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.

eh?

You have excellent taste!

I agree Joseph Berger nn Joey

You could even have

Joseph River Berger
Joseph Jonah Berger

similar name

Noah, Issac, Joshua, Caleb,

I also really like the idea of

Elliot River Berger

Same. River Berger really does sound odd I’m afraid even though I love the name

Aww OP, River is my all time favourite name. I really wanted to use it for my little boy last year but my DH wasn’t on board. Beautiful name and I think it sounds fine with your surname!

I like JJ Berger. He sounds like a film director.

I prefer Jonah in this circumstance

Joey is great.

River doesn’t go with your last name.

I prefer Jonah with your surname, but like Jonas even better.

That’s not how rhymes work, but I can see how you don’t like the matching final syllable. I don’t think it’s a particularly big deal tbh.

What do you mean ?

I prefer Jonah to River

Jonah sounds better, but I really wouldn't use either with Berger. They both end with the same sound as the surname. Joe, Joey, Joseph or Joel would be fine.

I don't see the problem. Lots of names,including mine,have the same sound ending. It has literally never been a problem or even commented on.

Fwiw OP,I much prefer Jonah and it's much less likely to go out of fashion.

Jonah was in the Bible. Punished by God, shipwrecked, swallowed by a whale. Ring any bells?

This exactly. Avoid the er and a names and it will flow better.

I like River better (good name) but there's something not quite working with the surname (maybe because they're both nouns?). Jonah Berger also doesn't flow well enough for my liking but it's better with the surname.

I think something like Alexander, Thomas, Zachary etc work a bit better. Or John like the writer.

Jonah

I guess some people are bothered by name associations with characters in Shakespeare/myths/legends etc and don't name their children Ophelia, Jonah, Delilah, Romeo etc.

It wouldn't put me off in the slightest, and there are lots of Ophelias etc.

I think with the Berger surname, the first name needs to be relatively staid and not sound like an affectionate name for a burger with added onions or something.

Joseph Berger probably works, but I think Joey Berger sounds too much like a kangaroo meat burger or something.

I think Jonah learned his lesson though so the associations are not all negative?

I still think anything suggesting max or monster size, or whales or jumbo etc doesn't work with Berger.

Good point!

Of course poor unlucky Jonah was also in the Beano but probably not an obvious association these days 😃

I prefer Jonah to River but I don't think either are good with the surname Berger. If you like the nickname Joey then I think Joseph works better as the full name

River
Fine with your name

I don’t think either work with Berger, even if it’s pronounced with a G or J. I really dislike Jonah, and River is much better than that.