We're hippies at heart, and I regret choosing such a 'normal' name for DS1 - help please for DS2?!

[sushistar]

DS1 is Ethan. We gave him a really really rare hippy-sounding middle name, but I wish we'd been braver and gone for something more unusual for his first name. I don't want to do the same this time...

I like Asher but I think it's about to become really popular. We also love celtic / old english names.

Suggestions?

Wolf is very masculine

I love Aran. Reminds me of the islands -- very beautiful, ancient. Love Axel also. I think it has links to Russia. Have you considered:
Samson (OT),
Olaf (Norse but also English links),
Moling (Irish), -- pr. mow-ling - like bowling
Jarlath (Irish),
Ivo (obscure origin, perhaps Persian but maybe Cornish -- St. Ives related to this name)
Fiacra (Irish) pr. FEE-acra
Arnulf (O English)

Thanks so much for all the suggestions guys - I think this is the busyest thread I've ever started!

Malaci / Micah are lovely, but we have friends who have a Ethan + one of those, and it would be wierd nameing BOTH our kids the same!

Ashwyn is definatly up there.

Can I say, reading the contributions above, that in my mind there is a BIG difference between a name that is very old, or from a different culture, and thus 'unusual', and a name which is not a name at all like, Rainbow. Of course I think people should call their kids whatever they want as long as it's done in love, but personally I would not want a made up name or a not-a-name because one of the beautiful things about naming is that you are not giving a child just a nice sound but a name with meaning and history - it's almost like a blessing.

And Seeker - I guess people like your nephew who change their names are matched by people with 'usual' names who feel just as crushed / worn down by being one of many, and who change their names to something MORE unusual not less. Since I don't know what DS2 will be like, I can't guess how he'll feel. If he decides as an older person to change his name to something more common I would honour that and be supportive I hope. But surely if I call him John there is the same risk in reverse - he will want to change it to something unusual later?

My DH wanted Breeze for a short while. I said no way.
I'm not into hippy names, so not keen on many of the above suggestions, but I surprised myself by liking the name a friend of mine called his son = Aster. I thought it sounded too feminine at first, but I really really like it now.

Was just browsing some old English names too, and came across Almanzo. Used to love the Little House books, and Almanzo Wilder was a proper catch!

John is pretty unusual these days! Mary seems to be creeping back into popularity, and because it is rare sounds quite exotic!

We have two boys - DS1 is Rohan, and DS2 is Ashwyn. Both are old english names We've not had any problems with spelling or pronounciation. People sometimes ask the meaning, but don't seem fazed by a "different" name ... so I would say go for something like Ashwyn if you like it

"And Seeker - I guess people like your nephew who change their names are matched by people with 'usual' names who feel just as crushed / worn down by being one of many, and who change their names to something MORE unusual not less."

Have you ever heard of anyone being crushed and worn down by having the same name as someone else in their class? Because that's what we're talking about as a worst case scenario. It's not as if a child called - say - Josh - is going to get to school and discover that every other boy in the class is too!

If they want to choose a way out name for themselves later that's fine - a good opportunity for a bit of rebellion. But it would be their OWN rebellion, not their parent's vicarious one!

I know of a hippy family who have children called Sholto, Neptune, Trafalgar, Luxury Lupin, and various others (they have eleven!)

i know an almanzo........

not great

I think the ideal is to have an interesting name with possible "normal" shortenings. Although that's what I have and I've never felt any inclination to use the shortening (because I'm very proud of my name, and I don't want it to become something very ordinary IMO). Options are always a good thing. Otherwise I totally agree with Sushi.

i love the idea of an unusual sounding name but i would stress that the name you choose, if it is an 'out there' name try to give a name with options (i.e. it can be shortened to a nickname) as i have an old lady-now very unusual name- which can be shortened (sort of) and my nickname is one that i have to constantly explain despite it being the first 2 letters of my full name very irritating!

so now for my suggestions

archer (suggested earlier could be archie which is V cute)

Joab (a friend called her DS this and i think it is FAB!)

malachi (lovely and an angel in the bible aswell im not religious BTW my sister ha written one of 3 novels in a series with angels featuring heavily so it has been well researched)

Fallon (i heard this somewhere and liked it)

xx ei xx

Having just come across mumsnet i headed straight for disscussions because without fail there are always ones on baby names and having given my children 'unusual' names its always interesting seeing what people think are unusual/hippie type names.
im of the belief that by the time my babies have babies, names like jessica and jake will be unusual/old fashioned.
At both primary & secondary school i was the only kimberly the whole way through and thought it was great :D (and look how popular that name is now!)
knowing my diva babies they will love being the only Kiedis & Fraesciante. they each have middle names, after family members, so 'have the choice when they are older to substitute'. lol
There is too much put on playing it safe, if a child is brought up in a supportive well adjusted happy environment they arent going to give two hoots if nobody in their class shares their name.
If the parent(s) like the name(s) who gives?
Roll on feb when we will welcome another 'daringly different' named bubs to our clan! x

I really like Ethan actually.
How about
Kit?
Osian? (my little boys name!)
Milo?
Skye?

Dorian and Ivo.

Also know a Joby - to rhyme with Toby - a quite like it (friends not fans)

I really, really wanted Oisin (Oh-sheen) for my DS. A gorgeous Gaelic name. Or Fidel after Castro. DH laughed in my face and we opted for a 'normal' name.

For a girl, I loved Mahalia (Miss Mahaaaaaaliaaaa Jackson') or Zora (after Neale Hurston) or Aishawrya (after Rai, but we aren't Indian...) - but again, we went for a run of the mill name, which I do love, but which doesn't really reflect my inner hippy

I know of a wonderful family of five who's names are Queenie, Delphi, Isis, Aphra and Sojourner. Wish I had their mum's balls!