Lisa writes:
My name is Lisa and my husband is Vincent (usually goes by Vince) and we are expecting baby #3 on January 11, 2011. Our last name is Knuffman pronounced Ku-nuff-man. We have two daughters named Sophie Marie and Harper Lynn. If we have another girl she will be Tess Rose or Tess Olivia.
We are struggling with boy names. There are names that we like, but nothing seems to be “it.” The middle name will be Paul, which is a family name.Names in the running:
Beckett – I love this name, but hubby isn’t thrilled with it.
Warren – This is hubby’s favorite, but I’m not that into it. He suggested the nickname Wren/Ren and I like that, but I don’t want to name my child based on a nickname.
Foster
Reuben
Simon – only issue with this name is the middle name with it. Simon Paul just makes me think of the Paul Simons.
Miles – I like, but hubby doesn’t.
Roman – both of us like this name, but we are very close friends with a family that has a boy named Rowan and we thought they sounded too similar.
Keaton – doesn’t sound very good with our last nameAny suggestions?
Name update! Lisa writes:
Our baby girl was born on January 19, 2011. About a week before she was born I told my husband we had to go back to the drawing board with girl names. For some reason I just couldn’t name her Tess. So, she is Stella Rose. It fits her perfectly.
Thanks to all your readers for their suggestions! If we ever have a boy we’ll definitely keep them in mind.
I love Roman. I would go with it and not worry about the friends family with Rowan.
I say that if you both like Roman you should go with it. Rowan is close, but they are still different names. When you get together, just be sure to speak clearly.
Roman Paul Knuffman is a great name.
In my opinion, it is a totally different name from Rowan. Roman is a strong male name which is good with his sisters’ names.
Simon is good, too, and because the middle name is rarely used, I don’t think an association with Paul Simon would come up very often.
I like Warren but not so much the nn Wren/Ren for a boy. (I’ve heard that nn used for Karen.) But using the full name (as it appears you do with your daughters’ names Sophie and Harper), I like Warren best of the names you’re considering.
Warren Paul Knuffman sounds great!
I think I’d try to find a name that isn’t overly matchy with either sister’s name. That would rule out Simon (Sophie) and Foster (Harper).
Other suggestions:
Lincoln
Dashiell
Bryson
I meant to mention too that I love Tessa Rose (but find Tess Rose rather choppy sounding). I think Tess works better with Olivia. But of the two, I prefer Tessa Rose; she could still be called Tess.
I really like Tess with your other daughters’ names. I think Tess Olivia has a nicer flow than Tess Rose, although Tessa Rose would sound nice.
Of your boys names, I think Warren and Roman are fantastic. I think the combination of Beckett and your surname sounds a bit harsh or choppy with the multiple K sounds.
If you like Miles, would you consider Milo? I like the sound of Sophie, Harper, and Milo.
What about
Julian Paul
Oliver Paul
Felix Paul
Fintan Paul
Simeon/Silas/Samuel Paul
For a brother to Sophie and Harper I like Beckett and Warren best.
I really love Simon too. Middle names are not use on a daily basis, so I wouldn’t worry about Simon Paul making you think of Paul Simons. He’ll just be your Paul. (If anything, the name would remind me of Paul Simon, the singer-songwriter, a rather positive association?)
Good luck!
Of your names I like Warren the best. If it doesn’t sound quite right to you, how about Warwick or Warner?
I prefer the name Tessa to Tess. Tessa Rose Knuffman sounds beautiful.
Becket and Warren are great! If you both like Roman – Go for it!
I like Reuben and Roman. I think Warren is also a solid name, and I know a couple who use the nickname “Ware” for their little Warren. My only concern with the name Wren is that it is solidly a girls’ name where I live, though Ren seems safe.
Roman is the only name you said you both really like so I’d go with that one, despite the friends.
Roman and Rowan *are* different names, so if you both like it, I think you should go for it!
Given that one of your girl names is in slightly androgynous category (Harper), if I heard your current girls plus Beckett, I might assume Beckett was the youngest girl. It’s recently been used as a girl name by Melissa Etheridge. I would pair it with a very masculine middle name if you do opt for it.
I’d be inclined to avoid picking a name just for the nickname. Ren and Wren I both think of as very female names, the former as a nickname for Renee (or Karen) and the latter as a given name that annually gets used for a few dozen girls.
When I input your girl names, the babynamewizard matchmaker suggests boy names Beckett (on the first page), among Max, Walker, Porter, Sawyer, Pierce, Dante, Xavier, Hudson, Barrett, Finley, Tobias, Damien. Next page includes Ronan, Holden, Lincoln, Gideon, Fabian.
I think you should go with Roman. However, if you are opposed, how about Harris or Emmett? I also like Ronan and Holden. You could do Judson, NN Judd.
Foster! It’s our one year old’s name and we LOVE it!! Foster Paul Knuffman sounds fabulous to me!
Stella Rose is lovely. Thanks for letting us know.