The Great Big Thread of Names

MamaK225

@lilmamabebe3 - I agree that Madeleine flows better, but it's pretty darn close that - if I were in your shoes - I would also consider giving DH #1 because he's been considerate

Thanks @jrm_14 & @chillycanadian! I might even give DH the option of switching the order, so Sloane Victoria or Victoria Sloane. I think they both flow well with our last name. It would be nice to kind of put the thought to bed (or keep the combination of the two open to see which one "fits" better when she arrives) so we can move on to other, more important things. Like the nursery. LOL.

aevan011

@MamaK225 Sloane was on our list for a girl last time and this time. I love that it's not ultra-feminine and I've also never met a Sloane. (Bonus was it was one of 2 names we could agree on lol)

jmesue1030

@mamak225 YES to Victoria! It definitely fems up Sloan a bit and it’s still a super strong name (I mean it’s gotta mean “victory” right?) I like the names in both orders, but personally I don’t like the nn’s for Victoria (Vickie, tori) so I would either only call her Victoria or go with Sloan as the fn, but that’s just me!

MamaK225

@jmesue1030 - We're hoping she'll prefer to go by Sloane, but if not, I love the nn Vic for a girl. DD1's nickname is Charlie. They would sound like a cheesy detective duo from the 80s  

jmesue1030

@MamaK225 duh, I didn’t think of Vic, that’s way better than Vicky. But I’m still team fn Sloane for what it’s worth 😁

wanderlustsoul

I actually love Sloane! It’s such a good name. 

cato99

I kind of like Sloane Victoria a little more than Victoria Sloane! It really forefronts the strength of Sloane

And I agree in preferring Ava Madeleine over Madison. 

WinchesterGirl

@lilmamabebe3 +1 for Madeline is better than Madison as the MN!

olivemomma

DH and I had a big name talk and officially have ‘a list’ to work off of...

Ethan (we both like this name a lot but I worry it’s too popular and I have a 1st cousin named Ethan, I can’t decide if that’s a deal breaker or not).
Owen (this was originally our first choice for DS last go before we made a last minute swap so it’s back in the running, but I don’t like it as much as I did last time).
Andrew
Asher
Albert (my grandfathers name (who was also my favorite person in the world growing up), but I worry it’s too old man like).
Oscar (my husband LOVES this name. I threw it out there as a joke and he is clinging to it. Initially I couldn’t get past Oscar the grouch but have looked and there are some cool Oscars out there. I also kind of like the nn Ozzy).

ugh names stress me out - what are your thoughts?? I would especially be interested in impressions on Albert and Oscar.

denma2015

@olivemomma I think Oscar nn Oz or Ozzy is cute.  I also really like Albert.  Nn Albe would be pretty sweet.  My son has a good friend at Preschool named Albe.  

mamamias

One thing I observed we all have in common - naming our first is relatively easier compared to naming our last born. With the first, we have more options to work with. If this LO is the last or has a sibling then we are under too much pressure to make sure they either rhyme or don't, honor someone cuz we won't have that chance and the nn doesn't clash with their siblings. DH and I pretty much gave up on this hoping we will get an inspiration when LO is born. 🤷‍♀️

WinchesterGirl

@olivemomma I love Owen!

cmessamore

@olivemomma Oscar is on our boy name list if we ever have another one. It’s my husband’s grandfather’s name. I really wasn’t in love with it because of Oscar the Grouch, but it has grown on me. And I love the name Asher! 

jmesue1030

@olivemama I like Oscar and Albert if you use nicknames! Ozzy is Super cute! My husband was stuck on Otto for DS which took time to grow on me (and we ultimately didn’t go with Otto anyway) 

agpandme

UGH...We just found it was a boy and suddenly DH claims he never liked the #1 boy name (Denver) we had picked.  I still like it and I don't like any of his alternatives (Archer, Colton, Cash).  Truthfully Archer is OK but I really despise the possibility of a nn of Archie.  I'm still rooting for the named we picked and hoping his stubborness is short lived. LOL

aevan011

@olivemomma I really like Oscar with Ozzy as a nn! Albert does sound older but I think once they’re born, it either works or doesn’t - the “old” factor might not feel so important later. 

Asher is on our list, DH is really stuck on it this time though he vetoed it very early last time. 

It’s funny how we might not like something as much this second go round! This especially is causing me stress because DH seems to have changed his naming style on me so everything I choose thinking he will like - he says no. And he’s liking names I loved before but that I’m not into this time! 

kminacap

@moon1417 My DS is Emmett and we love it. We are in the same boat as you this time, but going the other way. We picked a girl's name before we knew we were having a boy with baby #1, but now I feel like I can't commit to it because it almost feels like cheating!

kaylaef

Third time mom. Found out we are having our THIRD boy!! We ga e decided on Owen David. 

law_and_little1

@lilmamabebe3 Personally I think Madison flows better. Both are beautiful! 

lilmamabebe3

@law_and_little1 I am going to let my husband choose the final middle name, so we will probably go with Madison! She will have two middle names though, so we can still use my grandma's name. We're getting excited!

mamamias

Last night DH opens this website that has name suggestions and was pitching each one he liked. I am pretty specific that the baby should not have a name starting in "A". Too many relatives with "A" names. I ask him why he keeps giving me A names and he says he is at freaking page 15 and still not done with A. At this rate, we won't be done until the baby is born, I think 🙄

mrosek91

Reviving this thread because DH still refuses to discuss names with me, and I need to talk to someone. I tried over the holiday and kind of messed up... Feel free to ignore this really long ramble.
We do not use a name if any living "ancestor" relative has that name. (So we will double if an uncle/aunt or cousin has a name, but not a father/mother, grandfather/mother, etc.) 2 of my great-great grandfathers have the same first name, but different middle names. We can't use the first name because DH's grandfather has the same name, and is thankfully still alive. For some reason putting their 2 middle names together popped into my head several weeks ago, and I can't get it out. So I'm really hoping DH will agree to use that as the name, even though there is a different first name we discussed for DS#1, and DS#2, and kept saying maybe next time.
Here's the catch. The name that I want to use as the first name has a Hebrew letter in it that has no English equivalent, and is very hard for people to pronounce if they weren't raised with it. (It's that throat clearing sound that's at the beginning of Challah, or Chanukah, if you ever heard someone who can speak Hebrew pronounce those.) My name also has that sound in the middle, so my parents gave me a different legal name, and that is what I use at work. I am very grateful to my parents that I have an alternative, and I don't have to hear people butcher my name every day.
DS#1&2 don't have "english" names, their birth certificates just have a transliteration of their names. 
I'm trying to decide if I want to stick with this name, my 2 hesitations are (1) I cannot come up with any good similar English names that I like. (2) When the kids are older are they going to be upset that they did/did not get an English name like their brother.
(Sorry I know this is hard to follow without giving out the names, but being married to someone in internet security, I'm paranoid.)
And of course I can't stop thinking about this, and come 38 weeks, when DH will finally discuss names with me, he may not like this name at all...

(Also, in case you're curious the story of how I messed up. We know we're having a boy, and the family knows we know but we aren't telling anyone. I thought I remembered my great-great-grandfathers' name, but I wasn't sure. At the dinner table one night (present - my parent, my sister + her husband, my brother) I asked my father what his great grandparents names were on his father's side. He gave me the men's names, but not the woman's. I thought, if I let the conversation keep going, everyone is going to know we're having a boy, so I reminded him that he hadn't stated the women's names. Now the family is convinced we're having a girl.)

agpandme

I'm still hooked on the D name. I can't let it go. I just love the way it sounds with everything and I feel that it is his name.  DH is very much opposed but hasn't offered me any agreeable names to replace the one I like.  I've started suggesting awful names so he will learn to like the one I've chosen LOL

cato99

@mrosek91 my instinct at first reading that was that you should go with the name you like, and that people can be corrected. Plus that letter isn't too out of the ordinary, like most people know how to pronounce Chaim. But when you said that you actually liked having the legal option without it yourself that gave me pause! 

So I don't think you should worry that your kids will feel unbalanced--you have good reasons for naming them the way you did/will and can explain that to them. But I would keep trying to make inroads with your husband because it's probably something he WILL have an opinion on when he's ready to discuss it!

MamaK225

I agree with @cato99 and think the world is a little different (*slightly* less ignorant of non-anglo names) than even a decade ago ... so something beginning with that sound wouldn't be a deal-breaker. But - as you said - if you think he might appreciate it in the future, you can add a more-English name or give a nickname for use during his youth when his peers are less likely to fret about "getting it right."

@agpandme - I'm there with you, I started offering up HORRIBLE names because I really wanted *my* favorite name back in the running. Fun fact: DD1 latched onto that name from the very beginning and refuses to let it go; DH made a comment last week that he "gives up" and we *can* use that name, if I want. So now I'm stuck between the name I love (but feel he might be salty about) or the one we had mostly-agreed about, but the middle name doesn't flow as well.

Sooo ... now I'm between my favorite (Savannah) and our mostly-agreed upon (Sloane). Should we just wait until she's born to see which she "looks like?" It's kind of driving me nuts that we haven't picked one and I think that's what's blocking me from getting ANYTHING done with the nursery or getting prepared for the arrival. Since without a name, it feels a bit less *real* ... if that makes sense.

ETA: there are several Savannah's in her daycare, but I really DGAF about her having a duplicate name because DD1 has a super-common (thanks, Princess Kate!) name for her age. Both girls would have alternate nicknames that we would use interchangeably (we already do for DD1).

law_and_little1

@MamaK225 - I love Savannah. And I feel you about wanting finality, but also think it makes sense to wait and see how you feel when you see her. 

law_and_little1

I think we decided on a name for our boy... Jackson George!

George was already decided as the middle name regardless, because of my husband's dear grandfather. I never got to meet him but they had such a close relationship so I was happy to use that middle name. And I personally LOVE alliteration in names so that double J / G sound is so satisfying. 

Only hesitation is how popular Jackson is, but on the other hand, I don't care that much.  

I also like Jax for a nickname. 

suzycupcake

@MamaK225 What about Savannah Sloane?

@law_and_little1 That's an adorable name!

olivemomma

I actually had a dream the other night about the babies name, we waited until he was born and decided he looked like an Ethan (which really is on our list). I have a feeling in reality we will be waiting until then because we just can’t firmly decide - we have it narrowed more or less to 4 names, 2 more common and popular names (Ethan and Owen) and 2 old school names much less common (Albert and Oscar). Ugh boy names...

bluebonnet15

@law_and_little1 Love it! I don’t think Jackson is as popular as it used to be 

goldfishcraker

@olivemomma I love Ethan! But my cousin used it in July. So now I can't haha.
Boy names are so tough!

olivemomma

@chilllycanadian my biggest hiccup on Ethan is actually that I have a 1st cousin with that name. However, he’s 25 and lives several states away. They would maybe see each other 1-2 times a year and obviously wouldn’t grow up as play buddies or anything. So I can’t decide if it’s a big deal or not...

EmilyA724

@olivemomma I don't think that's a big deal. If you love the name, and it doesn't bother you, then don't let it stop you from using it. 

We wait until birth to actually decide on a name, but we go with a list of 3-4. Right now our names are Eleanor, Arden, and Zelda. In all honesty, I feel like there's a good chance we'll be going with Zelda, but I feel like we need a 4th name for options. We just can't find another one that we love. 

MamaK225

So we finally came to a consensus (with the right to discuss further if she doesn't "look" like her name): Savannah Astrid. I know, from out of left field. But DH was happy with the nod to his Scandinavian roots and I can still have Savannah (n/n Savvy). It happened pretty late last night (~19:00), so THIS week, I can focus on creating a plan for THIS weekend to get the nursery together  

wanderlustsoul

@MamaK225, I like that! Savannah Astrid is very pretty. 

wanderlustsoul

I’m not sure I ever shared but our baby will be: Leo Alexander Harrison

goldfishcraker

@olivemama I agree with @EmilyA724! If you love it, and you should use it! It's not like it will cause confusion with 2 tiny kids playing together or anything!
Some friends just named their baby, Katie. And we have an adult Friend who is Katie. (The friends know each other but aren't close to each other). So now it's  just  "Baby Katie" when needed to make the distinction.

MamaK225

What an amazing, regal name @AKuzReve!! I was gunning for Leonore as a middle name to give a nod to her being a Leo  

wanderlustsoul

@MamaK225, my due date is on the cusp of him being a Leo or a Virgo since I am due August 26 haha. It will be funny if he’s a Leo named Leo. It’s really the only boy name we agreed on. My front runner was Noah but I am glad he swayed me because it’s so popular. 

I like Leonore! But still love and prefer Astrid to go with Savannah. 

MamaK225

Yeah, @AKuzReve, we're pretty stuck on Astrid, it would take a major appearance disparity to change it. Technically, I was supposed to get to choose the middle name, but he "gave" me the first name, so I was happy to oblige with the middle. Plus, DD1 was really stuck on Savannah (I knew it was best to get her onboard early ).