Meggan writes:
My husband and I are having boy naming issues. This is our first baby and we can’t think of anything we’d really like to name him.
Before we knew the sex, we came up with girl names pretty easily. (I hate to even mention them in case I jinx anything for a future baby, but here goes.) I love love LOVE the name “Thora.” It’s got a wonderful old-timey feel, it’s not popular, it has a lovely Scandinavian flavor, and we agreed on it almost instantly. We also really liked “Eleanor.”
For a boy’s name, we want the same kind of classic, old-timey, familiar-but-not-trendy feel. I want to “save” Thora, so I’m not really considering names like “Thorin” that would rule it out for future babies. Plus, I like that Thora (at least to me) doesn’t smack you in the face with HELLO I AM A NORDIC GOD NAME in the way that a baby Odin might. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard.
Middle name will likely be Leif, which is my husband’s middle name. This likely fulfills our vague desire for a bit of a Scandinavian vibe in the name.
Names we sort of like:
William (Can’t tell if I’m convincing myself I like this or if I actually do)
Oliver (a bit too fast-rising for me; feels “matchy” with the last name)
Wesley (so adorable but I wonder if it’s too… new-ish? Or trendy?)
Robert (it’s a family name on husband’s side and has been used a fair amount in the past, though not at all recently)
Jonathan (same caveat as William)I also really liked “Roland,” but I kept saying it “rawl-and” instead of “row-land,” husband didn’t like it much, and I loved the nickname “Rollie” but our baby will have a (boy) cousin named Riley very close in age, and “Riley and Rollie” sounds stupid and sing-songy to me. So that’s out.
Also out:
– Names that end in a -C or -K noise (Mike), because paired with the beginning of the last name you get an unsavory 4-letter-word
– Most -ER ending names (Parker), because they sound too rhymey with the last name
– Any of the Aiden/Brayden/Caiden ilk
– Kre@tiv spellings
– I am more or less okay with popular but am not as okay with trendy, if that makes senseWe just haven’t found a name that feels like “our baby.” HELP!
I’m going to look for names that would work with a future sister named Thora or Eleanor.
A boy name I think would sound really good with Thora especially is Soren. Soren Leif Gunter. Or Torsten: Torsten Leif Gunter. Or perhaps those names are a little TOO well-matched?
If you like William and Wesley but you’re not sure about them, I suggest Wilson. Wilson Leif Gunter.
I also like Edmund: Edmund Leif Gunter.
I think Miles sounds great with your surname: Miles Leif Gunter.
Or Silas: Silas Leif Gunter.
Ooo, or Simon! Simon Leif Gunter.
More suggestions for the Gunters?
Name update 03-29-2010! Meggan writes:
Thanks so much for posting our naming dilemma! Everyone’s suggestions
helped us narrow things down and in the end we went with what felt the
best: Wesley Leif Gunter was born (early, via c-section due to
preeclampsia) March 25 and we’ve gotten a lot of great feedback on his
name. Hurray!
Edmund! Definitely Edmund! (I also always suggest Elias, but I think it works here, too.)
I really like Jonathan and William from your list, but since you are unsure, here are some more:
Brian Leif Gunther
Douglas Leif Gunther
Matthew Leif Gunther
Zane Leif Gunther
I love Thora, and William from your list. A few other possibilities:
Andrew
Emmett
Jules
Linus
Wyatt
My favorite here is Linus. Linus Gunter. (and potentially: Linus and Thora, which is just perfection!)
Good luck!
I like Wesley. I knew a Wesley in law school, who is now 35ish, with a baby, so I don’t think it is “too new”. I actually like it a lot, as well as the suggestion of Wilson.
As far as “classic” type names, I like Matthew. Good luck!
Soren and Torsten sound too similar to Thora but I do love the suggestions of Edmund and Silas.
Linus is a great name, too, but Linus Leif doesn’t sound fantastic. :/
Other random ideas:
Magnus Leif
Johan Leif
Felix Leif (too much “lee?”)
Stefan Leif
Byron Leif
Asher Leif
And I really really love Emil but it doesn’t go well with Leif, so you should save it in case you have another boy. ;)
I get what you mean about Wesley, because it kind of had its heyday in the 70s, but it is a really nice name! But again, I think it has an excess of “lee” when paired with your middle name: Wesley Leif.
Love Wesley! I don’t see it as being trendy AT ALL! I’ve always liked Oliver and I love Swistle’s suggestion of Simon. I also think the nickname “Rollie” is adorable. though I’m not a big fan of Roland, wish I could think of another full name that could use Rollie as a nn, Harold? Errol? A couple more suggestions for your baby boy:
Calvin
Conrad
Landon
Ronan
Good Luck! A lot of solid choices, I can’t wait to hear what you name your baby boy!
We are also expecting a boy and our list that has only one name we both agree on (Carson) so far is as follows:
Alexander
Bentley
Carson
Carter
Dawson
Jeremiah
Lincoln
Logan
Mark
Remington
Rylan
Sullivan
Timothy
Wyatt
Xavier
I hope you find something you like ~ Good luck!
I really like Soren and Edmund here. Soren isn’t too matchy with Thora, the alliteration is a nice tie in, and I think the names are on a similar scale in terms of popularity and feel.
What about Ansel? Ansel Leif Gunter might be too scandinavian, but I like it. I also like Thomas for you. Thomas Leif Gunter, I really like that.
Allen Leif Gunther
Erik Leif Gunther
Graham Leif Gunther
Jacob Leif Gunther
Ohh I like this question, we have similar taste in names I think.
Some great suggestions above. From them, my favorites are:
Calvin
Magnus (please use this because I love it and my husband doesn’t)
Silas
Linus
Wesley
Love them all!
Rowan Leif Gunter
What about Wilhelm (or Willem) instead of William, its just a little bit different, but still very familiar.
p.s. I LOVE Thora, great choice!
I agree with Kate.
If you like William, how about Willem?
I also think Silas is a great name.
Good luck!
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I like Wesley and Silas.
What about Stellan?
We have an Eleanor, so maybe you’ll like some of the boy names off of our list from when Eleanor turned out to be a girl and we didn’t use them!
Oliver
Elliot
Miles
Owen
Winston
Good luck!
Thora is beautiful. For boys, I like Robert a lot – the family connection is a plus, in my book.
Bennett Leif
Quincy Leif
Benjamin Leif
Alden Leif
Adam Leif
Robert is still my fave though.
I LOVE Wesley! I went to school with a Wesley and so did my husband (1 Wesley each, and we’re 32 from Md and 35 from Fl respectivly). So cute and Wes/s is so cute!!
From Swistle’s list I really like Edmund!!
What about Lars? At first, it may sound too Nordic, but once associated with a cool little guy, I think it would totally work. Plus, it sounds great with your last name. Lars Gunter. Love it.
I LOVE Wesley!!! Top choice.
Keeping with the Nordic culture, how about Sebastian? That name works well with both the middle and last name & works with both of your names for girls.
Also, Denmark has a list of approved names that their citizens can be named. Parents must register their child’s name & have it approved to “protect the child.” Perhaps you could check into getting a copy of the approved names.
Given your liking of Roland/Rollie, what about Rollin? Popular 80-100 years ago (when my grandfather was given it,) but not trendy in the least,
I like the suggestion of Ansel. It seems to have the same rare popularity and feel as Thora.
When you said you like, “kind of classic, old-timey, familiar-but-not-trendy feel” I thought of some boy names that my husband nixed for our son:
Louis (but Louis Leif probably wouldn’t work)
Stuart
Oscar
I really like how Stuart seems traditional but is virutally unused. I’m not sure if it would go with Thora, but I don’t think it is terrible with Thora, and when the siblings are of the opposit sex, I feel sometimes you can get away with slightly contrasting styles.
BTW Robert is my husband’s name. We ended up naming my son (born just a couple of weeks ago) Paul Robert – two family names. I felt it was a little boring at first, but I have gotten very positive reactions from it.
Of the names already suggested, I love Lars and Sebastian the best. I would also add Per (pron. “pear”), which I love dearly and would use if it went with our last name.
I adore Thora, and my concern with using Soren it (to my ears anyway) sounds too similar to Thora.
Congrats! Wes is one of my favorite nicknames.