Danielle writes:
We are very indecisive people. Our first son (Samuel Atticus) was named the day after he was born – we had narrowed it down to three possibilities (Samuel, Willem and Asher). I was never a fan of Willem, husband was, and he just didn’t seem like an Asher.
So here we are with #2 on the way – also a boy – so hard to name boys. We have trouble picking paint colors, so naming a human is just too much for us ;). One week we’re set on a name and the next week set on another. Would really appreciate some help, as all names are starting to sound the same and it seems like I can find something wrong with all of our picks. I will include the “master list” I made below, but the top contenders are as follows:
1. Quinten – *called Quinn* (not a big fan of Quinten, but love Quinn, and Quinten is my grandmother’s maiden – he could have options this way)
My problem with Quinn is that apparently some people think it’s feminine. I never did until I heard others say that. I just thought of Quinn the eskimo, the mighty, and a strong Irish surname. I think it is trendy right now for girls, but still somewhere in the 500’s?2. Eamon pron Ay-mun (love this name, was on longer list last time). My question is this: why does nobody use this name?? Are we missing something? I think it looks and sounds great.
3. Jude: just like it, think it’s cool – yes I know it’s on the rise and trendy, but it’s an old classic name, so not too worried about it being dated in 20 years. Just not sure if I’m comfortable with the meaning/connotation (German word for Jew, Jews were forced to be labeled Jude on the yellow stars, etc.). I don’t want to offend anyone nor do I want an association to Nazis during WWII – no thanks. Am I thinking too much??
4. Finn/Finnian/Phineas – I know, I know. But it’s not common or trendy at all where we live. Not even close. The problem with Finn is that I think it’s so cool for a young boy, adolescent, etc., but I’m not sure as an adult. So, I’d like a longer name to go with it, but don’t dig the options so much. Not a fan of Finnegan. Don’t like Finbar or Finley. I do like Finian, but am not sure if it’s too much. My husband *loves* Phineas (Phin) and I do too, but am afraid it’s a bit too pretentious (I swear we’re not – we just read a lot) esp, since we already have an Atticus (middle).
So, Top 4: Quinn, Eamon, Jude, Finn
Others I have repeatedly thought about and that are still on the list:
Milo
Kian
Ronan
Solomon
Soren
Asher
Theo
Simon
ArthurThanks so much for any help or advice you can give us!!! Note: don’t want to share last name, but it seems to flow with all of the names I’ve listed (ends in S, so that eliminates a lot of what we like).
You have such a good list of candidates here; the hard part is narrowing it down and CHOOSING one, forsaking all others. I like all of your Top Four, so I’m not even going to break into the list of other candidates.
Finn can also be used as a nickname for Griffin. But if you both love Phineas and Finian, I think those are both good choices. If they continue to seem like Too Much, you could use them in the middle name slot instead, as you did with Atticus: Eamon Phineas, for example, or Jude Finian.
I don’t know, either, why Eamon isn’t more popular. I wonder if it’s just the EE/AY problem? It would be regularly pronounced EE-mun, and that would be a minor hassle—but that doesn’t seem to keep people completely away from other names with minor-hassle pronunciation/spelling issues.
I love the idea of using your grandmother’s maiden name Quinten and shortening it to Quinn. I don’t think of Quinn as feminine, either; like you, I think of the mighty Quinn. Would Quin look more masculine, I wonder?
I didn’t know Jude was the German word for Jew. That gives me pause—but I don’t think it would keep me from using it unless I thought it might keep bothering me.
Let’s have a poll over to the right for the first name [poll closed; see results below], but we can discuss middle name options (perhaps from the Other Candidates list) in the comment section. I think I’m most drawn to Eamon Phineas.
Poll results (275 votes total):
Quinten (Quinn): 104 votes, roughly 38%
Eamon: 58 votes, roughly 21%
Jude: 49 votes, roughly 18%
Finn (from Phineas/Finian): 64 votes, roughly 23%
Name update 08-31-2009! Danielle writes:
Hi there- we wrote a while back to ask for help – (brother for Samuel Atticus) :). I’m a little late in sending an update, but we went with Finian Jude (nn Finn). We went back and forth between one or two n’s for Finian, as both spellings are shown in the baby name book we used, as well as for St. Finian, lake Finian, etc. Anyway, we really love the name and I love seeing the updates on your site so I thought I’d pass on…..
I like Quin. Especially with one n, and as a nickname for Quinten. Very cool.
Also, I think of Jude as a Biblical name. He was a disciple of Jesus, and the second-to-last book of the Bible is Jude.
I had never heard of the German slang, but perhaps it’s because in the German language the ‘u’ in Jude has an umlaut, and that makes the pronunciation more like Jeed. Well, not really, but in English we really don’t have a good comparison to an umlaut u.
My favorite two are Quin and Jude. Sam(uel) and Quin. Sam(uel) and Jude.
I worry about things like Jude as well. Would my grandmother be offended? Would my child someday watch a movie where someone yells “Juden!” and be afraid, as a Jew?
It’s too bad, because I really like the name, but I feel like there’s such a minefield waiting there, esp. as a Jew.
I think Quinn is pretty great, to get back on topic.
I love both Quinn and Finn. I know grown-up versions of both and the name is still cool. In your case I would probably go with Quinn, just because of the grandmother connection.
What about Fintan?
I love the name Quinton!! I’ve known two Quinton’s in my life, both of them were sweethearts!!!
I do assume that Quinn is a girl name, probably because of Quinn Cummings.(blogger & actor on Family)
But I vote for Eamon. You’re right, I don’t know why no one uses it.
I don’t know why, but for some reason when I see Quinten, the first thing I think of is San Quintin prison. (Strange, I know.) Then I thought about it and realized there is Quintin Tarantino, who is probably a much better representation of the name. ;-)
I personally like Griffin, shortened to Fin for a nickname. Just my two cents!
I know a Quinten. A lot of people just call him Q, but even if they said Quin, I don’t think I’d think it feminine. Of course, I don’t know any female Quinns.
My vote is for Phineas. You like it and I don’t find it pretentious at all. Samuel Atticus and Phineas Quinten.
Re: Jude.
The word Jude in German does not have an umlaut as suggested by a previous commenter. It is also not pronounced JEED or even close to that. It is pronounced YOO-deh. This is incredibly different from the English JOOD, so honestly, I doubt it would be a problem unless your child was to move to Germany at some point.
Quinn can be for either gender, but it doesn’t strike me as a name that is distinctly feminine or distinctly masculine, I always find that it just goes with when you meet the person… otherwise it doesn’t stand out as One Gender Or The Other. Know what I mean?
I tutor a boy named Quinn.
My female best friend’s middle name is Quin.
But it works for either of them, lol. I like it too, I think you could definitely go for it.
I like Eamon, and there used to be a boy with that name at the daycare I worked at. I’m not sure why others don’t use it, but I’d go for it if you like it.
I know a woman named Quinn. I think it’d be okay for a boy, but with only one N.
Quinn seems entirely masculine to me. I would find it odd to see it on a girl. (Androgynous names aren’t used much where I live.) I would definitely go for Quentin with the nickname Quin(n)! It seems like the perfect fit for your family. Maybe Quentin Phineas? Eamon Phineas is great, too.
Just a few quick things.
1) Quinn Cummings has a blog?? Awesome.
2) CN Heidelberg is correct about the German issues. And I agree with CN that it’s probably not likely to be a big deal.
3) The prison is not San “Quinten.” It is San “Quentin.” Completely different.
4) But Quentin reminds me — Teddy Roosevelt’s fifth son was named Quentin. I think it’s cool, prison or no. The prison thing probably wouldn’t even come up unless you live in NorCal. But you said Quinten was a family name so in the words of Gilda Radner, never mind.
Considering your other son’s name, I would vote for Jude, as it’s also biblical, or maybe even Judah (nn Jude). Then you could go with a more literary middle name – Jude Phinneas? I also think many of your secondary list names “match” better (if that matters to you) i.e. Solomon
Soren, Asher, Theo, Simon, Arthur.
Eamon and Phineas are in my top five favorite boys names, so I vote Eamon Phineas. Great name. Samuel and Eamon. I love it.
I like Jan’s suggestion of Jude Phinneas. And I also prefer your backup list of names. My favorites are Simon and Arthur. I would pick Arthur and call him Art. Samuel and Arthur. Sam and Art.
I like how Quinten Phineas flows. I love almost all the names on your lists (even extended) though! Milo is such a great name. My only pause with Quinten Phineas is that the nicknames for said names rhyme, so if you use more than one you’d have Quin(n) Finn.
I sympathize with the boys names! Girls names are much easier for us, too, and we have two boys. We cheated and decided to do family names (first and middle) for our kids. Really narrows it down.
I wish you luck and can’t wait to hear what you name your sweet little boy!
I see Samuel as a classic male name and might match it with another in that genre. However, I voted for Quinten because it’s a meaningful name for your family.
I noticed that several of the names in each list have an Irish sound to them. Unless your surname is Irish, I’d probably stay away from them — also because your older son doesn’t have an Irish name. I like Arthur from your second list and think it goes well with Samuel. How about Arthur Quinten?
I voted for Quinten. I don’t think of Quinn as feminine, though I do know a toddler girl named Quinn.
I think Quinten Asher sounds great!
I have one concern with Eamon. I live in the south, and the pronunciation “Ay-mun” sounds a lot like “Amen”–because we say AY-men, not Ah-men, in this part of the country. Its a regional thing, so it may not affect you at all, but I could just imagine the kids singing the gospel tune “Ay-men! Ay-ay-ay-men!” on the playground…
I voted for Jude. To me, the connotation is biblical, which fits well with Samuel, but it also sounds current.
I personally have some concerns about the name Jude due to these associations:
1. Judas
2. Nazi use of “Juden”
3. Nickname for Judith or Judy
John Lennon named his son older son Julian and called him Jude (“Hey, Jude”). I like Jude best when used as a nn for Julian.
Judah… Nickname Jude if you prefer. Very masculine, familiar but definitely not common, no pronounciation issues, sounds great with Samuel.