Jilian writes:
Swistle… I’m sending an S.O.S :) I was hoping at this point I wouldn’t need your help, especially having read your blog for months… but here we are almost 38 weeks and still no solid short list if our second (and final) child is a boy! Not sure why boy names allude us but we struggled just as much with our first. At least we had narrowed things down for him. We went into the hospital with Ryker (my favorite!), Warren (family), Thile, and Coleson. After he was born my husband vetoed Ryker and Coleson so we settled on ‘Warren’ Thile (pronounced ‘th’ – ‘eally’). At the time we were still a little unsure but this name is a perfect fit for our laid back son and I couldn’t imagine him being anyone else. I’m ‘OK’ not having the perfect name moment – I just need some choices we agree on, and FAST!
If this little one is a girl she’ll be Alta ‘Paisley’. Warren & Paisley. Alta is a family name and she’ll be Alta #4. Paisley is a name I laid eyes on in a baby book when I was pregnant with my first and fell in love. I had that ‘aha’ moment. To give you a little more sense of our style… runners up names are Celia (family, my husbands mom was Cecilia) and Willa. I swoon when I hear the name Willa and was really close to replacing Paisley – I just don’t like the flow of a double ‘a’ ending with Alta Willa… but Warren and Willa… love.
I don’t have many ‘rules’ restrictions.
– I’m not a fan of the top 100 (especially top 25), but don’t want anything too unfamiliar. This is really the only REQUIREMENT
– I’m leaning against another name that ends with ‘n’. I just can’t get behind the flow of Warren & Nolan or Warren & Stratton. Something about it bothers me.
– I do love that Warren does not have a nickname, but it’s not a requirement.
– I call Warren ‘old-fashioned’ but not ‘dusty’ – but haven’t been able to find another name matching that style. Not a requirement but would be fun.
– I would like to have a family name in there somewhere – but my husband is having a hard time with ANY of our family choices.
– The hardest part of this process is my husbands vetoing power! He likes different but NOT ‘trendy’.
– PS, our last name is like the baseball team METS but with a Z.Names we are throwing around but haven’t quite committed to:
Stratton (I just can’t quite commit to this one, the ending N is one issue but it’s more than that)
Wade
Everett
Cecil (Again honoring his mom Cecilia)Family middle name possibilities, we can’t seem to fall for one:
Ryker (I’m keeping this on my list even though he can’t commit to it, says it’s too trendy)
Cecil (most likely)
Wayne (I love this after my dad, my husband REFUSES)
Joshua
Arthur (I dread the nickname Art for some reason)
Whitfield (Maybe even call him Fielder)
FordFor more background, names I love that he has vetoed or just don’t seen to work:
Oscar
Fisher
Soren (Obviously Warren & Soren would not work!)
Nolan
TheodorePlease tell me you have a slew of suggestions in your pocket that are different, but not too trendy, that my husband won’t veto :) Thanks so much for your (and your readers) help!! Jilian
PS – I just read the post about Linus and it’s definitely a contender in my book… I’m assuming my hubby will turn his nose up at it though :)
Name update! Jilian writes:
All that stressing about a boy name and we had a precious little girl! It’s funny how I’d been gung-ho about the name Paisley for over 2 years…. and coming down the home stretch my heart wrapped around the name Celia and felt so content there. Alta Cecilia was born on July 25th weighing in at 9lbs 11ozs :) Thanks so much to your readers for their suggestions, approvals, and disapprovals! Had she been a boy the only name we were even close to choosing was Everett Cecil… but I still don’t know what we would have actually decided on! :)
I think Cecil is just right for you– same kind of feel as Warren and a family connection to boot. I would use it as a first but it’s good as a middle, too.
Since you like Linus, I’ll suggest Felix and Simon. They are in the same box in my head. Simon does end with the n sound, but it doesn’t bother me.
Maybe Clark, Graham, or Barrett. I also really like Ford and Everett from your lists. Good luck!
I think the above suggestion of Graham is PERFECT! Warren & Graham Mets. Adorable! Clark is also a great suggestion.
I find Paisley a tad trendy, as I’m hearing it more lately. I sure do love your 2 runners up, though, especially Celia. Warren & Celia. Oh this makes me swoon!
Can’t wait to hear what you choose!
Baxter, (old meaning, new name) Ashley, (old meaning, modern spelling) and Victor (old name, ready for a re-launch).
But if Dad doesn’t want Ryker (and it is the name if a famous jail, after all – Rikers Island, New York), what about Ryder? Or similar sounding Luca? Or even Michael ,which has very similar sounds to Ryker, but much more recognisable and great with Warren.
Can I also give you Kurtis think about?
Victor Michael Mets
Baxter Kurtis Mets
Ryder Bennett Mets
Luca Graeme Mets
Best wishes!
What about Walker? Also, I know a Warren who goes by the nickname Ren.
How about Winslow? I like that they are a tiny bit matchy but not too cutesy together. Winslow does not have a nickname, and sounds good for a little boy and an adult.
I saw Cecil on your list of both first and middle name possibilities and I wanted to jump down here to recommend you use it. Cecil Arthur. Cecil Wayne. Cecil Everett. It goes so well with so many of the other names you like and I think it works perfectly with Warren. Cecil and Warren. Cecil Mets. LOVE IT.
If it’s not quite right, what about Cyril? Similar sounds, similar old-fashioned-but-not-dusty style. Warren and Cyril. Cyril Mets.
With Warren Thile, and your comment on liking the W&W sibling initials,
what about
Walker – Walker Cecil Mets
Willem
Wylie
Wynne
Wolfe
Weland
Wyatt
Wulfric
Wendell
If Ryker is really no go, would Reyner be an option?
What about Derek, Dennis, Ian, Neil, Brian, Keith,Trevor, Roger, Alan, Eric, Geoffrey, Kenneth or Vincent?
I think all these names fit well with Warren. I also think Graham was a great suggestion too.
I particularly like Derek and Keith with Warren and neither of these names have a nickname either. Trevor is pretty good too.
I’ve just thought of Wesley too! Warren and Wesley. Too cute!
Hope this helps!
Good luck!
Cyrus!!! Warren & Cyrus.
I really love the name Monroe and I think it would go really well with Warren.
Graham and Everett get my votes. Both are fantastic with Warren!
I love the name Graham. Graham and Warren sound great. It is a timeless, classy name without being trendy or over-used. It has always been a fav but then I went and married a Graham so its out for me!
Victor? Wade?
I saw the names Wayne and Wade… and that made me think of my friend Wake. I love his name. Warren and Wake.
I also like the name Ward.
Whitfield & Theodore are my favorites. Also Ford!
Also your sons name is just Darling!
Russell and Warren.
And, for a girl, Willa Paisley.
I had an uncle named William Whitfield who went by Field if you’re looking a nickname. Also, I have a friend named Fielding if you’d like that better.
l love Ford from your list. Ford Cecil or Ford Whitfield would be adorable with Warren.
Cecil reminds of Cedric- and I think it’s lovely with Warren!
Seems to me that Dad is getting a lot of ‘veto’ room….and consideration for family names etc (Cecil, etc). If baby is getting his surname, and you love your dad’s name, I really think you have a good argument for Wayne in at least middle spot. I think it would also be okay for first spot – Wayne and Warren sound fine to me – but if not, Victor or any of the other great suggestions (except Graham) go well with Wayne in middle spot.
Everett jumped out at me on your list.
I also like the comment suggesting Graham or Clark.
I’ll throw a few more in the mix: Harrison, Carter, Grant
I would suggest the following to add that go well with Warren…
Merrick (could be cute with your last name)
Miller (same as above)
Davis
Weston (if you want the W&W)
Pierce
If Ryker is a no-go, what about Raife or Reid?
I agree with Life of a Doctor’s Wife – love Cecil and Cyril.
Also, Garrett, Severin, or Chester?
Warren is a pretty cool name for your first child, and I think another cool name for a second son would be Wyatt. I used to think it was sort of too “cowboy” or something but now I think it’s pretty just a strong name that does not lend itself to nicknames. Wyatt Xander Mets. Don’t know why that sounds right, but it just does. He’s got to have a great second name like his bro right? ;-)
My hubs and I like the following names for you:
– Noel
– George
– Alden (means “Old Friend”, plus it is Neil Armstrong’s middle name.)
– Walter (Has the same “alt” sound as Alta, plus the double W’s!)
I like Cecil the best from your list. Here are my name suggestions:
I looked up when warren was last popular and then looked at the other names that were popular in the 1920s
Lloyd
Leonard
Frank
Dean
Edwin
Wallace
Calvin
Leland
Phillip
Louis or Louie
Gavin
Lionel
Clyde
Glenn
Woodrow