D.C., my friends, D.C. Visiting my esteemed sister, who’s having in a baby in lo these six weeks or so. This baby is certain to be adorable, of genius-level intelligence, holding all the right political opinions, etc. (not to mention well-dressed).
But there is a problem. A problem that you may be able to help solve!
She and her husband (Joe) can NOT think of a name that they like. No no no no no. Benjamin? Not appealing to Joe. George? Hannah says meh. Theo? They both like it, but they know a number of little Theos. Jayden, Caden, Brayden, Fadin’? Um… nope.
So I figured I’d ask my infinitely wise audience for help. But just suggesting things like "Robert" and "Arthur" ("King of the Britons!") is not much fun, is it? No no no no no. What would be much more fun is suggesting CATEGORIES and inviting you to submit names in those CATEGORIES.
Like this:
Botanical Names
Hollyhock
Rudbeckia
Aloe
Trumpetvine
Quasi-Puritan Names
Never-Sin
Despite-The-Weather
Put-That-Down
Withstand-Derision
Undercelebrated Virtue Names
Gracious Host
Drywit
Turnsignaller
Foolproof
But Seriously, Folks…
James
Paul
Thibault/Tybalt (why the heck not?)
Titus
Xavier (they’ve actually pondered this one, and I dig it highly)
Please, please, please, help get this baby named… and since last week was National Delurking Week and I believe in celebrating things as late as possible, this would be an excellent opportunity for you silent multitudes (ha) to make yourselves known. You know who you are.
Red Molly Cooks 
Ooh, much obliged. And if we go with someone’s name, that someone will get a prize! Ummmm…a batch of peanut butter chocolate balls, 97% paraffin-free!
I thought of another Virtue Name: “Gratia Plena.” Saw it on a rosary bracelet in the SkyMall catalog and rather liked it.
Also, new suggestions from da Mins: Fisher suggests “Buddy” and Rhys likes “Z.”
Or maybe “Arnold,” Fisher now says.
How about:
Andrew
Bart
Abner
Bing
Gideon
Horace
Donovan
Ralston
Jethro
Hugh
Parker
Zane
Miles
Does that jump start anything? Good luck…
We just got a new puppy and named him Charles. Charlie, most of the time! It’s cute and works for babies as well as puppies.
Wait, so we know this is a nephew and not a niece?
Charlie is a fantabulous name–alas, Herm and Joe already have a nephew named Charlie, so it’s no longer up for grabs.
I like Bing. Like Monty Python’s machine that goes “bing.” Bing! And, funnily enough, had the Eagles won the Super Bowl, this wee one’s middle name would have been Donovan.
Excellent start, ladies… now how about some names paying homage to our Puritan forefathers? (Of which I think Herm and I have precisely zero. We’re pretty much descended from German dirt farmers, Scandinavian ship-jumpers and Welsh indentured servants.)
Julian or Theodore – both of which my husband said no to.
Or, Llewelyn.
How ’bout
Cy
Udo
Abe
Thom
Skip
Ellis
Boomer
Scooter
Mip
Fun, fun, fun…but…Z is my nickname, so “little person” needs to come up with a new one for little cousin!
How about something like-
Torin
Wryan
Aidden
Rowen
Brycen
Zarek
Trevion
Lots of ending in “n” names, huh???
Well, I can tell you some options we pondered when Kaleb was a newborn—the kid was nearly one week old before we picked his name.
Throughout the pregnancy Kendell wanted to name him Chuck Dent. SERIOUSLY. (“Dent” being a combo of Don and Kent, our fathers’ names. GROAN.)
In the hospital, the kids suggested:
Pooh Daddy
Joe Joe
Marbles
When we really got down to business the list was:
Baylor (my choice and I’m still sad I didn’t get to name him this)
Alexander and/or Xander (which now has two votes!)
Taylor
Andrew
Gavin
Samuel
Maxwell
My students took a vote and the winning name was Thadeus. (Which really doesn’t go so well with Sorensen. Unless he had a lisp.)
And speaking of a lisp. One of the teachers I worked with named her baby Wathen. Horrid name. It’ll always look like a typo, don’t you think?
Let the Herm know that if she waits TOO long—about a week after he’s born—then she’ll have to PAY for the priviledge of naming the babe! Can’t wait to hear what she decides!
Wathen?
Dent?
Here’s a couple of suggestions from north of the border (I never got to use these myself, as I had a girl).
Jack (simple, and I love that)
Eammon (this is a personal fave – it’s got that ‘Canadian visits Jamaica’ twist to it)
Oliver (not sure why I like this, but I do)
Ellesbry and Aubrey (I had great uncles with these names — they were brothers, and I think both names are good).
I found your blog while looking for scrapbooking info, by the way. Imagine that, me with scissors.
How about George? We have good friends who named their son that…
There is always John. It’s only the #1 name in Christendom through about 80 years ago.
Melissa, George is my other dog’s name! Good name.
Thomas. (As in Dylan Thomas)
Sebastian.
Maximilian.
Hakon.
Magnus. (Actually, I quite like this!)
Karl.
Try this link for a cool chronological look at the wax and wane of various names: http://www.babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html
Oh, Eamon is the normal spelling. If you like Irish, there is also Tadhg (pronounced Teague or Taygue).
No botanical category is complete without Societygarlic. His nickname could be Soggy.
I’ll delurk…
Botanical Names
Oakley (love this one)
Basil
Forrest
Woodrow
Quasi-Puritan Names
Wesley
Calvin
Sterling
Undercelebrated Virtue Names
I got nothin’…
But Seriously, Folks…
Trevor
Augustus/Gus
Jasper
Clayton
Kip
Wow–some of our favorite names are on here (those that have been most seriously in the running): Theodore, George, Augustus (we liked August, actually, but the in-laws shot it down), Oliver, Woodrow. I love Thomas, too. And Samuel. And thanks for the warning about the cost of late baby-naming. Maybe that will be the kick in the pants we need to name this poor child.
Oh, and don’t forget… if it comes to a mother-daddy dispute over the name: they bring the forms to MOMMY to fill out. Not daddy.
And a wee tip: write the names down before you go in. If you happen to be on a morphine drip when they come around with the forms, you won’t give them the wrong spelling. As I did. So now my son’s obscure, Irish, second middle name is not spelled right. The good part is no one will ever know, because it’s an obscure Irish name! You gotta know that all the urbanlegendary Females and Lemongellos are solely the result of pain meds.
Um, daddy of the baby-to-be-named-later checking in. So many great suggestions. Love Gus and Eammon and Woodrow and Z. But Thadeuth Thorenthen might be my favorite.
My husband and I are pondering having a second child and alas have no second boy’s name! So this is great fun. Our son’s name is Maximilian Jay so we’ll be looking for a name that goes with Max…
My suggestions come from the list my mom prepared when my sister was having her second son:
Joseph
Pierce
Harrison
Davidson
There’s also
Hadrian
Simon
Jameson
Kane/Caine
Eliam
Good luck… I can’t wait to hear what they pick!
I guess Pantagruel is right out?
I LOVE Pantagruel! That’s what I wanted to name Rhys, but for some reason, no one concurred with me. (But Rhys is almost like an abbreviation of Rabelais, right? Right?)
I like Eamon very much, but it so didn’t go with our last name.
I also like Theodore, so I’ll say it again.
My MIL sent my FIL to get sandwiches and named her son while he was gone to avoid Socrates.
not sure if it’s too late to comment on this entry or not, but I’ll try…
I have a Simon Avery and a Felix Conrad, but considered…
Levi{yeah, like the jeans…but still pretty cool}
Otto{German, very easy to spell, can’t think of any way to make fun of it…auto pilot? not creative at all.}
Titus{tight ass? how bout I’ll kick your ass…sounds strong to me}
I saw “Caesar” spraypainted on the side of a building the other day, passing through Phoenix, and it actually looked frickin’ cool all multicolored and what not…tho it’s a touch Hispanic, and you look pretty white to me, so I’m assuming your sister is, too. How’s that for a run on?
That’s about all I’ve got.
It can be difficult to recommend names w/o knowing the last name. I also highly recommend babynamewizard.com and the companion book.
How about these?
Silas
Jonas
Jasper
Martin
Jerome
Hugh
Alan
Stuart
Clayton
Virtue Name
Pleasant (as a middle name only, please). I once knew a man (born around 1900) who had this middle name. His nickname was “Plez.”
Oooh, so many good ones! I love Felix and Silas and we actually considered Conrad. In case anyone else wants to add on and needs more guidance, the last name rhymes with “Heim.” Actually, it IS Heim (pronounced Hime). So that pretty much knocks out Simon, Jaime, and a few more.
Well, Asher has been my favorite boy name since I was 18 and since I’m not going to get to use it, some one should! And I’ll take those chocolate balls! MMM
Well, “Lime” and “Thyme” are out fer sures. As is “Itoughtabeahkr.”
I’ve got two suggestions Tullic (tully for short) and Miles you have to think of his music not his heroin addiction or wife beating…
ok, just having Maxx, i have a short list (hope i’m not too late):
Xavier
Xander
Seth (always loved this one, couldnt use it)
–also a big tip, i have always used an ancestor(ess) name as a middle name. consider looking up some great-great names and seeing if they rock your boat. also a combo of names: mommy,daddy (we came up with Rayne, which is an actual name and very cool) both grandpas (ex:John Jacob?). or a cool name from a favorite book, author or character (Tolkien as a first name?)