I'm stuck and can't choose a boy name. We have picked Rosamund for a girl. What is the natural choice for a boy if we like Rosamund? Siblings are Claudia and Morwenna, surname is two syllables and english, similar to Thompson. I like unusual names and prefer underused classics or something literary and historic that isn't likely to trend into the top 100 soon. I would rather avoid something that leans too far into festival/hippy territory or influencer baby name, or that is likely to rise into the top 100 anytime soon as I don't want a name that might sound very of it's time in 20 years. Claudia was nearly Aurelia which is beautiful but now everywhere, for example.
I was originally leaning towards Rafe, which also happens to be a family name, but less so now. It has a nice sound, historic roots, and an interesting meaning, but there are the spelling issues and also a friend told me it is the name of character in an american netflix show might signify that Rafe will become very trendy soon if it isn't already? Ralph is already very popular, how many of those are 'Rafe'? The Rafe spelling seems the only way to avoid confusion with Ralph. Is Rafe starting to sound a bit like Max or Zac, everywhere now, or is it still uncommon? A few of these names like Victor, Hector and Edmund might fall into the vintage grandad name trend like Alfred, Arthur etc so I'm wondering if that means they are also due a revival?
The list:
Benedict
Peregrine (I love this name but it is quite marmite. I'm not sure whether people will assume we are Lord of the rings fans alongside the slightly elvish sound of Morwenna, or just find it highly pretentious. We live in the countryside but not in Chatsworth. I like it because it is an old latin name, underused and makes me think of falcons and the outdoors.)
Conrad
Wulfric - too fantasy novel?
Ranulph - not sure how others perceive this?
Francis (Frank) - Trendy?
Geraint - Welsh. Pronunciation issues?
Edmund
Nathaniel
Hadrian
Cosmo (It is an old name, but I think it might sound quite glastonbury/alternative in modern usage? I particularly love the meaning and also like Cosimo/Cosima, but have no italian heritage. Kosmas is the greek version).
August/Augustus (very trendy?)
Hector - trendy?
Ptolemy - too pretentious?
Leofric (it's pronounced Lef-rich, the husband of Lady Godiva) - DH's suggestion.
Galahad - DH's suggestion but I think it is too theatrical for a first name.
Rafe - This spelling to avoid confusion with Ralph now that the latter has become so popular as 'ralf'.
Apollo - Not sure how this comes off, similar to Cosmo?
Constantine
Magnus
Victor
Sylvan/Silvan
Also open to other suggestions that fit a similar niche to Rosamund.
Family names to potentially include in the middle:
Peter or Ralph ('Rafe'. An older family member who is not 'posh' at all so I assume Rafe was once the standard pronunciation.)
maybe Odysseas/Odysseus (quite a common Greek name with a Greek spelling, a name from DH's side). I don't think I 'm brave enough to use this as a first name in the UK.