Christy writes:<\/p>\n
I had my big ultrasound this morning and we found out that we are having a second son. Yikes. Boy names are so hard, and I don’t know how you managed to come up with four of them.<\/p>\n
Our last name is really close to “Edison” and our first son is Soren Kyle. My husband is very proud of the fact that Soren falls somewhere in the 900s on the Social Security list for 2006 – he refuses to use a common name. We are NOT Scandinavian (mostly German and Irish), so I don’t necessarily want another screamingly Scandinavian name, but I still want something that “fits” with Soren’s name. Here’s our measly list of possibilities:<\/p>\n
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- Liam: I think it might be a little more trendy than my husband realizes, but he likes it and so do I. If I had to name the baby today, this would probably be my choice…but I don’t love it.<\/li>\n
- Finnigan (Finn): This is my husband’s newest fixation. My feelings about it are similar to my feelings about Penelope, his girl name obsession – part of my really likes it, and the other part thinks that perhaps it’s just a bit too much for the world to handle.<\/li>\n
- Isaac: We had settled on this for a 2nd boy before this baby was ever conceived…and then this acquaintance\/friend of my husbands who lives across the country used it – now it seems too common to him.<\/li>\n
- Richard: This is my father’s name and also my husband’s grandfather’s name. I’ve never liked it, but recently it just keeps popping up in my mind – his grandpa is a great man who is dying and loves our first son and would be REALLY honored to have a namesake. If we used this, we’d probably use Alan, Grandpa’s middle name, as well. My concerns: I’m not sure the world of names is ready for the return of Richard and not sure if it’s too closely tied to the nn “Dick” in peoples minds. If we don’t use it as a first name, I’d like to throw it in as a middle name, though I wouldn’t eliminate an otherwise great first name that doesn’t work with it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Here are some of the girls names we were considering before we found out that we’re having a boy. Maybe they’ll spark some other suggestions? Here’s the list:<\/p>\n
Miriam
Fiona
Penelope
Sonja\/Sonia
Susannah
Marina<\/p>\nThat’s all we’ve got. Help!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Indeed, let’s not tell your husband that the name Liam broke into the Top 100 in 2006. It’s a great name, and what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him—especially since, as you say and I heartily agree, boy names are SO HARD. Liam is good with Soren, and good with your last name: Liam Edison.<\/p>\n
I think if you used the name Richard you could steer people away from the unfortunate nickname: people would WANT to avoid it. Perhaps you could switch your husband’s grandpa’s first and middle names, and go with Alan Richard? Alan is out of the Top 100 and seems to be in a holding pattern there. But neither Richard nor Alan seems like a good style match with Soren.<\/p>\n