Hello!
I love your blog and have been reading it for years! We are expecting a baby boy in March and are completely stumped! This will be our third child and we plan to have one more. Our son’s name is Calvin Odin, and our daughter’s name is Eve Venus. Our last name is Stackland, a Norwegian name, but we’re not tied to Scandinavian names.
We like first names that are recognizable and pronounceable, but are not terribly common. We also like power names and try to avoid anything that sounds too cute or too trendy. We both absolutely love the name Reddick (its a family name) and were set on it for a while until we realized how problematic the spelling was. My husband tends to like names that are a little more adventurous (I’ve vetoed Origin, Merlin etc). We also love the name Evander, but its our nephew’s name.
I’m not very enthusiastic about any of these names (perhaps I’ve thought about it too much?), but our current list for first names:
Zane
Wesley
Axel (I like this but am concerned it seems too trendy/try-hard)
Magnus (my husband likes this but I think its perhaps not common enough)If we were having a girl her name would have been Zara, Vivian or Violet
For middle names we like to use ones that aren’t quite as common but go with a powerful first name – hence the mythology references. So far we have:
Atlas
MarsI’m trying to find something interesting but recognizable, but not too trendy! Thank you!
Jesse
Here are the similarities and repeated letters/sounds I’m noticing:
• the V in Eve, Evander, Venus, Vivian, Violet, Calvin (and specifically in Eve Venus)
• the -in/-an of Calvin, Odin, Origin, Merlin, Vivian (and specifically in Calvin Odin)
• Zara and Zane
• Venus and Magnus and Atlas
It seems to me that you’re looking for repeating sounds and cool letters. I think at this point I might look for repeated sounds between the first/middle of the third child’s name, but I’d try to avoid/reduce further overlapping with the sibling names. Eve and Calvin already have a repeated V, so I think I would avoid a third name containing a V, to avoid painting yourselves into a corner for a possible fourth child. Well, or since you have two more girl-name options with a V, if you can also find two boy-name options containing a V, I might instead go all-in. Calvin, Eve, Davis, and Vivian, for example, or Calvin, Eve, Davis, and Victor.
From your list, my definite favorite is Wesley. I think it’s a great fit with the sibling names. I love that everybody gets a nickname if they want one (Cal, Evie, Wes), and that all three siblings get a cool letter (V for Calvin and Eve, W for Wesley). Something I like about the names Calvin and Eve is that I feel like they meet your preference for a “power name” without seeming as if they’re trying to meet that preference; I agree with you that Axel seems like it’s trying for it, and I would say the same about Magnus. I’d save those as possible middle names.
Let’s see, if we went with Calvin, Eve, and Wesley, what would be some good middle names for Wesley? Definitely it should be something with the impact of Odin or Venus. If you went with Wesley Magnus or Wesley Atlas or Wesley Mars, that gives you the sound-repetition of all the S-sounds in the name.
More options for first names:
Broderick
Clark
Davis
Dane
Elliot
Frederick
Gideon
Grant
Leo
Malcolm
Merrit
Oscar
Nolan
Reid
Simon
Victor
Wilson
I would then look for Odin/Venus-type names that share sounds with each first name. (I don’t think this is at all necessary, but it seems like a fun way to start if you’re having trouble.) Clark Mercury. Leo Apollo. Oscar Saturn. Reid Hermes. Gideon Poseidon. Gideon Magnus. Victor Jupiter. Victor Merlin. Elliot Helios. Simon Vulcan. Simon Mars. Nolan Neptune. Nolan Merlin. Reid Orion. Davis Atlas. And so on.
Name update:
Hi!
Thank you for your fantastic response to my query about our third baby! You provided so many insights about our name preferences that I hadn’t even noticed! And the comments on your post were invaluable! So many people had such great insights and gave us some really good options. We were really torn between Magnus, Wesley, Gideon, and Dorian. In the end we decided to name him Wesley and his name fits his little personality so well! We are very pleased. We liked how had a unique letter (like his siblings Calvin and Eve), and we love how his name sounds with our last name, Stackland. We have noticed some people pronounce his name Wez-ley but it doesn’t bother us too much. For middle names we loved kind of odd names with mythological or mystical origins (Calvin Odin and Eve Venus). In the end we chose Wesley Oberon, which we think sounds pretty nice together. A few people in the comments said if we chose Wesley it would give our family a sort of reformation vibe (Calvin, Eve, Wesley), which we hadn’t noticed but think is actually a little funny!
Thanks again for all of your help!
Jesse
What about Roderick instead of Reddick?
Roderick Orion / Roderick Ace / Roderick Apollo Stackland
I also like Leon with your sibset:
Eve, Calvin & Leon, Leon Atlas Stackland
Some other possibilities for a classic, well-established first name as well as a more bold and adventurous middle could be:
Grayson, Casper, Damon, Desmond, Archer, Conrad, Maverick, Ace, Griffin, Leif, Soren, Xander, Torin, Wolf, Ivan, Axel, Earth, Cosmo, Dorian
Casper Leif
Soren Wolf
Desmond Cosmo
Conrad Maverick
Griffin John
Xander Ace
Ivan Jupiter
Damon Torin
Axel James
Archer Mars
Grayson Magnus
Dorian Adam
Victor Earth?
I agree that Axel and Magnus are more in your middle name style. From your list, I like Zane best for the first name. Zane Axel is a striking name. You could also use Reddick as a middle. The spelling would be less noticeable there. If you decide to continue with the V sounds in each first name, I liked the suggestion of Davis. Van is nice, too.
I love the idea of continuing the V!!
Would you like Vaughn or Viggo? I’ve met kids with those names but might be too uncommon for you. Viggo Mars or Vaughn Atlas sound pretty cool to me.
Others with the V tie-in:
Levi
Reeve
Levi Mars is lovely with your set!
Oops – Reeve of course wouldn’t work with Eve, doh!
I saw your appreciation for Evander and thought instantly of Zander. Just a twist on Xander suggested above.
Maverick, Leander, Lennox
I was coming on to recommend Leander. I really love it with this group.
I also really like Reddick. I have a friend who has a son by that name because it is a family name. They call him Red a lot. It is darling. I really had to think hard about why it is a problem. It might come up when he’s 13/14 , but I wouldn’t worry about it long term.
It is a departure from the Nordic but what about Angus? Angus Atlas seems to fit your theme.
Or Leif Atlas
Unless you are looking for a reformed Christian vibe I wouldn’t pair Calvin with Wesley. Either aloneness is fine but together they send a strong message.
What about Apollo for middle spot?
I came here to suggest Angus as well.
I have an Angus and Eve. :)
I also thought of Calvin, Wesley, and Eve as setting up a rather pronounced Reformation theme. My favorite options for you are Xavier, Virgil, Dashiell nn Dash and Zachary. For a middle name I like Ulysses, Peregrine, or Oceanus.
I also think that Calvin, Wesley and Eve set up a Christian/Reformed/theological bent and unless you want that, I’d try to avoid it.
What about Eric? It’s similar to Reddick with an overlay of Viking cool.
Came to say the same thing about the reformers.
Just want to throw out the name Sven for the middle name spot.
I actually reeeeeally like Reddick- think Axel is a great option (not too rare but a bold choice)- and give two high fives for Vaughn, as suggested.
My add is Xavier- Xavier Atlas.
I liked it as well but…. look more closely, try putting a space between the d’s. I would put it in the not usable category.
Me, I’d go for Axel or Magnus. They’re both recognizably Scandinavian, but pronounceable and recognizable. I’ve met littles with both names, and they work well. Although, given your husband’s adventuresomeness, how about Leif?
I like Davis, Xander, Zane and Vaughn from above. I wanted to suggest Cormac. I’d suggest Callan too but it is so close to Calvin. But Cormac with possible nn Mac might meet the criteria if repeating a first initial. Cormac Stackland. Calvin, Eve and Cormac
Swistle’s comments on your preferred sounds seems stop on. Both kids names have some sound repetition between the first and middle names … Calvin Odin and Eve Venus… in and ve respectively. So perhaps Cormac Magnus (ma) or Cormac Mars (again ma) would appeal?
I think Victor is powerful without being too trendy. Cal, Eve and Vic
Victor Reddick has some pleasing repeated sounds. Victor Apollo
Victor Atlas
Magnus Mars is perfect!!!
You likely picked Calvin when it ranked was in the 200s in popularity; Magnus is in the 700s. Personally, I’m comfortable with that spread in popularity. Especially because, to be, Magnus screams Scandinavian to me.
Magnus Mars keeps up the subtle repeating thing you have between first and middles in your other kids’ names. Calvin Odin (in repeat) and Eve Venus (ev repeat) Magnus Mars (ma)
Magnus Mars is totally a name I’d want as a kid and adult.
I wonder whether you might like Alaric? It’s uncommon, but I know one and it wears well. Alaric Reddick?
Other thoughts:
Felix
Otto
Hector
Rufus
Idris
Ivar or Ivo
Orion
Leander or Lysander
Frey(r)
If you’re not sold on Magnus, how about Marcus?
Marcus Atlas
Marcus Orion
Marcus Axel
Calvin, Eve, and Marcus
I really like the suggestion of Eric (or Erik).
I was coming on to suggest Samson. It feels like it fits with your powerful but understated first names.
I really like Magnus! I like Roderick over Reddick, and I like Cormac a lot too.
I came to suggest:
Donovan
Rex
Ajax
Ivander
Odin
I really like Zane the most out of current names on your list. Zane Magnus
Zane Atlas
Zane Apollo
I think Alexander could lend itself to a slew of cool nicknames plus it fits nicely with Calvin and Eve.
Calvin, Eve, and Alexander.
Alexander “Zane”
Alexander “Xander”
Alexander “Lex”
My out of the box suggestion would be Vance
I like that it has a V sound to tie all the names together.
It’s not a super popular name but also not so different that people have never heard of it. It’s that sweet spot of familiar but uncommon.
At one syllable it feels crisp and concise and powerful; similar to Zane
Calvin, Eve, and Vance. Lovely sibset.
Vance Reddick is very handsome.
I like Wesley but he’ll inevitably go by Wes, which runs into your surname. I have the same issue with Davis.
Grant and Reid are my favorite Swistle suggestions.
A few more:
Burke
Barrett
Finnegan
Trevor
Peter
George
Vaughn
I think Reddick could work well as a middle name.
Another vote for Alexander. I think it might not be as funky as you’re wanting, but I think it sounds strong and like a sibling to Calvin and Eve. Xan is my favorite nickname for Alexander.
I’m especially fond of Alexander Zephyr.
I wonder if Redford would work as a replacement for Reddick? I also like Maximus. Or August? August Apollo?
Love August, Atlas (as a first name), Archer, Wilder.
I’m totally pro-Magnus! There was a recent YA fantasy series by Rick Riordan (in the same universe as his Percy Jackson series) with the main character named Magnus. The first book came out in 2015. And, I just looked up the SSA stats, and it’s been in the top 1000 since 2013, and rose to a rank of 721 in 2017. That’s the sweet spot as far as I’m concerned–known but not omnipresent, and growing in popularity/familiarity without threatening to become a top 10 name.
The most common spelling I have seen of Reddick is actually Rederick which I think would solve the unusable name issue if you are still liking the sound of the name.
I also would balk slightly at Reddick for a first name, and I love it when family surnames are used most of the time. “Red” as a nn would be pretty cool, though. A slight change in spelling or using it as a middle would help a lot. I also want to second Marcus. Or Marco or Marcos. Familiar but underused.
Marco Reddick
Marcus Mars
Leif (LAYF) is also nice:
Leif Reddick
Good luck!
Congratulations on the new baby on bugs way. Since your daughter’s middle name is Venus, I would stay away from Mars as a middle name for your son. It reminds me of “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus”, but maybe that doesn’t bother you?
I do like Wesley quite a bit.
Some more ideas in keeping with the high-Scrabble-value letters:
Calvin, Eve and Lewis (maybe Lewis Apollo or Lewis Atlas)
Calvin, Eve and Ezra (repeats an initial)
Calvin, Eve and Griffin (powerful mythological creature)
Calvin, Eve and Rex (means King so pretty powerful)
Good luck
Alec Mars!
Kit Atlas
Lando Atlas
Rocco Atlas
Jude Mars
Francis Mercury
What about Zachary? Zachary Zane? Zachary Reddick?
Calvin, Eve, and Zachary. Cal, Evie, and Zach.
Magnus Mars qould be SO PERFECT! I think Magnus is pretty familiar,and I’ve never seen it with any other spelling or odd pronunciation. Magnus Mars has those repeated sounds like your other kids, is short, strong, energetic. I love it!
Broderick sounds like the perfect name for you.
other suggestions
Arthur
theodore
Elliot
Vincent
Emmett
Malcolm
Harvey
victor
jude
I vote going all in on the Vs!
Vaughn is my favorite, but I also like Trevor, David (is that too common? I have three kids 9, 5, 3 and know zero Davids under 30), Victor, and Vincent.
I love the gods/goddesses middle name theme–if I were you I’d pick another.
I knew a kid named Mars and thought it was the coolest name until my husband pointed out that Mars was the god of war. Def not a vibe I’d want to attach to my kid although I get for many it might just have the planet association.
My oldest son is based Victor, so I want to put a big stamp of approval on that suggestion! It was a compromise when he was born – not my first choice but I have come to love, love, love it. V and Vic are fun nicknames, it has such good solid energy – it’s both familiar and unusual – has some fun comic book and literary associations – and we get so many comments along the line of “I never would have thought of Victor for a baby but it’s such a good name on a young kid.” We also liked Evander, Alonzo and Desmond….
Maddox or Hugo?
Matthias or Toby?
Wesley is nice though and Wes is a cool nickname.
Good luck!