Jennifer writes:
I’m hoping you can help me with a name for our second baby (due 2/22/11, gender unknown). Due to a miscommunication at birth, my older son was named by the NICU nurses. When I met him a few hours after birth, he had a big sign over his isolette stating his name was Jonas. All the other relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc.) had already met him, so it really had already become his name. And frankly, as long as he was breathing, all else seemed unimportant at the time. Its a name that suits him perfectly and we are very happy with it, but for baby #2, we’d like to name him/her ourselves.
Our last name sounds like “Four”
The other 3 of us have names that start with “J”, but I really don’t want a fourth J name. It just seems like too much. Do you think this is fair to a second – and last – baby? (for what its worth, the three J’s all have birthdays within 4 days of each other, and this baby will be born a whole different month).
We like names that are less popular, trying to avoid something in the top 100. Hubs and I both grew up with ridiculously popular names.
We want to avoid anything that is gender neutral
We need something that is at least 2 syllables and can’t be easily shortened to one syllable (because last name is only one syllable)
My husband would like a name that has a good song associated with it – I consider this criteria negotiable. :)
I really like flower/nature names, but am not set on them.Some of the names that we’ve considered and discarded:
Juniper (J criteria)
Violet (the idea of a purple baby reminds me too much of my son at birth)
Everett (hubby likes it, I just don’t)
Audrey (our next door neighbors and good friends have an Audrey)Still considering, but just don’t feel great about:
Lucy (hubs has red hair, not sure if I could name a red headed girl Lucy, too type-cast)
River (too gender-neutral?)
VeraCan you help us out?
Can you tell us more about the miscommunication? That is, did you intend his name to be Jonah but the nurses thought you said Jonas, or was it that you intended a completely different name altogether, like Griffin or Keegan? (Both Griffin and Keegan might work as brother names.)
Yes, I think it’s fine to break from the J thing. If you had three children with J names and were planning a fourth and final child, I might reluctantly suggest you stick with Js—but I don’t think parent initials are as noticeable. And if you LIKE a J name (if, for example, you love the name Juniper), I don’t think you need to let the unintended J theme stop you.
The name Jonas sounds very good with other biblical names such as Ezra, Asher, Levi, and Elias. I love it with Gideon, and I think Gideon is such a great and underused name. I also like it with Reuben and Simon and Gabriel—though Gabriel shortens easily to Gabe. It’s great with Judah (which gives your husband Hey Jude), but perhaps too similar, and also a J, and also shortens easily to Jude—so, er, pretty much wrong in every way, now that I think of it.
If you like River but want something more distinctly boyish, I wonder if you’d like Forest? It has an old-timey style lacking in the more contemporary River, which also makes it go well with Jonas.
The name Everett makes me think of the two other names I’ve mentally filed it with: Emmett and Elliot.
Or Griffin or Keegan, from above.
For sisters, I’ll dip once again into the biblical names: Lydia, Tabitha, Claudia, Adah, Esther, Miriam, Naomi. Miriam in particular seems unfairly neglected.
For something more along the lines of Juniper and Violet, I like Acacia, Azalea, Briony, Calla, Ember, Emerald, Hazel, Ivy, Magnolia, Marin, Verena. Or Felicity, but maybe that’s too alliterative with the surname; or Iris, but maybe “two syllables ending in S” is too similar to Jonas; or Beatrix, but it shortens easily to Bea/Bee.
For something more similar to Lucy: Eliza is pretty, or Phoebe, or Cecily, or Annabel? Or Clara or Cora. Of those, I think only Phoebe has the sass of Lucy; the others emphasize more the sweetness. More sass: Molly, Ruby, Sadie, Georgia.
I really like Swistle’s suggestion of Ivy. It’s a nature name and old-fashioned enough to sound good with Jonas. In fact, I like it so well, I’m not going to make any more girl suggestions.
For a boy, how about Caleb or Elijah or Isaac or Micah?
For a boy, what about Heath? It’s a nature name, and not very common.
I also like Cole, Graham, and Benjamin. Apparently I am really into one-syllable names!
For a girl, I like Cecilia, and you can nn her Ceci, which reminds me of Lucy.
Other sweet names that have songs associated:
Julia
Eleanor
Caroline
Mariah (my fav. song)
Elise
Good luck!
We just named our daughter Caroline – great song, not easily shortened. I mean, it IS easily shortened to Carrie but as long as you keep calling her Caroline no one shortens it themselves.
For boys I like Asher and Gideon. Both underused, both hard to shorten, both sound great with Jonas.
I like the suggestion of Iris. Jonas and Iris sound great together, the only letter in common is the s, so not matchy to me at all. How about Viola instead of Violet? Jonas and Viola Four. Lucy makes me think of Lena and Nora and Olive. Jonas and Olive is very sweet.
For a boy, how about: Andrew, Archer, Calvin, or Milo. (I really love Jonas and Milo together!)
Regarding the shortening of names, I think it’s almost unavoidable once the child is in school and classmates start calling her by a nn, or she chooses one for herself. However I think you can limit ‘the damage’ by gently correcting people early on. (Bright smile) “Oh, he doesn’t go by Sam, we always call him Samuel”
Good luck!
I like Forrest, but not with your last name. For a girl Camelia is nice, and I love Acacia which was suggested above.
Names in songs:
Gideon – Jonas and Gideon sound really nice together (Great Big Sea)
Arthur
Daniel
Levon
Eli
Francis
Adeline, Angeline, Angie
Beth(any)
Cecelia
Delilah
Iris
Ramona
Rosannah
Susannah
Layla
Lana *** (Roy Orbison)
If you like the meaning of Jonas, maybe Oliver (dove) or Axel, Paxton Callum (peace) could work?
plant/flower names:
Bryony
Calanthe
Flora
Jacintha
Lilianne/a
Linnea
Mimoza
Zara
I’m curious to know what the miscommunication was as well. I love the name Jonas and am glad it all worked out so well. What a great story to have for how he got his name!
P. Gardiner- Oh crap, good point. Too bad—Forrest was one of my favorite suggestions!
Here are some more names::)
For a girl I like Ivy, Vera, Gemma, Alice, Freya, Matilda or Sadie.
For a boy Levi, Asher, Benjamin, Noah, Rory, Cohen or Lucas.
To keep the ‘J’ theme Jasper, Jude, James, Julia, Jillian, Jenna or Jacqueline.
I know a female Asher and it’s absolutely beautiful on her. In fact it’s one of my favorite names ever (I’d use it myself but my last name also starts with Ash..)
Just wanted to say don’t discount the one syllable first name (or nn) just because you have a one syllable last name – it can actually be VERY catchy and sounds good to a lot of people. My maiden name was one syllable and people used it all the time, not because there were too many Jens, but because it was fun to say. See also;
Brad Pitt, Kate Moss, Will Smith, Vince Vaughn, James Dean, Sean Penn, Babe Ruth -There is a certain rhythm to it, IMO. In fact, I like it better than the 2 syllable names.
Your other names remind me of:
Vivian
Aubrey
Cedar
Summer
Autumn
Sylvia
I also like the Iris suggestion!
Good luck:)
Some suggestions:-
Girls:-
Piper
Jael
Lael
Juno (but it’s a J name!)
Chloe
Tessa
Guys:-
Ezra
Espen
Gerrit
Tobias (Toby)
Asher
Heath (I know it’s one syllable but…)
Good luck:)
Personal faves for you guys –
Piper and Asher.
I don’t know if I’m just feeling positive because of the amazing nap I just took, but I decided just now our fetus will come out Miriam because of this post. Hope husband agrees. And if by some fluke it’s a boy, he’ll be Gideon.
Nothing to add. These names all made my heart sing. I should nap daily.
Emily R- Oh happy!
To comment on the husband’s song idea – I think it’s lovely. My dad’s name was Joseph & he always went by Jay. “His” song has always been Rockin’ Robin (all the little birds on Jay Bird Street …) Since he passed away, it’s something that my family has a positive association with & always makes us think of him. My brother even got a memorial tattoo that includes a street sign that reads Jay Bird St.
So not to be morbid, but the song/name association is great. If there was a song that the child’s dad or parents always sang because it has their name in in, that’s an awesome memory. Although I would suggest to draw the name from a song they’re already familiar with & would want to sing/play often. :)