Can’t decide between two names

[chriss232]

I really love the name River but can’t tell if it sounds overly strange with our last name (Berger) like low hanging fruit for bullying or jokes. Also not sure if most people think of it as a “normal” name nowadays or if it’s a name that would make people roll their eyes or consider wimpy for a boy?

I also really like the name Jonah. And could potentially want to use the nickname Joey.

Trying to avoid name regret but now I feel like I’m just obsessing and getting nowhere.

I really don't like 'River' for a name anyway, but it sounds particularly bad with your surname.

I do like 'Jonah' even though I don't think it is a great choice with your surname, which it seems is a bit tricky to find a first name for.

Nope. Both sound like an American golfer.

Are you American?

I would steer clear of first names ending in 'er' sound with Berger. Or meat/food related like Angus Berger. Or rhyming like Fergus Berger

Say the full name out aloud.

Joseph Berger
Joel Berger
Roland Berger
Hartley Berger
Glenn Berger
Charles Berger
Rex Berger

Jonah

River wouldn't work, for all the reasons pps have posted. I don't think it's anything but a very niche name - not a mainstream name at all.

Jonah is far better.

Jonah goes better with surname

River Berger doesn’t work. Have you a maiden name you can prefix it with? With that surname too he’s likely to get gentle ribbing about Ice, Ham, Beef being his name (depending on pronunciation, 💐 not 🪣).

Joey Berger works. So that’s preference from these two. Also know a couple of Rivers but no Jonah.

I like River but not with your surname, sorry. I also think Jonah isn't great with your surname.

Can you change your surname or give your son a different one? Sorry, that's rude. But Berger (Burger?) is the problem with those two particular names. River is a lovely name and quite well known and used now, I don't think too many people will batt an eyelid. Jonah is lovely too. Jonah works better with Berger. But then how often do we say our full name out loud in everyday lives except with call centre staff or checking in to something. I mean if you pronounce it with the emphasis on 'Ber' it's not so bad as it breaks the flow up from it sounding like a type of burger - River BERger

I think Jonah Berger sounds best

Berger also conjures the German burger as in townsperson. So ‘River dweller’, Joe Berger from Jo’burg, though that’s getting silly.

But mostly Joe Berger sounds fine, Jonah Berger ok. Joey Berger could be a burger made from young kangaroos. River does sound like a type or location of burger.

River Berger is a terrible name!

River is fine, but not with Berger as a surname.

Jonah is a nicer name than River imo. It also goes much better with Berger.

River Berger is not good, sorry op. I think thr child would have thr royal piss taken out of them.

River is nice but not with your surname Im afraid! Jonah is marginally better with your name but the end sound is what isn’t working the ‘uh’ or ‘er’ sound.
back to the drawing board I would say!

How about Matthew, Henry, Simon. Or maybe Callum or Connor? All would work with Berger.

I don't think either of these work, sorry OP. The rhymes at the end and the two syllable repeat.

With your surname I would go for a strong long first name to avoid anything sounding like a 'burger'.

E.g. Nathaniel Berger, Alexander Berger, Jonathon Berger

I can’t believe no one has said Jonah is a jinx name. I couldn’t use it.

I think any name with an 'er' or 'uh' sound doesn't work with Berger. Neither of your names sound great together. It's too rhymey matchy.

What's a jinx name?

I love Jonah ❤️

If you love Joey why not just go for Joey, although personally I’d go for Joseph and he can be Joseph,Joe,Joey as he pleases.

Sorry but River Berger is terrible.

Love Jonah.

Berg means mountain in German so his name means River Mountain .I'm sorry but that would be very unfair on any child in the globalised world in which we live

Do you pronounce your last name with a soft or hard G? If it's pronounced like "Verger" then River would work ok.

Neither work with your surname. And Jonah is used a bad omen.