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Favourite boy names from this shortlist for a bookish but not nerdy feel

102 replies

danascully96 · 11/09/2026 19:03

Which is your favorite: Miles, Joseph, Luke, Daniel, Pierce, Alexander “Alec,” Nicholas, Cameron, Christian, Caleb, Elijah, Clark, Heath, Max, James “Jamie,” Theodore, Russell, August, Simon, Blake, Rowan, Graham, or Leo?

If this helps, I always picture a handsome, bookish man but hopefully not a dorky name!

OP posts:
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BeFairOliveBear · 12/09/2026 21:26

Joseph could be bookish and not nerdy.

Mumofgirls2017 · 12/09/2026 22:44

Long, but generally nice list. I think Leo, Alexander, Nicholas, Joseph,Rowan, would be good (but also love August!)

fentalpink · 12/09/2026 22:45

Atticus

NamingNoNames · 12/09/2026 22:56

Konstantin, Rodion, Anton, Ulysses, Orlando, Maxim...

Anon501178 · 12/09/2026 23:08

What a mix, haha!

Probably not very 'bookish' but I have a Leo so would always recommend that.Very popular name nowadays.

Miles, Cameron, Max, Blake and Elijah all sound quite modern in a good way.

Alexander, James, Daniel, Luke and Nicholas and joseph not so much but all classic and normal names.

Pierce, Clark, August, Christian and Heath quite unusual i guess and sound quite American.

I think the nerdy ones would be Theodore (although not if he was Theo) Russell and Rowan.

Simon, not in 2026, and Graham, GOD NO!

NamingNoNames · 12/09/2026 23:21

Simon, not in 2026, and Graham, GOD NO!
Whyever not? They're far better than some of the others.

heymammy · 12/09/2026 23:24

Alexander (but not Alec)
Nicholas
Russell - if I was doing it all again I think this would be near the top of my list

bittertwisted · 13/09/2026 00:17

Joseph
my eldest boy
always my favourite boys name

leavingonajetplane76 · 13/09/2026 01:29

Elijah is my fav. With Eli for short. Loved this for ds2 but exdp didn't like it 😏

Strawberrymilkshakez · 13/09/2026 08:07

Leo, Theo and James are lovely
Elijah and Caleb are both really nice names but are not as easy to pronounce/flow depends on surname I think. I think boys names need to not be to cute and can grow with them.

NamingNoNames · 13/09/2026 12:24

leavingonajetplane76 · 13/09/2026 01:29

Elijah is my fav. With Eli for short. Loved this for ds2 but exdp didn't like it 😏

Eli is not a good sound. Elijah is whiny-sounding.

Calliopespa · 13/09/2026 15:07

danascully96 · 11/09/2026 20:07

I love Luca! Boyfriend is blonde and I’m a redhead and he thinks we can’t use names like Luca because we’re not Italian 😭 Will work on him 😜

OP there is a really lovely, warm and joyful vibe coming out of your posts about your baby - but at the same time it is faintly bonkers!

I sense you are a real romantic, which is lovely but I think also needs grounding for you to make good decisions.

Your list paints a definite brooding, serious, tall, dark, and handsome Clark Gable, Pierce Brosnan, Heathcliff-y, Christian Bale, Christian Grey kind of picture of your son to be; but in reality, he is much, much more likely to be gingery/blonde, with a more bouncy, sunny demeanour as your posts come across!

I think when choosing a name for a real baby, you need to look at photos of you and your DH and siblings as babies, and think what sorts of names would have suited you all had you been choosing. You are probably not going to produce Clark Gable or Pierce Brosnan!

As to your list, (and putting aside the "brooding hunk" theme!) I am not sure any really come across as strongly bookish to me. James, Joseph, Christian, Nicholas, Alexander and Theodore are all classic, sold names which, I guess, don't fight against a bookish image. Maybe Joseph? Or Theodore, but not really Theo, which it inevitably becomes. I like James and Alexander, but I am getting a bit tired of them. Maybe Christian would be my pick, and it has an elegant European feel in a bookish way. I could see him in a cashmere coat and expensive specs, carrying a Gallimard edition!

Piers is a better spelling than Pierce I think, but the Piers name in history hasn't exactly had the hunk vibe. Have a look at Piers Gaveston. I suppose Piers Ploughman has bookish connotations. What about just Peter?

I am not a fan of Miles (to me he would have a brother called Nigel), and don't like the "Neil" feel of Daniel - though I don't mind Dan. Graham definitely has an old man-ish feel here, and not a particularly distinguished one, though I think the US has always embraced surname type names more than the UK. Graham might well have a brother called Russell.

Luke, Caleb and Elijah sound biblical to me, more than bookish, and Luke and Caleb sound more like they have physical jobs. I don't like Caleb at all, but Luke and Elijah are sold names, just they really don't give me the feel I think you are wanting. Luca would much more so.

I have the impression Simon is coming back, but to me it is a bit limp.

I guess with Blake you are thinking William Blake? I can see where you are coming from, but lots of people would think of a woman.

ExquisitelyDecorating · 13/09/2026 18:40

Piers Morgan.

danascully96 · Yesterday 05:07

Calliopespa · 13/09/2026 15:07

OP there is a really lovely, warm and joyful vibe coming out of your posts about your baby - but at the same time it is faintly bonkers!

I sense you are a real romantic, which is lovely but I think also needs grounding for you to make good decisions.

Your list paints a definite brooding, serious, tall, dark, and handsome Clark Gable, Pierce Brosnan, Heathcliff-y, Christian Bale, Christian Grey kind of picture of your son to be; but in reality, he is much, much more likely to be gingery/blonde, with a more bouncy, sunny demeanour as your posts come across!

I think when choosing a name for a real baby, you need to look at photos of you and your DH and siblings as babies, and think what sorts of names would have suited you all had you been choosing. You are probably not going to produce Clark Gable or Pierce Brosnan!

As to your list, (and putting aside the "brooding hunk" theme!) I am not sure any really come across as strongly bookish to me. James, Joseph, Christian, Nicholas, Alexander and Theodore are all classic, sold names which, I guess, don't fight against a bookish image. Maybe Joseph? Or Theodore, but not really Theo, which it inevitably becomes. I like James and Alexander, but I am getting a bit tired of them. Maybe Christian would be my pick, and it has an elegant European feel in a bookish way. I could see him in a cashmere coat and expensive specs, carrying a Gallimard edition!

Piers is a better spelling than Pierce I think, but the Piers name in history hasn't exactly had the hunk vibe. Have a look at Piers Gaveston. I suppose Piers Ploughman has bookish connotations. What about just Peter?

I am not a fan of Miles (to me he would have a brother called Nigel), and don't like the "Neil" feel of Daniel - though I don't mind Dan. Graham definitely has an old man-ish feel here, and not a particularly distinguished one, though I think the US has always embraced surname type names more than the UK. Graham might well have a brother called Russell.

Luke, Caleb and Elijah sound biblical to me, more than bookish, and Luke and Caleb sound more like they have physical jobs. I don't like Caleb at all, but Luke and Elijah are sold names, just they really don't give me the feel I think you are wanting. Luca would much more so.

I have the impression Simon is coming back, but to me it is a bit limp.

I guess with Blake you are thinking William Blake? I can see where you are coming from, but lots of people would think of a woman.

Edited

You’ve definitely pegged me! I’m a bit dreamy and bonkers, I’ll admit! Christian is one of my favorites too. Definitely like the idea of a cashmere coat, or perhaps a tweed suit look when thinking of my ideal baby name!

As for Blake, I’ve always known Blake to be a boy’s name, but apparently it is becoming more of a girl’s name. I wish I could use Robin and some people do use it over here, but I think it’s more masculine in the UK, so I envy you lot!

For Piers, I never hear that name over here… I do distinctly picture Piers Morgan, but it is very close to Pierce so I can see why it’s coming up!

Lastly, I really appreciate the reality check. I love your idea of checking out old photos of us as kids. My boyfriend looked kind of like Stuart Little as a kid 🐭 I will try to channel my boyfriend’s German/Dutch heritage for our baby name list.

OP posts:
MsSmartShoes · Yesterday 05:31

I really love:
Nicholas
Christian
Simon

JLMA · Yesterday 05:51

I always like Tristan

Calliopespa · Yesterday 13:38

danascully96 · Yesterday 05:07

You’ve definitely pegged me! I’m a bit dreamy and bonkers, I’ll admit! Christian is one of my favorites too. Definitely like the idea of a cashmere coat, or perhaps a tweed suit look when thinking of my ideal baby name!

As for Blake, I’ve always known Blake to be a boy’s name, but apparently it is becoming more of a girl’s name. I wish I could use Robin and some people do use it over here, but I think it’s more masculine in the UK, so I envy you lot!

For Piers, I never hear that name over here… I do distinctly picture Piers Morgan, but it is very close to Pierce so I can see why it’s coming up!

Lastly, I really appreciate the reality check. I love your idea of checking out old photos of us as kids. My boyfriend looked kind of like Stuart Little as a kid 🐭 I will try to channel my boyfriend’s German/Dutch heritage for our baby name list.

Edited

Ooh well in that case what about Christiaan with the double aa for a spot of difference? I think that is the Dutch spelling, but pronounced in a similar way?

I like the look of it and in English it also places a bit more distance between the name and the name of the religion, which might or might not bother you, but still keeps that link

ETA like Christiaan Huygens, who was definitely bookish and learned!

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 14:52

Calliopespa · Yesterday 13:38

Ooh well in that case what about Christiaan with the double aa for a spot of difference? I think that is the Dutch spelling, but pronounced in a similar way?

I like the look of it and in English it also places a bit more distance between the name and the name of the religion, which might or might not bother you, but still keeps that link

ETA like Christiaan Huygens, who was definitely bookish and learned!

Edited

It just looks 'youneek', so probably the 'opposite' of bookish.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 15:00

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 14:52

It just looks 'youneek', so probably the 'opposite' of bookish.

It doesn't look that way to me as I know it to be a European spelling. Actually Christiaan Huygens was the first Christiaan I heard of, so to me it's the opposite of yoonique: it's very old and legit.

I think that's a bit like saying Constantijn is a yoonique spelling of Constantin.

Bookish to me signals deeper and broader knowledge. Yoonique isn't about having cross-cultural references. It's about making stuff up.

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 15:14

That's your opinion. If there is no Dutch heritage it would look naff.

Whoops75 · Yesterday 15:15

Only like Joseph from your list.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 15:27

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 15:14

That's your opinion. If there is no Dutch heritage it would look naff.

Her DH has German and Dutch heritage, which is precisely why I suggested it.

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 15:41

Still looks naff.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 15:45

NamingNoNames · Yesterday 15:41

Still looks naff.

Ok @NamingNoNames

champagnetrial · Yesterday 15:47

I think Christian is the best considering the German heritage. But I also think Magnus would suit your vibe.

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