Hi Swistle, we have about 6 weeks until we meet our little one and we can’t seem to settle on a middle name. Here are some specifics.
We don’t know if it’s a boy or girl. We do have a girl name selected that we love – Mabry Elizabeth.
We have selected a first name – Franklin but can’t quite settle on a middle name. We would call him Frank or Frankie.
We already have a 16 mos old girl named Ruby Sue.
Our last name rhymes with Miles but starts with a W.Here’s the problem with middle names for Franklin – traditional names like George, David, Michael, etc all seem too presidential. So we played around with more “trendy” names like Ames, Adler, Finn, etc but they feel like we’re trying too hard, if that makes sense. There must be something in the middle but we can’t quite come up with anything.
To give you background on how we picked our daughter Ruby’s middle name, it is my mother in law’s middle name. And we absolutely love the name Ruby Sue but we don’t have any other family members’ names that seem to sound right with Franklin.
Any advice you have would be so helpful.
Thanks!
Hm. I see what you mean. I think, though, that some of your examples already successfully avoid the issues. Michael doesn’t feel presidential to me at all, even though George does. And even George, which because of two recent presidents and the famous first president SHOULD be UTTERLY presidential, also makes me think of Prince George, George Michael, Boy George, George Clooney, George Takei, etc.
Franklin Michael seems like a very nice choice. I think you could get a similar effect with any traditional name that doesn’t immediately evoke a president. I had Franklin James in mind, for example, without even realizing that we’ve had SIX presidents named James. The name James is so diluted by many associations, it doesn’t smack of presidency the way, say, Clinton or Lincoln might. But there are also a whole bunch of other traditional names not used by a president at all:
Franklin Alex
Franklin Alexander
Franklin Caleb
Franklin Charles
Franklin Daniel
Franklin Edward
Franklin Isaac
Franklin Jacob
Franklin Joel
Franklin Joseph
Franklin Joshua
Franklin Lucas
Franklin Mark
Franklin Matthew
Franklin Nathaniel
Franklin Nicholas
Franklin Patrick
Franklin Paul
Franklin Peter
Franklin Philip
Franklin Robert
Franklin Samuel
Franklin Stephen
Franklin Timothy
Franklin Reed
Franklin Tate
Franklin Randall
Fanklin Cale
Franklin Conley
Franklin Sawyer
Franklin Creed
Franklin Steele
Franklin Hart
Franklin Gage
Franklin Dace
Franklin Drake
I’m going to add Franklin Scott!
What about Franklin Gray? That way both kids have a color and both middle names are 1 syllable/long vowel sound. Gray/Grey rather splits the difference between trendy & traditional.
I love Gray/Grey – it’s modern and a bit traditional. The subtle connection to another color ties it to Ruby in a fun way.
Franklin Grey Miles with a W
I also love Cole for a similar reason
Franklin Cole
Others to consider:
Sage
Blake
Reed
Lloyd
Doyle? May be too Irish/Gaelic for you
I was thinking Franklin LLoyd too…and then I remembered Franklin Lloyd Wright. I think that’s much too close unless its intentional.
I really like Franklin Paul from Swistle’s list. Or how about Franklin Cole? To me a one syllable name goes really well with Franklin. I just love your daughter’s name as well!
My friend and I were discussing the name Harris today, which seems like a good cross between classic and trendy. Do you like Franklin Harris? Franklin Harris Miles is handsome!
maybe if you took a classic name but used the shorter form? ie:
Franklin Mike
Franklin Steve
Franklin Luke
you could do this down Swistle’s entire list and see if any work./
it’s not trendy, but avoids the overly formal presidential feel.
I really like this idea. It coordinates well with Ruby Sue, but it’s completely on trend (at least in Europe).
I like this idea, but I’d steer you towards names that like Sue, have a long form but also a significant history of independent use. My idea for you was Franklin Roy. I think Roy is traditional in a way that might save you from the feeling that you’re trying too hard to be trendy, but also friendly in a way that will save you from the feeling that you’re trying too hard to pass the Supreme Court Justice test.
Franklin Eli would also be good, if Elizabeth is an honor name that you’d like to use boy or girl.
I’d like to suggest a single syllable middle – any one will do- to avoid the formal/press rial feel. There are definitely 2 syllable names that sound good with Franklin and don’t sound presidential, but the single syllable options are less stuffy.
Traditional:
Paul
mark
Carl
Sean
Scott (love this)
Lee
Modern:
Gage
Grey
Fox
Beau
Ash
I agree that Michael might be in that sweet spot– traditional but not Presidential. Or you could go with Micah. That sounds nice with Franklin. Or maybe Franklin Maxwell. I think my son’s middle name–Louis– has the virtue of sounding good with a lot of different firsts. Franklin Louis Miles. I like it.
Would Franklin Roscoe be too hipsterish? Maybe but I like that, too. I liked some of the short and snappy ones, too, that people suggested–Franklin Gray, Franklin Scott.
Another one… Franklin Isaac.
Franklin Cole
Franklin Zeke
Hey! We have a little 4 month old – Francisco – who we’re calling Frankie. Love to know there’s another Frankie out there (about to be out there) in the world and I just love Franklin as a name. My husband’s Central American so we went with the Spanish form. Anyway, his middle name is Martin, in honor of a Martha in our family………if you have an honor name to fit in there, I think that might be one way to let go of the style/matching piece a bit. Other ideas:
Franklin David
Franklin Daniel
Franklin Arthur
Franklin Ezra
Franklin Emmanuel
Franklin Ernest (probably too much but kind of fun – Frank Ernest!)
Franklin Amias
Franklin Lucas
Franklin Charles
Franklin Thomas
I like s ending names especially well for Franklin. Congrats!!!
I think Michael works because (according to the Baby Name Wizard) it’s more of a “new classic” style name, as opposed to George, which has such a longer history of use. New classic names are familiar and timeless, but haven’t been popular long enough to evoke a president like George Washington.
Other names along the same lines would include Jason, Brian, Matthew, Jeremy, Christopher, Timothy.
I’ll also second the suggestion of using a variant or nickname of one of the more traditional names.
I was just getting on to comment that if you are looking to mitigate the presidential feel I would urge you not to use a D middle name with Franklin.
I know they aren’t looking for advice on their girl name, but I find myself saying:
Ruby and Maybe, or
Rubry and Mabry.
Probably not a deal breaker for them, but it would be for me.
But Mabel Elizabeth wouldn’t have that issue.
I kept saying Maybe as well. It seems especially reasonable now bc of the Arrested Developmeng character Maeby!
If you think you may have another child and would want to use the Middle name Elizabeth a third child is a girl, I would avoid using anothe nickname as a middle.
I agree Franklin Michael hits the sweet spot you are looking for. I also like
Franklin Arlo
Franklin Jeremy
Franklin Forest
Franklin Scott
Franklin Russell
Franklin Marcus
I really like a one syllable middle name with Franklin. Franklin Scott is my favorite suggestion.
Franklin Jack would be great!
Good luck!
I also agree that Ruby and Mabry create a bit of a tongue-twister when said together. They’re quite similar sounding to my ear.
Mabel Beth or Mae Eliza are both similar but without this issue too.
I totally agree. As sisters the names just don’t work together. I keep saying ruby and maybe. The endings seem to twist the tongue. Love ruby and Mabel or ruby and Mae is super sweet!
Mabel Elizabeth is my vote for girl.
I like that both names have Bs, and both have an R but not in the same spot. I don’t find it difficult to say the two names together at all.
I like Franklin Gray
Love the colour repetition. If you will have more kids make sure you have other colours that would work to some how for in. Ex Indigo. Amber. Otherwise scrap that idea.
Michael sounds great too.
Another idea is Franklin Kirk. I like the repeating k sounds. Kurt would also work.
Franklin Mitchell
Franklin Morris
Franklin Jay
Or just go all out presidential but meaningful and put your last/maiden name in the middle spot.
Oh, Franklin Wesley
I love the suggestions of Franklin Scott, Franklin Eli, Franklin Jay, Franklin Marcus, and Franklin Ezra.
Here are a few more suggestions of names that have both a history and a playful side:
Franklin Elliott
Franklin Samuel
Franklin Seth
Franklin Cody
Franklin Oliver
Franklin Anthony
Franklin Dane
Franklin Hugh
Franklin Jonas (You could even call him Frankie Joe sometimes)
Or, what about Franklin as a middle name?