Emilie writes:
I have a baby name problem. We are due with our second child at the beginning of August and are lost for a boy name. My daughter’s name is Charlotte Ann (Ann is a family name). I find girls names to be really easy, and boys names to be very difficult! If this baby were a girl, I probably would have named her Georgia (back-up name Annabel), likely middle name Marie (family name). However, I’m not sure that my naming style is the same for boys as it is for girls, so not sure how helpful that information is. The middle name of this boy will likely be Robert (another family name). This is our last child, so no worries about future siblings.
Here’s the problem: our last name. It’s one syllable, quite harsh sounding, ends in the “ck” sound. Think: nickname for Huckleberry Finn. So first of all, any names like Finn, Thomas/Tom, or Sawyer are out. As are names like Jack, Nick, etc. I’ve found that I’ve had to rule out many names because they just don’t sound good with our last name. It’s challenging.
I love the name Henry for someone else’s kid, but don’t like the alliteration with our last name. I love the name Lucas, but the inevitable nickname Luke is a problem with our ln. I love the name Simon, but can’t use it. Other names in the don’t like/can’t use/family member pile: Silas, Charles, Elliot, Julian, Samuel, Benjamin, Nathan/Nathaniel, George, Nolan, Andrew.
One more thing: no first names that sound like last names. I’m afraid people might reverse the first and last names (happens to my husband quite often).
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that we’re just going to have to pick a popular, somewhat boring name for this kid (I don’t want any names that are too “out there” – my husband has a very weird name and wants this name to be very normal and recognizable). I like Ethan, but it will likely be the #1 name this year. Ditto for Alexander/Alex (and our next door neighbor is named Alex). I do like James, but find it a bit boring. Is James boring? An interesting tidbit is that both of our mothers suggested the name James in the same week (and the name was on our list already), so I’m looking at that as a bit of a sign, but just am not really excited about the name.
Will someone please name this baby? :-)
I wonder if you’d like Oliver? It’s one of my favorite boy names and seems similar to Simon and Henry, and it’s very normal and recognizable but still seems non-boring to me. It’s definitely rising in popularity, though, and it’s hard to predict where it’ll end up on the charts. I suspect it won’t get way up there, but if guesses were horses we’d all buy oats by the ton. Oliver Robert H_ck.
Leo is another from my list of favorites, though maybe it’s too nicknamey? I think of it as a complete name, and it’s a little similar to Lucas. Leo Robert H_ck.
If Leo appeals to you but IS too nicknamey, maybe Milo. Milo Robert H_ck. I think Charlotte and Milo sound adorable together. Miles would be good too: Miles Robert H_ck.
If you like Ethan, I suggest Evan or Ian. Evan is Top 50 but doesn’t seem headed for any kind of trend spike. And Ian has been hovering in the 60s/70s/80s ranks for DECADES. Evan Robert H_ck, Ian Robert H_ck.
I don’t find James at all boring, and I like the nickname options as well as the option of not using a nickname, but Jim was Huckleberry Finn’s traveling buddy–is that okay?
A name I LOVE with your surname is Elias: Elias H_ck, Elias Robert H_ck, Charlotte and Elias.
Jasper might get popular because of the Twilight association, but it’s also a really good and non-boring name: Jasper Robert H_ck, Charlotte and Jasper.
The name Kyle used to look like it was heading for Top Ten, but it’s been dropping way back down. Kyle Robert H_ck.
Name update 08-14-2010! Emilie writes:
Ian Robert was born on August 7. Thanks to you and your readers for all of your great suggestions. His name fits him perfectly!
I like Swistle’s suggestions, but I’d also add Bennett.
I like Evan. I don’t usually care about potentially teasable names, but surely any first name ending with ‘s’ will give you ‘suck’ when the first and last names are said together? Or that just might be my lazy pronunciation style…
Until I read jac’s comment I supported James and Elias, but I can see kids slurring the names together and not being very nice about it.
I’m disappointed that Nathan is off the list. I think that would sound great – masculine, yet soft enough to counter the hard sound of your last name.
I’m having a hard time coming up with good names, but possibly George, Frederick, Oscar, Theodore, or Walter? They aren’t “out there,” but are not common these days. I think only George cracked the top 100 in the last 30 years. They also kind of match in style with Charlotte.
Gregory? I keep thinking of names that are on your “can’t use list.” Drats. Also, I don’t think James is at all boring, although I do worry about the “suck” thing. I do like the suggestion of Evan. Or Theodore.
Good luck!
James is not boring at all. I also like the idea of Theodore with nn Theo. How about:
Jacob
Nicolas
Philip
William
These are all great traditional names. Charlotte and Nicolas; Philip Robert H_ck.
Or Gabriel! I love Gabriel for you! Charlotte and Gabriel; Gabriel H_ck.
Good luck!
I like ending in a vowel to avoid the slur.
How about Levi? Levi Charles H_ck.
I Like Wyatt. Wyatt Robert H_ck. I think it’s sweet and goes very well with Charlotte. Also Andrew. Andrew Robert H_ck. Drew H_ck. Very cute. A few others…
Tristin/Tristram
Benjamin
Giles
Chase
Noah
Clark
Evan was one I liked until I started seeing it everywhere on baby girls. I think, like Dylan, it has been taken. My baby boy is due in a week and we still don’t have a name, any of the ones we’ve liked are now girl’s names!
I was going to comment on the slur problem, almost anything ending in an S sounds odd to me. Elias H-ck becomes Eli-aw Shuck. I’m going to throw a vote in for Jonathan or John. I think Jonathan Robert H-ck sounds so adorable. Plus the nn J.R., which I think sounds cool. Imagine a titan of industry, J.R. H-ck.
I’d also stay away from an initial of F for either first or last name, that’s just me.
I like Owen and Eli. Eli H_ck would work well, and I’ve always thought Eli is a good stand-on-its-own name.
Miles is my favorite of Swistle’s suggestions. Maybe the s-slur sound depends on dialect? I’m from the midwest and everyone I know would take a distinct break between the final /s/ or /z/ sound in a name and then pronounce the /h/ in the ln.
Since I love the name Alexander and would use it in a heartbeat if I had another son, I am going to revisit that name. It is in the top ten BUT you could easily pick a less popular name and have it zoom up the charts. Alexander is also flexible in that it has several nickname possibilities. Since your neighbor is ALEX, you could go with ALEC. Zander or Sandy are also good nicknames. Alexander sounds good with Charlotte and paired with Robert and since you have a shorter last name, a long first name helps to balance it.
how about Timothy? Timothy Robert H-ck.
i agree with what others have said about names ending in S.
some more possibilities:
Kenneth
Kevin
Everett (maybe too last namey)
Frederick
Jonah
Jeremiah
Geoffrey/Jeffrey
Jeremy
Zachary
Robert James H_ck is steady and classic with nicknames like ‘Rob’, ‘Bob’, ‘Bert’, ‘Bobby’, ‘Robbie’, ‘Bo’, & ‘Rip’. Or, you know, you could just call him ‘Robert’. :)
Some other ideas:
Brady James H_ck
Matthew Robert H_ck
Ezra James H_ck
Titus James H_ck
Winston Robert H_ck
Daniel James H_ck
Logan Robert H_ck
Travis James H_ck
Andrew James H_ck
Walter Robert H_ck
The perfect name is really out there, and you’ll pick the perfect one for your little mister. Best wishes to you all!
August Robert H.
Christopher Robert H.
David Robert H.
Peter Robert H.
William Robert H.
i love kyle. kyle h-ck sounds great
From above I like:
Evan
Eli
Zachary
Logan
Christopher
James
How about Jonathan Robert H-ck? Jon H-ck sounds corporate-zingy to me!
I really like Simon! Too bad you can’t use it. I also really like Swistle’s suggestion of Oliver. I hope you like it. I like Jasper too! Some other suggestions:
Jonah
Graham
Charles
August
Best of luck!
Emily S. – You do realize the most common nickname for Charles is Chuck right? Chuck H_ck might be the worst on the list.
I love Evan, but I’m biased as it’s my husband/son’s name. I just really like the 2-syllable, no easy nickname sound of it with your last name. I think that’s the sort of name you should pick, 2 syllables, not ending in “s” or hard “c”/”k”, doesn’t sound like an action (like Chase, for some reason it bothers me with your last name):
Logan
Ezra
Brody
Eli
Kyle
Milo
Gavin
Calder
Rylan
Spencer
Declan
Hudson
Zander
Wow, who knew I had so many opinions?
Thanks so much for all of your suggestions! Swistle was dead on with her suggestions – it’s eerie! We’re still deciding, and I’m sure we won’t decide until he’s here. So if you have any other opinions, keep ’em coming!
BTW, definitely thought of no F-sounds, but never thought of the S-ending, so thanks for bringing it up. Names ending in “S” don’t slur into the last name for me, but it seems like maybe it’s regional, so definitely good to know.
I love Elias, but if you’re concerned about s-slide (and while adults may have no problem– kids are weird!), what about Elijah? You still get that great Eli nickname, and I think Elijah Wood really brought it into the mainstream.
Other ideas:
Joseph
Grant
Matthew
Stephen
Walter
Gabriel
I really like Matthew and Daniel! Timothy, Joshua, and David are close seconds. Good luck!
suzanne- i don’t know any chucks, but several charlies. very cute name in my opinion.
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however, i forgot your daughter’s name was charlotte, so it wouldn’t work for that reason.
i like ian!