Seeking male opinions on boy baby names...

[viannqueen3]

Out newest addition was born six days ago and my husband and I are STILL at odds with what to name this sweet boy!! He's so perfect I feel so stressed about the finality of it. I feel like I'm second guessing myself constantly.

I guess my question if for the men out there (or wives of such men)- if you had a common name growing up did you like it? Dislike it? Did it help during those tumultuous years of growing up having a name that wasn't one more reason to be teased about? If you've had an uncommon name how has that gone over for you?

We gave our three year old son a name that is very different- so different it doesn't show up in the SSA top 1000 male names (his name is Kipton if your curious). Regardless we love the name and it fits him so well. The names we are throwing around for our newest addition are Carter Benjamin or possibly Thatcher Benjamin. I've always loved the name Carter but it's a more common name (top 50 SSA). I wonder if there might be value in having a more common name as an adult and on a professional level? I started calling him that a few days ago and am second guessing myself. My husband says that if we name him Thatcher he will constantly be called Thatch. On the other hand we've gotten lots of positive feedback from friends/ family about the name Thatcher. Everyone seems to like it. I wish we could just use Benjamin as his first name but my hubby has issues with it (grandpa's name).

Any thoughts from a male perspective about how having a common vs uncommon name would be appreciated.

[skippy740]

How common is your LAST name?

For example: If your last name was "Garcia" and you lived in California... naming your son "Jose" would be one of the most common names you can come up with... and make the name an easy one for identity theft.

If your last name is uncommon... then pick a common first name.

If your last name is common... then pick a unique first name... or first/middle name combination.

Personally, my last name seems to be rather uncommon. I've only met ONE person in my life that shared my last name that I'm not personally related. There are others with my last name of course, but I am not personally acquainted with them.

I have a rather common first name.

Just an idea you might want to consider.

[J-DawgFluffy]

Pick something that is uncommon, but can be shortened to common. Example is my Fiance and I have decided to name our second boy Jackson Lee (a very southern name) but call him Jack for short.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I like what Skippy said.

I'm not a man, but my husband and I worked together on our children's names. My husband has a common first name and last name. That has caused some problems, mostly just amusing thank goodness.

Due to that we tried to give all our children unusual first names with common middle names. That way if they decide the don't like their first name, they could use the second name.

[Vort]

I have a common first name and I like it fine. I gave all my children common first names, too. Don't know how they like it; I assume they're okay with them. I did recently tell them that, if I had it to do all over again, I would probably tend to try going with more "native English" names like Forest, Brook, and so on.

Moral: It's probably just as well that I named my kids before I got old and stupid.

[J-DawgFluffy]

I would probably tend to try going with more "native English" names like Forest, Brook, and so on.

.

Eh. My SIL is English, and she and my brother named their son Fox. It's a traditional English name. Eh.

[viannqueen3]

That is a good point Skippy. Our last name is fairly uncommon on a national level but in Utah I'd say it's more common (think along the lines of Petersons, Larsons... our background is danish). My husband served his mission in the midwest and there were only one or two other people in the phone book in a really large metro area with our last name. But in Utah it's another story.

I guess another consideration is what I call the "nerd" test. Many of the men in my family and his (6+) have ended up pursuing engineering as careers. Is having an uncommon first name and being the nerdy, math-wiz kid in class just asking for it? I think I'm officially overthinking this. Thanks for the quick reply's.

[applepansy]

Whatever you decide on please don't name the child a name in the top 100 most popular names for the year he was born or the year before.

My husband named our daughter the #1 girls name for the year before she was born and it was difficult as there were at least 3 if not 5 other girls by that name in every one of her classes growing up. It got worse in college.

For boys I think about what they might be when they grow up. Its sort of the "boy named Sue" test.

Good luck!

[LilyBelle00]

Not a guy, but I think you should just pick the name that you like best! I get so annoyed with the whole too common or uncommon thing.

Kipton is actually a nice sounding name but so many people tell me their baby names and they are so proud because no one else has that name and I think to myself "yeah...there's a reason for that."

If you really, really like a common name then who cares?

Why do we struggle so hard to be different like everyone else??

I named my kids common names (Dylan and Lily) because those were my very favorite names. I didn't care how popular they were. They were the names I picked out for my babies and they are perfect.

End rant. :)

[Dravin]

What ever you do just don't pick 'creative' spelling names. To use a female example if you want to name your child Jennifer don't spell it Gennypher. As far as the ensuring the name is unique, I don't get the pull to make sure your kid's name is unique, if what you like isn't a common name by all means use it but if you like something common like Michael or John don't shy away from it just because a lot of other people like it, that just strikes me as incredibly hipster. Don't be a hipster.

[Magen_Avot]

My son's name is Kehnin. It looks good in cursive. It's pronounced Kenan which looks like kevin in cursive. He's 24 and never had a problem or issues. He likes it!

It's also not on the top 2 million list.

My oldest daughters name turned out to be Klingon, but that's another sci-fi story

[Backroads]

I LOVE Thatcher and also quite adore Carter. That being said, I also love common names. I come from a family of common names, and none of my brothers have complained (one sister doesn't like her name, but she's the exception).

As for the top 100 list... I'm already seeing that problem and my daughter isn't even born yet. I always wanted a somewhat unique name for a girl (though not freakish, just different.) We have picked Ruby and we are 100% positive that will be her name. Turns out it's EXTREMELY popular right now. Ah well.

To argue on your husband's side as Benjamin as a middle name--my husband, during our naming processes, ruled out as a first name any living family member due to name confusion which he himself has experienced. Some people love naming after family members, but sometimes it's just too close for comfort.

But common names? I think they are great. There are good reasons they are so common--they work.

Random anectdote: when I was teaching 1st grade a few years back, I worked with Michael, a very common name. We were adamant about the kids not knowing our first names if we could help it, but above our doors our nameplates read "First initial Last name." One precocious girl one day asked me "Is Mr. Teacher's first name Michael?" I asked her how she came to that conclusion. "His initial is M and most boys with M names are named Michael." Thought it was pretty astute for a 6-year-old as well as a comment on common names.

On a professional level, I don't think common names significantly cast a better image than less common names. In fact, I once came across a little boy with a very uncommon and extravagant name and my first thought was "Wow, this kid has no choice but to one day be a doctor or lawyer" because his name, though very uncommon, was one that demanded one be impressed. One exception to this are some of the names that I feel are just babyish that are popular now. Cute on a little boy, but... I don't know if I could take seriously an adult with such a name.

[Bini]

I quite like the name Thatcher. And "Thatch" isn't off the wall. Besides, no matter what the name, kids always find nicknames for their friends.. Or enemies..

That said. My first name is different. When I tell people, they're like, oh cool. My middle name is very traditional Irish and I guess common in Europe. I typically go by my middle name but with family and old friends, it's first name basis.

[Bini]

Backroads, Ruby IS popular right now. That name is on my friend's "girl list". I love it, too but also have another friend NAMED Ruby. Last year it was Sophia and Sophie, I really wanted to name my daughter either of those but didn't..

[Dravin]

It should be noted that percentage rather than rank is the important thing. Carter ranked 41, for 2011, but comes in at 0.4248% of live births. Also you want to take into account past years. If for the past 50 years a name is at 0.145% of live births and one year it spikes to 3%, that still doesn't make it particularly common in the US population. Names like Michael have had some rather impressive percentages of live births in the past (Michael was 4.6% in 1969), but it looks like if one stays from some of the past 100 year all star names that worrying about him/her being named X just like everyone else is more confirmation bias than reality.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Dravin

[john doe]

I vote for Mose LaVerle.

[Anddenex]

My name is Andrew -- too common -- didn't like it in the least. On my highschool basketball we had four Andrews on our team.

To distinguish me from other Andrews at school, I was always called by my last name (or my last name was shortened to "X"). It was so common to call me by my last name that people who didn't know me thought my first name was a my last name.

I personally like Hebrew and Arabic names.

[mnn727]

My name was the number 1 name for boys born in my year and I was fine with it, I would have hated an odd name.

Also please parents NEVER EVER give your child a 'cute name' or even a more common name with a unique spelling.

[Guest gopecon]

I personally don't like names that are too creative. We named all but one of our kids traditional names. The lucky one with the unique name - Dallin. Common in the Mormon Corridor, not so much east of the Mississippi. He's always going to have to explain it. Oh well...

[ZionsRodeVos]

I have a common name, Robert. I am fine with it and haven't had too much trouble with it. When growing up my nickname was Robby which I changed at some point as I got older. I don't encounter many people actually called Robert because most people with the name Robert are called Bob or Rob. I don't like it when people see my name or when I tell them I'm Robert and then they try to call me Bob or Rob. So that is the main problem I have with my common name.

Children will find ways to make fun of any name, but it seems some get more made fun of than others because of their name. For my children I wanted them to have uncommon names, but ones that are not so unusual that they would get made fun of more than other names.

And one of the names we did change the spelling of it as a couple posters have said not to. Her name is Sharleen, which sounds exactly like the common name Charlene. It has meant that we always have to tell people how to spell it otherwise they spell it wrong. Other than that I don't think she's had much problems with the name.

One of the names we gave one of our sons is Adonis, which most people pronounce different than he is used to because we use the Spanish pronunciation for it. It is a rather well known name because of greek mythology, but doesn't seem to be very common in the US. He hasn't had a problem with his name.

My other two sons (Willem and Liem) have had a few problems with their names being misspelled and/or mispronounced because they are so similar to other names more common in the US - meaning William and Liam. But they are also fine with their names.

[classylady]

I don't see anything wrong with a unique spelling. My hubby and I used a unique spelling for my 2nd sons middle name. He likes it and is glad it's unique. Maikel instead of Michael.

[Dravin]

My other two sons (Willem and Liem) have had a few problems with their names being misspelled and/or mispronounced because they are so similar to other names more common in the US - meaning William and Liam. But they are also fine with their names.

Yeah, if I saw Willem or Liem on a name-tag my first thought would probably be creative spelling of William or Liam and I'd pronounce accordingly. So I can see why they'd have a pronunciation issue when encountering new people.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Dravin

[Suzie]

I love Benjamin and Seth (in that order)

[viannqueen3]

Wow thanks so much for all your replies. Funny someone should mention the name Seth- unfortunately an ex-boyfriend of mine.

I concur that unique spellings are really annoying and are a pet peeve of mine.

We have been calling this little guy Carter for the past few days and my anxiety has been shooting through the roof. I told my family that we are calling this baby Thatcher for the next day or two and see how it feels and re-evaluate from there. But I'm just really struggling to commit to the former.

My BIL's parent's changed his name when he was a year old so even through this is dragging on at least it hasn't gone on that long.

[skippy740]

Somehow this thread seems like it needs this little video for some help (or tips to avoid):