Diana writes:
My husband and I are due with our first baby October 15. We are not finding out the sex and have been having a lot of fun with picking out both boy and girl names. We are pretty much decided on the girl name, Jubilee Lynn Skinner. However, the boy name have proven to be quite difficult. Here are some contenders:
Orrin
North
Radnor
Goodwin
TennesseeAs you can see we really like different names. We do not want a first name that is in the top 100, or even top 1000 really. The above list are names that my husband I mostly agree on, however prior to this list I was leaning more towards cowboy/Americana names such as Waylon, Boone, Stetson, etc. I love the idea of a little boy with a rugged name that he will grow into as a man. But my hubby thinks going in this direction is too limiting, which I can kind of agree.
So I am happy with our current compilation, but none really grab me over the others. Except for maybe Tennessee. I really like Tennessee, but I don’t like the idea of having a Tennessee and a Jubilee. I know this may or may not ever come up, but we are planning on having more children. I think the names rhyme too much, but my husband thinks I’m crazy. He has no problem with naming a brother and sister Tennessee and Jubilee. Your thoughts?
Another concern is that we do not want a first name that ends in “er” considering our last name is Skinner. Is Radnor pushing that with a similar sounding ending to “er”?
As for the middle, we would like to use my father’s name, Thomas. An exception to this middle name is Tennessee, I’m not keen on Tennessee Thomas so we would probably go with another middle name if that we our first name choice. But generally, we are thinking ________ Thomas Skinner.
We would love your thoughts and are open to hearing new name suggestions. Please help!
Thank you!
I’m on your side and would say that Jubilee and Tennessee were too rhymey. I think it’s not even the SOUND so much as the way they both end with double-E. Since you’re planning on more children, and since Jubilee is your #1 girl name, let’s take Tennessee off the list for now. If you were to have several boys, and then got to your last child and had another boy, perhaps it will be the perfect name for him.
I suggest the name Washington. It’s a state name like Tennessee; it’s not in the Top 1000; and it’s good with your middle name choice and surname: Washington Thomas Skinner. I think it also has a rugged sound, without being too specific as to the type of ruggedness. It has excellent namesakes (George Washington and George Washington Carver), obvious country-related tie-ins (the capitol and a state and the first president), and is all all-around good name. (Those of us who liked Firefly have the additional positive association with the character Wash, though his name wasn’t Washington.)
Another unusual, not-in-the-Top-1000 possibility is Everest. Everest Thomas Skinner.
To me, Radnor’s ending does sound like the -er you’re trying to avoid with Skinner. Would you like Ransom instead? Ransom Thomas Skinner. Dr. Ransom is the good guy in C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy.
Another surname possibility is Redford: Redford Thomas Skinner.
More unusual possibilities for the Skinners?
The names that come to mind (Wyatt, Wiley, Judd, Gedde) don’t feel right next to the names on the contender list, but I do like Goodwin.
My vote is no for Tennessee and Radnor. Too similar in syllables and endings for sibs. And similare endings for first and last.
I don’t have any good suggestions for names.
Dallin?
I’m having a tricky time finding things outside of the 1000. Good luck, I can’t wait to hear what you find!
I like Swistle’s name suggestions. Especially Ransom. I know of two older men named this, so it seems less like a made up name than Radnor.
I like Walsh, which I only thought of due to Swistle’s suggestion of Washington.
Or maybe Renner?
Other ideas:
Raleigh (I would pronounce Rolly)
Artax
Remington
What about Rowley?
My son’s name is North Gregory and of course I adore it for all the reasons you are using to pick your possible son’s name. That being said and completely without selfishness I don’t think it flows as well as some of the other suggestions and your last/middle name choice.
I tend to like the names:
Roan
Sterling
Rawley
Clark
Good luck!
I actually really like Swistle’s suggestions of Everest, Ransom, and Washington. I lightly considered them for my son. I thought I wanted a “cowboy/wild west” name too. Everest and Washington both have a very rugged, explorer feel that works with the cowboy theme. Ransom feels a little more coyboyish to me, not not enough to peg you into that catagory for future children.
What about Scout, Ace, Dash, Cash, Ranger. They all would work with Jubilee for me becuase they are all unusual choices that don’t really fit into any current trend/catagory.
I’m excited to hear what you choose!
I’m not going to suggest a specific name, but rather a strategy. Do you have any surnames in your family tree you’d like to use. Depending on the name, it could take you out of top 1000 territory and also still sound like a name.
I too LOVE Swistle’s suggestions. I also like Roan and North, as previously mentioned. I actually love Tennessee Skinner, but, again, probably not a good idea if you are set on Jubilee. How about Franklin, Lydon (LIE-DUN), Gareth, Jefferson Thomas, Strait or Vail? Those are all historical or unusual. It’s nice of you guys to think about not boxing your kid in by a certain type of name. I adore your options, though and cannot wait to see what you pick!!
I LOVE Washington, even more after Swistle made the Firefly connection to the nickname. Pick that one.
I also like North but my first thought was of that movie with Elijah Wood. And maybe Bruce Willis? And Santa? I’m pretty sure it’s called “North” because that’s the main character’s name. Or am I imagining that?
From your list I really like Orren. I also wouldn’t want a Tennessee with a Jubilee, but then every time I think of Jubilee I think of my grandmother’s standard poodle that used to scare the smack out of me as a little kid. :)
Orren Thomas Skinner is great and it sounds good with Jubilee too!
I like the suggestion of Everest and the above suggestion of Wyatt.
Good luck!
What about Maverick? It’s # 511 but such a strong name. Sounds great with Thomas Skinner and Jubilee and has the western theme you like.
Maverick Thomas Skinner.
Cute!
I love all the suggestions! But I’d like to throw another one into the mix… What about Tennyson? It’s a surname, it’s similar to Tennessee, it has the same rhythm as Jubilee… and I think it’d be awesome to name a child after a former Poet Laureate!
Tennyson Thomas Skinner.
I like the suggestion of Tennyson: it’s certainly an unusual name, yet one with a fine connection.
I can see that you and your husband are having a lot of fun considering possible names for your baby and looking for names that are unique. But remember, your baby will be living with that name all of his/her life. Before you decide on a name, the parent of the same gender might ‘try it on’. Mom, do you wish your name was Jubilee? Dad, do you like the idea of introducing yourself as Tennessee.
Unique names are fun for parents to dream up. Fun to put on the birth announcement. Fun to hear others exclaim over. Maybe even fun to shock a few people with your ‘bravery’ in giving your child such an unusual name, particularly a name like Jubilee or Tennessee that are not primarily first names but the names of an event and a state. BUT your child will bear that name throughout his/her life. Will that name fit in with others your child will go to school with, in your locale and social groups? His/her name will make an impression on others often before they meet him/her. His/her name will appear on resumes and if he/she becomes a professional, will that name fit?
Just some caution as you look for the right name for you baby.
Best wishes.
Hey, you’ve got great names on your list. GREAT names!
Your children won’t be pigeon-holed as sigh-just-another-unoriginal-2010 name. Their names and faces will surface after a business interview and be easy for teachers to recall. And, best of all, they will be born knowing they are as unique and special as their name.
You’ve built in I’d-prefer-to-be-a-wallflower safty net; their middle names are perfectly ordinary. That is very thoughtful.
So GOOD FOR YOU! You’re brave, and your children will be, too!
*Ahem* And after all that, I like Swistle’s suggestion of Washington, too.
A few other names for your consideration:
Orion Thomas Skinner
Ruston Thomas Skinner
Ford Thomas Skinner
Cade Thomas Skinner
Franklin Thomas Skinner
Colorado Thomas Skinner
York Thomas Skinner
West Thomas Skinner
Bruin Thomas Skinner
Best wishes to your growing family!
So many good suggestions! I really like the idea of Tennyson, which would leave you the possibility of Jubilee open for the future. From your list I really love Orrin! And I like Goodwin. And I like that you will use a more common mn, that he could fall back on if he wanted. (Although he probably won’t!)
I suggest:
Crawford
Grayden
Huntington
Livingston
Pryor
Thibault
Watson
Winston
Good luck!
I *was* going to encourage you to use Tennessee if that’s what you love. We have four girls and with each pregnancy our preferences change slightly and we’ve considered different boy names for each of them and really haven’t even “recycled” any girl names from previous lists either. You may not have a girl later, or you may like different names by then, or you may have another boy in between to make the matchiness less noticeable. In any case, I *was* going to say you should use Tennessee and not worry about the Jubilee problem…
…Until someone said Tennyson, and now I think you should use that instead. Same fun vibe, a tiny bit more refined – perfect!
Of your list, I like Orrin the best. To me, North Skinner sounds like the beginning of a street to me, ie. N. Skinner Run Rd. To my ear, the EE in Tennessee and Jubilee are too similar.
From everyone else’s ideas, I really like Orion. Such a great name and meaning.
Here are some other ideas:
— Sage. (750 in rank) The image of sage brush, also wisdom.
— Gordon. (946) Because you liked Goodwin, I thought you might like Gordon as well.
— Amos. (997) How is this name not more popular?
Good luck!
Can I say how much I LOVE the name Maverick for you? I think it is the best the suggestion on the whole list. That being said, I’ll throw in the ones I thought of before I read Maverick.
Monroe, Rebel, Rawleigh, Zayd, Morely, Teal, Brawny, Campton, Dayton, Tex, Zoltan, Quillan
I have to say I especially love Tennyson for you guys! But does it present the same “not too keen” sensation for you as Tennesse Thomas? I like the alliteration, but it sounds like maybe you don’t? While I like North, Randsom & Everest, I wonder about those combinations with the “wordness” of your last name. Without a middle name between them, they could sound like another SOMETHING – Randsom Skinner, North Skinner – although nothing unpleasant that I can pin down (example- I also like Cash, but Cash Skinner sounds like a counterfeiting activity of some sort). A few other suggestions:
Lincoln
Emerson
Winton
Quentin
Brighton
Indiana
Good luck guys!
Jubilee is an adorable name. I love Radnor from your boy’s list, but I definitely pronounce it with the -er sound. Here’s a few more suggestions:
Dresden
Rafferty
Taggert
Truett/Truitt
Radnor and Swistle’s suggestion of Ransom made me think of director Robert Rodriquez and his gaggle of kids all with quite unique “R” names, sons Rocket, Racer, Rebel, Rogue and daughter Rhiannon. Good luck! Can’t wait to hear the name of your new baby!!
Bronson?
Preston?
I love Jubilee for a girl – how creative. It will always be a conversation starter. For some people Jubilee might cry out for a nickname – have you thought of one? All I can think of is Juby or Lee.
I don’t think you need to look any further than Orrin for the boy. Orrin sounds good with Thomas and your last name.
Ooh, I love the previous suggestion of Amos!
I know a family who has two little boys named Canyon and Cache. They are both strong, western names. I especially love Cash/Cache. I prefer the Cash spelling but actually like the Cache association with a mountain man’s ‘cache’ of supplies that he would leave at a rendezvous point. (5th grade Utah history, holla!)
I love Swistle’s suggestion of Everest.
I also like the previous commenter’s idea of looking for family surnames to use.
Other names I’ve heard in Utah that sound western to me:
Brigham
Cannon
Winston
Sawyer
I really like the suggestions of Washington, Remington or Jefferson for a boy.
Definitely a “ton” or “son” name seems to suit,
Not a fan of Tennessee with Jubilee.
I love the previous suggestion:
York Thomas Skinner
or…
Atticus Thomas Skinner
Stone Thomas Skinner
Liev Thomas Skinner
Belmont Thomas Skinner
Benji Thomas Skinner
Broden Thomas Skinner
Corbett Thomas Skinner
Good luck!