Cori writes:
Hi! We are having our fourth BOY and his expectant arrival is September 18, 2009! We are struggling with a boys name (have lots of girl names!!) and would welcome your expertise and opinion! Our other three boys names are Luke Hunter, Liam Cole and Jack Logan.
Some of the names we have been considering are Max, Cooper, Cole, Gage. I like Levi or Lincoln for a middle name however not for a first name as there seem to be too many “L” names! I really liked Noah or Nolan but no one else likes it and especially Noah for an older man! I am completely open to suggestions!
Our last name starts with a “W” so if that helps! Please help!!:)
Here’s what I looked for:
1. Two syllables, to balance the 1-, 2-, 1-syllable pattern you have so far.
2. Names that sounded like nice boys, the way I think the first three names do.
3. Something that coordinated but also stood out: there will be four boys to tell apart, after all.
Callum
Henry
Keegan
Owen (maybe too much W with your surname?)
Riley
Samuel
Let’s have a poll over to the right [poll closed; see results below], with your suggestions and mine. I’m presumptuously removing Cole from your list: since it’s the middle name of another of your boys, and since you’ll have FOUR boys, it seems like a good idea for each boy to get his own two names.
Poll results (201 votes total):
Max: 22 votes, roughly 11%
Cooper: 26 votes, roughly 13%
Gage: 13 votes, roughly 6%
Callum: 21 votes, roughly 10%
Henry: 39 votes, roughly 19%
Keegan: 3 votes, roughly 1%
Owen: 44 votes, roughly 22%
Riley: 13 votes, roughly 6%
Samuel: 20 votes, roughly 10%
I love the name Noah and am sad that it’s off the table. I’d like to give this little guy a 4-letter, masculine name like his brothers. I like the suggestion of Owen, and also suggest:
Alec
Dane
Kael
Chad
I’ve always loved Max but wondered if it is too close to Jack. I voted for Cooper!
Oh, I like the idea of Chad. I didn’t notice the 4-letter names of you other boys and was trying to think of 2 syllable…maybe Nathan (to replace Nolan or Noah)?
So for 2 syllable:
Nathan
Ethan
Gavin
For 4-letter:
Chad
Jude
Nick
Alex
Adam
Evan
Others:
Brice
OK, nothing else coming. Good luck!
Who cares what people think, Nolan is an awesome name! Definitely one of my favorite boy’s names. I like Nolan Levi and think it sounds great with your other boys names. I also like Evan and Gavin as suggested above, Owen and Callum from Swistle’s list, and Camden, Carsten, Declan, Dustin, Greyson and Griffin are some other suggestions. Good Luck!
I like Cooper and Gage from the original list (Gage a bit better) and I’d put Nolan and Noah back on the table (speaking as the mother of a Noah!)
I like Swistle’s whole list, but Owen best.
I like Cole a lot and think it would go with the brothers’ names.
Other suggestions:
Grant
Ryder
Jamison
James
Noah gets my vote, Owen only if it doesn’t sound weird with your surname. Other four letter names that are two syllables that I like (and I second Alec, and Evan):
Toby
Milo
Ryan
Alex
I definitely think Noah grows up with the man and think mostly of Noah Wylie from ER back in the day.
Good luck!
Oh thanks!! We are also thinking of Eli….maybe Eli Cooper or Maddix? I also like Madden.
I’d be tempted to complete the set and look for another traditional J name, such as:
James
Joel
Jonah
Josh (Joshua)
Joe/Joey (Joseph or Josiah)
Joel would give you another 4 letter J-name, with 2 syllables like Liam:
Luke, Liam,
Jack, Joel
However, James is my favorite of my J suggestions.
I am going in to be induced TOMORROW! Yikes….I think we are going between Eli, Cooper, Max, Cole or Ethan? Any opinions?! This was unexpected going in tomorrow and still undecided!!
Help!!
What did you end up naming son #4? I’m prego with 4th son and have a Jack! Owen, and Liam already. Luke is a top contender along with Colin, Finn, Mack, Cole…
I adore Henry. I think it sounds just right. Luke, Liam, Jack, and Henry. I also love Owen, maybe Henry Owen, to give the slightly more old fashioned name a more modern twist?
I like Eli, Ethan, and Max, probably Ethan the best.
Luke, Liam, Jack, and Ethan…that’s a great combination!!
Eli Cooper W—- would be very cool and fit nicely with the others. But I do agree with KMW that Ethan is the BEST fit. Still, I love the name Eli Cooper. If you want Lincoln or Levi for a mn, of your short list I like:
Eli Lincoln
Cooper Lincoln
Max Lincoln
Cole Levi
Ethan Levi
Good luck tomorrow!
Also … I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the suggestions in the poll. I think Max is a great fit and may not feel as dated as Ethan might in 30 years.
I prefer Ethan, and I think Ethan goes best with your other boys’ names:
Luke, Liam, Jack and Ethan — very nice!
Best wishes for tomorrow!
I agree that Ethan fits the best. Good luck!
Oh,I’d love you to reconsider Noah. I work with a Noah and he’s one of my favorites. It completely works for a man…
of swistle’s list i thought Gage & Callum seemed most appropriate. This might sound weird but none of the other names (luke, liam, jack) have R’s in them which i feel changes the sound of the name which is why I’d stay away from cooper & henry. i thought the idea of another 2 syllable or 4 letter name was a good one to fit with the style of the other boys’ names…
Of other suggestions i liked
Jude
Evan
Jonah
& Alec but with this one then you have 3 names w/hard sounds (luke, jack, alec) & 1 with none (liam) or 3 with Ls & 1 without. seeking a balance is difficult, good luck
Eli, Eli, Eli!! Definitley go with Eli. I like that the best with the other boys. I agree with Swistle to eliminate Cole because it already belongs to one of the other boys as a middle name. I like Eli Cooper or Eli Lincoln. My second choice would be Max, then Cooper. I personally am not a big fan of Ethan, I like Evan much better.
Hopefully I’m not too late. I say go with Jude. It has the 4 letters to fit with the other boys, and it begins with J to balance out the initials. Good luck.
It looks like I may be too late, but I was also going to suggest a J name and Jonah seems to fit the bill perfectly. Of the other options, I think Max is great.
“Eli, Cooper, Max, Cole or Ethan”
Out of your top five I like Cole. Congrats on your new son!