Hello,
My husband and I are completely stalled on a name for our second son. I am 6 months pregnant, and given that we had our first named even before we knew his gender, having no name this late in the game is causing some serious stress!
We have one child, a son named August. We are looking for a name for our second son that is uncommon (definitely not in the top 100 on the Social Security list), but not bizarre — one that won’t require him to spell or pronounce it for the rest of his life. I love the idea of a name that has sentimental value for us, is a traditionally English or Scandinavian name, or a name that has a nature feel. I despise the “modern” boys names: Jaden, Brayden, Jaxon, etc. I am not opposed to word names (I threw Author on the table at one point), but we are set on not using names that start with A or E so as not to double up on initials. We know the middle name will be Adam, after my brother.
Our last name starts with a true “E” sound, which I find really limits our options. For example, we loved the name Jude, but when said with the last name, it sounds like “Judy.” Same goes for “Louis” (French pronunciation) — it ends up “Louis-y.”
Here are some names we’re considering:
Lu (for my grandmother, Lucy, who was called “Lu” by my late grandfather) — I love it, but my husband thinks it looks Asian. Also a sweet nod to baby’s in-womb nickname, Moon. My husband suggested naming him Lune, the French word for moon, but I won’t do it because it sounds just like “loon.”
Wilder — This one evokes the image of the kind of boys I imagine having: free, happy, lovers of nature. Also a strong connection to literature, which is a positive for us. This was the first name that felt like the right fit to me, but my husband isn’t sold on it.
Theo/Theodore — This is my husband’s favorite name, but we fear it is becoming too common.
Holland — We thought we came up with this name out of nowhere, only to find out that it is becoming increasingly popular for girls. While I’m OK with being gender-neutral, I don’t want a name that is more commonly feminine.
Holden — This has been a lurker on our list and was originally bumped for Holland because we had stronger ties to Holland. I’m willing to consider bringing it back.
Lowen — This is the Cornish word for “happy.” It would be a nice way to bring in my heritage into play, since August is such a German name (my husband’s heritage and our strong German last name). I worry that it’s just too much like the common “Owen” but with an L.
Oscar vs. Otto — I like Oscar, my husband likes Otto. I’m concerned that Otto just pushes the German thing too far for us. I also have a distant family connection to Oscar, but fear it also may be gaining popularity.
Names we like but won’t use for one reason or another: Finn, Hugo, Linden, Truman, Atticus, Edison. If baby were a girl, she would have been Hazel, Lucy or June.
Please help!
Lu looks feminine to me: the short form of Lucy, Lucille, etc., sometimes doubled to make Lulu. Lou is the spelling more commonly used for boys, though can also be used for girls (short for Louise, Louisa, Marylou, etc.). Lu is not currently used as a given name in the United States, and it seems to me it goes beyond the level of unusual you’re looking for: with a brother named August, it’s a surprising and unfamiliar choice. With the surname, it is likely to be heard as Louie.
Wilder seems more what you’re looking for. My only hesitation is about names that seem to express a hope for a particular type of child. If your boys are instead indoorsy anxious introverts, the name August still works fine, but the name Wilder could feel like a misfit. This concern is a mild one (I use the word “hesitation” deliberately: only a pause, not necessarily a stop), but I do always feel it with a particular slim category of names I think of as “Expectation Names”: Maverick, Patience, Princess, Zeus, Serenity. Most parents have an idea or hope for the type of child they will have, and may put some of that idea/hope into the name when they choose Clarissa over Hayden or vice versa—but it isn’t particularly comical or startling if a Clarissa is athletic and hates pink, or if a Hayden is super-ultra girly. The name Wilder seems to me to be right on the edge: I think because of the literary association, it feels like it could still work on a skinny little guy in glasses who was the opposite of wild—but I feel just a little uneasy about it all the same.
The name Theodore is rising in popularity, but it’s my favorite from your list as a brother name for August. In 2013 (the 2014 data will be out in early May), the Social Security Administration shows the name August at #319 and Theodore at #170; but both names are rising.
Perhaps because of the nickname Holly, the name Holland is unisex-used-more-often-for-girls. In 2013, the name was given to 206 new baby girls and 44 new baby boys.
Holden is another nice literary choice, and good with August. It seems like a good alternative to Holland: all the same sounds, but currently used almost exclusively for boys. (Only 8 new baby girls named Holden in 2013; for comparison, there were 14 new baby girls named David.)
Lowen seems feminine to me, I think because of Lindsay Lohan—a mildly negative association for me, though one that will likely be an issue only for your peers and not for the child’s peers. The current usage is exclusively boy (17 new baby boys named Lowen in 2013; not in the data base for girls), probably because of the “Owen with an L” situation you mention. I might have suggested Lowell instead, but when I said it out loud I thought of LOL (said as one word to rhyme with “roll,” as opposed to saying each letter).
The name Oscar is currently dropping in popularity, and has been for the last decade. I find “August and Oscar” difficult to say together; they seem very similar in sound.
“August and Otto” is also a little difficult to say aloud, but less so—and of course, you won’t always be saying the names together. Otto is rising in popularity, but I think of that as a positive: it makes it easier to use.
From your list, my top three are Holden, Theodore, and Wilder.
I too like Theodore (Theo) or Holden best from your list.
I wouldn’t use Wilder for the reasons Swistle stated. Also, I think of Wilder as a boy who is wild/out of control in his behavior, which could be a challenging trait when raising an actual son who is “wilder” than average. I think Wilder makes a fine middle name, especially when it’s a family name, as with my grandfather Louis Wilder B_____ and two of his four younger brothers. Their mother’s maiden name was Wilder.
Theo (Theodore) and Holden both go well with August without adding a strong German slant. However, I wonder how Theo sounds with your surname, with the repeating long E sound of ThEo E. It probably works all right, but Holden E… may sound better. August and Holden — same length, both 2 syllables, both somewhat unusual (I’ve never met anyone with either of those names), neither is usually shortened to anything else.
I like Holden best for you.
I really like Lowen. I think it gets almost as close to being a male version of Lucy as Lu does, but following more traditional conventions of western boy’s names. I could see it being used for a girl, but it doesn’t seem too girly to me.
I also wonder if Louis, English pronunciation would solve your Louis-y problem, give you a male version of Lucy, and let you use Louie or Lou as a nickname.
Or maybe Luke? Luke is a great stylistic match for August, in my opinion, and could either be short for Lucas or not, depending on your preference.
Someday, I want to find someone to convince to name their son Llewellyn. I have a feeling it’s too out there for your family, but it would get you to Lu = ).
I also really love Lowen. I think it would be an excellent name- uncommon, but common enough that people will know how to say it, a nod to your heritage, but with the same feel as your other son. I would encourage it that way.
What about the spelling Lewis?
August and Lewis
Or Reuben/Ruben?
August and Reuben. Really like this one!
I’d also like to suggest Calvin, Gabriel, Dashiell, Jasper, Roman, Griffin or Sander.
Really like Holden from your list too!
Good luck!
I like Holden from your list, best I think. I also LOVE Theodore. I wonder if you would like Whitman? Wilder, I wouldn’t use because of the reasons mentioned above. But Whitman is lovely and literary (although perhaps not with Adam, if you’re set on that). In fact, I find Holden Adam hard to say too, now that I think about it. So I’m going to go all in on Theodore. Or Louis/Lewis pronounced the American way, and you could still use Lou as a nickname. I don’t find Lowen too feminine for what it’s worth, but I like softer names as a rule. Although I do find Lowen Adam a little tough to say. I like Simon too, but same problem. I was going to suggest Samuel, but I’m guessing you don’t want to name your kid Sam Adam E—. :)
Good luck and let us know what you choose!
Or . . . Clayton, Forrest, Shepherd, Spencer, Beckett or Roland.
August and Leon sound great together!
I’ll second Simon and Lewis. Other ideas: Calvin, Hugo, Anders, Gavin, Graham, Duncan.
From your list I like Holden best with August.
What about Rowan? It’s more common than Lowen but not mega popular and it’s a nature name.
I will also suggest Stellan, Roman, Jasper, Frederick, Malcolm, Milo
I love Lowen. It reminds me of Rowan. It’s a name I would consider using.
Other names to consider:
Lachlan
Linus
Walker
Elton
Grayson
Corbin
Reid
If not Lowen, maybe Lorens or Lorens?
If not Wilder, maybe Wallace?
If not Theodore, maybe Frederick?
If not Holden, maybe Hallston or Harold?
Honestly, William would be adorable and versatile here. I know it’s popular but it would be a great fit. Gus and Will. Augie and Wills. So sweet
By that second Lorens, I meant the more traditional English spelling of Laurence or Lawrence.
I agree with the commenter who suggested Louis with the English pronunciation would solve the problems you had with that name. That might be my favorite for you (possibly because it’s my son’s middle name, and also for a female relative named Lois). But I also like Theodore a lot for you and I don’t think it’s too popular to go with August. Wilder, Holden, Lowen, Oscar, & Otto are good, too. Good luck choosing.
How about Luca? Or Lucas? It gets you to the nn Lu (our Lou), and avoids the Lou-EE problem when saying the full name. I love both with August as a sibset.
I also like Holden best from your list. Along the lines of Lowen/Lowell I would suggest Powell. I met a cute two-year-old Powell at the playground recently and although it’s much less popular than August, it seems to fit well with the other names you’re considering.
Wilder. Love it! Lowen would be runner-up, but what about Bowen instead?
Oh, I love your style! August was on our list for both our boys…but they ended up being Otto Christopher and Edison Louis!
If I can talk my husband into more kids, my top pick for a boy is Arthur. Other names we considered: Leo, Gideon, and Vaughn.
Excited to see what you pick, best of luck!
FWIW, I have a Theodore (Theo) and an August (Gus), so, clearly, that is my number one vote. Personally I have encountered more Gus-es than Theos, so far. Other names we strongly considered for our boys were Frederick (Fritz), Jasper, Oscar, Thomas. (Also, Ezra and Anderson, but those fail your A/E test.)
I would suggest Hollis in place of Holland. It’s a name I know one high school boy to have and is more masculine than Holland, in my opinion.
Reading the post, I initially thought Swistle’s remark about Wilder not suiting some children would be that the name is too bookish and introverted, not the opposite! I think it’s the literary tie that does it for me. I picture little Wilder, over in the corner, reading a book about prairie adventures. Just goes to show how much impressions vary!
Lowen does not seem feminine to me. I really like Otto, Lowen and Holden with August.
I have a relative named Lew and it works. The only complaint I’ve heard from him about his name is that sounds the same as the British slang word for the bathroom. He’s traveled a lot though.
Inthink Holden and Theo are great choices. Hollis, Luca, and Rowan are nice suggestions too!
Is there a mention in your post about how many syllables your last name has? I know that’s not a consideration for everyone, but you have lots of 2 syllable 1st name options with a 2 syllable middle name. If the last name is also 2 syllables, exploring longer or shorter first names might help you find other options!
Off the top of my head – Harrison, Sullivan, Samuel; Charles, Grey, James.
Another vote for either Holden, Theodore, or Wilder! They are great names and go nicely with August.
I also like the suggestions of Rowan, Milo, Shepherd, Beckett, Reid, and Sullivan.
What about Calder?
Our naming styles are similar. I have a Leo and an August. Future names on the list are Mac and Van.
I really like Sylvan/Silvan, Vaughn, and Luca/Lucas for you. Oliver and August go well together too. From your list, my favorite is Holden.
And if you ever have a girl…Luna! :)
I think Wilder is okay but not my favorite. I do like Holden, Theodore, and Lowen for your list though I think people would constantly hear it as Owen or Rowan.. I also like Louis pronounced in the English way.
Thinking outside the box a bit, what about Dutch instead of Holland? It has a strong,,masculine sound and would go well with your last name.
love Lune for a boy ever since seeing Prince Lune in The Cat Returns. don’t like the loon association, but it’s just too smooth to me for that to matter. plus can still use Lu
I wonder if you would like Loudon? (Lau-den). It’s a mix of the Lu with some of the Holden.
We have very similar naming styles!
If still looking for suggestions, mine would be Walden – has both nature and literary connotations, unusual but easy to spell, and could have some fun nicknames – Denny, Wally, Aldo, etc.
I don’t think you can go wrong, all your names sound great! Good luck!
Another vote for Holden or Wilder.
Have you considered Whittaker?
The name August makes me think of the following male names
Sebastian
Gabriel
Francis
Elliot
Oliver
Leo
Alistair
Elijah or just Eli
Adrian
Daniel
Blair
Asher
Archer