Jennifer writes:
We are expecting our second son on or around March 24th. Our first son is named Henry David Dickens. I’d like a name that “goes with” Henry but it doesn’t have to be too matchy-matchy. They’re going to be different people, after all.
We have a fairly short list of candidates, but I’m not sure we have found the perfect choice yet. I’m a little nervous about having namer’s remorse. I feel that way a little bit about my son, Henry. I think he might have made a good Linus, and I am sad that we didn’t consider it when we picked his name. (Perhaps we did, and I forget.) My biggest concern is that there’s another name out there that I haven’t seen that I might think is perfect. That’s why I’m coming to you!
My husband prefers fairly standard names, nothing too weird. I prefer “normal” names, but ones that are not too popular. I love Ethan and think it goes really nicely with Henry, but it’s #2 in popularity right now! I hate the recently made up slew of “-en” names (Jaylen, Braden, etc.) and I eschew tradesman names or place names with a few exceptions. I like short, consonant-heavy, old-fashioned names that are nickname proof.
Here is my list: Rudy (think hipsters from the 50s, not Guliani), Dean, Stanley, Simon, Earl, Edison (don’t like Ed but Sonny might work).
Here is my husband’s list: Ben, Sam, Owen, Nelson, Thomas, Linus, Atticus.I’m not too worried about the middle name. We have lots of names we do like so I think finding a middle name will be a pretty easy task. I’m more concerned with the first name at this point. So, are there any other options out there that we might be overlooking that you and your good readers can think of?
Thanks so much!!
Adam Dickens, Henry and Adam
Elias Dickens, Henry and Elias
Everett Dickens, Henry and Everett
Franklin Dickens, Henry and Franklin
Isaac Dickens, Henry and Isaac
Joel Dickens, Henry and Joel
Karl Dickens, Henry and Karl
Nathaniel Dickens, Henry and Nathaniel
Rufus Dickens, Henry and Rufus
Russell Dickens, Henry and Russell
Silas Dickens, Henry and Silas
Warren Dickens, Henry and Warren
I particularly like Isaac, Elias, and Rufus.
Name update 04-30-2010! Jeni writes:
Update:
Linus Nelson Dickens
March 22, 2010 3:30 PM
7 pounds, 4 ounces
21.5 inches long
If you wish you had used Linus last time, what is stopping you from using it this time?
As the mother of an Elias, I feel I must warn you that no one ever pronounces it right the first time. Obviously, we went with it anyway and I love it, but the “Ellis/Ellie/El-ee-ass/Elise” mix-ups do get a bit old.
Liam? Or is that too popular?
Andrew. Andrew and Henry. Andy or Drew.
Charles. Charles and Henry. Charlie is a cute nn.
And my fave, William. nn Will.
if you did do William, it would be a little “prince-y” and if you did Charles….well, Charles Dickens would be, uh, strange?
I like the suggestions of Everett and Silas from Swistle, and on your list I really like Dean with Henry, though Dean Dickens is a little choppy. Why not Linus? I love Thomas with Henry too. Thomas Dickens is quite nice. Other ones on your lists I like are Simon, Edison, and Atticus.
A name that popped in my head for you is James. Its kind of popular, but fits with Henry without having the other royalty issues of Charles and William, and might be a nice compromise between your and your husbands styles.
What about Peter? My middle son is Peter, and he loves it – traditional but not used a lot.
Good luck!
~Jenny in MD
I LOVE the name Atticus!!!!
I ask the same ? as above…What is stopping you from using Linus this time? That said, I like Rudy & Simon from your list, Warren & Silas from Swistle’s and Peter suggested above. Also like:
Elliott
Evan
Ezra
Leo
Milo
Oliver
Oscar
Good Luck! Can’t wait to hear you choice.
I love your style! They feel retro (yet not kitschy) and classy. My Dad’s name is Stanley but he goes by Stan, so I like that one. But more than that, I love Walter. It’s my Grandad’s name – my favourite man of all!:) – and you could go Walt, Wally, even Wall for a nickname. Henry and Walt. Cute, non?
:)
Love the suggestion of Walter. Orville? I know, a bit much but a personal fave of mine. I also love Edison but I don’t think Sonny and Henry are great together. Maybe Edmund and you could use Ned as a nn! Henry & Edmund (Hal & Ned). All the best to you!
I like Linus and Simon from your list and Rufus and Russell from Swistle’s list. I also like the suggestion of Peter. It is time Peter comes back I say.
Could you use Linus this time? It’s a great name. I love the names on your list, especially Simon, Sam (would that be Samuel?) and Thomas.
Casper
Edward
Graham
Hugo
Jacob
Lucian
Miles
Graham is my favorite here. Henry and Graham. Perfect, no?
good luck!
Like a few others my first thought was why not Linus? If you like it enough to regret not using it and it’s on your husband’s list, it seems perfect.
That said, I like Simon and Dean from your list, and from your husband’s list Owen and Thomas. My contributions are Theodore (though it has obvious nicknames Teddy and Theo), Louis and Miles.
Edwin? I ‘m a teacher, and we have a student named Edwin at our school. The name just adds to his cuteness now, and I can see it transitioning well into an adult name later. I know it seems like Ed would be an obvious nick name, but no one calls him that (maybe because Edwin is kind of a fun name to say already?). I also LOVE Rudy, Everett, and Rufus. Can’t wait to hear what you choose!
When I saw “Baby Boy Dickens”, Charles Dickens immediately came to mind. While I’d probably steer clear of using his name, I wondered what Charles and his wife Catherine named their sons. As it turns out, 7 of their 10 children were boys, including a Henry:
Charles Culliford Boz Dickens
Walter Landor Dickens
Francis Jeffrey Dickens
Alfred D’Orsay Tennyson Dickens
Sydney Smith Haldimand Dickens
(Sir) Henry Fielding Dickens
Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens
My favorite of these is Edward with the nn Teddy: Henry and Teddy.
Edmund! I knew an Edmund, no nickname, in college. (He was super hot, oh my God, so maybe I’m just biased.)
Greetings Swistle Readers! It’s Henry and Baby Boy Dickens mom.
Yes, I’m afraid Charles is out, but I love that Patricia posted Charles Dickens’ sons names! How fabulous!!
Top contenders at the moment include Dean, Linus, Ben and Owen. We have started to try them out and see what we like. I was surprised to find myself using nicknames like Dino and Dinosaur for Dean, which I never expected to do!
I like all the advice to go for Linus. I was worried that it would be like stealing from Henry, but I’m getting over that.
Now, help me think of all the Linus references out there:
Linus Pauling (Nobel Prize Winner)
Linus Torvalds (Linux Developer)
Linus Larrabee (Sabrina)
Linus van Pelt (Peanuts)
Are there any nicknames for Linus?
I really like Simon from your list, Linus (I know a little boy named Linus, and he is darling) and Silas from Swistle.
I say go with Linus. Both of you love the name and Henry and Linus are a darling sibset. Good luck!!
I immediately thought Henry and Charlie.
Charles is a great name. I also think Oliver would go nice with Henry.
Charles Joseph is my pick for you.
Someone else suggested Isaac. That is a wonderful name too.
Charles
Oliver
Isaac
Yeah, I think I would skip Charles. Charles Dickens is a little much to live up to for a little boy.
Yes, I’m afraid Charles is definitely out. :)
So this is funny. We decided against Dean because of the Dino/Dinosaur nicknames we predicted.
And then at school one of the teachers came up with her own nickname for Linus: Lino-Dino. And it has STUCK.
How ironic! :)