Hi Swistle!
We have a two year old daughter named Emmerson Grace. We call her Em, Emmie, Emmie G or Emmie Grace. We are expecting a baby boy in April and I just really cannot find a boy name I like or feel comfortable with. I think names that I like are too “out there” and names my husband likes are even further out there than you can imagine (ie. he likes names such as Beauregard, Alpheus, and Yorke). These are all an absolute NO for me.
With our daughter, Emmerson always stood out to us and was our “go-to” throughout my pregnancy, even though we considered a million names and we were deciding between two names in the hospital. We really thought this baby was a girl and we just can’t seem to find any boy names that feel right. We don’t really have one name we love or one name we can fall back on.
The one name we were considering since before we got pregnant is Griffin. We aren’t sure how we like names that end in the “in” sound with Emmerson, though. How do Emmerson and Griffin sound to you?
Right now here is our list:
Griffin – “in” sounds weird with Emmerson’s name.
Whittaker – we both really like this name. My husband especially. I really like the feel of it, how it sounds with Emmerson, and that it has good nickname potential (We like Whit) but something about it feels off. Is it odd or clumsy sounding to you? Something with the ending sound “aker” makes me pause. Also, we made the mistake of mentioning it to a friend who flat out said it was awful and “stupid”. So now I’m really not sure.
Shepard – just.. eh..
August – really love but do *not* like the nickname Auggie OR Gus. Which means 1. this name has no nickname potential for us which isn’t necessary but would be nice since Emmerson has many nicknames. and 2. there is the potential for him to get these nicknames one day and I really would not be fond of them at all, especially Auggie. Also concerned about popularity.
Fielding – unsure – same deal as Whittaker. Sound is weird? Can’t picture a baby named Fielding
Wolfe – My husband loves, I do not.
Bennett – My father in law is Benito, nickname Beni and my husband likes the idea of Beni being a potential nickname. I like Bennett but do not like the name Beni so I really wouldn’t want that to be his nickname,
That’s it. Are there names we are missing? Names that have the feel of Whittaker but maybe sound a little nicer to the ear? Other names that seem to match our style that we aren’t thinking of? None of these are names that either of us are that excited about so we are open to suggestions.
Other information:
I am Bonnie, my husband is Alastor and our last name is Polanco. We hope to have three children. We prefer names that are recognizable as names but *not* popular. Emmerson has gotten a little too popular for our liking. Another reason we really like Whittaker is that it’s not in the top 1000.
He will have a middle name but that is also completely up in the air. We are open to suggestions. My grandfather’s name was Bernard. My husband really likes this name. I do not like it but like the idea of honoring my grandfather.
Thank you for your time, patience, and consideration.
All the best,
Bonnie
Name update!
Dear Swistle,
Thank you so much for posting our question a few months ago about our baby boy! He came two weeks early and we still weren’t prepared with a name. I couldn’t get past the hard sound at the end of Whittaker. I still like it, but something felt off to me. In the end Shephard grew on me, a lot. Something about it sounded really calm to me but also kind of cool. We were in the hospital and for two days went back and forth on the names August Bernard (Bernard for my grandfather) and Shephard. It was a tough call and it could have been either name. We called in family members at that point bc we were desperate and we even created a long pros/cons list for both names.
The only problem with Shephard was we couldn’t find a middle name we liked with it that had any meaning. A very smart friend pointed out that Shephard Bernard was not a good idea with the dog associations ;).
My husband always loved the name Rhys, though. SO in the end we decided that as much as we *loved* August, we did not like the nicknames Auggie or Gus at *all*. We also did not love how August is rising in popularity while Shephard (or Shepherd, Shepard) are not in the top 1000 in the SS data base.
We loved how Shephard Rhys sounded. Then my mom (who first hated the name) remembered that my grandfather used to call her Shep and Sheppy (he had crazy nicknames for everyone!) We thought this was such a cute connection we went with it! So, after all of that…. we are happy to introduce Shephard Rhys Polanco. Pictures of him and our daughter Emmerson attached!Thank you again! You and your readers are wonderful and we are very happy with his name. It fits him perfectly. It reminds me of calm, rolling hills and shepherds tending their flocks and he is our calm, chill, peaceful little love bug.
All the best,
Bonnie and Alastor
Emmerson and Whittaker seem perfect together!
Here’s the thing about using a not-Top 1000 name: there will always be LOTS of people who react negatively. It doesn’t matter if it is the most common name in another country, a name that was once super-popular, a name with significance to the parents. If it isn’t familiar, many people will react negatively.
The opposite, of course, are people like me – forever charmed to meet a child with an unusual name. There are many more of us than you might think!
Whittaker hits a sweet spot – it’s a name with an up-and-coming sound. We like W surnames for boys lately (Wilder, Wesley, Weston, Walker), as well as ends-in-r names (Archer, Asher, Calder). In other words, don’t fear the -aker ending – it’s exactly on trend.
Both Whitaker and Whittaker are slowly rising in use, but are far less common than Emerson/Emmerson. (There were just over 50 boys with both spellings combined born in 2013, the last year for which stats are currently available in the US.)
I like Whittaker because the “tt” mirrors the “mm” in your daughter’s name. Either way, it is a great example of a name that will fit in with Carter and Hunter on the playground, but still not be shared.
So that’s definitely my #1 choice for you – especially because it seems like the only major hesitation is that you had a negative reaction from one person.
Hi! I’m the original poster. Thank you so much! This was so helpful to me. I love your point that using a less known name will mean there are more people than usual that will just not like it. That actual makes me feel better about our choices. I also didn’t think about the “er” ending fitting in with our, trendier names. Thank you, thank you!
I’m sorry your friend was less than kind about Whittaker. I definitely wouldn’t be surprised to find a Whittaker in my class, and I do quite like the nickname Whit! I don’t personally have an issue with the semi-rhyming of Emmerson and Griffin. The names are different enough that it indicates you like that ending sound without being matchy-matchy.
I know a young Bennett (around 7 years old now) who only goes by Bennett. You definitely wouldn’t need Beni as a nickname but it could still act as an honor name. Because I know this Bennett and a number of two-three syllable kids, I would say that August doesn’t need a nickname OR provide a middle name to allow for an initials nickname, like AJ or AT.
Other surname-ish names to consider:
Wyatt
Beckett (do you like nn Beck better than Ben/Beni?)
Walker
Langdon/Landon
Gray/Grayson
Davis
Forrest
Your friend is a jerk. I can tell you that four years ago my friend was pregnant and we were at a party and another guest asked if they had names picked out and she said, “Oh yes! E—- for a girl and Jonah for a boy!” and the guest was turns and says, “Jonah is a stupid name.” Jonah is four now, thriving and perfectly content with his name. Also, Jonah is a pretty standard name. Your friend is just a jerk.
Also, I think Whitaker totally works as a first name and is basically perfect with Emerson. If you have a hard time, maybe Whitman would work for you? You can still use Whit as a nickname which I love, you get a literary tie in, and I think it’s slightly easier to say than Whitaker with your last name. (Although, I have a hard time getting certain names to roll off the tongue in a way that is unique to me and other former speech therapy kids. So you can take that fact with a grain of salt.)
I also like Bennett and my friends have one that usually gets called Ben or Benito. I think as he ages he will just be Ben. My friend went in not loving the nickname Ben and has come around to it when it’s on her little dude, but if you hear Beni and it grates your nerves now, I would avoid it.
Other names you might like:
Callum (although maybe a lot of c and l sounds with Polanco)
Langston (I’m keeping the literary tie ins, plus such a handsome name!)
Graham
Silas (a name that seems like it’s getting more popular for all it’s mentioned on name sites, and yet I have yet to meet one)
Atticus (I just reread To Kill a Mockingbird, but such a great name – maybe not great for nicknames though)
I love the Beckett suggested above.
Good luck!
Meant to add, I don’t have a problem with Griffin and Emmerson as siblings.
I like Bernard as a middle name depending on your choice for first, but if you dislike it – did your grandfather have any other names (middle or last) or nicknames that are usable? Or maybe his occupation or a hobby that could make for a good middle names. (IE – if he was an outdoorsy type person, Forrest or Hunter or the like).
I think if anything, the natural nickname to Bennett would be Ben, so I don’t think you need to worry so long as your husband/your FIL don’t push Beni. I think that name is a great choice. I think Whittaker is also great and would not listen to your unsupportive friend at all. Like the PP said, the thing about choosing less popular names is that there will always be people who say rude things, but really that’s the case with any name. You could name your kids John and Mary and SOMEONE would have something negative to say. What’s important is that you and your husband love the choice, and seeing as you’re not so out there/Kreative as to name him Gobbly Goop Polanco, I don’t think you should let other opinions sway you.
Having named my daughter Mary last year, I can indeed confirm this! Negative feelings towards names are much more reflective of the opinionee than of the name!
Seconding the vote to consider Whitman unless you’d then feel tied to an American port theme for future children.
Edited- I meant American poet not port.
I’m guessing based on your husband and father-in-law’s name that your family is at least partially Hispanic. Which I think might be the issue with Whittaker…there are some awesome, unique, daring names that are used in Spanish speaking countries, but Whittaker is not one of them. I’m not 100% sure, but it seems like there are several sounds in Whittaker that might be difficult for someone with a heavy accent. Which is of course fine…unless it bothers you. Have you thought about Ignatius? That’s my favorite big name for little boys. Or maybe Bertram, which is nice because it is somewhat similar to Bernard. My absolute first choice though would be for you to use Bernard. I know you say that you don’t like it, but with Bennett and Shepherd on your list it doesn’t seem too outside of your taste, and it would probably grow on you because you feel very positively about your grandfather. And I think it would be absolutely adorable on a little boy.
Most of all, your friend is fired from helping you with baby names. You guys obviously have very different taste…be glad she won’t steal any of your favorite names and move on. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Whittaker.
I think Whittaker is a really great choice! (Adding itto my list for future boys now…) :)
My daughter is 4 and a new little guy named Whittaker joined her class last month. He’s adorable and so is his name!
Whitman is also cool, but might box you into the American Author Surnames box for a third baby. Not the worst box ever, but themes can be a pain.
Bennett is a cool way to honor your FIL and the nicknames Ben and Benito are more likely than Beni, since that will be grandpa’s name, right? How do you feel about having unique initials for stuff? That’s the only downside to Bennett – same initial as yours.
Good luck and phooey on friends who can’t be supportive of a unique name!
As the mother of an 8 1/2 year old Bennett, I can tell you that we love his name! He has several nicknames that are used by just the family, but goes by Bennett primarily and in the public. Bennett and Emmerson sound lovely together, I think. They are both very proper and big and English, and I think sound lovely with your surname.
I do like Whittaker a lot for the same reasons. One of my best friends frequently told me how much she hated my choice for my daughter while I was pregnant with her (her name is Nora) and I am still hurt by it. I wish people would just be quiet about how they feel about names unless they have something terrific to say. Names are intensely personal! For some reason, we never tell someone who is already born that we hate a particular name, but we feel compelled to do so while the name is still unconnected to an actual person we have seen/met.
Good luck!
I love Whittaker! I think another name featuring double letters works well next to Emmerson.
I do think there’s value in knowing generally what proportion of people won’t like a name, and I DEFINITELY think it’s worth discussing any particularly well-reasoned arguments against a certain name–but I don’t think “that sounds stupid” or anything else boiling down to personal preference is one of them. (Does it matter that I hate the name Henry when it’s trending so hard right now? Apparently not even a little bit!)
Could you be persuaded to rethink Beauregard? It’s so nice, plus allows for the great sibset of Emmie and Beau, the distinguished young man’s name Beau Polanco, etc.–if I didn’t think you should totally use Whittaker, thjs would be my vote!
I like Griffin and Bennet for you. The repeated n sound doesn’t bother me. It’s a pretty subtle similarity and a pleasing one to me. In the Whittaker/Fielding/Emerson vein, are there any usable surnames in your family tree? If there’s a family connection can smooth the way for a somewhat out there name.
Not that Emerson is out there. Just noting you like a lot of surname names.
Whittaker. Hands down. Game over.
The “in” of Griffin doesn’t sound weird with Emmerson. Even if it did, for most of their lives, they won’t be a set, so why should it matter. I really didn’t even notice the similar sounding endings at first. The different number of syllables means they don’t seem repetitious together. It also sounds like Emmerson isn’t typically called by her first name, so it seems most of the time they won’t be Emmerson & Griffin anyway.
I kind of like Whittaker, but I must admit that it seems odd (to me) to use it as a first name unless there is some family connection for it. However people use surnames as first all the time with no family connection, so perhaps I’m just odd in this regard. The nickname Whit is fun & spunky. BTW, your friend was really rude to actually call a name you like “stupid.” There are much more polite ways to say you don’t care for a name. Just another reason why I usually suggest people don’t share names they are considering with friends & family.
Austin was traditionally a nickname for Augustine, so perhaps you could like that for August? Or you could use the full Augustine with Austin as the nickname.
Shepard/Fielding/Wolfe-it sounds like you really just don’t care for these. While there is nothing wrong with them, if you don’t like them, they shouldn’t be on the list.
I like Bennett for you. It’s nice that it has a family connection & sounds nice with Emmerson. If you don’t like the nickname Beni, agree in advance with your husband not to use it. Since that is what his dad is called, say it feels weird/would be confusing to have 2 Benis. I think Ben or even the full Bennett would be fine. Or, reserve Bennett for the middle name position.
I’ll suggest Beckett, Everett, Brennan, Broderick, Coleman & Beaumont.
GO WITH Whittaker! You should keep the name and lose the friend. Seriously! Who says that?! Another name that popped into my head to consider is Bernhart. I feel like it may fit your criteria and Bernie and Hart seem like great nickname options.
What ab Thatcher?? We seem to have similar naming styles and I have a Thatcher nn Thatch and personally I think he’s as cute as his name.
Emmerson and Thatcher – Emmie and Thatch!
I just had to comment because I know a family with two children – a boy named Griffin and a girl named Emmerson. :) It has never bothered me that they both end in the same sound, not sure it ever really crossed my mind.
Also, Whittaker is a cool name and Whit is a great nickname!
Love Whittaker (nickname Whit) for you. However, if the ending isn’t feeling right, perhaps another Whit name…
Whitfield (combines part of Fielding)
I knew a little boy with this name (and nickname). It totally worked!
The endings for Emmerson and Whittaker together don’t bother me at all. I like how coordinating-ish the two names seem too – w/ the double m and the double t.
I actually like Beauregard as well — would you consider Beaumont? Big Sister Emmie and Little Brother Beau just seem so cute to me.
Really though – all your choices match up in style to me, so I don’t think you could go wrong!
I have an August- he goes by August, no nicknames. We thought we’d call him Gus but never have. Today it seems that people don’t use nicknames unless you tell them to. I know lots of kids who go by their full names when a decade ago they would have been automatically called by their nickname (William, David, for example).
I love Bennet. Beni could be his dad’s special nickname. Everyone else can call him Ben or Bennet.
I also think Whittaker is a little strange if it is not a family name. In general I like surname names if they are family names. I’d expect people to ask you if it is a family name. However don’t let my hang up stop you, as it is a cool name.
Oh I also think Beau is cool! I like Beau better than Beauregard. Beau Bernard!
I second Beauregard – Emmie and Beau is just too cute! I also like Whittaker and can’t believe your friend. The “er” or “ar” ending is nice – Sinclair would work too! Seeing Fielding on your list, I wonder about Whitfield? It is a real surname, and then you could use the nicknames Whit OR Field and that would be fun. A third random suggestion is Cedric or other names from the -ic family. They seem quite strong and have an opposite ending kind of feeling from the “on” and “in” similar endings you’re unsure about. But they also have that medieval, regal connotation that a name like Griffin connotes.
I get a slightly English, authorly vibe from your boy name choices which I think is totally fantastic! I think Whittaker is actually great and frankly your friend was rude. You do not have an obligation to please your friends with your choice for your child’s name. Maybe a good idea to keep the name to yourself till the baby is born.
A few other names that I think could work well with this style: Thatcher, Gilbert, Cole, Hughston, Langston, Forester, Rupert, Raymond, Jasper, Franklin, Harrison, Fletcher, Clarence, Laurence, Winston, Sterling, Broderick.
You’re right, Laura. He was totally rude and it was upsetting. :( I just hate the idea of people getting together to talk about how bad our name choice is after he is born. :/ I hate the thought of people calling each other up saying “Can you believe…?” another friend who was here at the time this whole thing happened didn’t say anything but made it clear he didn’t like the name either. I know you can’t please everyone but friends recently gave their baby a very, very different name recently and it was not well-received. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I do think the nickname Whit will help it be more recognizable.
There is no perfect name that everyone loves. And the less popular a name is, the more likely it is that more people will dislike it. They’ll get over it. And with time and exposure, they might even start to like it. I have a friend who got a really negative reaction from someone when she told them she was naming her daughter “Rachel,” which has been in the top 200 for 50 years. If you pick a more “normal” name will you regret it? Especially if you still get negative reactions from some people?
While I love Whitaker and most on here probably will, there’s a great chance that the majority of people around you guys aren’t going to be name junkies who embrace outliers. Steel yourself for reactions if you choose an unusual name! Definitely don’t let it deter you, but don’t let us talk you into it if you’re afraid little Whit might have a tough time defending his name. You know your crowd best (that includes family, too, not just the area you live which could eventually change).
That said, I DO love Whitaker, and it makes me think of Whitman and Winston/Winthrop (Win!) and Wellington (Wells!) and Walter, the latter Old Man Name which was recently bestowed upon a sweet new baby and instantly made me love it. I know a dog named Griffin, so I can’t agree to that, but that’s just personal. Lol.
Whittaker is great, go for it!! I don’t see a problem with Griffin either, but Whittaker is just such a great name.
Hey Bonnie! First of all I love your style of names. Here are some that names to mind while reading your list:
Finnegan
Berkeley
Crawford
Desmond
Finnian
Gulliver
Humphrey
Irving
Jefferson
Lawrence
Maguire
Russell
Vincent
Also, if you are unsure of Whittaker, maybe give Whitby a chance? I know a guy with the name and have always thought it an interesting choice.
I love Whittaker! I also have an uncle named Winfield who goes by Field, which I’ve always thought was cool. We have a little boy named Smith and his name definitely received mixed reactions, but once it’s a real baby, talking toddler, etc. the name fits them and people don’t think twice about it now.
All of these replies have been so helpful to me and I’m so glad to hear such a positive response to Whittaker! Thank you! and thank you for posting, Swistle! My husband and I both love Harrison, as someone suggested, but unfortunately we feel that names that end in “son” are out because we don’t want matching “son” names or to start a trend for future siblings. (EmmerSON and HarriSON). We like Harris but like Harrison so much more and feel it’s unusable. I also like the nickname Harry.
Also love the suggestions of Forester, Fletcher, and Beckett. I really like Brennon as well.
We do love surnames. It doesn’t bother me that Whittaker isn’t a family name because Emmerson is also a surname but not a family name. Unfortunately our family tree doesn’t lend well to surnames (think names similar to Janowski, Gaylit, etc) but I love cool ones anyway!
Is Whittaker Bernard way too much for one name? My husband likes Whittaker James and I like the simplicity of James with a name like Whittaker but would like his name to have some family connection.
Bonnie, I love the name Whittaker! It’s so strong, and just plain awesome! You obviously love it (reading all of your comments makes me smile) which is saying a lot. Don’t worry about people “talking about” his name.
Whittaker Bernard is a strong, solid name, and the family connection is wonderful. Yes, James is also a very nice middle name, but if it doesn’t make your heart pitter-patter, then go with Bernard! Whitt would be an awesome nickname. I know a boy named Whitt–just Whitt, not short for anything…love that name!
I also like Griffin and Bennett a lot. I don’t think Griffin and Emmerson are too matchy-matchy at all. I would suggest Elliott and Harrison, but I can see how you’d think they’re too similar to Emmerson. I LOVE that you put the double M in Emmerson…it makes it more feminine and perfect for your nickname of Emmie. Congratulations!
Let me clarify why I said to not worry about people talking his name… He is your son, and you two can choose whatever names you like for him. It is not one else’s decision, so just listen to your heart. A lot of good things come from listening to your heart. :) You only have to please yourself and hopefully your son will also be pleased at your choice when he is older (which I’m sure he will be!). :) Shame on your friend for being so rude!
*talking about
I love Whittaker. I also love Griffin and think both work well with Emmerson. I also like your husband’s pick of Wolfe. But that’s my love of mysteries talking.
If you like author names, I ditto other’s suggestions and recommend Whitman. Also Austen, Eliott, Alcott (maybe a little too out there), Montgomery, Twain or Clemens (maybe too many sounds in common with Emmerson?)…
I’m just chiming in to say how handsome Whittaker James sounds. Also, Whitney came to mind for me with the “Whit” nn. I realize it’s unisex and leans more to the pink side sometimes, but just another avenue. It also fits that surname theme you seem to like.
I love Whittaker, especially with Emmerson/Emmie and that is my first choice for you! However, I don’t see a problem with the matching endings of Emmerson and Griffin at all. I also say them slightly differently, the first ends in an -un sound and the second an -in sound. For what it’s worth, Griffin Whittaker is a fantastic name all in all! I know a 5 year old Griffin and he’s adorable (it’s actually his middle name but that’s what he uses full time) – and his nickname is Finn, which I also love. You have great name options!
Love your daughters name…our Daughter is also Emerson (spelt slightly different). She is Emerson Clare. (It’s not overly popular here in Australia which we love!)
We were in exactly the same predicament as you when we fell pregnant with our second child , who is now a 16 month old boy.
Our son is Baxter Joel (his Daddy’s name is Joel). And have found that his name goes so well with his sisters and we get so many comments on how people love his name :)
We also had Rory Joel picked out for him but found Baxter suited better when he was born!
Good Luck for the rest of your pregnancy and good luck naming your gorgeous baby boy x
Bonnie,
I would say that I somewhat have a similar naming style so I thought I would take my “baby name list” and paste it here for you to review. Over the years I type in a new name that I hear that I might someday consider for a child. My husband and I currently have a daughter so here is our potential boy name list. We of course would narrow this list down if we ever had a boy. I do have to say that I’m not fond of Whittaker as a first name. I know of a girl named Stephanie Whittaker and maybe its because I only see it as a last name versus a first name. I have always loved the name Griffin so I’m going to vote for Griffin and Emmerson if none of the other suggestions by the other readers suits your fancy.
Carlen/Carlin, Britton, Kasen, Carden, Candler, Colin, Coy, London, Dayton, Drake, Chason, Christian, Ryken, Peyton, Parker, Grayson, Rylan, Ryland, Braxton, Jackson, Zeke, Harrison, Easton, Kalen, Kingston, Brock, Bryson, Talon, Blaze/Blaise, Maverick, Reid, Cale, Graham, Weston, Leighton/Layton, Slade, Kaylan, Tallon, Brighton, Brooks, Garrison, Harlan, Harland, Blakely, Harlan, Ryton, Breck, Tayson, Chess, Graden, Daylan, Ridge, Baylen, Randon, Pearson, Hartley, Dagan, Laken, Bracken, Blaken, Barrington, Bastian, Brayton, Brier, Brack, Bronson, Bryson, Brasen, Breckin, Brogan, Conley, Duncan, Finley, Forrester, Griffin, Jadon, Jase, Keaton, Kennedy, Keelin, Maddox, Presley, Lance, Rendor, River, Tameron, Titus, Talen, Tayton, Saylor, Dawson, Tate, Finn, Tucker, Leland, Winter, Dace, Blessing, Stanley, Sterling, Creed, Hollis, Matthias, Radley, Lawson, Fletcher, Palmer, Baron, Kingsley, Adamson, Langston, Knight, Foster, Hart, Ford, Steele, Lander, Trucker, Indee, Carver, Thane, Thorn, Thompson, Bayne, Fuller, Frye, Gage
I also think Whittaker is great! We have a son who goes by ‘Whit’ (short for Joseph Whitman), and we love the nickname. I don’t think Whittaker Bernard is too much of a mouthful (how often do you say the full name anyway, and it’s so nice to use an honor name) but Whittaker James is really lovely, as well. (I also like Griffin – love the nn Finn as suggested by previous poster). Best of luck!
Oh and my faves from your list are Whittaker and Bennett (Bennett was also on our list for our little man) :)
I think Whittaker would be a great choice for your family. Growing up, my brother had a friend whose last name was Whitterick but all his friends called him “Whit”, so Whittaker, nickname Whit sounds very name-like to me. :) I do think you might get some people wondering if it’s a family surname that you are using as an honor name, but it does go well stylistically with Emmerson, so it does fit your family’s style. Sorry to hear that your friend was so rude.
I also like the sound of Emmerson and Griffin together. My only hesitation would be whether you would feel like you *had* to use a name ending in N for a 3rd child.
Fielding does sound less first-name like to me because of the -ing ending. It makes me think of Fletcher though, which seems more first-namey with the -er ending.
Love the suggestion of Whitman, and also wanted to suggest Whittier. It’s the surname of John Greenleaf Whittier, a poet and abolitionist from the 19th century. It might break some of the more obvious literary connections of (Ralph Waldo) Emmerson and (Walt) Whitman, but still has the great Whit nickname.
I also though of Whitsun, but the ending sounds rhymey with Emmerson.
I love Bernard as a middle… so handsome! Whittaker Bernard or Whittier Bernard would both be great options.
Whittaker is on my short list (due 2/6!), and I have to say all the love it receiving in the comments makes me want to do it more! So hard to choose!!
I love Whittaker, with the nickname Whit, and I think you should just go for it if you really love it! Whittaker James is soooo distinguished! Like Griffin with the nickname Griff too!
The name Willoughby came to mind when I read Whittaker, I absolutely love it, and the nicknames Will or Wills are great!
Llewellyn, nickname Lew, Louie or Wells, is also a good one!
Other suggestions:
Beaumont – Beau or Monty
Huxley – Hux
Carlisle – Carl
Chesterfield – Chester
Fitzwilliam – Fitz, Will or Liam
Fletcher – Fletch
Barton – Bart
Lennox – Len, Lenny or Nox/Knox
Donnelly – Don, Donny or Dell
Callahan – Cal
Ferguson – Fergie or Fergus
Rafferty – Raff or Rafe (Really like this one!)
Sullivan – Sully or Van
Hope these help!
Good luck!
I’m curious why spell Emmerson with 2 “m”s? The only Emersons I know are after Ralph Waldo, so I wonder if there is a family connection or mash-up that led you to this spelling (and if so perhaps you would want to do something similar with your other children).
I would not use Whitman, Fielding, Woolf (any spelling) or other literary names with a child who has an alternate spelling of Emerson or it looks like you made a mistake.
Bernard, August and Griffin all seem like good options to me. I like August best, but it’s just personal preference.
Deborah –
There isn’t a family connection. She was named for my grandmother and since I am Jewish, we only needed an “E” name and then gave her my grandmother’s Hebrew name at her naming. We chose the double “m” spelling because we simply liked the look of it better. At the time, we also planned on calling her Emma as a nickname (which didn’t work out for various reasons) but I don’t regret the double “m”. I have met two boys so far with the name Emerson and they spell it with one “M” so I’m glad we chose the two. It’s personal preference but I also felt it made it more feminine. And we chose to spell Emmie (which we call her almost all the time) with the double m and the “ie” to mirror my own name, Bonnie.
Thank you for the suggestions! I do love August. If we name him Whittaker we would certainly choose the double “t” but I’m fine with other literary names, even if we choose the actual spelling of the author. At her naming friends and family knew why we named her after Ralph Waldo Emerson and why we chose to spell it the way we did.
Thanks for explaining! Using the first initial is one of my favorite traditions. It makes me like the “B” names on your list that much more, even if it’s as a middle, so each of the children share a special connection to someone who came before them. Good luck with your decision!
I really like Whitaker, August, and Bennett with Emmerson. I think Whitaker Bernard sounds very distinguished.
I’d also suggest Abbott, Thatcher, Elliott, and Cooper.
Also Wilder, Alder, Tate, and Calder
I think all the names on your list are fine and especially like Griffin, August, and Bennett with Emmerson. I see no problem with the endings – in sounds very different than – in. I like Whittaker but it is a name that people will talk about and that seems to really bother you so I would let it go.
Griffin Bernard would be my choice.
I really like your names, and just wanted to pipe in with the suggestion of a name that was my absolute top choice and favorite for my first pregnancy – Witter. My husband vetoed it a million times, so I was not able to use it, but I immediately thought of it for you when you said you love Whittaker, but are hesitant about the -aker ending. I do also really like Griffin for you, and like others who have commented I don’t think that the repeat “n” ending is a problem, but rather a nice little bit of coordination between sibling names. I don’t think it ties you into using another “n” ending for future children. Of your other choices my favorites are Bennet and August. Good luck!
Fielding works really well in real life :) I know a seven year old Fielding that I babysat for two years and his name never seemed awkward or unnamelike. That said, I do love Whittaker.
I love the name Whittaker, but I will say that I find it a bit staccato with your last name. Whittier and Whitman seem to flow better to my ear.
Griffin, though. Griffin! One of my all time faves, out there but familiar. -son and -fin are entirely different sounds to me, and besides, you don’t seem to use Emmerson’s full name much. Griffin Bernard Polanco. Wonderful name. Or Grffin Benito Polanco, because you can. Swoon. Griff, Griffo, GB. Dang. I almost want a baby boy myself now.
Hmm… how about Dwight. Dwight Polanco.
Wallis?
I like Maurice bernard Polanco.
If your looking for a real name but a little different there’s Norval. I’m not sure with the last name though.
Reyner or Drexler?
These are our kids names – Griffin Everett and Emerson Dylan (a girl despite the hard masculine leaning!). I thought the matchy-ness of Griffin and Emerson might bother me but it really is two different sounds, Emerson is a softer and more rounded sound (son vs sin). Griffin gets nicknamed Finn a lot and Emerson is Emme (like Emmy) so they take on very different feels on a daily basis anyway.
Late to the party, but my little Griffin Michael was born last July! So far we’ve gotten very positive reactions to his name, with the exception of my mother, who said, “Well, I like Michael, but Griffin? Do you actually KNOW anyone named Griffin?” To which I responded, “Did you actually know anyone named Irene?” Which she didn’t, and I’ve always hated my name because it’s so out of place in my generation. She’s come around since then. TLDR; everyone will always have something negative to say, but generally people tend to come around once there’s a cute baby to associate the name with.
And by everyone, I meant someone. :)
Beautiful picture, beautiful names!