Hello Swistle!
I am due on March 26th with our first child, a boy, and my husband and I are paralyzed by naming indecision! I recently discovered your blog and it feels like a god send!
Our last name is Marnik and we’ve decided to use the middle name George because it has rich family significance for both sides of our family.
Names we both like but are currently unsure about with the other names are:
1. Owen
2. Levi
3. Caleb
4. Liam
5. Carter
6. Ethan
7. Wyatt
8. Jeremiah
9. LouisI also love the name Lincoln but my husband doesn’t like it, especially since the whole double president connection with both first and middle names. I also love Asher, but my husband hates it too. He likes names that are not super unique, while I would be willing to go a bit more “out there”.
We both like Liam, but are hesitant to choose that one because its in the top 5 names right now. We also love Noah, but can’t use that name due to my sister choosing that for her son.
We plan to have at least 2 or 3 more children. If this one had been a girl we were going to name her Adelaide or Amelia (with the middle name Lois for my grandmother who recently passed away).
Thanks so much for any advice or new suggestions you can give us! This naming this is so much harder than I thought it would be!
The name Caleb caught my attention because I really like that name, but then I said it with the surname and found it difficult to say: the -b of Caleb disappears into the M- of Marnik and I get something that sounds more like Kayla Marnik. Liam Marnik turns into Leah Marnik.
Carter Marnik has repeating -ar- and c/k sounds that bother my ear, but that’s a very subjective thing. I have a little trouble saying Wyatt Marnik, but I can’t put a finger on why.
My top favorites from your list are Owen and Louis. More possibilities:
Aaron
Benjamin
Charles (repeating -ar-)
Daniel
Elijah
Elliot
Evan
Ezra
Gabriel
Henry
Ian
Jonathan
Judah
Leo
Nathaniel
Nolan
Oliver
Wesley
Wilson
I would have suggested Joel and James and John, but I don’t like them with the middle name.
You wouldn’t want to use George as the first name, would you? I just love it, and particularly with the surname. George Marnik. So handsome! But I can see many reasons to keep honor names in the middle.
Name update:
Hi Swistle!
Thank you so much for your name help! Our little guy was born 9 days late on April 5th and after much back and forth my husband and I decided to name him Owen George Marnik. We think it fits him perfectly and a very happy to have Owen in our lives!
Thanks again for your help!
With the one syllable middle and shorter last name, I think a longer first with a nickname option would flow nicely. I like Swistle’s suggestion of Benjamin. Adrian seems like it would fit on your list but seems like one of those names that you don’t hear enough. Adrian George sounds great to me! Sebastian, Josiah (love this with George), Tobias, Jameson..
Great advice from Swistle! From your list, I like the sound of the following the best when spoken aloud:
Caleb Marnik
Ethan Marnik
Louis Marnik
From Swistle’s suggestions, I really like Charles, Daniel, Oliver, and Ian with your last name.
While I am partial to J-names, the double soft “J” sound of Jeremiah George or Judah George makes it a bit of a tongue-twister for me. It may not bother you if you don’t intend to say the first and middle names together often, but as a mom of two little boys myself, I do find myself using their first and middles together to get their attention more than I thought I would.
I know it can seem overwhelming right now, but have confidence that whatever name you choose, it will be perfect for your son!
I rather liked Wyatt of your choices; Wyatt George Marnick! I’d also offer Andrew if it hadn’t come up. Best wishes!
A friend just named her son Cade. Would that fit your “A bit out there, but not too out there” style?
A couple more ideas. You seem to be drawn to the l sound in your names — Liam, Louis, Levi, Lincoln, Caleb, Amelia, Adelaide, Lois… so a few of the below are picked for their ls.
Keeping the two syllable, ends in n pattern similar to Ethan, Owen and Lincoln:
– Nathan George Marnick
– Allen George Marnick
– Collin George Marnick
Two syllable and plays up the rs like Carter and Asher.
– Trevor George Marnick
– Russell George Marnick
– Robert George Marnick
Best of luck!
Oh, Trevor and Russell are nice! I have a Nathan so I’m partial to that one too.
I love Wyatt and Owen. I’ll add Jasper, Ronan, Miles, and Lucas as suggestions. Congratulations!
The first names that have a better flow with Marnik are Owen, Caleb, Wyatt and Louis. Louis has several different pronounciations, if this bothers you, it shouldn’t be a contender. From the last three – Wyatt George is my favorite, but maybe Wyatt Marnik is too surnamey? Either way, Owen George, Caleb George and Wyatt George are all good combos.
From your list I probably like Carter best. These slightly repeating sounds Swistle mentioned are actually quite nice (at least to my ears). However, Carter George leaves you with that double presidents connection too.
A few more possibilities:
Austin
Arthur
Alexander
Beckett
Casper
Damon
Dashiell
Grayson
Holden
Hunter
Lionel
Reid (although maybe not with George)
Spencer
Theodore
Walter
Warren
Zachary
I personally wouldn’t use Louis if Lois is a possibility for a future girl, maybe if it’s your last child and Lois hasnt already been used.
I like George as a first name too, but then you have to find a new middle :)
From Swistles list, I like Ezra and Leo
I kinda like the idea of Louis to honour Lois. If your lost I like Wyatt best, it’s just so fresh and I can see a little sister Adelaide and maybe brother Levi…
Elias (love Eli George M-)
Everett
Griffin
Felix
Fletcher
Hudson
Theo
Tristan
Definitely avoid Liam, that’s just hard to say.
I also like 3 syllables and think Elliot or Everett would be perfect!
From your list I like Owen, Caleb, Jeremiah, and Louis best. I don’t have trouble hearing the b in Caleb Marnik. As a bonus, I think Jeremiah and Louis are nice, underused names. Louis and George together reminds me a bit of the British princes, but I’m not sure that’s a dealbreaker. I would only consider potential future use of Lois as a problem if you were going to use it as a first name, but I think Louis George and Amelia Lois are fine sibling names.
I like a lot of Swistle’s suggestions, so many when I started to list them it was almost the whole list, so I’ll just say I have a special soft spot for Ian. I also really like Benjamin, Elijah, and Jonathan.
How about Isaiah?
I was ready to say John, but agree with Swistle on it not working with George as the middle.
I love George as the first, though, and would go with Owen for the middle. I feel like it’s been so long since George was common that it’s now looking fresh in all the best ways.
I really like Levi George Marnik and the suggestion of Wesley George Marnik. Wes Marnik seems super cool to me.