Hi Swistle!
You helped us name our son in 2017, Thomas Baldwin Keller, he goes by Tommy.
We have another boy coming this May and are desperate for some new ideas! While we would welcome more kids, this baby is YEARS in the making, so likely our last.
Our previous names that were on our old list seem boring now to me; Brooks, Liam, Wyatt (still like but can’t use), Graham.
I really like the idea of having a formal name and then a nickname, but not necessary. We had great girl names, but I can’t seem to match my excitement around those; Campbell, June, Reese, Annie, Caroline.
We can’t use; Teddy, John, Charlie, Jack
Middle name would likely be my maiden name, Petersen or my dads full name, James. Could also be my husbands full name, Jackson.
Our Top Contenders:
Bo, what would a formal name be? Is Bo a nickname for William?
Everett James Keller (Rhett), weird to spell a nickname different?
Whitaker James Keller (Whit), trying to decide if I feel like its too girly?
Briggs Petersen/or Jacks KellerVery open to new ideas. I like the unique exciting ones, but do worry I will chicken out in the hospital and will walk out with something super traditional!
Thank you!!
Katie
I might consider Bo as a nickname for Robert. Though with a brother named Thomas and called Tommy, Robert/Robbie feels more natural to me.
Everett/Rhett is a familiar combination to me. It also feels familiar to have nicknames spelled differently than the given name—as with Thomas/Tommy, where it’s Tommy and not Thommy.
Whitaker and Briggs feel like such a different style than Thomas! It’s not a clash, but it’s a surprising leap. There’s no rule that you have to stay with the same style, but it’s something to take into consideration if you’d LIKE the names to coordinate. (If I encountered this kind of pairing in the wild, I would guess the parents had felt forced to use a family name for the first child, and then had switched to their own naming style. Because this happens pretty commonly, it makes the traditional/unusual combination a little less startling than it might otherwise be.)
I don’t find Whitaker girlish, but I find Whitaker Keller kind of a lot of K and -er.
I don’t want to eliminate the option of using your birth surname as the middle name—but if you decide not to use it ANYWAY, then I suggest Peter as a first name. It’s traditional/familiar like Thomas, but feels surprisingly uncommon. Peter James Keller; Thomas and Peter; Tommy and Pete/PJ. More options:
August Keller; Thomas and August; Tommy and Gus
Benjamin Keller; Thomas and Benjamin; Tommy and Benny/Ben
Calvin Keller, if you like the alliteration; Thomas and Calvin; Tommy and Cal
Camden Keller, again with alliteration; Thomas and Camden; Tommy and Cam
Daniel Keller; Thomas and Daniel; Tommy and Danny/Dan
Edmund Keller; Thomas and Edmund; Tommy and Eddie
Franklin Keller; Thomas and Franklin; Tommy and Frankie
George Keller; Thomas and George; Tommy and Georgie
Harvey Keller; Thomas and Harvey; Tommy and Harvey
Henry Keller; Thomas and Henry; Tommy and Hank
Joseph Keller; Thomas and Joseph; Tommy and Joey
Louis Keller; Thomas and Louis; Tommy and Louie
Nicholas Keller; Thomas and Nicholas; Tommy and Nick
Nolan Keller; Thomas and Nolan; Tommy and Nolan
Samuel Keller; Thomas and Samuel; Tommy and Sammy
Wesley Keller; Thomas and Wesley; Tommy and Wes
Wilson Keller; Thomas and Wilson; Tommy and Wils/Will
I saw this post and thought “they should name him Peter”. And then I read the post and saw your maiden name and Swistle suggestions and I think it’s a sign. Peter. Tommy and Pete. Sweet Pete.
I was just reading what a mom of a Peter had written about how nice it is that there are so many children’s books with Peter characters…. Peter Rabbit, The Snowy Day and others by the same author, even Narnia… and how special it has been for her son to have so many good literary buddies with his name. It made me look differently at the name!
My father in law is Peter and his brother is Thomas. They are thick as thieves!
Or maybe even Petersen, since you seem to like a few surname style names. Thomas & Petersen; Tommy & Peter. If Petersen James is too much like your dad’s full name, you could use Petersen Jack.
According to a quick google, Bo can also be a nickname for: Beaufort, Beauregard, Boden, Bode, Boris
None of those strike me as being particularly your style, but if you really love Bo, I think you could choose any of them and not worry too much about the formal full name other than that it exists.
I also think Petersen would be a great first name! You could call him Peter or Pete and Petey when he’s a baby. I can’t imagine you would ever regret having that family name connection.
I’ve always liked Bo from Ambrose. Thomas and Ambrose, Ambrose Keller, Bo Keller.
I also really like James for you. James Keller, Jamie Keller. Tommy and Jamie.
Do you like Bryce instead of Wyatt? Bryce Keller. Bryce and Tommy. I also don’t see why you couldn’t use a nickname Bo here! Of course Bry is sweet too, or do a smoosh nickname with elements of his middle name.
Omg I missed that James is already a potential middle.
This is perhaps besides the point, but I feel like Petersen is a really good match for Baldwin as a middle name. I would do another classic first (Benjamin, Samuel, James, etc) with Petersen in the middle. Best wishes!
I do also think of Bo as a nn for Robert (which is a great name). Unlike Swistle I think it would be fine for your Robert to be Bo even if you already have a Tommy.
I wonder if you would consider Campbell for a boy. I don’t necessarily think it needs to be ruled out.
I also like Petersen or Peter as a first.
Oh, hey—I didn’t say it wasn’t fine! If I’d thought it wasn’t fine, I wouldn’t have suggested it as an option. I only added that I thought Tommy/Robbie was the more natural combination.
Peter is perfect!! Love the name and love it as a brother for Thomas. I also think Swistle’s suggestion of Daniel/Dan is great and her recommendation of Robert for Robbie/Bo.
I like the idea of Peter or Petersen as the first name. My favorite suggestions that could lead to Bo are Robert and Bode. I have two more suggestions, one on the traditional side, one less so. Jacob (nn Jake or JJ if you use James as a middle), Griffin (nn Fin)
Thomas & Jacob. Tommy & Jake/JJ
Thomas & Griffin. Tommy & Fin
Jacob Petersen Keller
Jacob James Keller
Griffin Peterson Keller
Griffin James Keller
Griffin Jackson Keller
I’m rooting for Petersen James or Peter James! I think the nickname PJ is amazing. I have known a few PJs, and I only have good associations with the nickname. Plus Pete, Petey, Jamie, Jack… love!
Peter and Robert are both high on my personal list. :) My sister would definitely rout for Robert James, since her boy’s James Robert.
Peter James
Robert James, Robert Petersen
James Petersen, Tommy & Jamie?
I also second the Campbell suggestion, Campbell James, Tommy and Cam.
I do love Peter as a first-name option, and Peter/Pete goes great with Thomas/Tommy.
From your list, Everett is my favorite — and I am rooting for Petersen as the middle name (if you don’t use Peter or Petersen as the first). Everett Petersen Keller is pretty wonderful!
You also said you still like Wyatt (but can’t use it), which makes me wonder if you’d like Wade. No nickname, but Wade Petersen Keller sounds great to me.
I feel like a good name with Thomas is a “grandpa” name that hasn’t quite hit a resurgence yet (ie not as popular as Theodore, Oliver, etc). Frederick, George, Paul, Raymond, Simon, Walter, Howard, Harold come to mind, with some obvious nicknames for some and less obvious ones for others.
I love Robert called Bo, and Petersen as a first name works just fine for me too (Peter was always on my list). Congratulations on your growing family!
Bowen! Use Bowen and call him Bo.
Thomas and Bowen
Tommy and Bo (or Bowie when he’s little)
Ford! Ford Keller, Ford Petersen Keller. Thomas and Ford.
Wells might be too much for some with your surname, but I love it. Wells Keller, Wells Petersen Keller. Thomas and Wells.
Redmond. Redmond Keller, Redmond James Keller. Thomas and Redmond.
Another vote for Petersen/Peter as the first name. The Peter Rabbit comments are making me go awwwwwwww. And Tommy & Peter (or PJ) sound like brothers.
I was going to try to sell you on Bowman for Bo, but Bowman Petersen is a lot of sen/son/man. So manly!!!
I’m late to the game, but on Team Petersen James. PJ is delightful. Or Sonny? I know it’s -sen but still doable. Or Penn? I do love Peter a lot, but somehow Pete doesn’t have the same magic. I mean, you could also do Bo? Just say his family honor name is a mouthful so you call him Bo!
Bohdi (Bo)
Boden (Bo)
Augustus (Gus)
Winston (Win)
Benjamin (Ben)
Gabriel (Gabe)
Henry
We have an Everett James, occasionally nn Rhett, and a Robert, nn Bo. Ha! So I do think they are winning combinations.
One option I thought of that I think is primed for revival is Keith. Keith Keller. Thomas and Keith. Tommy and Kit.
To me, Keith matches Thomas in that responsible, upstanding gentleman quality, known but not overused. While Kit and Tommy both sound like they are destined to be climbing trees and fishing and building forts in the backyard. Perfect brothers. And, while a very subjective thing, I love the alliteration of Keith Keller.