Help deciding between 2 names

wishchick88 · September 2018

I am expecting a baby boy and before even getting pregnant I thought of a name I would like to name a son: Charlie (Full name Charles). When we found out we were having a boy, hubby was not super excited about the name since it was boyish, but then came around to it since we couldn't think of anything else we liked, so we told our families who all thought it was cute. After we told the name, I randomly had a strong feeling about another name that I also liked: Daniel. I couldn't shake the thought and started having doubts about going with Charlie because while it is super cute for a kid, it may not suit him as he gets older and I'm not really a fan of Charles, (we would not make Charlie the legal name). I worry that I like the name more for when he is younger, but he may grow out of it. With Daniel, it is timeless, but I also worry it is too popular. Maybe a little less popular these days, but Charlie is also popular and going into the girl name realm. Hubby likes the name Daniel more and thinks it is a stronger name than having a nickname name of Charlie, but I still like both and can't decide. Our last name is pronounced like Blank and Charles doesn't seem to ring with it if he does want to use a formal name professionally, but Charlie and Daniel both sound ok with it.

Any thoughts on which sounds better with our last name-Charlie or Daniel? Is Charlie too cutesy for an adult and is Daniel too common? Which do you like better and why?

bellebaby221 · September 2018

Daniel. Use Charles as his MN.

nerdtoyourmother · September 2018

I like them both and do not feel like Daniel is too popular. If it helps... my FIL is Charles and goes by Charlie, and I've never thought of his name as 'too young' or anything like that. It's just his name.

mb0112 · September 2018

They are both good names. Charlie doesn’t necessarily sound immature. Famous adult Charlies
Sheen
Hunnam
Chaplin

Chuck is also an option if he doesn’t want to go by Charlie or Charles when he is older. Like Chuck Norris haha

kmvisioli · September 2018

I prefer Daniel, and you could still use the cute boyish nn Danny. Daniel Charles sounds great together! I feel like Charlie is actually more popular by me, plus goes into the realm of pet names, and I do know several dogs or cats called Charlie...

wishchick88 · September 2018

Thanks for the input! Charles as middle would help with the decision, but it would be Daniel Stephen as a family name if we went with that.

leighry · September 2018

LOVE Daniel. I like Charlie but not a fan of Charles although I'm like you and would want to use Charles for the given name and Charlie as a nn. I would lean toward Daniel as Danny for a little boy is cute and can be shortened to Dan or even just Daniel which sounds nicer to me than Charles. Good luck!

wishchick88 · October 2018

True, i just don’t like any other nn’s for Charles

RoseShadow873 · October 2018

I like the name Charles and think of Charles Ingalls! It sounds manly to me, and Daniel seems Bibley, which some people like. It sounds like maybe you have already made up your mind though, but you could wait to meet the baby first to decide what seems right.

wishchick88 · October 2018

Thanks, I keep going back and forth. Has anyone else waited to see the baby before naming and is it pretty clear?

bbiutmcph · October 2018

I prefer Daniel. I love it and I’m a bit tired of Charlie. Especially since it’s a cutesy girl nn now too

leighry · October 2018

@wishchick88 we waited for our 3rd daughter.. we had 2 names and we ended up going back over names we had tossed because the two we went in with didnt fit! So its definitely a reality to wait until you see him to decide.

nurse714 · October 2018

Daniel

magsugar13 · October 2018

Daniel

thellx · October 2018

I prefer Charles/Charlie but I think Daniel sounds better with your last name.

wishchick88 · October 2018

Good to know!

little_bren · October 2018

I prefer Daniel.

wishchick88 · October 2018

Bump

mrsvp614 · October 2018

Not sure if this will help, but I'm very familiar with both of those names.
DH's name is Charles Daniel, but he's always gone by Daniel. People call him Danny, Dan, frequently, and he gets irritated by that.
We named our son Charlie, with the formal name of Charles, after DH and my Dad.

I think both are solid, traditional names, but will also get varied nicknames.
We also waited until he was born to name him, to make sure it felt right. I don't think you can go wrong either way!

cantrellja · October 2018

I think Charles, nn Charlie is a much stronger name than Daniel which has always seemed rather weak to me.

little_bren · November 2018

I prefer Daniel and think it ages better.

bartonolivia · November 2018

I love Charles/Charlie. My dads name is Charlie! I feel like it ages we’ll

Help deciding between 2 names

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