Claire and Liam are expecting a baby in less than two weeks, and Claire is starting to feel slightly worried that they haven’t picked a baby name yet. In fact, they haven’t even got a short-list of names they both agree on. Claire has picked several names for both genders, but unfortunately, Liam doesn’t like any of them. However, he hasn’t made any suggestions of his own, and says he doesn’t have time to spend on the matter. In the meantime, time is running out ….

The couple already have three children:

• M@rty – he was named by Liam after his own father, and Claire eventually agreed, with some reluctance
• J@sper – this was the name Claire had picked out for a boy from the beginning, and Liam agreed as he also liked the name
• Bes$ie – Claire named her after her great-grandmother, who was always known by her nickname; this was the name they had picked out if either of their sons had happened to be girls

All the children have family names in the middle, and their fourth child will too.

Names Claire likes for girls:

• Mable
• Poppy
• Tilda
• Harper
• Sage
• Eeda
• May
• Harlow
• Eden
• Hatley
• Ayla

Names Claire likes for boys:

• Isaiah
• Angus
• Finn
• Arlo
• Ezra
• Jagger

Claire’s favourite names are Mable, Poppy and Tilda, and she is struggling to find a boy’s name that she really loves. Isaiah would have been their daughter’s name if she had been a boy, however Claire isn’t so keen on it any more. Claire would love some suggestions of baby names that aren’t too common, or too way out.

Claire and Liam’s surname is three syllables, begins with B and ends in N; eg Barrington.

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I do advise people not to panic or feel pressured about finding a baby name, but with less than two weeks to go, you are getting to the pointy end of things, and I think it is time to gain a certain level of urgency. I don’t think you need to pick the perfect baby name right now, but I do think you need at least three choices for each gender that you can consider using – even if you don’t make the final decision until after the birth.

Girls Names

I’m finding it very hard to remain neutral on this one, because I love your three favourite girl’s names. Tilda in particular strikes me as a perfect match with your daughter’s name (which I adore), and sounds great with your surname.

As Liam hasn’t come up with any suggestions, I’m wondering whether you could broker a deal whereby you get to pick the name if it’s a girl, and perhaps the middle name (or one of the middle names) comes from Liam’s side of the family as a sweetener.

Liam did get to choose the first child’s name, and you were gracious enough to agree, even though you weren’t keen on it, so it would be a nice gesture if Liam were to be equally gracious in allowing you to choose a girl’s name that he isn’t so keen on.

I know you asked for suggestions, but I actually can’t think of anything nicer than Tilda. I do think that a retro nickname-type name to match your daughter’s name would be ideal. Some names in that mould would include:

• Edie
• Lottie
• Nell
• Peggy
• Polly

Boys Names

This one’s quite hard, because you don’t have any names that you really love, and Liam hasn’t come up with any names at all. As you aren’t particularly attached to any name, perhaps you could ask Liam if he would like to choose the name if it’s a boy. Liam has picked one name, and you’ve picked two, so it does almost seem like it’s his turn again. I know he hasn’t seemed greatly interested so far, but if he’s given the task of choosing a name on his own, he may discover there is a name that he’d really like to use after all.

If this doesn’t happen, then I guess you always have Isaiah as a fall-back name, and this is a name you’ve already agreed upon.

I think if you’re absolutely stuck for names, and you genuinely have no preferences, names from the Bible are often a good choice that blend well with a wide range of middle names, and sibling names. Out of the names you’ve considered, although they’re all really nice, my favourite would be Ezra. The only one I don’t think is workable is Jagger, as it’s so similar to your second son’s name.

These would be my picks for a boy’s name:

• Amos
• Ezra
• Felix
• Tobias/Toby
• Zeke

Good luck in your quest; you already have a track record of being able to compromise on baby names, and I’m sure the two of you will be pull it off again.

Please write in and let us know what name you ended up choosing!

NOTE: The baby’s name was Angus Jeremy!