Dear Swistle,
Help! My second baby boy is due in a month and my husband and I can’t come up with any names we love, or even really like-a-lot. Our last name sounds like C@nyon but with a G, and we have an older boy and girl whose names came quite easily to us and were chosen months in advance: Eliza Willow and Lincoln Andrew. This will be our last child and we both feel like we used the best names already, and are seriously stuck. Middle name will most likely be Lamar as a family honor name. I’m worried that this baby will be born nameless, and we will feel pressure to name him quickly, and come to regret it. Please help us name Eliza and Lincoln’s brother!
Here are some names that we have both agreed on that we “don’t hate”:
Augustus
Anderson
Holden
Hamilton
Grant
Zane
Daxton
EverettWe are very open to any suggestions! Please help ! :)
Thank you,
Mama C@nyon with a G
I see a lot of surnamey names on your list, and I think that’s a nice way to go. Some surnames give me an immediate historical/political association when used with Lincoln: Hamilton and Grant leap out as examples. That can be a plus or a minus, depending on what you’re looking for.
My absolute top favorite from your list is Everett. I love it. Eliza, Lincoln, and Everett. HEART EYES. I also really like Anderson. More possibilities to consider:
Alistair
Carlson
Clark
Crosby
Edmund
Flynn
Franklin
Frederick
Harris
Hatcher
Marcus
Mercer
Merritt
Meyer
Miles
Miller
Nicholson
Oliver
Phineas
Redford
Redmond
Reid
Russell
Silas
Spencer
Sullivan
Theodore
Thompson
Victor
Wesley
Wilson
Winston
Yates
(Note to commenters: With a familiar historical name such as Lincoln, name suggestions will be particularly susceptible to meaningful connections. I hope if you spot any that seem really Off, such as if I’ve inadvertently suggested a name connected with pro-slavery or whatever, I hope you won’t feel shy about saying so. History was one of my weakest subjects.)
With a brother named Lincoln, Hamilton give off a history buff vibe and Grant specifically a Civil War buff vibe. I like them if those descriptors fit, but if not, answering questions about whether that’s why you chose the name could get old.
I like Zane in this group. Alistair was an interesting suggestion, as well.
I would avoid Hamilton since you have an Eliza and the Hamilton musical is big right now, Eliza & Hamilton as a sibset will stand out. If you weren’t aware, Eliza is Alexander Hamilton’s wife.
Exactly what I was thinking. I love Anderson, Augustus, Everett, and Zane with Lincoln and Eliza
Concur.
My first thought as a brother for Lincoln and Eliza was Palmer. I agree that anything with historical context with Lincoln would be a bit odd and I also prefer something without the “ln” ending so each child has a different sounding end to the name. From Swistle’s list I love Crosby and Merritt. Along those lines, I also think Merrick would work well.
I really like Swistle’s suggestion of Everett. Different ending, different sound, plays up the last name connection instead of the historical connection. And like Eliza and Lincoln, it is common enough for everyone to know how to say and spell it but not so common that he should be Everett G. in school.
I know a Joseph with what I suspect is your last name, and I like that combination. Joseph Lamar “C@nyon” Eliza, Lincoln, and Joseph.
I have an Everett! I love LOVE his name still and he’s 8. He’s never been “Everett B” in school. Like an above commenter pointed out, it is familiar without being overused which is how I would describe Eliza and Lincoln. Every once in a while, someone will spell it Everette (eye roll).
If you went with another presidential name, and I encountered your children, I would assume you or your partner are big history buffs. Which would be cool if you are, but maybe a little odd if you aren’t.
How about Barrett or Anders or Amos or Dean? I feel like those fit well with Eliza and Lincoln and seem similar to the names on your list that you *don’t hate*, but hopefully will love!
I also thought of Anders!
The name I like the most with your sibset is probably Daniel:
Daniel Lamar C@nyon
Eliza, Lincoln and Daniel
And from Swistle’s list: Wilson (with a cute nn Will!)
But some of these names could also work well:
Dominic
Adrian
Conrad
Leonard
Carter
Arthur
Maxwell
Graham
Declan
Austin
Noah
P.S. Your older kids’ names are both lovely and they make a really great pair!
From your list, I would avoid Hamilton (the Eliza/Hamilton connection), Grant (Lincoln/Grant connection), and Anderson (too similar to Lincoln’s middle name Andrew). That leaves Augustus, Holden, Zane, Dacton, and Everett.
While I love Everett, it begins with an E like Eliza, making Lincoln’s name stand out from his siblings. Eliza, Lincoln, and Everett. It may not bother you at all or you could do it intentionally as you think this will be your last child. I’m not really feeling the other names, but if you and your husband like them, they could work well.
Augustus feels too pretentious next to Eliza and Lincoln. Perhaps Ambrose or Arthur or Alexander instead? Eliza, Lincoln, and Ambrose sounds cool and modern-twist-on-old-fashion-names to me. Eliza, Lincoln and Alexander gives each child an L in their name (not that it matters much) and is a more subtle nod to history.
If you like Daxton, perhaps Dayton, David, Daniel, Darius, Darren, or Denison could work? But, perhaps, you do not want to repeat the “n” sound at the end of the boys’ names: Lincoln and Darren, Lincoln and Denison, etc. Or maybe you do.
From Swistle’s list, the names that really jump out at me are: Flynn, Franklin, Merritt, Theodore, and Welsey.
Based on the names you like:
August
Dashiell
Hayes
Corby
Cole
Clark
Evander
Grady
I also really like Everett for you.
Another idea that occurred to me is Warren.
I love Everett with your last name but would hesitate to repeat a first initial within the sibset. That might not be a big issue for you all though.
From your list, I like Grant best. From Swistle’s, I like Davis, Reid, Oliver, Spencer and Theodore.
Additional suggestions:
Beckett
Milo
Peter
Hayes
Brooks
Wyatt
Connor
Eliza and Lincoln are great names!
The L sound really stood out for me so I think I would try to stick to that. Not sure. I really love Everett from your list but what about Elliott?
Eliza, Lincoln and Elliott
Or Walker?! Eliza, Lincoln and Walker! Love it!
Sterling?!
Good luck!
Marshall or Fletcher
Was coming here to suggest the surname Fletcher as well. I think it would be a particularly good fit. Especially with mn Lamar.
I also thought Fletcher would be cool.
Or Channing. Or Hale. Or Becket.
I also love Everett and Bennett.
Dexter came to mind when I looked at your list. Eliza, Lincoln, and Dexter.
Or what about Desmond?
I like August better than Augustus.
Holden and Everett are good options.
I also liked the suggestions of Marshall, Maxwell, Dean, Sterling, Dashiell, Carter, Arthur, Spencer, Wesley.
I would like to suggest Totten, I feel like it goes well with your sib set. I also like Everett. I could also see Parker with this group.
The name Davis sticks out to me as not a great fit with Lincoln, since Jefferson Davis was president of the Confederacy.
Good, good, this is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping people would know! I think I’ll just take it off the list.
Loads of good suggestions, but I would avoid Grant although it’s a lovely name in itself: Grant [C]anyon seems uncomfortably close to Grand Canyon.
Good point!
Anderson with Lincoln might remind CW buffs of Andersonville, a dreadful POW camp and/or of Major Robert Anderson, the commanding officer at Fort Sumter when it surrendered to South Carolinian forces.
Love your children’s names. Eliza and Lincoln are so great.
Everett! The two “E”s do not bother me at all. It’s great, I especially like how each name would have its own ending.
But I also love Sullivan, Clark, Graham, and I have some big love for Dominic, especially with your sib set.
I like Harrison, Brooks or Hunter for you!
My son is also Lincoln, his siblings are Harvey, Marshall and Bennett. We are currently expecting and considering Jamison for another boy.
From your choices I love Everette with Lincoln, we also considered Everette when naming our other boys. Lawson is also a name we loved but didn’t end up using.
Sorry Everett*
Grant is my fave from your list, but since someone pointed out Grand Canyon, that’s all I hear. I think Everett or Harrison are great options!
I feel like Hugh or Hugo world go so nicely with this group. I also love Crosby.
My favorite from your list is Holden. From Swistle’s, I love Russell.
I’d avoid Grant (too Presidental) and Hamilton (too specific to the musical/history when paired with Eliza).
I like the L in both of the names and would want try to continue that. Eliza, Lincoln and
– Gilbert
– Marshall
– Malcolm
– Calvin
– Solomon
Yes. Just wanted to chime in with Gilbert as an option and I have a Harlan at home who’s two and calls himself Holden. It’s makes me almost wish we’d named him Holden (which would fit nicely in this sub set).