Baby Names
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Calder?

So I'm 39 weeks with a boy and we don't have a name. We don't even have a shortlist. One name that came up last night was Calder. We both like the sound of it. My husband likes how unusual it is. I like that it's very similar to a family name (Cadwallader) that's too long to use for a first name. But my #1 rule for names has always been DON'T PICK SOMETHING EVERYONE WILL GET WRONG. Calder just isn't used as a first name, as far as I can tell, although it was in both baby name books I have. BTN has it as a user submitted name, but other sites have it as a real name.

So what would you think if you heard the name Calder? Does it sound too trendy? What other names might it get mistaken for? Any references I'm unaware of? I do know of the artist Alexander Calder and I actually love his work, so that's not a bad thing for me, unless he was secretly awful which is always a risk these days.

The only other name that's sort of a frontrunner is Arthur. I don't love it, but I could probably live with it if I had to.

Re: Calder?

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    all i can think of is hotter....or caldwell banker
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    All I can think of is that you live in Grand Rapids MI, and you are naming your son after Calder Plaza (Alexander Calder).  

    Sorry, a last name isn't a good first name.  Not a fan, at all.  
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    I like Arthur. 
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    @magsugar13 Pretty sure it's Coldwell Banker? But yeah, similar, I guess.

    @harpseal135 To be fair, there are Calder sculptures all over the world. I've never been to Grand Rapids so I'm not familiar with that one. But I hear you. I don't like last names as first names either. I'm just getting desperate. 😭
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    Calder doesn’t sound trendy, it sounds made up. Do not like it at all.

    Arthur is great. But don’t use a name you don’t love.
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    What about Collier? 

    I wonder if you googled ‘occupational boys names’ if some might be your style.  :)
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    Not a fan of last names as first names. I love Arthur.

    Alden
    Colt
    Asher
    Calvin
    DD1: June '16 DD2: March ‘19 :::: Married since 2011 :::: USN Wife ::::
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    Calder makes me think of Grand Rapids as well due to the artist Alexander Calder. Also the IHL equivalent of the Stanley Cup is the Calder Cup. It is 100% a last name and sounds odd as a first.
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    I’ve never heard of any of it.
    Could consider:
    Cade
    Colton
    Ashton
    Asher
    James
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    What about Adler?
    Calder would be a no for me. 
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    I’m sorry, but I think Calder is kind of awful and it will get old correcting people on pronunciation and spelling quickly. A PP said to not choose a name unless you love it, but (UO here) I disagree! I think that you should definitely choose a name that both you and DH like, but the most important thing is that it’s a real name and a solid name. My DH and I always make separate lists of names we like prior to naming our babies and we go from there... but the names we agree on have never been names that either of us have LOVED. There were names we thought were solid and we liked. And now that my children are here I have grown to love their names as much as I love them. So, that was my overcomplicated way of saying go with Arthur. 😂
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