Meredith writes:
We are expecting baby #2, a boy. Our daughter is Natalie Keenan LastName. We agreed immediately on her first name and Keenan is a family name on my side. Our last named is similar to Hagin. My name is Meredith and my husband is Daniel.
We need your help. It appears that we have very different naming styles when it comes to boys. The one name we agreed on is Nathan (nn Nate), which can’t be used for obvious reasons. The middle name will be Robert, after my father. Husband does not like it for a first name. We also would like to avoid top 10 names or trendy names so Ethan, Evan and Owen are out. (Yes, I know Nathan is also popular). Husband does not love names ending with N with our last name, but has not vetoed them. Also, no strong biblical names.
My husband’s list: Keith, Derek, Christopher, Travis, Trevor
My list: Seth, Shane, Logan, KyleNames we can’t use but love: Michael, Eric, Ryan, Matthew, Jason, James, Alexander, Jeremy, John, Jack, Liam, Tyler, Aaron, Jeffrey, Adam, Scott, Cole
Names you like that we do not love: Oliver, Elias, Simon, Henry, Milo, Max, Graham, Grant,HELP!!
If you take away Oliver, Simon, Henry, and Milo, I’m all out of ideas! Commenters?
Name update! Meredith writes: “Kyle Robert born 11/16/10. Thanks!”
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A few suggestions:
Dylan Robert
Nicholas Robert
Caleb Robert
Sean Robert
Luke Robert
How about Keenan Robert? I know some would frown upon reusing a name, but it is such a cute sibling connection and I love the name Keenan for a boy!
I like Kyle. To me, it has the same feel as Nathan. What about Troy? Similar to Trevor and Travis, but a little different.
Wow, that’s hard, especially with the no-ending-in-n names.
Hmm, how about:
Neal/Neil
Connor
Jared
Lanec
Patrick
Kenneth
Wyatt
Emmett
Wesley
Reid
Bradley
Lucas
Zachary
Karl
Andrew
Travis
And if your husband could like a name ending in “n”:
Steven/Stephen
Kevin
Justin
Alan
Logan Robert ‘Hagin’ is a balanced pairing with Natalie Keenan ‘Hagin’.
Corbin Robert ‘Hagin’ is great as well. (It reminds me of Cole and Liam… both names you said that you like). It’s not biblical, and it has the same energy as Natalie.
Matthew and Tyler remind me of Matthias. His nickname could be Ty or Matt.
And perhaps I’m way off here, but Ford seems like it would fit your style, too. It was popular in the 1880s and is clearly masculine… Ford Robert ‘Hagin’.
Best wishes to your growing family. Can’t wait to hear what you decide on!
I like Seth best from your lists, but Christopher is nice, too.
Charles Robert
Davis Robert
Bennett Robert
Micah Robert
Nicholas Robert
Peter Robert
Stephen Robert
I don’t know why, but I automatically thought Marco or Marcus (or even just Mark?)
Then there is Emmett, Eliot, Connor, Malcolm, Kenneth, and I like the suggestion of Dylan above.
I hope any of these helps!
The style of Natalie and many of the boys’ names on your combined lists is what Wattenberg (Baby Name Wizard) calls New Classics: Derek, Christopher, Trevor, Seth, Shane and Kyle are all on that list, as are several on the list of names you love but can’t use. Also on that list are two others that I think would work for you:
Blake Robert
Zachary Robert
Nameberry includes Natalie in “Yupster Names” and “Popular Names”; some boys’ names in these lists that I like with Natalie:
Andrew Robert “Andrew” or “Drew”
Charlies Robert “Charlie”
David Robert
I especially like:
Natalie and Andrew (or “Drew”)
Natalie and Blake
Best wishes!
That’s tough! I think you’re husband tends to like names popular in the 80s and you tend to like names that are on trend today, but not extremely popular.
The overlaps I see there.
Vintage 80s and on trend…
Reid
Chase
Mason (oops n)
Justin (oops n)
Christopher
Brady
Brian (oops n)
Good luck!
From your lists I like Christopher. I do not think that ChristopheRRobert is ideal, but how many times do we really say our middle names out loud? Natalie and Christopher works really well!
I also like Kyle; Kyle Robert ‘Hagin’, Natalie and Kyle. Nice.
I thought of a few good other possibilities for you, then I realized some were biblical, but so is Nathan, and some of your other picks, so here they are:
Benjamin
Nicholas
Vincent
Zachary
Good luck!
Ooh, I really like the previous commenter’s suggestion of Blake! Blake and Natalie is super cute! Hmm, how about Colby? Or Samuel/Sam? Greyson nn Grey? Peter? I also like Christopher, with the nn Topher. :)
So that’s my list:
Blake
Colby
Samuel/Sam
Greyson/Grey
Peter/Pete
Christopher/Topher
Good luck!
Your husband has 2 of my brothers names (Derek and Christopher) so I wonder if he would like Anthony or Brian (other brothers).
I love Logan from your list. It was on my own list. But my list was all ending in N, so I won’t mention any.
I had to laugh at mentioning which Swistle favorites you don’t like. Little ouch!
Lisa- Bonus points if you noticed that half of them are names I DISlike!
What about David or Jonathan? You seem to like very classic names. Sure, both are “biblical” but “vintage” enough to not require any biblical associations.
Davis is another good one.
I also really like Miles – but maybe that is too close to Milo?
And Swistle, I don’t believe that you are ever out of ideas!
Alastor/Alistair is one of my favorite boy names (which I can’t really use for obvious reasons). Repeating R isn’t perfect, but no dealbreaker. Alistair Robert or Alastor Robert.
Gillespie is the surname of acquaintances, and I was thinking it could work as a first name. Gillespie Robert. Natalie and Gillespie. Maybe too much of a rhyme.
William! Natalie and William is a good sib set. William Robert. Will as an underused nn, imo, so you can avoid the Liam issue.
Wendell isn’t not popular in the slightest, but he’s a recurring character on Bones and his name has grown on me. Wendell Robert.
Greyson. Greyson Robert. Natalie and Greyson.
Philip. Philip Robert. Natalie and Philip. I like!
Lawrence. Lawrence Robert. Natalie and Lawrence.
Thomas. Thomas Robert. Natalie and Thomas.
Rhys. Rhys Robert. Natalie and Rhys.
Lance. Lance Robert. Natalie and Lance.
George is such a great old name. George Robert. Natalie and George.
You like Eric but can’t use it. What about Frederick? Frederick Robert. Natalie and Frederick.
Zachary. Zachary Robert. Natalie and Zachary.
This is Meredith, the mommy from the post. Thanks so much for so many great suggestions! I love Swistle’s readers. Sorry if I hurt any feelings, I was just trying to be thorough and narrow the suggestions from previous posts.
Thanks again everyone. Keep ’em coming.
Nolan Robert
Connor Robert
Collin Robert
Henry Robert
Kyle Robert is such a handsome name. Congratulations!