Help me decide between these two names!

SmrBrd2012

Hi all!

So my due date is tomorrow and I'm still struggling between two names for our little boy. The two contenders are Philip or Nathan. I feel like I can't really go wrong with either but that isn't really helping me decide so here I am. H likes both about equally with a slight preference for Philip. MN will most likely be Lee which I think sounds fine with either.

Here are my thoughts:

Nathan:
Cons: More common and we have a really common LN. BIL guessed this name even though we won't confirm and he said "don't name him that" which is now stuck in the back of my mind and it'll bother me if he says something after he's born.
Pros: I like the Nate NN slightly more than Phil. Have always liked this name in general.

Philip
Con: A little worried about the spelling in that the 2 L's is more common in
the US and he will always be "doomed" to getting the question "One L or
two?" Don't care for the NN Phil that much.
Pro: A lot less common these days but still a great name (IMO).

Clearly the cons are not big deals but I don't know how else to help me decide. Does anything positive or negative come to mind if you had to decide between these two names?

LoveIsOwlYouNeed

I just prefer Nathan, Philip is NMS.  But since you and your DH like it slightly more, go with Philip.

If people call him Phil you can just say, we prefer "Philip." Of course you can stop him from using "Phil" when he is older.  Generally speaking, I wouldn't make a decision based on nickname.  There are so many stories on this board of people who named their LO based on a nickname they liked and never ended up using. 

Also, if you do pick Nathan, don't let your brother get to you. He gets to name his own kids if/when he has them.

bbiutmcph

I just love Philip. It's more unexpected.  Phil may be something he chooses to go by later in life but my name is Jennifer and I have gone by Jenna since 2nd grade by everyone but my parents. THey still 32 years later call me Jennifer or Jen. It's not a big deal. 

wassuphoes

Philip.

erinnlou

I prefer Philip, but I also love the nn Nate. I would go in with both names and decide when you see him.

SmrBrd2012

@erinnlou

That's the plan but I'm worried I'll be even more indecisive once he's here!

@cherylann789

I actually don't prefer either NN compared to the full names but figured he'll end up being called a NN regardless of my preference so I'm just including it as part of the pro/con list.

LizWhiz87

I prefer Philip. Both are solid though, so I feel you can't go wrong.

gonetothesea

Both are great, but I like the nn of Nate so much better than Phil.

magsugar13

Both good but i like philip better

Elsa1984

I had a nickname I was going to use for my kid, and I have not once called her by it. Not even right after she was born. I still laugh about it to this day. And the previous poster is right, you can ask (or tell) people not to call him by Phil, but he could totally go by it in the future. And who knows, by that time, the nickname "Phil" may not bother you by that time. We have a Marcus in the family, and his parents set everyone straight that they didn't want him to be called Mark. He is in his teens now....and he only goes by Marcus (even at school). And someone I know was dreading naming her child Elizabeth because she "HATES all of the nicknames associated with the name Elizabeth.......ALL of the nicknames!" Well she named her Elizabeth, and everyone calls her Elizabeth......except her mom, the same person that "HATES all of the nicknames associated with Elizabeth"..... she calls her Lizzie.

I think out of the two names, and how you described the pros and cons, I would use Philip.

masterofallcheese

I prefer Philip but have no issues with Nathan. Good luck! And...once you meet your baby one name may just call to you more, anyway.

MixedBerries88

I like them both a lot. I would suggest trying to totally remove your brother from your mind as much as you can. Sure, there are other cons with that name that you've mentioned, such as popularity, but when someone as important in your life as your brother is so negative, it really sticks with you. Your brother will probably not say anything after he meets his nephew if you choose Nathan. And if he's really the type of guy that would be a jerk about the name forever and ever, then honestly...I don't really trust his judgement on the issue.

So anyway, I prefer Nathan but Philip is great too. You really can't make a bad choice here.

g8trkim

I prefer Nathan but Philip is fine. The one l, two l thing would drive me nuts. Nobody will misspell Nathan. Plus I like the NN Nate.

MamaWren919

I love Nathan/Nate. I don't think it's overly popular (and I'm an elementary teacher).

g8trkim

MamaWren919 said:

I love Nathan/Nate. I don't think it's overly popular (and I'm an elementary teacher).

Agreed! I teach at an elementary school and have 740 students. I have two Nathans and two Phillips.

claridiva

I have a Nathaniel, nn Nate, so I'm clearly a little biased. Have you considered Nathaniel rather than Nathan?

A friend just named her son Philip (1 L) and it's really grown on me. You can't go wrong with either.

When we were down to our last couple of name choices, I found that I was just naturally calling and feeling one over the other. What feels most natural to you?

SmrBrd2012

@claridiva

Even though it's a great name, Nathaniel is not my style so that wouldn't be an option. I haven't felt a pull towards one or the other but I guess I feel like I "want" to like Philip more. NO idea if that makes any sense.

Thank you everyone for your input! I guess we'll just have to decide at the hospital because I'm still having trouble! It's good to know that a lot of you think we can't go wrong with either name though.

LoveIsOwlYouNeed

SmrBrd2012 said:

@claridiva

Even though it's a great name, Nathaniel is not my style so that wouldn't be an option. I haven't felt a pull towards one or the other but I guess I feel like I "want" to like Philip more. NO idea if that makes any sense.

Thank you everyone for your input! I guess we'll just have to decide at the hospital because I'm still having trouble! It's good to know that a lot of you think we can't go wrong with either name though.

It actually does make sense to me...I don't love our first/middle combo for a girl if we have one...but I WANT to You're good either way so maybe just see what feels right once you're holding your LO.

dancingmatilda

Both are good names but I much prefer Philip.

LNic5

I prefer Nathan to Philip

neverblushed

Reading over your OP, I'd say you like Philip better, but the cons are holding you back.

Go with Philip.  The cons aren't that bad.  You don't have to use "Phil" as a nn.  I'm Melissa, and I never go by Missy.  My DD is Tabitha, and we never call her Tabby.

Rabbitheart15

Is Jonathan an option? I love that name. Just Nathan would be fine as well, the name Philip has always been a bit too stiff to me.

4N6s

Philip