Thoughts on Gideon

AdventureMama · August 2015

My current name infatuation is Gideon. It feels classic but not overdone, which I like. My questions:

-What do you think of when you hear the name? My first association was Gideon from Criminal Minds, then Molly Weasley's brother in HP (which is probably more obscure, haha).
-Big brother is Caleb, I like the sibset but I'd love to hear thoughts.
-Where do you look for reliable meaning? I'm finding different things on different websites.

-In general is it TOO old testament church-y? I like Biblical names just fine, but I don't know if it has the same feel as, say, Jedidiah, Solomon, or Lazarus (which are perfectly fine names, but not my style).

Thanks in advance, ladies!

ETA: Forgot to ask, what nicknames could we use, if any? And what unfortunate nicknames do you foresee in his life?

mrstrax · August 2015

Love it. I have always loved the name but have a friend with the name so it would be weird to use it.
As for Old Testament-y I think it's both normal enough and a great role model should if they look up the story - which is not true of all OT names!

Edited for typos.

jenfarm3 · August 2015

if it's good enough for neil patrick harris (love him) it's good enough for me. LOL. it is definitely unique though. don't hear it often at all.

AdventureMama · August 2015

mrstrax said:

Love it. I have always loved the name but have a friend with the name so it would be weird to use it. As for Old Testament-y I think it's both normal enough and a great role model shoutout if they look up the story - which is not true of all OT names!

That's what I was hoping (regarding the Old Testament aspect). I *think* it goes in the category of Ezra and Noah and Jonah where it's not toooo out there, but I wanted some good feedback on that.

Thank you!

AdventureMama · August 2015

jenfarm3 said:

if it's good enough for neil patrick harris (love him) it's good enough for me. LOL. it is definitely unique though. don't hear it often at all.

Oooh yes! I forgot his son is Gideon. And his daughter is Harper, right? That's adorable. I want to be in their family. :x

Annnnyway. haha

I don't love anything too unique, but I haven't ever met anyone with the name IRL. But at least it's not youneek, eh?

jenfarm3 · August 2015

AdventureMama said:

jenfarm3 said:

if it's good enough for neil patrick harris (love him) it's good enough for me. LOL. it is definitely unique though. don't hear it often at all.

Oooh yes! I forgot his son is Gideon. And his daughter is Harper, right? That's adorable. I want to be in their family. :x

Annnnyway. haha

I don't love anything too unique, but I haven't ever met anyone with the name IRL. But at least it's not youneek, eh?

Yeah, I believe their daughter is Harper. Their family is totally adorbs. Can't even. Anyway!

No, definitely not youneek. It's a good name.

bbiutmcph · August 2015

Love it and think it pairs with Caleb.

I also think of Neil Patrick Harris

I'm not religious but many names scream religious and Gideon does not for me.

For the most part I look at behind the name for meanings

cmerribury · August 2015

I really like it, nice choice!

wassuphoes · August 2015

Love Gideon.

I always check Behindthename.Com for meanings and history.

AdventureMama · August 2015

wassuphoes said:

Love Gideon. I always check Behindthename.Com for meanings and history.

Okay this site is awesome. Thank you. I'm looking at all the names on my list here.

We don't name kiddos until they're born (and we're team green) but I can safely say Gideon is my top choice now for a boy and will be on the "seriously consider" list if H likes it. Which I think he will.

MississippiCatfish · August 2015

I don't mind Gideon, but I knows baby with that name and everyone calls him Giddy. I would hate that nickname!

AdventureMama · August 2015

MississippiCatfish said:

I don't mind Gideon, but I knows baby with that name and everyone calls him Giddy. I would hate that nickname!

Aww yeah I don't like that much. That's actually a question I forgot to ask in my OP, potential nicknames. Hmm.

parenthood4 · August 2015

Peoe here love it, but I've just never been a fan. Might be a personal association thing though.

I also had a Gideon in class who had a brother named Caleb!

LNic5 · August 2015

I love Gideon, it's one of my favourite names

CaboBride2015 · August 2015

I like it and I totally thought of Gideon from Criminal Minds!

mrstrax · August 2015

My friend Gideon is almost always Gideon, and rarely Gid as a nn. Definitely not Giddy - that's so bad!

eliztheforrizz · August 2015

I love it! I think it sounds great with Caleb.

adriennerose80 · August 2015

I love it. It does make me think "Gideon's Bible," but that's irrelevant. It's a really cool name.

ClaireBear90 · August 2015

I love Gideon. Strong, masculine, classic, and not overdone! It doesn't sound super Old Testament-y to me (although that's my first association with it). As a sibset with Caleb, it sounds more Biblical simply because Caleb is also an Old Testament name, but I don't think they're on the same level as Jedidiah and Lazarus at all. I say go for it!

AdventureMama · August 2015

adriennerose80 said:

I love it. It does make me think "Gideon's Bible," but that's irrelevant. It's a really cool name.

I forgot about those! Thanks for reminding me. That's something to keep in mind for sure.

KittyCat84 · August 2015

Gideon's a great name...really can't go wrong. I can't think of any associations in regards to famous books or movies. As PP suggested, maybe the Gideon's Bible? But I didn't immediately think of it. Plus associated with a Bible is not a bad thing IMO. I think you picked a good one!

MamaWren919 · August 2015

I think it sounds a little pretentious for some reason, but I'm in the minority.

AdventureMama · August 2015

MamaWren919 said:

I think it sounds a little pretentious for some reason, but I'm in the minority.

Haha I could see that. Behind the Name users did rate it "Upper Class" (at least 72% of them did).

kerismatic · August 2015

UO but this name is totally nms. A legit name though so it gets a point there.

FreshBakedBrownies · August 2015

I want to love it, mostly because I love biblical names, but I'm not sure?

It reminds me of a character in the book Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. I loved the book and the character was overall a good guy. But I think he's the reason I have a hard time picturing a baby or little boy Gideon?

I bet it could grow on me though. As for nicknames, I don't think there are any decent ones, but that's ok.

bettertogether27 · August 2015

Immediately makes me think of the movie, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". It was a favorite, growing up. Annnnnd Gideon was my favorite brother. It's no longer a name choice for me, however, because I named my first puppy that was all mine Gideon.

GREAT name.

ecwk · August 2015

UO here but I can't get behind it. It doesn't fit a little baby or a child or teen IMO. But it is a legit name and it is strong. And actually it sounds great with Caleb. Anyway, I'm in the minority so I think you should stick with it.

delujm0 · August 2015

I like it and it sounds good with Caleb. You could Deon as a nn if you wanted.

kdizzle22 · August 2015

I LOVE the name Gideon. It was in our top 3 if we had another boy.

theglitteredpterodactyl · August 2015

I wouldn't side eye it at all. I'm also a fan of the sightly forgotten names, so I think this one is great. I'm not religious at all so I didn't make any kind of biblical references to it.

As for nicknames, I'm terrible and use terrible nicknames so I'd probably call a toddler Gideon giddy but for a real nickname, Eon (or however you'd actually spell it) sounds perfectly safe and normal to me.

xxdove · August 2015

I guess I'm in the minority here but I dislike Gideon

it makes me think of the word hideous. But that's obviously just me. Props for using a masculine, uncommon name for (maybe) baby boy.

Elsa1984 · August 2015

I like Gideon. I know two of them, have good associations with the name, and they both go fully by Gideon (no nickname)

fwtx5815 · August 2015

Sibset sounds good

I've never met anyone with the first name Gideon, but my Latin teacher in high school was Ms. Gideon and it was one of my favorite classes so I have a positive association with the name. I think of it as one of those last name as a first name, type of names.

I can't think of any way kids would tease with that name either.
The only nn I could suggest would be Deon

4N6s · August 2015

I think it sounds really dorky.

hrossi253 · August 2015

I think of the Crossfire books...and then the Bible...super opposite, but I like the name. And it's a Disney character from Pinocchio.

SmrBrd2012 · August 2015

I'm not a fan of Gideon either and I don't think it sounds particularly pleasing. I don't have any negative associations with it though and wouldn't side eye as being too religious or for any other reason.