Melissa writes:
I am kicking myself!
I am due in one week with our third boy. We have known for months and months that we were having a boy, and we worked very hard at getting pregnant. We had a tough pregnancy that we thought we’d lost several times, and then about midway through, we learned he was quite small and had to watch him closely with near weekly scans and measurements and an amnio we weren’t planning on having just to prepare us for anything that might come.
Well, the results were relieving, and he’s finally doing great and growing, and I’ve been really relaxed and happy for the first time in this pregnancy – for the last month of it!
I think I am in denial, however, as we still don’t know how we are going to NAME HIM!
With our other two, we were clear, certain and excited by our selections. Our first son is named Tate Fletcher. Our second son is Nicholson Scott, but we call him Cole. So we have Tate and Cole. Our last name sounds like Secret.
At first, I thought I really loved the name Leo for our new little guy, given how small and what a fighter he is. He’ll be our lion cub. But I wasn’t sure my husband was all in as he was a bit ‘Meh’ about it. So I came up with a few other names, floated them and then we sort of left it.
We just knew we’d know when the time came. Well, we don’t, and the time is nearly here… Aaaaargh!Our short list (I think) is:
Jude
Leo
Luke
Corbin
Rafferty (with nn Rafe)And our middle names are:
Henry (after Mark’s Grandfather)
Lloyd (my dad, who is loved by all)
Christopher (my brother I adore and who is the best uncle ever – no kids)
William (a family name)I am not against Luke per se, but feel it is awfully popular. Mark likes it but could go with Jude. I like Jude, but worry it may be trending toward the girls (grrrrrr…another great boy name that the girls snatch!) I also think it sounds like we’re sort of trying too hard with the 3 short, strong, one-syllable names. I love, love, love Rafferty, but my best friend does NOT like it. It makes me nervous. If I had to pick right at this second, I’d probably go with Leo Christopher, but I’m worried I’m settling with the easiest and that I’ll regret it.
I’m really struggling here, and Mark has no clue either. I’ve been reading your blog for months, LOVING it, and never thought I’d come close to needing you!
Help?
Name update! Melissa writes:
About 4 months ago, you posted a panicked plea from me on your blog about the naming of our third son. I’m writing with an update!
Our beautiful boy was born on 11/10/11. Though I was a touch disappointed with the date, as I’d SO hoped for my due date of 11/11/11, we soon realized it was actually fortuitous :)
Why was the 10th fortuitous? Because the 10th of November is the feast of Pope St. Leo the 1st. A loving and benevolent man by all accounts.
Our son is Leo Henry. Our little lion cub. He is perfect, as is his name.
Thank you for your help and to all who wrote in!
I was going to vote for Leo Christopher before I even read your last paragraph!
Rafferty is great with the sib set. They all have both first and middle names that sound like they could be last names . Not everyone is going to like every name. It surely hurts your feelings your close friend doesnt love your favorite name. But Rafferty Lloyd is a distinctive and cool name. I love it! I also have a soft spot for the name Leo. Leo Henry.
I love Leo Christopher – beautiful! And Leo matches really well with Tate & Cole.
I love Leo–I’d use it myself, but my husband thinks it has to stand for something longer.
Those names make a lot of good combinations but I like Jude Christopher and Luke William best. Good luck!
I like Leo most from your 1st names, but I wouldn’t use Christopher as a middle name.
Personally I’m not a big fan of middle names being longer than 1st names (that’s just me though). I always feel like it looks like the name is backwards (should be Christopher Leo). I love Leo with Henry and William or Louis. Leo Louis sounds cute I think too.
Is this your last child? If so I would definitely go with a four letter name to match Tate and Cole. Jude is my favorite. Jude Christopher is awesome. I also like Luke Christopher or Luke William.
if this is NOT your last child I like Leo.
Leo is wonderful. Great meaning and sounds fabulous too! It sounds great with any of the middles. I think you should stick with it. I like that it’s a short name but has two syllables so is not too matchy matchy. I love one syllable boy names. Reid, Graham, and Dean are ones I’m considering.
Leo Christopher is what I paired up as soon as I saw your first/middle lists. Handsome name, and it fits SO well with your kids’ daily names. Rafferty probably fits best, IMO, with your sibling set when using their given names, but I prefer to go by what the are actually called when I consider the sib set.
Also, though I don’t love Jude with your other kids’ names, I do not think that it is a name swaying to the girls. Jude is all boy for me.
If Leo isn’t “it,” please use Jude. It fits perfectly.
Good luck!
Well, no matter what you choose you’ve picked a short list that matches very well with your other sons names. I personally think Leo would be a great choice for you!
If you’re unsure about Rafferty, I wonder if you would like Raphael. You still get the nickname Rafe, but bonus: Raphael means “God has Healed” which seems fitting given your difficult pregnancy (assuming you don’t mind religious references.)
I haven’t heard of or met any girls named Jude, but I’m so in love with the name Leo for your little man that I’m having a hard time voting for anything else.
BUT all the names are great. (maybe you’d like Graham?) Good luck!
Leo Christopher is the name I chose from your list before reading it was your right now choice. I really love Leo.
Thank you all sooooo much! I think this made an enormous difference for me, and just might provide the impetus to take Leo out of the “meh” camp for my husband. I think this helped me to also feel good about Rafferty, should we decide to use it in the end. I feel a relief I hadn’t felt for the last couple of weeks. This is the best baby naming group on the planet :)
Melissa
I love the name Leo Christopher. I think its perfect.
I like Rafferty the best actually, its more uncommon.
I like Leo the best from your list. It has a great meaning. It fits well with your other boys names.
Some others?
– Knox, a small hill, four letters, is a last name
– Holden. Tate, Nicholson, Holden. Tate, Cole, Denny. With your last name, it may sound too much like “Hidden Secret.” You’ll have to judge that.
– Dean.
maybe the reason Leo Christopher is “easiest” is because that’s his name. I really like it.
I’m in the the Rafferty Lloyd camp. Tate, Cole, and Rafe sound fantastic together.
…but…
It’s almost impossible not to be moved by your ‘little lion’ comment. Tate, Cole, and Leo make a awesome trio. (And, let’s face it, third son is going to HAVE to be little lion to keep up with his big brothers). So what about Leo Rafferty ‘Secret’?
Very excited to hear what you and your husband decide! Best wishes to your growing family!
Both Tate and Nicholson are surnames (for the most part) and Leo and Luke diverge from this, although in terms of sound, they fit right in. On this basis, I think Rafferty is the best fit because it follows suit. My only hesitation is that Tate and Rafe have very similar sounds. I might continue to think it through looking for other names that are also surnames that have usable nicknames.
Oh, it’s Leo…your little lion, a fighter! Leo Christopher sounds good but I also like Leo Rafferty as well.
O you have such gorgeous names on your list! I think Leo Christopher sounds amazing. Rafferty is also a goregous name- your bf will change her mind once she meets your little man, and really, it’s not her place to like or not like a name – you as the parents have that right. If you *love* it, then use it. I think Rafferty Leo/ Leo Rafferty would be really great.
If Leo seems too short, what about a longer formal name and then use Leo as a nickname?
– Leander
– Leon
– Leonel
Oh I love the suggestion of Leander nn Leo. I’m not a fan of nn as names and could only think of the ninja turtle Leonardo” as the longer name, but Leander is great! Wonder if your husband could get on board with that. If not, Luke would be my second favorite. It was at the top of my list but unfortunately can’t use it with my last name.
Also, I know several Judes (boys though) and I think it’s only going to get more popular!
For MN I really like Christopher and Henry.
Leo Henry seems the perfect name in every way for your third son. Congratulations!