Maggie writes:
We are expecting our second baby boy in about 5 weeks and are still undecided on a name! Both of our sons will have our last names as a hyphenated last name. It sounds like Nay-Lean, but with an “M” for the first letter. Our first son’s name is Oscar with a middle name Meng. We chose Oscar because we both liked the name and Meng is my husband’s father’s name. My middle name is a family name and it’s important to me to continue that tradition with my sons.
My main requirement for Oscar’s name was that it (or the nickname that he would actually be called) be two syllables. In my mind, this helps balance a somewhat awkward hyphenated last name. This eliminates a ton of boys names which are often shortened to one-syllable nicknames. I would like to continue this requirement for the new baby, although I find myself waivering on it a bit (or a lot) as we look for names. I’m also looking for a name that makes Oscar sound less “hipster” and more serious/literary/old-fashioned, rather than more hipster. I generally don’t like the trend toward surname-type boys names like Beckett or Cooper. I love 3-syllable names and my husband seems drawn to names that end in “S.” We never got too far down the road of girl’s names, but my favorite is Elsa, short for Elizabeth, which is a family name.
Here are our current contenders for first names:
Theodore (nn Theo): This was my first choice, until some friends of ours named their son Theo in October. My husband says it’s off the table and I might agree. I think Oscar and Theo go well together with a similar historic vibe and I also like that Theo has an “O” sound but doesn’t start with a vowel.
Harry: My new (somewhat reluctant) front runner. I think Harry is cute and goes well with Oscar, but worry about the “hairy” association. Also not sure I want to name him Harry as a standalone name. We could use the family name Haymond (see below) with Harry as a nickname, but I don’t love the name Haymond. My husband likes Harrison, but I don’t love it because its a surname. Any other creative ways to get to Harry? I floated Harry as a (totally made-up) nickname for Abraham, but my husband thinks its too far-fetched.
Augustus: Probably my husband’s first choice and I think the nn Gus is adorable. Husband prefers Auggie, which I like but worry it’s too vowel heavy with Oscar.
Leo: This was one of my close runners up for Oscar, but I think it’s become too popular for us in the last few years.
Atlas: My husband first suggested this name as a joke, but he’s become more serious about it. I think it’s both too unusual and too weighty (pun intended) for a name.
Julius: My husband’s suggestion. I think it’s okay, but like Julian better.
Thaddeus: My husband’s suggestion of a combination of Theodore and Atlas. Don’t love the nn Thad though. Could maybe go for Tad.
For the middle name, I would like to choose something from my mom’s family. These are the options (we’re also open to any of these as a first name if we could find a more wearable nickname):
John: my maternal grandfather’s name
Haymond: my maternal grandfather’s middle name
West: my mother’s last name
Michael: my uncle’s name
Clarence: my mother’s grandfather’s name
Rudolph: my mother’s other grandfather’s name
Wade: my mother’s uncle’s name
Klipfel: my grandmother’s maiden nameI think we need strong opinions and more suggestions! I feel like we’re no closer to a name than we were when we first found out it was a boy a few months ago. Help!
Prince Harry’s given name is Henry, and in fact the name Harry began as a nickname for Henry. Henry (Harry) Nay-Lean; Oscar and Henry/Harry. Then if the “hairy” issue DID become a problem, you could easily fall back on Henry, or on Hank. And Henry can feel quite literary: Henry James, O. Henry. It may be too popular for you, however: it was #43 in 2012 (for comparison, the name Oscar was #177; Leo was #134).
I’d add Abram. It’s not very common (#392 in 2012); it’s two syllables; and it has the great nicknames Abe and Bram. I wonder, though, if it merges with the M- of the surname.
Atlas and Julius make me think of Silas. Silas Nay-Lean; Oscar and Silas.
Julius and Leo make me think of Louis. Louis Nay-Lean; Oscar and Louis. I really like that one.
Augustus and Atlas make me think of Angus. Angus Nay-Lean; Oscar and Angus/Gus.
Augustus and Atlas also make me think of Atticus. Atticus Nay-Lean; Oscar and Atticus.
Or Douglas. Douglas Nay-Lean; Oscar and Douglas.
Or Alistair. Alistair Nay-Lean; Oscar and Alistair. I’m not crazy about the matched endings, but I didn’t notice it until I was proof-reading so maybe the different number of syllables helps reduce the effect.
Theo and Leo make me think of Hugo. Hugo Nay-Lean; Oscar and Hugo.
I like Franklin—though it helps that I went to high school with a guy named Frank who was bright and funny and well-liked. Franklin Roosevelt and Benjamin Franklin are also good associations for me. Franklin Nay-Lean; Oscar and Franklin/Frank.
I’d also add Everett. Everett Nay-Lean; Oscar and Everett.
I frequently push the name John as a first name. I think you might find it a surprisingly satisfying choice: depending on where you live, it can be very uncommon in the classroom—almost startling. Johnny would be the retro nickname, or of course there’s Jack; or you could do an initials nickname with the middle name (J.W.); or you could call him by first and middle names (John West); but John on its own might be distinctive enough. John Nay-Lean; Oscar and John.
I think Rudy works great as an everyday nickname for Rudolph. I still think of cute Rudy on The Cosby Show, but I doubt many of his peers would—and even Rudy Huxtable doesn’t make the name seem girlish to me.
I don’t find your last name awkward at all. As far as hyphenated names go, its pretty tame!
The name that immediately popped to my mind was Silas. It ends in the “S” you like and puts a serious spin on Oscar.
But, I like all the names on your list, and think any of them could work. Deciding is hard, isn’t it!!
When I saw Silas on Swistle’s list I must say it was a nice surprise. Silas and Oscar are lovely. Silas also goes well with all the middle name options.
Theodore West, or if it’s off the table Augustus John! I love Theo and Oscar and Gus and Oscar!
I love Swistle’s suggestion of Henry! I’m surprised by it’s ranking, my children are 5 and under and we have never encountered a Henry in their age ranges. It sounds so cute and fresh to me. I feel the same way about John as Swistle, too. I think both of those names sound great with your last name, and make the pairing with Oscar sound more classic.
You have a good sized list to work with!
Theodore – I’m not loving it with Oscar, & sounds like since your friends used it you’re now ‘over it.’
Harry – Harry does instantly bring to mind Harry Potter, but still I rather like Oscar & Harry as brothers. I think Harry would be fine as the full fn, but other options are: Harris, Hendrik, Henrik, Henning, Heinz,
Augustus – with the nn Gus I would love this, but if your partner is insistent on Auggie it’s out for me.
Leo – like Theo I think this is getting to trendy & won’t give off the serious vibe your looking for when paired with Oscar.
Atlas – I don’t think this pairs well with Oscar & you don’t seem to be as keen on it as others.
Julius – Julius Ceasar comes to mind. Again – doesn’t sound like your favorite
Thaddeus – I like this name but really dislike Thad or Tad. I also don’t like Ted. The only other thing I could think of was Deus. But then I don’t like the full name or nn with Oscar.
My choice for you would be Harry.
For middle names, I like Klipfel the best (I enjoy unique, family mns).
Henrik Klipfel Nay-Lean
Oscar & Harry.
Yep love it lol.
I love the suggestion of Harris! It seems like your perfect name for the following reasons:
Your husband likes Harrison, but you think it is too surname-y
Your husband likes names ending in S
You love the name Harry
If you want to add the family element to it, you can always do Harris Michael or Harris John. Harris and Oscar are just the cutest. Or Oscar and Harris. Or Oscar and Harry. Now I love the name Harris. Hmm…I am adding it to my list.
I love your names!
FWIW, I have two boys and Oscar was a front-runner for both of them. Due to family pressures, we ended up naming neither of them Oscar and if I have one regret about their names, it is that I have no Oscar.
We ended up naming our oldest boy Maxwell (nn Max), and our youngest Theodore (nn Theo).
Beckett, Harry, Henry, Leo were also on our short list of boy’s names.
We are currently pregnant and due in February with a girl. As of now, we’re going to name her a derivative of Elizabeth and are kicking around the nn of Elsa.
So, again, love your name ideas! You’ve chosen some good ones!
I also enjoy the suggested names of Henrik, Rudolph, and Franklin in particular.
Sorry if this is a duplicate, as I went to post it, my internet crashed and I lost my original post (from what I can tell) so am trying to re-create it.
Silas makes me think of Tobias. Oscar and Tobias. I really like this combination. It sort of gives the same feel as Thaddeus (which I also like).
I really like Augustus. You could always call him Gus and your hubby Auggie and see what fits. Is kind of neat that he’d have a nickname from both parents, but also has a great official name to fall back on. I do see what you mean about Auggie being close to Oscar in sound, however, if you use the nn Oz for Oscar,
Oz and Auggie are pretty cute together.
I love swistle’s suggestion of Franklin. Oscar and Frankie. Super cute and spunky.
What do you think about Simon? It is two syllables, doesn’t lend to too many nicknames (if you wanted, Sims could work). Oscar and Simon. I think this very much gives you the old, classic names that feel fresh.
Not sure if this is too “hipster-ish” feeling for you, but what about Felix? Oscar and Felix.
These two names sound fabulous together but not sure if it gives you the feeling you are going for. But they do sound really good together. Oscar and Felix.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Louis. I prefer the Lou-ie pronunciation of this name, however, I think the Lou-iss pronunciation sounds great with Oscar as well. Win win in my eyes. Oscar and Louis. LOVE THIS.
My favourites:
Felix. Oscar and Felix.
Simon. Oscar and Simon.
Louis. Oscar and Louis.
Good luck and keep us posted. I love this style of names so am interested to see what you choose!
Oscar & Felix might sound well because of the TV show The Odd Couple!
I have a Felix, and Oscar would absolutely be on the table for our next boy, except for that show. And even still, I’ve never seen the show, didn’t even know it existed til we named our Felix, at which point all the middle-aged folks around us responded with “Oh… like the Odd Couple!” and I was confused. Wondering if it’s really that strong of a connection though, could we get away with an Oscar, and them not be repeatedly subjected to the TV show connection? Otherwise, it’s a great suggestion :)
hmmm… I’ve certainly never heard of it?? Ok, so I just looked it up, the Odd Couple ran in 1970-1975, I would say most people in the age range who are having children as well as the kids themselves, will not have even heard of this show or the connection between the two character names. I would say it is a non-issue, unless there is bad connection between the names (for example: I would personally avoid Addison and Meredith because of the Grey’s Anatomy, ex-husband situation – although really, the kids wouldn’t even know what at the was about just me).
My overall – DO IT!! I think that Oscar and Felix are fabulous sounding sib set!
Lol I was born in the 1987-1992 range & I watched the odd couple throughout my childhood! Guess I’m a weirdo : )
My roommate and I call each other Oscar and Felix, ala the Odd Couple, and I was born in the 80’s. I’m afraid the connotation is pretty darn strong, even nowadays. But what do I know-I wouldn’t even notice a Grey’s Anatomy connection.
I love the suggestion of Hugo. I was hoping Swistle would suggest it. Hugo works with most of the middle names you are considering. Oscar and Hugo seems more serious/literary than hipster to me.
I also like Roland. Roland and Oscar are both two syllable, nickname proof names. I think they work well as a sibling set. Roland West, Roland Wade, and Roland John are my favorites.
Since you like S endings and your name is Maggie, what about Magnus? Oscar and Magnus. So cute.
It may be a little too daring, but you do like Atlas, Julius, and Augustus, so I’m assuming you are comfortable with Ancient Rome. How about Remus?
Good luck!
Ideas:
Albert John ( possible nicknames Bertie or AJ). .. Oscar and Albert
Elias West (possible nn Eli). …. Oscar and Elias
Cyrus John (possible nn CJ) … Oscar and Cyrus
Linus Wade … Oscar and Linus
What about Jasper? Jasper West.
I LOVE Augustus Haymond (sounds very historical/literary). I like the option of August as well – 2 syllables, ends with -s! I prefer nn Gus over Auggie, but could it be possible you have different nn’s for him? Oscar & Gus
I also love Harry and think it works perfectly fine as a first name – Harry West!
I’m a big fan of Henry as well.
Other thoughts:
Fraser
Laurence
Nathaniel
Alfred/Frederick nn Freddie (Oscar & Freddie – how cute!)
Byron
Edwin
Let me begin by saying that you have fantastic choice in names. I’m due in September and my boy’s name lists includes quite a few of yours! :)
I really love the idea of Felix and Oscar though Felix may be too popular or hipster for you. I think the suggestion of Simon and Oscar is fantastic!! That would be an adorable sibling pair and Simon seems very grounding next to Oscar and less hipster.
One name that I haven’t seen suggested yet would be Francis. I actually know an Oscar and Francis (nn Frank) sibling pair so I can assure you that it works well! It also meets your criteria of being two syllables and sounding literary/serious. You could use the nickname Frankie if you wanted a two syllable nickname though I think that Frank works very nicely on its own.
I agree that Silas is great. It’s definitely literary!
My favourites:
Oscar and Francis (nn Frank)
Oscar and Simon
Oscar and Felix
Oscar and Augustus (nn Gus)
Oscar and Leonides (nn Leo)
Oscar and Silas
For middle names, John goes well with all of them!
Please keep us posted. I can’t wait to hear what you choose! Good luck!
west!!!!
or john west and call him that: )
Since you like names ending in ‘o’ and ‘s’, I thought I would suggest two of my personal favourite boy names – Bruno and Caius.
Oscar & Bruno
Oscar & Caius
Good luck!
My suggestion would be Weston (nickname West). Or maybe Wesley? Although I’m not sure using West as a nickname would work there.
Thank you so much for all these suggestions!
Silas was on an early list, but I think it might be one to reconsider. Also Louis, I like that one too.
I like Henry a lot, and the versatility of being able to go for Henry or Harry, but it’s too popular where we live and one of our friends also have a Henry.
Last night my husband said he liked the nn Gus for Augustus (which I prefer over Augie), so that might help sway us toward Augustus.
More suggestions and opinions please! Making the actual final decision is SO hard!
I know a toddler Altas and it wears surprisingly well! His brother’s name is Linus, so unwanted to throw that out there. Does not have an intuitive nickname but meets some of your other criteria.
Kipfel made me think of Kipling, which in turn made me think of Sterling, which made me think of Stuart. I love Tobias (Toby), and Francis (Frankie) of the suggestions above, and all of Swistle’s suggestions. I also wanted to suggest the Lewis spelling as the pronunciation is more clear.
I love Swistle’s suggestion of Douglas. It has gravitas, isn’t trendy/hipster in the way most of the other names you’re considering are (note the number of respondents saying “oh, those names are on my list, too”), plus you can call him Dougie, which is not that far afield from Auggie.
Two other names that fit your criteria are Dennis/Denis and Isaac/Isak.
Douglas John, Oscar & Douglas
Issac John, Oscar & Isaac
Dennis John, Oscar & Dennis.
A really intrepid brother name would be Bernard, nn’d Bernie. Oscar & Bernie!
I think Henry is perfect. Also, my little boy’s name is Silas and I love it.
Love the sound of Oscar with Lewis or Simon.
Gus is an awesome name but I much prefer August and Angus to Augustus. It just seems a little long and fussy to me next to Oscar.
Have you though of Elliot? Oscar and Elliot sound great together! Elliot West?
Would also like to suggest one of my favorites, Miles. Oscar and Miles. Love it!
Good luck!
Of the already mentioned names, I like Fredrick, Tobias and Simon- both nice grounding names that are either short of themselves or have easy nick names
I also like Robert for you.
Your husband seems to really like Roman names! What about Felix? (Roman-lite and goes with Oscar) Or another one from this list:
http://nameberry.com/list/476/Roman-Names-for-Boys?all=1
I don’t have any names to suggest but wanted to give a THUMBS UP to whoever suggested HARRIS!! That sounds like the absolute perfect name to go with Oscar!!
I love a lot of these suggestions… particularly Harris and Silas! A couple of others that I don’t think have been suggested yet: Since you like names ending in “S”, and you like the sound of Silas, perhaps Cyrus? I have always loved this name very much! And if you like Leo and Theo, maybe Milo?
Harris was a great suggestion. I also think Augustus has a lot going for it, it’s your husband’s favorite and you are enthusiastic about the nickname Gus. Would his favorite name and your favorite nickname for it be a good compromise?
Phineas occurs to me as a name that might be up your alley and I like it with Oscar.
Looking at today’s post, what about Charles nn Charlie (to give your husband his -s ending) OR just plain Charlie.
Oscar and Charlie. That definitely changes the feel of Oscar.
Or a couple other probably out there, but different names:
Leroy. Oscar and Leroy.
Walter. Oscar and Walter. Normally I don’t like repeat endings, but I think Oscar and Walter sound good together. Oz and Walt. PRETTY DANG CUTE.
I like Oscar and Douglas a lot. Douglas is my dad’s name (he was born in 1950).
Julian is also one of my favorites. Oscar and Julian sounds good. On that note, I also like Adrian and Damien.
More names ending in S:
Miles (though Oscar and Miles might be more on the hipster end of the spectrum)
James
Elias (I like this one)
Ellis
Francis
Cassius
Darius
What about Ira? :)
Harold could also become Harry. Oscar and Harold. I don’t think Abraham works for that.
I’ve heard Flin as a nickname for Franklin. I think it makes it a little more contemporary than Frankie.
I’m surprised it hasn’t been suggested yet; what about Clarence West? Clarence makes Oscar refined and classy and it ends in an ‘s’ sound and has two syllables, with no obvious nickname, like Oscar. And it’s on your list of family names. Add in West to spunk it up and you’ve got an awesome name!
Good luck.
I love Harry as a stand alone name! But I’m also a huge fan of Henry, either just Henry or nicknamed Harry. This is my favorite of all your options!
I didn’t know Prince Harry was born Henry until not that long ago myself : )