Kym writes:<\/p>\n
We are due with our second son on October 28 – although these last two days of contractions are making me think it’ll be sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
Until recently, we had 4 names on the “short list”: Noah, Owen, Riley and Gavin. The last couple of weeks, Gavin and Riley have fallen off the list. (Jonah was also a contender for a while). I really like the other two, although I am concerned about Owen with our last name, Wootton (pronounced like foot with a “w” and then “ton”) – it just looks like a word jumble to me, Owen Wootton. I do love Noah, although I just don’t get the feeling the my husband is super crazy about it – and I wonder if it’s too popular.<\/p>\n
The middle name will be William, for my dad. Our first son is Finn Allen (Allen is for his dad).<\/p>\n
We definitely want the first name to be only 1 or 2 syllables, and we want it to go nicely with Finn. We like the idea of having a name that’s not weird, but also not common. We feel like we did that with “Finn”, but won’t necessarily do that with “Noah” or “Owen”.<\/p>\n
Names that I love that he hates: Reece\/Reese and Luca
\nName that he loves that I hate: Ender (yes, this is pretty much his ONE and ONLY suggestion)<\/p>\nSo – two questions…
\n#1 – if we don’t find anything else we like, should we go with Noah William Wootton or Owen William Wootton?
\n#2 – any other first name suggestions????<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nWhat I notice when I say those finalist names is all the W: both first names have a strong W sound (noWUH, oWEN), and then adding the W sound in both William and Wootton—it’s a lot of W. The middle name won’t often be said, of course, but both Noah Wootton and Owen Wootton are hard for me to say.<\/p>\nHere are some Owen alternatives without W sounds:<\/p>\n
Evan
\nIan
\nIvan
\nRoan (unless I’m pronouncing it wrong and it’s Ro-wen rather than rhymes-with-Joan)<\/p>\nBut three of those end in an -en sound, and I think that’s a little choppy with the -en sound in Wootton.<\/p>\n
Here are some Noah alternatives without W sounds OR -en sounds:<\/p>\n
Abel
\nAsher
\nCaleb
\nEli
\nIsaac
\nIsaiah
\nJoel
\nLevi
\nLucas
\nMicah
\nSilas<\/p>\n