Category Archives: Naming Assistance

A Sister or Brother for Tillie and Texas

12 Saturday Mar 2016

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Jenny and Sam are expecting their third child in a few months, and already have a daughter named Tillie and a son named Texas.

Their favourite girl’s name is Saffy, and they also like Daisy, Violet, and Georgie. They would like two middle names for a girl, with the second middle name being Lynda to honour a beloved family member who has passed away. (Tillie also has two middle names).

Jenny is not sure what middle name should come before Lynda. So far she has thought of Saffy Lucy Lynda and Saffy Primrose Lynda, but isn’t set on either of them.

Jenny and Sam’s favourite boy’s name is Rafferty, and they also like Rowdy, Darcy, and Sullivan. The middle name they like is Theodore.

Jenny wonders what names sound the best together, how the girl’s middle names should be handled, and if there are any other great names they haven’t thought of that would make a good match with Tillie and Texas.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I think Saffy is good choice – it’s one of those names that are unusual, yet don’t feel particularly strange. It makes a nice contrast with Tillie (not popular, but not uncommon) and Texas (rare, but nickname Tex is on the radar). Most importantly, it’s your favourite name!

I itch to know what Saffy is short for: a question you would probably hear from time to time. I think of Saffy from Ab Fab, which is short for Saffron, but lately have seen a number of baby girls named Sapphire, nicknamed Saffy or Saphy.

Georgie feels like a natural match with Tillie, but to me sounds a bit odd with Texas, as Georgie is usually short for Georgia. If I’d just been introduced to your family, I would wonder to myself if you’d called your children Georgia and Texas!

Daisy and Violet are nice too, but take your childrens’ names firmly into a “normal names for girls, unusual names for boys” direction. Which is fine, but does seem a departure from Tillie, Texas, and Saffy.

Other girls’ names that might fit in with Tillie and Texas are Posey, Romy, Winnie, Sadie, Scout, Cleo, June, Maisie, Mabel, Mae, Libby, Liv, and Luella.

I love the combination Saffy Primrose Lynda! Primrose has become a new go-to middle name; a style update on Rose. I think Saffy Primrose Lynda sounds very British, and a nice match with Tillie. Saffy Lucy Lynda is nice too, but a bit tongue-twistery for me to say easily.

Other middle names that are unusual botanicals include Saffy Marigold Lynda, Saffy Bluebell Lynda, Saffy Maple Lynda, Saffy Aster Lynda, Saffy Plum Lynda, Saffy Blossom Lynda, and Saffy Juniper Lynda.

Other combinations that might appeal are Saffy Clementine Lynda, Saffy Pearl Lynda, Saffy Juliet Lynda, Saffy Beatrix Lynda, Saffy Penelope Lynda, and Saffy Emmeline Lynda.

Rafferty Theodore seems absolutely perfect as a boy’s name – Tillie, Texas, and Rafferty is so cute. Rowdy also seems an awesome match with Texas, while Darcy is perhaps a bit popular next to it. I love Sullivan, but if you call him Sully for short, Tillie and Sully might perhaps be an issue – it would be circumvented if you nicknamed him Van instead.

Other boys’ names that might be cute with Tillie and Texas include Iggy, Ziggy, Alby, Dash, Zeke, and Otis. But I really think Rafferty Theodore hits the spot.

You still have a few months to firm up your baby name choices, but it sounds as if you are already doing pretty well. I can’t see you having any problems once the baby arrives.

UPDATE: The baby was a girl, and her name is Saffy!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s clear choices for the baby’s name were Saffy for a girl (52%), and Rafferty for a boy (58%). Their choice for a girl’s first middle name was Primrose (87%).

Urgent Name Help Needed: Baby is Due Soon, and They Only Have ONE Name For Each Sex – Are They the Right Ones?

05 Saturday Mar 2016

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Jane and Dylan are expecting their second child in less than a fortnight, a sibling for their daughter Lila. They don’t know the sex, and Jane is especially nervous about boys’ names.

They would both like a name that is short, strong, easy to spell and pronounce, not in the Top 30, not made up, not too unusual, with a clean, classic feel that doesn’t seem either too feminine, or too stuffy and pompous. Jane and Dylan’s surname is vaguely similar to Bolter.

For a boy’s name, they are considering Irish or Italian style names as a nod to their respective heritages, but that isn’t essential.

Even though Jane and Dylan are fully in agreement on all these criteria, so far they have only managed to agree on one name: Finn. Jane likes the name Finn, but worries that it’s not classic enough, doesn’t go with Lila, or will become too popular in the future.

Jane loves Ronan, Roy, Angus, Dean, and Leo, but Dylan doesn’t like any of these. He prefers Lachlan, Callum, and Nate, which Jane dislikes.

Both Jane and Dylan love boyish nicknames such as Jack, Tom, and Charlie, but have ruled them out as being too common. They can’t use the names Michael, Dominic, Paul, Mark, Ryan, or Sean.

For girls, Jane loves the names Ruby and Nina, but thinks Ruby is too popular, while Nina seem too similar to Lila. Jane loves the name Alice, but Dylan doesn’t like it. Jane thinks that they have agreed on the name Eve for a girl.

So it’s Finn for a boy and Eve for a girl – or is it? Jane just doesn’t feel 100% confident that these are the right names. She wonders if anyone can reassure them they have made the correct choices, or give them ideas for different names.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It’s not at all uncommon for parents (perhaps especially mothers) to experience last minute worry about their chosen baby names, so your situation seems very normal, Jane.

You’ve only managed to agree on one name for each gender, and I can see that might feel less comfortable than having a short list to choose from when the baby arrives. However, one name is all you need, and you might have hit on the perfect ones.

For what’s it’s worth, I can’t see a single thing wrong with either Finn or Eve, which seem to tick absolutely every one of your boxes.

Finn isn’t exactly a classic name, but you don’t really want a classic – what you want is something that feels classic. Now that’s very subjective, but I do think that Finn is clean and stylish, and feels like a modern classic in the making.

I think Lila and Finn sound wonderful together – they seem like a great match. I really wouldn’t worry too much about what popularity does in the future, as none of us have crystal balls to tell us what will happen. But I can’t see any immediate reason to panic about Finn.

Its popularity seems to have stabilised in the bottom half of the Top 50, and there are no signs of it going up and up in an alarming way. Similar names such as Flynn, Finlay, and Finnian have probably helped to slow its progress somewhat.

I can’t see any reason to go searching for another name, unless you can agree on something else that you both like more. With less than two weeks to go, that doesn’t seem very likely, but isn’t impossible either.

I’m intrigued that both of you absolutely love boyish nickname names, but have rejected them as too common – even Tom, which isn’t at all common as a full name, although all the uncounted Thomases called Tom would make a difference.

This style of boy’s name is very fashionable at the moment, thanks to British name trends, and there are a number of names like this gaining in popularity. Could you consider something less popular, such as Sam, Will, Billy, Ned, Mac, Alfie, Jimmy, Jake, Alby, Gus, Ted, Teddy, Freddie, Paddy, Johnny, Joe, Tommy, Bobby, or Dan?

Other names that occur to me that seem to fit your criteria are Jude, Miles, Rowan, Arlo, Rory, Ari, Owen, Caleb, Jasper, Toby, Rhys, Wyatt, and Declan.

I know you are much less nervous about girl’s name, but I probably feel a little more nervous about them, as you say you only think you have both agreed on Eve. That doesn’t seem quite definite enough, and I hope by now you have become firmer on it, because Eve also seems to be exactly what you are looking for.

It’s a clean, stylish, short, and simple modern classic which isn’t highly popular, and makes a great match with Lila. It isn’t Irish or Italian, but doesn’t seem out of place either, because Eva is used in both Ireland and Italy (and Eve is a popular name in Ireland).

It’s hard to think of other names you might like, because there appears to be so few names you have considered – Dylan doesn’t seem to have suggested even one girl’s name!

Other simple names I think sound nice with Lila are Violet, Audrey, Maisie, Maeve, Mae, Niamh/Neve, Claire, Daisy, Evelyn, Hope, Tess, Eden, Daphne, Phoebe, Sylvie, and Rose.

Luckily, I think you have chosen two fantastic names that work perfectly for you, so even if you do nothing at all, your baby will still have a name when it arrives.

UPDATE: The baby was a girl, and her name is Eve!

POLL RESULTS: Nearly everyone thought that Finn and Eve were good choices for the baby’s name. 99% of people approved the choice of the name Finn, with more than half saying it was the perfect name which sounded fantastic with Lila. 98% of people approved the choice of the name Eve, with almost 40% saying it was the perfect name which sounded fantastic with Lila.

What Name for a Wild Colonial Boy, Brother to Arabella?

20 Saturday Feb 2016

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A couple of weeks ago we had an English-born mum and an Australian dad looking for a baby name; this time we have the same situation, but with the genders reversed.

Eloise is Australian, and her husband George was born in the UK; they already have a little girl named Arabella. Next month she will be getting a baby brother, but George and Eloise still haven’t decided on a name for him.

Eloise loves strong, masculine boys’ names of English and Scottish ancestry. Both Eloise and George like the idea of bushranger and outlaw names, as both rural Australian and British in flavour.

Eloise’s favourite boys names are William (nicknamed Will or Billy), Archer, Archie, Henry, Wilfred, Jock, and Mack. She also likes Rafferty, Albie, Angus, Dougal, Hugh, Hugo, Rory, and Toby, but George isn’t so keen on them.

George’s favourite names and William and Henry, and he would also consider Archie, Oscar, and Stirling.

George doesn’t like the idea of Jock or Mack, because they already have a close family member named Jack, and he thinks the names are alike enough to be confusing.

Possible middle name choices to honour relatives are Walter, Frederick, Jack, and Guy.

Eloise and George’s surname is something vaguely similar to Hudgett, and Eloise wonders if Henry Hudgett or Hugo Hudgett might sound a bit too much.

At the moment, their front runner is Archer Jack or Archie Jack – Eloise showed George the blog entry for Archer, which proved persuasive!

She wonders what people think of the name Archer Jack Hudgett or Archie Jack Hudgett?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Archer Jack Hudgett is great! I think I would prefer Archie as the nickname, just so you can keep the Australian connection to Archer. I also love that this has a British connection, thanks to British officer “Mad Jack” Churchill, who was the last archer in Britain to kill in battle. Not only does this link Archer and Jack together, but in the film Gallipoli, the heroes are Archy and Jack.

Arabella and Archie is definitely a very Scottish-sounding sibset! I did try to find a bushranger called Archie, with no success, although it seems quite a popular name for fictional ones.

If you don’t go with Archer or Archie, it sounds as if William and Henry would also be possibilities, since both of you have picked them as favourites.

William is very handsome, and I like William Frederick, William Jack, and William Guy. William sounds nice with Arabella, and there is a famous convict and bushranger called William Westwood – he went by the name Jackey Jackey, oddly enough. He was known as “the gentleman bushranger”.

While I do think Hugo Hudgett is a bit much, Henry Hudgett seems perfectly fine to me. Henry Walter and Henry Frederick are both very handsome (although Henry Jack and Henry Guy could also be used), and Arabella and Henry sound good together.

There is a famous bushranger called Henry “Harry” Power, said to have helped inspire the career of Ned Kelly, and another called Henry Maple, known as “the boy bushranger”. In fact there are quite a number of bushrangers with the name Henry, and coupled with bush writer Henry Lawson, this is a good choice for an Australian-themed name that is also very English in style.

I do think that Jock and Mack have to be knocked off the list because of Jack. I know plenty of families where this would not be a problem at all, and who would happily cope with names even closer than Jock and Jack or Jack and Mack. However, I think it has to be George’s call, and if it’s uncomfortably close for him, then that has to be respected.

I like Wilfred as well – it’s such a lovable name. It reminds me of the Australian journalist Wilfred Burchett, who was the first western journalist to enter Hiroshima after the bombing, and was so forthright when reporting on the wars in Korea and Vietnam. He remains controversial to this day, and is something of a folk hero. It might remind people of the dog in the absurdist TV comedy though.

As Wilfred has similar nicknames to William and Frederick (Will and Freddie), could William Frederick “Wilf” be an acceptable alternative if George vetoed Wilfred?

Oscar and Stirling are both great names too, although I find that I stutter over Oscar in combination with your surname; it’s strangely difficult to say. Stirling is definitely very Scottish (especially with a sister named Arabella), and also reminds me of the British pound sterling. It sounds good with all your possible middle name choices – except Guy, as Stirling Guy seems rather comical.

George and Eloise, you’ve got a good list of names together, and have already agreed on a few names. At the moment it seems as if Archer or Archie could be the right name, but in just a few weeks you will be meeting your little bushranger, and things will seem even clearer then.

UPDATE: The baby’s name was Angus!

POLL RESULTS: Archer Jack received a good response, with 52% thinking it was great. However, Archie Jack wasn’t as popular, with 40% believing it wasn’t that good. The public’s choice for the baby’s name was Archer, gaining 25% of the vote.

(Picture shows the cover of The Littlest Bushranger by Alison Reynolds; the “bushranger” is named Jack and has a big sister Lil)

What Names Would You Pick for Mason’s Twin Siblings?

13 Saturday Feb 2016

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Rachel and Nicholas have a son called Mason. They absolutely love his name, and get compliments all the time on how strong and masculine it is. They like that his name is in keeping with the trends of his generation, but isn’t too popular, because Mason is the only one with his name in his class.

As baby namers, they’ve done a great job, but their skills are about to be put to the test, because they’ve just found out that they are going to be welcoming twins later this year!

It took Rae and Nick a long time to choose Mason’s name, so they are hard at work thinking of names for twins. They already have two girls’ names picked out that they love: Aurelia and Edeline. If they have a pair of twin sisters for Mason, everything’s golden.

However, they might be having two boys, or a boy and girl; in which case they still have some decisions to make.

Rae is is very firm that the twins’ names be individual and not matchy at all: they shouldn’t “go together” any more than siblings’ names usually do. She doesn’t want them to start with the same letter, or end with the same sound, or be linked by any sort of theme.

Rae and Nick really want the names to have a nickname for everyday use: for example, Mason is always called Mace. They don’t like names that are already nicknames, such as Harry.

Rae and Nick have a handsome surname that sounds slightly like Carfox. They don’t want a name starting with C, and they also don’t want any of the children sharing initials. That means no names starting with M, because that’s Mason’s initial.

Boys names they have considered so far:

Archer
Aston
Augustus
Bennett
Caleb – loves it, but clashes with surname
Camden – loves it, but clashes with surname
Fletcher
Hamish
Harvey
Hudson – loves it, but worry it’s too matchy with Mason as they end with the same sound
James
Leland
Lincoln
Linden
Llewellyn
Thomas
Saxon – Nick loves it; is it too matchy with Mason?

The front-runners are probably Archer, Bennett, Fletcher and Harvey, but so far nothing is standing out.

They don’t have any middle names picked out. If they have a girl, they would like to honour a beloved relative named Lorraine Maree. For boys, everything is open.

Another issue is that Nick works in the legal system, and has been put off many names because he associates them with criminals. He wants the names to sound normal and law-abiding!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I did smile to myself over the names that have been given the heave-ho because of criminal associations. You’ve chosen well by generally preferring names that have only begun to be popular or familiar recently, because most people with these names haven’t had a chance to do anything terribly wrong yet, still being very young.

It’s great to have your own “name rules” – everyone does it, and it’s a useful way to whittle down your name list. However, it bothers me when someone’s rules end up throwing out the names they love the most. In this case, names you love such as Caleb, Hudson and Saxon are on the chopping block, while you are left to choose between names you like, but with no real stand-outs.

I won’t try to talk you into Caleb and Camden (I admit Caleb Carfox is a terrible tongue-twister), and to me Saxon sounds unusual with your surname – perhaps too striking for a twin – but are you sure Hudson isn’t possible? I do think Aston has to be removed from the list, as according to your rules, it can’t be matched with either of your girls’ names, and really does sound quite a lot like Mason.

I probably wouldn’t use long-popular names like Thomas, James or Hamish to match with either Aurelia or Edeline, as they seem like a style mismatch. Although how reassuring that these common names weren’t associated with criminal activity – what a bunch of solid citizens they must be!

With the middle names, it seems as if the easiest thing to do if you have twin girls is to name them Aurelia Lorraine and Edeline Maree. Even if you only have one girl, you could still stick to these combinations, and feel that you had honoured your loved one.

With boys, as you have a fairly long list of names, and no middle name ideas, it seems sensible to pick unusued names from your name list for the middles. This could be a good way to include a name that is perhaps too problematic to have as a first name.

You already have your girl/girl combination sorted, so now it’s just two twin combinations to choose. And because you have such clear guidelines, it shouldn’t be too difficult to match up the possible names.

GIRL AND BOY

Aurelia and Bennett
Aurelia and Harvey
Aurelia and Hudson
Aurelia and Leland
Aurelia and Lincoln
Aurelia and Linden
Aurelia and Llewellyn

Edeline and Augustus
Edeline and Bennett
Edeline and Fletcher
Edeline and Harvey

Aurelia seemed to match up most easily with more possibilities, suggesting that if you only have one girl, this would be a good first choice. I think Aurelia and Bennett sound rather handsome together, and both have lovely meanings: “golden” and “blessed”. I also really like Aurelia and Hudson, and Aurelia and Linden, which sounds very soft and gentle.

TWO BOYS

There are a LOT of possible combinations for the boys’ names, so I stuck with combinations in which at least one of the names was a front-runner. That left about 25 possible combinations, and these were my favourite matches:

Archer and Bennett
Archer and Hudson
Archer and Lincoln
Bennett and Augustus
Bennett and Fletcher
Bennett and Harvey
Bennett and Hudson
Bennett and Lincoln
Bennett and Thomas
Fletcher and Hamish
Fletcher and Harvey
Fletcher and Hudson
Fletcher and Lincoln
Fletcher and Thomas
Harvey and Lincoln
Harvey and Thomas

I really liked Archer and Bennett, Archer and Hudson, Bennett and Fletcher, Bennett and Harvey, Bennett and Hudson, Fletcher and Harvey, Fletcher and Hudson, Fletcher and Lincoln, and Harvey and Lincoln.

Because your front-runners are all surnames, they match together very easily without sounding overly matchy, and they also sound like natural brothers to Mason, which is another surname. That suggests you won’t have any trouble putting possible names together.

With the middle names, it’s just a matter of trying possible combinations until you find something that pleases you. If the leftover names on your list aren’t working for you, then a go-to method is to look at classic names like James, John, Henry, William, Leo, George, Charles, Joseph, Louis, Robert, David, Peter, Oliver, and Samuel. These make a good balance for surname names – a reassuringly solid counterweight to contemporary style.

A few combinations which occurred to me:

Aurelia Lorraine and Edeline Maree
Aurelia Lorraine and Bennett Oliver
Edeline Maree and Augustus George
Archer Caleb and Hudson Samuel
Bennett Aston and Fletcher Camden
Fletcher Saxon and Harvey Lewellyn
Harvey James and Lincoln Thomas

I’m sure various other combinations will also occur to you, and please you better.

Rae and Nick, you are organised people who like structure and order. That tells me that you will work calmly and logically through all your options until you find the right combination of names. As with choosing Mason’s name, it might take you a long time, but you will get there in the end.

As far as not loving any of the names on your list just yet, I’ve found that 90% of the time, when a couple has several names they like, they discover that by the time of the birth one of those names is perfect for their baby. I think that when the right set of names click into place, you will love them just as much as Mason’s name, and they will receive plenty of compliments too.

UPDATE: The twins were a boy and a girl, and their names are Charlotte and Bennett!

(Painting is In Good Hands by K.M. Berggren)

What Name For Alfie’s Brother or Sister That’s Both British and Australian?

06 Saturday Feb 2016

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Samantha is originally from the UK, and is married to an Australian named James. Sammie and James are expecting their second child next month, a brother or sister for their son Alfie. They picked a name for their son which is popular in in the UK but not used as much in Australia, which has worked out well (once James’ family recovered).

Sammie would love another older-style name which sounds familiar to British ears, but isn’t too common in Australia. Sammie loves the names Ted and Reggie – however, they have friends with these names, and don’t fancy seeing them on their son as well. At one point they settled on Jude, but when they shared this with Alfie, he kept saying Judy, which put them off.

James is really keen on Clarence, with the nickname Clarry or Clary, but Sammie doesn’t like it at all. This has become something of a sore point, and James is now being very critical of any name Sammie comes up with. As a result, Clarence is still on their baby name list in order not to antagonise James.

Sammie quite likes the name Digby, but James doesn’t think you can have two sons with their names ending in an EE sound.

The middle name for a boy will be either Leonard or George, which are both family names. Sammie liked the idea of combining them as Lenny George, but James says Lenny is a “nerdy” name in Australia.

Girls names will be much easier. They had picked out the name Elsie if their first child was a girl, but now Alfie and Elsie seem a bit much together. Their favourite is Daisy, then Florence and Maisy. Sammie likes Nellie, Betsy and Nora, while James prefers Georgie and Rosie. The middle name will either be Sylvia or Norma, which are both family names.

(Sammie feels that this baby is a boy and hasn’t been too bothered about girls names, but she thought Alfie was a girl, so wasn’t well prepared with boys names last time).

Sammie and James have a surname which ends in -son, like Richardson, so they don’t want a name ending in N, such as Nathan or Hayden.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Sammie I feel for you, because you have a natural desire to find a boys name similar to Alfie, and it doesn’t seem difficult to do – except all sorts of blocks keep being placed in your path.

The first thing to get out of the way is that the popular names in Australia and the UK aren’t that different, so looking for a name like Alfie, which is very popular in the UK yet not used that much in Australia, gives you a fairly short list of choices.

Other boys’ names which fit this pattern are Freddie, Finley/Finlay, Theo, Arthur, Harley, Reuben, Kian, Stanley, Jenson, Frankie, Teddy, Louie, Bobby, Elliott/Elliot, Dexter, Ollie, Frederick, Albert, Leon, Ronnie, Rory, Jamie, Ellis, Sonny, and Joey.

James doesn’t like the idea of another name ending in EE, so that eliminates Freddie, Finley/Finlay, Harley, Stanley, Frankie, Teddy, Louie, Bobby, Ollie, Ronnie, Rory, Jamie, Sonny, and Joey.

Some of these names seem like such perfect matches with Alfie that I wonder if James could rethink his policy? Alfie and Freddie, Alfie and Sonny, Alfie and Rory, and Alfie and Stanley seem utterly adorable, and quite manly or laddish as well, rather than cutesy.

Both of you don’t want a name ending in N, which would eliminate Reuben, Kian, Jenson, and Leon.

That leaves you with a choice of Theo, Arthur, Elliott/Elliot, Dexter, Frederick, Albert, and Ellis. Albert and Arthur could leave you with Alby or Artie as nicknames, which seem uncomfortably close to Alfie, while Elliot and Ellis have such a similar sound to Alfie that they might even be confused with it (a bit like the Elsie issue).

You’re now down to Theo, Dexter, and Frederick, all of which seem like perfectly reasonable choices. Theo seems like a good choice for someone who liked Ted, but wasn’t able to use it, and Dexter a fair alternative for someone who liked Digby but had had it vetoed.

I’m pretty sure Frederick would be shortened to Fred or Freddie/Freddy, which I think is a lovely match with Alfie. Then again, both Alfie and Freddie are nicknames for Alfred, so you might feel as if you’d given your sons the same name! If so, you now have a choice of just two names that fit your hoped-for pattern.

The other trouble is that your dear old other half is being a bit difficult. I’m wondering if he was as keen on Alfie’s name as you were when you chose it, especially as you said his family had some trouble adjusting to it. As you didn’t discuss boys names too much last time, thinking Alfie was a girl, was it a rushed decision? Did James feel that his views didn’t get enough of an airing?

I just wonder if some lingering resentment is what’s making him rather unreasonable this time around – and let’s face it, he is being unreasonable. Vetoing all boys names ending with an EE sound is extremely restrictive, and doesn’t make any sense considering that you’ve already agreed upon Daisy and Maisy for girls. I just can’t see any logic to this at all, and Digby would be an awesome match with Alfie (although it might make having a Daisy later seem less easy).

He’s also wrong that Lenny is a nerdy name in Australia – it’s not far outside the Top 100, and is a fashionable name. I know a lot of Australians who consider it an unsophisticated choice though, probably because it’s strongly connected with sport. Some prefer it as a nickname for Lennox or something similar.

On the other hand, his championing of Clarence is slightly odd, as this really does seem quite nerdy, in that it’s a vintage name which hasn’t had a comeback as yet (James is ahead of the curve). I think Clarry is rather cute, and doesn’t seem too strange a match with Alfie, but the fact is that you just don’t like it. I think it might be a bit too vintage Australian for you rather than vintage British, and as a Brit, I wonder if Clary reminds you too much of comedian Julian Clary?

Maybe this is James’ point – that Alfie was a very British-style choice, and he is pushing for a more Australian-style choice this time. If so, this isn’t an unreasonable request; he might just be expressing it in an unreasonable way.

I think the two of you need to have a talk about what you both really want. Last year we had an Australian-born woman married to an American write in to the blog who wanted a name which worked in both Australia and the US. Their first son was named Felix, a name more popular in Australia than the US, but still fashionable and rising there. They ended up naming their second son Sage, which is better known in the US than here, so they got a nice mix-and-match.

Perhaps James would also prefer a situation like that, where Alfie’s brother has more of an Australian vibe to his name. James’ love of Clarence/Clarry makes me wonder how he feels about Clancy, which has a wonderful literary history in Australia, as he is a character from a poem by Banjo Paterson. The name is not unusual here, although not common either.

Even though James says he doesn’t want a name ending in EE, he has suggested the name Clarry as a nickname for Clarence. Not only could Clancy work as a nickname for Clarence, but this suggests that James might be one of those people who prefer having a long form of a name on the birth certificate, and a nickname for everyday use.

This means that you might be able to have a cute boyish name after all – just with a longer name attached for formal use. Again, I think this is something you need to have a chat about.

I also can’t see anything wrong with Jude, and wonder if you were put off too easily by Alfie’s attempts to pronounce it. Is it really that big a deal if Alfie calls him Judy for a short while, or are you worried that it’s an unwanted nickname that will stick? Jude is a name popular and rising in both the UK and Australia, so another name like that might be a choice that works well for you.

Names I would suggest you consider, or re-consider:

Clancy possibly nn for Clarence
Frederick nn Freddie, Freddy or Fred
Theodore nn Theo
Jude
Dexter
Digby
Lewis
Rafferty
Fletcher
Campbell
Lennox nn Lenny
Maxwell
Rex
Tobias nn Toby

As for girls, I think you are pretty well set. Daisy, Florence, and Maisy are all great choices that sound wonderful as a sister for Alfie. I especially like the combination Daisy Sylvia. It would be very useful if you were wrong again, and in line to have a baby girl!

UPDATE: The baby was a boy, and his name is Ted!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s choice for the baby’s name was Clancy for a boy (18%), closely followed by Jude (16%), and Daisy for a girl (44%).

What Would You Call a Brother for Daisy?

19 Saturday Dec 2015

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Cassandra and Jason are expecting a baby brother for their daughter Daisy. When they first discovered Cassie was pregnant, they quickly settled on a name for a girl, but had nothing for boys. At their 20 week scan they discovered it was a boy this time, and they had no names chosen at all.

Cassie and Jason like the names Alfie and Lewis, but wonder if there is a boy’s name they can truly love, not just like. They would like a name that is old-fashioned but cool, and like surname names such as Harvey, and names that can be shortened to a nickname.

They would like something that isn’t too common (no Henry or Hugo or Charlie), but not too wacky either (Banjo has already been vetoed by Jason for this reason).

Cassie and Jason have a surname similar to Bloomer, and don’t want something with an OO sound in it, like Jude or Rupert, or something ending in an -er, like Sawyer. If it was not for this, Jude, Rupert, and Sawyer would all be considered as possibilities.

The middle name will either be Banks or Jack, both family names.

Cassie is looking for suggestions of boys’ names they might love with Daisy

* * * * * * * * * *

I like both Alfie and Harvey, and think they both sound great with your surname, and as a match with Daisy. Unfortunately Lewis breaks your rule against an OO sound

When you said you would love a name that was vintage and cool, and taking into account your name preferences, it struck me that you might like a boy’s name with a British vibe to it. Daisy is a popular name in England, so it seems as if a boy’s name that is doing well there too might be a nice match.

These are some vintage-style boys’ names that are all rising in England – some of them very steeply. That seemed to seal them as “cool”.

Albert (Alby, Bert, Bertie)
Alfred (Alfie, Freddie, Fred) – Alfred Banks is very dignified
August (Augie, Gus) – Daisy and Gus is very cute
Barnaby (Barney)
Frederick (Freddie, Fred) – I like this especially with your surname
Theodore (Theo, Ted, Teddy) – Daisy and Ted is adorable
Wilfred (Wilf, Will, Fred, Freddie)

You also said you liked the idea of a surname names. It’s harder to find vintage-style surnames like Harvey – Maxwell comes to mind, but shortens to Max which you might think is too common. However, these surname names are all rising in the UK, and some of them shorten to nicknames pretty easily.

Franklin (Frank)
Griffin (Griff, Finn) – I like this a lot with your surname
Marshall (Marsh)
Rafferty (Raff, Raffy) – I love Rafferty Jack!
Sullivan (Sully, Van)
Otis – I think Daisy and Otis sound really classy together
Wyatt

Out of these, my favourites would be

Albert Jack Bloomer (Daisy and Alby)
Alfred Banks Bloomer (Daisy and Alfie)
August Jack Bloomer (Daisy and Gus)
Frederick Jack Bloomer or Frederick Banks Bloomer (Daisy and Freddie)
Theodore Jack Bloomer or Theodore Banks Bloomer (Daisy and Ted or Daisy and Teddy)
Griffin Jack Bloomer or Griffin Banks Bloomer (Daisy and Griffin or Daisy and Griff)
Rafferty Jack Bloomer (Daisy and Rafferty, Daisy and Raffy)
Otis Jack Bloomer or Otis Banks Bloomer (Daisy and Otis)

I wonder if any of these might appeal to you? They seem like the kind of names that aren’t very common, but still familiar enough to fit in, and perhaps even gain admiration, in your circle.

UPDATE: The baby’s name is Lewis!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s top choices for the baby’s name were Theodore (27%) and Otis (26%).

 

Can You Help a Fellow Name Nerd Out with her Baby Name List?

12 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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baby-girl-cute-nerdy-reading-book-Favim.com-2043340

Do you remember Catherine? She wrote in about six weeks ago for opinions on Lucia, a name on her current list, and must have found it helpful enough to give us another shot.

Catherine and her husband Daniel are expecting their first baby next year. Catherine is a dyed-in-the-wool name nerd, and has always loved making name lists, but is finding doing it for a real baby a much more difficult task! There are so many things to consider, and even her favourite names seem fraught with potential problems.

This is her name list, complete with all the possible issues. Catherine and Daniel have an unusual and rather aristocratic sounding surname that’s vaguely similar to Barntread.

GIRLS

Margaret (nn Mattie, Maggie, Meta, or Greta)
A name from the family tree that seems to hit the sweet spot. It’s got plenty of nickname options, and it’s familiar but not common. Catherine has been very taken with the idea of a daughter named Mattie since reading Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, which has a character named Miss Matty (short for Matilda). As Matilda can’t be used by Catherine, Margaret seems like a possible formal name for Mattie instead. However, is it strange to have a daughter named Mattie when there is a close family member named Matthew (never Matt or Matty)? Catherine thinks it is a nice shared link, but wonders if other people will just think it’s strange. Catherine loves the idea of calling her daughter Magpie as a pet name – is that weird? Catherine is concerned her family will think Margaret is old-fashioned and frumpy, although she can see it fitting in quite well with her husband’s family.

Lucia (pronounced LOO-sha)
Loves the name Lucia, and loves the meaning (“light”), but has ongoing concerns in regard to pronunciation. Would be okay with others shortening it to Lucy, although wouldn’t do so herself. Strongly dislikes Lucinda and Luciana as alternatives.

Henrietta (nn Hattie, Etta, Harry, or Harry-O)
A name that Daniel suggested. Catherine doesn’t it love yet as much as Margaret, but it is growing on her, and it could be a compromise choice if they decide not to go with Margaret. Her favourite thing about it is that it is a name from the family tree, and she likes the nickname Hattie.

Genevieve (possibly nn Evie)
A name Catherine has always loved, but it seems frillier than their other choices. Would consider Evie as a nickname, but it is very popular.

Martha
Another way to get Mattie as a nickname.

Mary (possibly as a nickname for Margaret)
A pretty, underused classic name from the family tree. Catherine loves it, but something makes her hesitate. Perhaps it is because she has trouble reconciling the nerdy Mary from Pride and Prejudice with the glamorous Lady Mary from Downton Abbey. She also worries about “Virgin Mary” as a tease name.

Georgiana
A name Catherine has always loved, and it reminds her of the pioneer Georgiana McCrae, and Miss Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. She dislikes the idea of people using Georgie as a nickname, and would consider George, even though that seems quite masculine. She thinks Georgiana might work better as a middle name, if the first name was a family name.

Her clear front runners so far are Margaret, Henrietta, Mary, and Lucia. Daniel hasn’t indicated any preference as yet, but Catherine isn’t worried by this as there is still plenty of time for him to decide.

BOYS

Benedict (nn Ben)
Catherine and Daniel love the nickname Ben, but would like something more substantial on his birth certificate, and aren’t so keen on Benjamin. Catherine has some concerns about “bendy dick” as a tease name, and isn’t sold on the alliteration of Benedict Barntread. An attraction is that Saint Benedict is the patron of beer, and Daniel is a professional brewer, so it seems very fitting.

Thomas
A long time love, but is highly popular. The association with Thomas the Tank Engine (a favourite of the children in the family) makes her hesitate.

Edward
A family name, with Ted used as the nickname before, but not Ned, as far as Catherine knows. The only thing putting her off is the association with Twilight, although she likes the connection with Edward from Sense and Sensibility. Also, does it sound weird with their surname – is ED-ward Barn-TREAD one too many Ed sounds?

Fionn

Henry

Luke
A name she has just started to love, and reminds her a bit of Lucia. However, she can’t have a Luke and Lucia, so she’s aware that choosing one will automatically cancel the other. Unlike Lucia, there are no spelling or pronunciation issues with familiar Luke, but there are so many babies called Lucas now ….

John (possibly nicknamed Johnno or Johnny)
A new name on the list, which Daniel and Catherine both thought of independently, which seems like a good sign. It’s a family name, and is very familiar without being highly popular. However, they know tons of Johns, and don’t want them thinking the baby is named after them!

Arthur
A name that appeals as something nice and different. Catherine is concerned that the name is too “soft”, while Daniel thinks it is the opposite!

Catherine is finding it harder to connect with boys’ names. She wants something traditional, but not too common, which seems to put names like Thomas, Fionn, and Henry in doubt. She wants something strong, solid, and manly – nothing too “nerdy” sounding (which makes her most nervous about Margaret and Mary).

MIDDLES
Amelia
Jessie
Melva
Melba (tribute to Melbourne)
Henrietta
Jennifer (honouring family member)
Dianne
Louise
Winifred
Victoria (tribute to home state)

Olaf
Holmquest (family surname)
Daniel
Matthew
Christopher
Alastair
Alexander
James (honouring family member)
Patrick
Felix (tribute to home state)

POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS
Henrietta Louise
Henrietta Rose
Lucia Margaret
Margaret Felix (likes this as something fresh and modern, but worried people will think it is strange)
Margaret Jessie (is Mattie Jessie too much?)
Margaret Louise
Margaret Melva
Margaret Rose
Margaret Victoria
Mary Georgiana
Mary Victoria

Benedict Matthew James
John Patrick
Luke Alexander
Thomas Holmquest

Jessie would be in tribute to a relative who has passed away, but she hated her name Jessie, saying it was a cow name. Problem?

Holmquest would be in tribute to a family maiden surname, although Catherine has discovered that there was someone on the family tree actually called Tom Holmquest. An issue?

NAMES CROSSED OFF FOR VARIOUS REASONS
Girls: Beatrix, Bonnie, Claire, Daisy, Elizabeth, Emma, Helen, Ivy, Julia, Katharine, Matilda, Rosie, Violet
Boys: Charlie, Cody, Douglas, Hamish, Hugo, Lachlan, Max, Nicholas, Noah, Oscar, Victor (so vexed an issue it even makes Victoria a bit difficult to use), William

Catherine and Daniel’s families and friends have very wisely refused to make suggestions or take part in any name debates, saying that they are looking forward to the name being a lovely surprise.

Even though this gives them a big gold Baby Name Etiquette Star, Catherine is frustrated at not being able to bounce all her ideas and concerns off everyone she knows. She would be extremely grateful to hear what other people think.

* * * * * * * * * *

Catherine, I do sympathise with your realisation that there can be such a difference between planning a list of names for a completely imaginary maybe-one-day baby, and an utterly real due-in-a-few-months one.

What I took away from your name list is that you are very sensitive to names and words, and form an intense emotional response to them. Then the intellectual side of your brain chimes in and picks them completely to pieces. Of course it’s necessary to think logically about the names you love, but you are second-guessing yourself to the nth degree.

I think you are worrying far too much about what people might think of your choices. I wonder where this comes from, because it seems as if your friends and family, far from being harsh critics, have been studiously hands-off.

I would say that at least 99% of things you are worried about other people thinking goes under the heading of None of Their Business. If people think it’s strange to have a Mattie and a Matthew in the same family – who cares? If they think it’s weird to call your daughter the sweet little pet name of Magpie – to heck with them!

I’m sure your family chose their own children’s names because they liked them, and not to please you, so why should you worry if your child’s name isn’t completely to their taste? It doesn’t sound as if you are surrounded by mean, judgmental people, so even if they don’t love the name Margaret as much as you do, most likely they will be fine with it and say all the right things.

As for the teasing worries, I don’t dispute that some names are sure fire tease-targets. If you name your child Firkhead or Boobialla, at some point they are likely to get some unwanted comments. But you can’t avoid completely normal names like Mary and John just on the off chance that someone might come up with a silly tease for them.

For what it’s worth, all the names you are considering seem perfectly lovely, and suit your preference for something solid, traditional, familiar, yet not highly popular. There isn’t one name that I would say needs to be crossed off the list, or has too many problems.

What comes through very strongly is your preference for Margaret. You wrote much more about that name, and you’ve considered many more name combinations for Margaret. I wonder if that is the name that deep down you have already chosen if you have a girl? It does seem to tick all your boxes, and gives you the option of having a little Mattie and/or a little Magpie. I love the idea of Margaret Felix – it does seem fresh and unexpected. If you and Daniel like it, then I wouldn’t worry about what other people might think.

With the boys, I don’t think there is a name which you are ready to choose yet. I would say if I had to pick one name which ticked all your boxes the best, it would probably be John. I wouldn’t worry about all the other Johns in your life thinking they are the inspiration – if you pick a classic name that’s been common for over a century, of course there will be many others with the name.

I’m not usually a fan of alliterative names either, but Benedict Barnstead does have a nice ring to it, and the saintly connection is pretty cool. And to me, Edward Barnstead is maybe a bit too ED-heavy, but the more I say it the more I like it; it sounds so definite. Edward from Twilight was partly named after Edward from Sense and Sensibility anyway, so perhaps the connection isn’t as ghastly as you fear.

Daniel hasn’t expressed any preference yet, and it would be very convenient if he could develop a favourite boy’s name, as that might make the decision a lot easier for you!

I think you are doing just great, and have nothing to worry about, despite your concerns. I hope all the over-thinking and worrying is something that you are secretly rather enjoying as part of the name choosing process!

UPDATE: The baby was a girl, and her name is Margaret!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s choices for the baby’s name were Margaret for a girl, and Benedict for a boy, with both gaining one third of all votes.

Is it a Crime for Sisters’ Names to Rhyme?

05 Saturday Dec 2015

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cagedcindy

Christine and Sam are expecting their second child next year. If it’s a boy – no problems, they have easily agreed on a choice of two, and selected the middle name. If it’s a girl, things aren’t so straightforward.

Christine would adore either Isobel, Evie, Charlotte, or Emerson. However, Sam absolutely loves the name Matilda. On the face of it, this seems fine, because Christine also likes the name Matilda. And Sam really wanted to name their eldest child Avery, but Christine’s choice of Amelia won the day, so Christine wants him to have his turn at choosing a baby name.

Amelia and Matilda seem no drama as sisters, but they always call Amelia “Millie”, and this is the source of Christine’s dilemma. She worries that the sisters will end up being called Millie and Tilly, and this will make them the butt of jokes. She’s tried to convince herself that they could call Matilda “Tilda“, but she doesn’t really love the idea.

Christine wants to know how Amelia and Matilda sound as sisters, and if people will snigger as they call them Millie and Tilly.

Christine wants to stress that Sam also likes all her choices for a girl: he just has his heart set on a little Matilda. The middle name will either be Audrey or Carter, which are both family names.

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Christine, I get why you’re torn over the name Matilda, as there is a widespread belief that it is stupid and tasteless for your childrens’ names to rhyme. There is even a sterotyped sibset of 1970s siblings named Sharon, Karen and Darren, as a warning to us how we will be mocked if we dare to give our children names that rhyme (today I guess it’s Jayden, Kayden and Hayden).

Except – Amelia and Matilda don’t rhyme. It’s just the nicknames, or the potential nicknames they could be given.

I can imagine that someone might decide to call a Matilda “Tilly” as a tease to match her with her sister called Millie. It sounds annoying, but not really devastating. I would hope that these people would be an irritating minority, rather than the rule.

Or would you want to call Matilda by the nickname Tilly yourself …. except that you already have a Millie? Would you feel able to boldly call them Millie and Tilly, and stare down anyone who giggled?

Even in this case, I don’t think it will be as big a problem as you probably imagine. I went to high school with a girl named Penelope (always known as Penny), and she had an older sister named Jennifer (usually called Jen or Jenny). It did register with me that their nicknames rhymed, but I never commented on it, and certainly never did a finger-pointing laugh over it.

Why not? Well, for a start I was fifteen, not five! And Jenny was already a young adult at university, so it’s not as if I saw them together a lot, or even heard their names said together very often. It might have been different if I’d seen them both in primary school wearing matching uniforms and identical ponytails.

Even the closest sisters will have separate interests and friendship groups. And they will eventually grow up and have their own homes and careers (perhaps live in different cities or even different countries), and their names will barely be an issue. Besides, either one of them might decide they don’t want to be called by a nickname, or prefer a different nickname, such as Amy or Tilda.

I tend to trust your instinct that this time it’s Sam’s turn to have his favourite name, especially as it’s a name which you like as well and makes a nice match with Amelia. It may not be a completely issue-free choice, but I don’t think there are enough problems with it for it to be vetoed.

If I met someone with daughters named Millie and Tilly, I might be slightly amused, but I would think it was very cute. However, I do have to say no to having a son named William later and calling him Billy! You can have too much of a good thing.

Readers, what do you think of Amelia and Matilda as sisters? And are the nicknames Millie and Tilly something to worry about?

(Picture shows a scene from the Disney film Cinderella II: Dreams Come True)

A Brother or Sister for Matilda and Sophie

28 Saturday Nov 2015

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SilhouettedAilsa and Tom are expecting their third child next year, who will be a brother or sister to their daughters Matilda (called Tilly) and Sophie.

If it’s a boy, Tom would love to name him Lennox, but Ailsa isn’t sure about it. If it’s a girl, Ailsa really loves the name Penelope, with the nickname Penny. However, Tom isn’t as keen on the idea.

Ailsa wonders if either Lennox or Penelope (Penny) are a good match with Tilly and Sophie’s names, and if there are any names that would work better for them?

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I have to agree with each of you, as I think both Lennox and Penelope are excellent matches with Matilda and Sophie. As you both have a favourite name you are longing to use, and as neither of you actually hates the other person’s choice, perhaps you could come to an amicable agreement?

If it’s a boy, Lennox – a name which his father loves, and his mother can hopefully accept (especially when it’s attached to her darling son). If it’s a girl, Penelope – a name which her mother adores, and which her father can hopefully learn to live with (especially as it belongs to his precious smallest daughter).

It’s a little gamble for each of you to take, but the stakes don’t seem too high, and it is entirely fair. It would mean that at least one parent will love the name, while the other one won’t really dislike it, and will have the good sportsmanship to accept the decision, knowing that it could just as easily have been their choice which was successful.

Do you think something like that could work for you both?

I don’t think there are any names you could use that are better than Lennox and Penelope, but if you wanted to consider other names, to see if you might be able to agree on one together, you could look at names that are similar to your favourites.

Matilda, Sophie and Penelope seem like a natural match because they are all popular traditional names. (With the nicknames, they all end in an EE sound as well.)

Similar sisterly sibsets could be

Matilda, Sophie and Charlotte
Matilda, Sophie and Georgia
Matilda, Sophie and Grace
Matilda, Sophie and Harriet
Matilda, Sophie and Hazel
Matilda, Sophie and Imogen
Matilda, Sophie and Lucy
Matilda, Sophie and Phoebe (this might put you off having a Penelope in the future?)
Matilda, Sophie and Victoria
Matilda, Sophie and Violet

Some of these could have a nickname like Lottie or Gracie, to continue the pattern.

If Tom loves the X sound in Lennox, he might like Alexander, Baxter, Dexter, Felix, Huxley, or Knox. Or perhaps Lennon or Leon are names that could give the nickname Lenny, if that’s what he was hoping for. He might consider other Scottish names, such as Campbell, Frazer, Jamison, or Reid.

But I’m rather hoping you decide that you can make your favourites work for you, and stick with Lennox for a boy and Penelope for a girl.

Readers, do you think Ailsa’s and Tom’s favourites work with their daughters’ names? And can you think of any names they might both love?

(Picture shows a “gender reveal” cake from Pop Sugar)

A Character Name With an Australian Focus

31 Saturday Oct 2015

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600px-SandDunesSutherlandShire

Raye is planning to write a book, and is looking for a name for the protagonist. The book will be set in Australia, and the main character will be an Indigenous Australian, so ideally the character’s name would be from an Australian Aboriginal language.

Raye would like the name to have a meaning connected to the story. The character will be symbolically linked with the colour red, with earth, and with stability. She will be the leader of a team.

Raye thinks she will be from New South Wales, perhaps from around the Cronulla area of Sydney, but that isn’t really decided yet. However, the name does not have necessarily have to be from a dialect from that area.

The name also needs to stand out as a girl’s name – the main character is transgender, so her name should hopefully be something that distances her from her birth gender.

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Raye if you had paid me for a name consultation, I would have sent your money back and explained that I am completely unqualified for this task. However as it’s free, I will do my best to come up with some words from Aboriginal languages that might be suitable to use as names (or sound name-like) and hope that it might be of some interest.

Connected to the meaning “red”

Mudjil (from Sydney)
Girri
Karro
Marda
Miku
Taltarni

Connected to the meaning “earth”

Bamal (from Sydney)
Sep
Yarta

Connected to the meaning “stability”

Wilta – means “firm” in the Kaurna language

I don’t think any of these words sound specifically feminine, and I think for a transgender character, the biggest advantage is that they sound as if they could be used for either sex.

My first thought for a name from the Cronulla area is Wanda, as the name of Wanda Beach at Cronulla comes from the local Aboriginal word for “sand hills” (vaguely earthy). However, you might think that this sounds a bit dated, and is not obviously Indigenous, as Wanda is also a European name.

I do think that having a transgender Indigenous person as your main character is fairly brave, as this is a complex issue. However, if you know a lot about this subject, it would be a wonderful opportunity to highlight the cultural nuances that might arise. From looking at the names of real life Aboriginal transgender people, a name like Ruby, Rosie, or Scarlet would probably be more believable.

I can only hope that someone who knows far more than I might see this and advise you!

(Photo shows the sand dunes of Cronulla on the Kurnell Peninsula)