Hi Swistle!
I’m almost crying tears of joy because I finally have a reason to write to you. After two years of trying, my husband and I are expecting our first baby (due next summer).
Since we’ve been trying for so long, we have already had a few discussions regarding names. Our hands-down favorite girl name is J0seph!ne @nne; it honors my husband and a family member of mine who passed away, and we love the nicknames (I love me some nicknames). If we ever have a daughter, this will definitely be her name.
Our problem comes from two boy names we love: Alexander and Calvin.
1. Alexander goes well with our last name (Corn with an H), we love the nickname Alex, and it’s a name only shared by one of our astounding plethora of male relatives. My concern is that Napoleon’s Josephine had a first husband named Alexander. If we had a son and daughter named Alexander and Josephine, is that bad? Or is this a reference that I’m overthinking? I know it’s not like naming your kids Romeo and Juliet, but I don’t want to saddle our kids with something weird.
2. Calvin is a slight nod to my name, it’s not common in our circles, and it’s not shared by anyone in our family (the trifecta!). My issue is that I know he’d be called Cal sometimes (I’m fine with that, my husband doesn’t love it) and I think Cal Corn-with-an-H sounds weird and choppy. It sounds like someone is saying “cow h0rn” to my ear. Is this hormones making me crazy, or am I on to something here? One syllable last names are hard!
Other boy names we’re considering: Samuel, Cole (similar issue to Calvin!), Daniel, and Anthony. We like some of these, but Alexander and Calvin are the clear front runners. We have a ton of potential middle names to choose from (again, plethora of male relatives), so that’s not a concern.
Also, whichever one doesn’t get picked this round is permanently off the list, as I refuse to have sons named Cal and Al. Just nope.
Thanks so much!
CC
History is one of my weakest subjects, so it’s not surprising that I have zero association with Napoleon/Josephine/Alexander. I think we need opinions from people who are very aware of whatever that historical situation was, to see if they’d think it was weird to have a Josephine and an Alexander as siblings. I’d think it would help that both names are relatively common.
I lean heavily in favor of the name Calvin. It’s a great name, and it’s more in line with the popularity of the name Josephine (the name Calvin was #148 in 2016; Josephine was #114; Alexander was #11). Plus, it removes any possibility of awkwardness over Historical Josephine’s ex.
I don’t see any problem with the nickname + surname. It’s pretty important to me that the given name go reasonably well with the surname and with sibling names, but nicknames are much less important. If the nickname formed a bad or embarrassing word with the surname, that would be another matter; but a little choppiness seems like a non-issue—and I don’t hear “cow h0rn.”
Name update:
Hi Swistle,
Thanks to you and your readers for advice regarding our first child. As it turns out, we didn’t need to worry about a boy name because we had a little girl! J0seph!ne @nne was born on July 10th and we’re obsessed. If J0s!e had been a boy, we had narrowed our choice down to either Alexander Paul or Brendan Anthony; Brendan has been my favorite boy name for years and initially my husband didn’t like it, but he came around to it at the end when it was paired with a significant honor name for the middle spot. Maybe we’ll get the chance to use it in a few years? Thanks again for your help!
I do not consider myself a history buff by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like and enjoy history and I did not make that association until you specifically mentioned it. In fact, I was thinking — “Josephine and Alexander are a cute sibling set.”
I will admit that I share your fear over the Cow Horn concern but I think it may be side-stepped if you were insistent on no nicknames. My daughter has a name that *could* lend itself to a nickname (one that we do not like and which does not sound pleasing with her surname). Since birth however, she has only been called that a handful of times because we do not call her that and on the rare occasion someone else does, we merely say, “We do not like that nickname. We call her by her actual name or use ____ for short.” It might not always work (she could always decide as she gets older that she prefers the nickname we hate) but it has worked thus far.
tl;dr – I like Alexander the best. And congrats!!
Congrats! I wouldn’t worry about the Alexander and Josephine association (I was not aware until you mentioned it), and I strongly prefer the Alexander/Josephine sibling set. They are both longer form names with a plethora of nickname potential. However, I prefer Alexander over Calvin so my opinion is biased. I want to add an alternate opinion to Swistle’s popularity comment. Josephine is rising quickly (rightfully so! It’s a great name), whereas Calvin has been a bit more steady. I wouldn’t let the variance in popularity of Alexander and Josephine dissuade you. Great name! It would be high on our current list if our friends hadn’t used it.
I don’t think the concern for either name is likely to be a problem. My personal preference is for Alexander, but Calvin’s nice, too.
I’m with Swistle on preferring Calvin. I think Calvin is a great name, underused but familiar. I also don’t think Cal would be said too often with the surname. I’m picturing first-day-of-school roll call (full first and last names), and then ever after just being first name or nickname only. Friends: “hi Cal!”. Classmates: “I’m excited to go to Cal’s/Calvin’s birthday party!” Introductions: “Hi, I’m Cal.” or “Hi, I’m Calvin.” You get the idea… Nickname + Surname is just not that commonly said.
re: Alexander. Also a great name! And I would not be concerned about the Josephine’s first husband thing. I think that might be a rather obscure bit of historical trivia that no one would pick up on. I know siblings named Rachel and Jacob (well-known spouses in the bible) who have heard no comments about their namesakes’ marriage. It’s a non-issue.
Congrats on the baby! You have great naming taste – can’t go wrong.
I’m not a history buff, and the Napoleon association did not come to mind. I think you’re fine.
I don’t love Cal (C)orn, but it also doesn’t offend me, especially since kids are less likely to go by nicknames generally. I think you’re good with either! Although I think Alexander and Josephine are especially cute together.
Also, congratulations! And best wishes for a smooth pregnancy and delivery.
Weighing in: I know of Josephine and Napoleon but wasn’t aware of Alexander. I do not hear “cow horn” and think both choices are great! Congratulations!
I am a professional historian, knew about Josephine being married to Alexander, and still didn’t make the connection. If you wanted to have a son and daughter Napoleon and Josephine I would caution against it, but I honestly can’t image that anyone will make the Josephine Alexander connection.
It is not even the first hit when you type Josephine and Alexander into google…
I would not have thought of that Josephine Alexander association if you hadn’t mentioned it. I think very few people will. And they are both common and classic enough that I wouldn’t think it’d be strange even to the people who do make the connection.
As for nickname with surname thing, I feel like nicknames are almost never used with surnames. A lot of people call me Becca, but I’m almost never called Becca Murphy. It’s Becca or it’s Rebecca Murphy. If surnames are being used it’s usually a formal enough situation that so is the full first name.
So, either name I think is perfect. I personally prefer Calvin. Good luck.
I -am- a history buff and that connection would be a stretch for me. Granted, 19th century France isn’t one of my primary interests, so it might be different for someone who’s keener on that era.
How about Calvin Alexander? Jo and Cal, Jo and Vinnie?
I love history and am a Social Studies teacher. I must admit I didn’t know, or had forgotten, that Josephine was married to Alexander. I think you’re safe there. Congratulations on your baby!
I am also a history teacher and I didn’t make the association. I think J0sephine & @lexa@nder is a really great combination!
I think the Alexander and Josephine thing is a total non-issue. However, for me Calvin has strong historical overtones because of John Calvin, the founder of Methodism, and Calvinist theology. To me it always seems a severe name for a little baby because of this association. I am far from being a historian, but I did receive a lot of religious education as a child.
I am a big history buff and in particular looooove Josephine Bonaparte, and I do not think siblings named Josephine and Alexander would be an issue. Especially because I think of her first husband as Alexandre, spelled and pronounced the French way.
I say go for it!
I have a friend named Calvin who never goes by Cal, and I’ve never heard anyone call him that. However, I’m of the firm opinion that not enough people know Josephine Napolean’s marital history to influence your name choice (in fact, I’m guessing a fair number of folks wouldn’t associate Josephine herself with Napolean – I’m not being condescending, I just don’t think people automatically associate the names. They might after a moment, but to get from there to her first husband is a stretch.
Congratulations! You have some great names and you can’t go wrong. Like Swistle, I kind of want to push you toward Calvin for a boy, though. It’s such an underused name that can easily be used as a full name (only 2 syllables!), but also has wonderful nickname possibilities for those teen years. Yes, “Calvinism” and “Calvinist” have historical and religious meanings; however, I certainly wouldn’t connect a child to John Calvin or those historical forces. While no name is exactly similar, I don’t think of “Elizabethan” when I hear the name Elizabeth, or of Guy Fawkes when I hear the name Guy. (You get the idea.) Additionally, Cal (C)orn isn’t really an issue. The way most English speakers use stress in names and compound words makes it unlikely that listeners will hear “cowhorn” if the nn is used with your surname. Josephine is lovely, and would make a great sibling to Calvin or Alexander. Alexander is also nice, but is definitely more ubiquitous and a little less singular.
I have a masters degree in history and had no idea about the Josephine/Alexander connection . . . but I did study the American home front during WWII. :) I was a little worried when I named two of my children Harriet and Oskar because of the old tv show Ozzie and Harriet. I’m sure some people have made the connection but no one has said anything to me. I think you’re safe.
Alexander is fantastic!
I do hear cowhorn and carhorn. Sorry. BUT it fullfills your trifecta, so perhaps it is worth keeping…
You’ve got classic taste in names! Congratulations on your little one.
I consider myself pretty well verses in history & I did not know Josephine’s first husband was named Alexander, though I did know she had been married previously. However, I seriously doubt most people will know she was married before, much less what his name was. I really think this is a case of over thinking things.
Call him Calvin & most people people will follow suit. But if Cal does happen, Cal Corn-with-an-H is fine.
I knew Josephine was married to Alexandre but would have never made the connection if I met your kids. I think Alexander is as equally formal as Josephine wich makes it a nice match. But Alexander is way more common, so i can see why it might not be perfect. Maybe a nickname that is not Alex – Alec, Xander, Lex, Anders to make it a little more unusual.
I love Cal and think it is fine with your last name.
I have a degree in history and still wouldn’t have made the connection between Alexander and Josephine! So I definitely wouldn’t let that rule it out for me – it sounds like it’s probably down to a straight case of which name you prefer!
Personally I’m team Alexander all the way – but it may well be because I’m British and Calvin probably has different connotations over here.
My daughter is named Josephine. My husband is getting a PhD in history. When Josephine’s name is dropped in history nerd circles and elsewhere, we’ll occasionally get references to Napoleon, but never Alexander. The true history nerds might recall that it was actually Napoleon’s pet name for her. Her given name was Marie Josephe Rose and she went by Rose until she met Napoleon. Basically, I don’t think there is any issue with Alexander.
Alexander all the way! Alexander and Josephine are so well matched.
I would NEVER have made the historical association between Josephine and Alexander.
Put Calvin in the middle if you love it but have reservations about using it as a first name.
Alexander Calvin (C)orn is a great name!
Good luck!
I laughed at the “cow horn” comment. My mother in law had decided to name my husband David, but in her own hormonal fit, she thought that David Gray sounded like Gravy Train dog food, and changed his name to something else.