Short go-anywhere boys' names. Adam? Simon?

[MrsBadger]

we have tight criteria and are low on ideas.

Must be one or two syllables, not too easy to shorten and not an abbreviation of a longer classic (so not Tom, Ben, Joe).

Erring slightly on the side of poncey rather than ch modern or unique.

So far ideas include
Adam
Simon
John (tentative as is an uncle)
Alex (tentative due to Alex / Alexander rows)

wish we could use James but is already bagged.

middle name will be Henry, surname is one long syllable (think Stone or Rowe).

bring it on, oh wise MNers...

Adam is a great name, really nice. All the Adams I know are lovely!

well I think so too, but DH is less keen...

I like Adam and all the Adams I have ever taught have been nice - generally sort of a bit quirky but cute!

Edward is lovely, or Edmund - though may get shortened.

Philip
Luke
Jacob - although may get Jake
Mark

Simon is almost unusual now it seems. Other ideas:

Guy
James
Matthew
Ian
Nathan
Paul
Peter
Hugh
Neil

Please, please not Guy - it is one of the worst names ever imho. I like Matthew.

George?

Frank?

Francis

Henry

Joel

I like John.

I second Mark - very underused these days and a good strong manly sound.

I like Neil. As above.

Peter also.

I like Alex. If that is his name (rather than Alexander) I don't think you'd get any trouble.

Aidan, but maybe straying too far into Irish territory for you.

Luke.
Hugh.

There are names like

Greg or Gregor
Grant
Craig
Euan

Not my favourites but you might like that sort of thing

Simon is such a lovely, underrated name I would have used it for DS in a heartbeat if it hadn't been my late brother's name (is DS's middle name instead).

some good stuff here - Matthew is a runner, and Mark is looking very good, although we know at least 3 of our age which means he will inevitably be 'Baby Mark' for ages.

Joel entranced us for a brief second till we put it with the surname - the vowel sounds are just too similar.

Grant and Craig are heading off in slightly the wrong direction, as for some reason is Luke - sounds insufficiently floppy-haired, if you see what I mean.

any more for any more?

Peter is lovely and long overdue a revival I think

Matthew is a great name
John is hugely underused and a fab name
have just seen Hector somewhere on here which i am warming to

Miles (this is my fave i think)
Otis?

My choices, from those stated already and thinking about the parents children I particularly like:
Miles
Robin
Simon
Adam

Charles

Oh, and John

Marcus?
Lucas?
Nathan?

Agree Marcus might be a good solution. Otherwise:

Justin
Ross
Alasdair
Jonathan
Niall

I wouldn't have thought any of those was in the slightest bit poncey, MrsBadger (and I am an expert on so-called poncey names, as my children and I have plenty of them). They all sound very straightforward and solid to me. John is nice; so is Charles. George is also nice and straightfoward. If I had another DS, I'd campaign very hard for him to be Humphrey.

no no, Grant, Craig and Luke were not poncey enough

I want a little bit of ponce, or at least the possibility of ponce, in case he gets a schol and ends up a chorister with Sebastian and Christopher

Hamish.

Okay possibly a bit Scottish - but in fact I know a wonderful Northumbrian Hamish. And you just smile saying it.

Sorry but all the Marks I know were "naughty" boys so couldn't bear to use it myself!

How about

David
Andrew
Michael
Peter
Edward

for something classic that is not currently over-used (but they can all be shortened...)

I've heard of a Hector recently which I like... is that sufficiently poncy?

Piers

Jude

re shortenings, they must be shortenings that no-one in their right mind could mistake for a given name, iyswim.

So to their friends Adam and Simon might be Ads or Si but they would never use those to (eg) fill in a form or sign a document, unlike Dave, Andy, Mike, Pete, Ed and Charlie.

does that make sense?

we worked really hard to give DD an unshortenable name and it has come off brillantly (think Rachel, Sally, Zoe) - but finding the same for a boy seems much tricker...