in my year group and it had zero effect on me.

Adam

Guy
Horace
Rex

Rudy

Gabriel

Wynne
Rushton (‘Rush’)
Hadley
Roscoe
Rudy

Hi @User3056 - my baby is 7m so we are spending a lot of time at classes and groups! I’m sorry to say that near me (London) there are a few babies called Kit, Nico and Rafe. Not loads but I have come across at least 2 babies with each of those names. There are also a few Joseph’s but they’re currently not being shortened to anything.

Lovely shortlist. Have met a handful of Christophers and Nicholases but no Josephs or Raphaels.

We liked Rafe too but it seems to be primarily an alternative spelling of Ralph rather than assumed short for Raphael and that put us off.

Adam, Michael match similar requirements I think . Gabriel less classic here but on a similar biblical familiarity. Have a met a couple of Ruperts and Walters (!) And of course
Laurence, Laurie for short. Classic but it's never been extremely popular. I've met more girls called Lori since my son was born!
https://names.darkgreener.com/

This is quite useful for viewing how a name has risen and fallen in last 30 years - it uses ons data

Francis.

Paul
Martin
Grant
Simon
Roger
Neil
Derek
Colin
Barry
Jason
Gordon
Gary
Craig
Ken
Andrew
Ian.

Fits bot normal and unusual these days.

I also have a Joseph although he is never called that and has always been Joe and sometimes Joey. I have yet to meet another young Joe. I know one in his 80’s and my older ds21 has a Joey friend who’s 22.
I like Joseph as it’s 3 good options no matter what age he is.