Name Help: A Brother for Graham and Oliver

 

 

 Jeanne is expecting another boy to join big brothers Graham and Oliver and is looking for suggestions. 

Jeanne writes: 

"Names we have eliminated fall under the following;

 

1. Names of children of family/friends

2. Bible names

3. Names with nicknames that would be more commonly used than the proper name

4. Names that are hard to pronounce

5. First names that begin with B, C, D or F

 

Attributes of my ideal name;

 

1. Classic but not common 

2. British & American friendly

3. A middle name with reverence to God, while indirect - for ex. Graham Charles is named after 2 family men named Charles with great faith. Oliver Bennett is because Bennett means blessed. I want each of my children to be their own people rather than trying to be a Biblical character if that makes sense. Names we have considered are Henry Theodore because Theodore means gift of God, Leo Amadeus because Amadeus means loved by God or to love God - I’m not sure which- I prefer the first, but I’m having my pastor look into the Greek & Latin meanings...and I’m not sure Amadeus may be too different... Leo Alexander which means defender of men & there’s a Leo the Great, but that deviates a bit, so I’m not certain..

4. We’d like people to hear our children’s names and think, “what a great, solid name.”

5. We don’t want our kids to be hindered in life by their names. 

6. We need the first and middle names to flow nicely because we speak to our children using both.

7. We like names that sound great as children and adults and give an impression of a wonderful young person with great character and intelligence."

 

 

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Your current set is fabulous and you have a fantastic set of potential names already. I like that both Graham and Oliver are strong names but with fluid and soft sounds giving them a solid feel without the roughness. Henry Theodore and Leo Alexander/Amadeus are a great fit, but here are some other suggestions which I think hit a similar note:

 

Elliot – A solid and historic name which, like Graham and Oliver, doesn't have any hard edges. Elliot dates back to the Middle Ages when it was a diminutive of Ellis (also worth considering) which itself was a form of Elijah ("God is Yahweh" in Hebrew). The meaning would also make it worth considering as a middle name. 

Nolan – A handsome Irish name which gained usage outside of Ireland in the 1850s thanks to Captain Lewis Nolan, famous for his part in the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. 

Eamon –The Irish form of Edmund (itself borne by Anglo-Saxon kings and saints) which has an easy and fluid sound and a strong core.  

Roman – A  stately name with ancient roots and a modern edge. 

Maxwell – A stylish Scottish surname which has a handsome and dignified charm. 

Wesley – Boyish charm which wears well into adulthood. Like Graham, Wesley ultimately derives from a place-name, but has long use as a given name especially as it was once used in honour of clergyman and theologian John Wesley. 

Rhys – A princely and historic Welsh name which has a modern appeal and energetic meaning and style. 

August –  The Scandinavian, German and Polish form of Roman Augustus (meaning "venerable, majestic, magnificent, noble,") which has been borne by kings. It has recently risen into the top 200 in the US but is rarer in Britain. 

Rowan – A name of many faces: a surname of Scottish, English and Irish origins and a nature name belonging to a tree. A dashing and modern sound with historic roots. 

Malcolm – A kingly Scottish name with an affable style. It's Scots Gaelic meaning of "disciple of Saint Columba" was an auspicious one in the Middle Ages and was once one of the most popular medieval Scottish names. 

Jasper – A nature name and English form of Caspar (a name that was later attributed to one of the Magi) which has an affable  and stylish sound. 

Archer – A slick surname-turned-firstname (much like Graham) which brings to mind the medieval skill of archery and chivalry. 

Roscoe – Rising in Britain (now at #672), breezy and stylish Roscoe has traditional use in America thanks to Roscoe Conkling. 

Kellan – An anglicised form of the Old Irish name Caolán which ranks #498 in the US and #1187 in England and Wales. The form Caelan is more common (at #512) in E&W and is equally evocative. 

Alden/Aldan – Uncommon on both sides of the Pond but perfectly accessible. Part Anglo-Saxon, part Scandinavian, Aldan was well used in the Middle Ages but feels perfectly modern today. 

Soren – The stylish Scandinavian form of saintly Latin Severinus which is uncommon but highly accessible in both the UK and US. 

Quentin – A quirky Norman name borne by a French saint. Sounding both modern and antique at the same time. 

Emmett – A medieval first name turned surname turned first name that is stylish in America (#136) and rising in Britain (#726). 

Everett – A later form of saintly and noble Germanic name Everard which fashionably sits at #114 in America and has risen sharply from obscurity to #1498 in the space of five years in England and Wales. 

 

Middle Names with reverence to God

Dominic – Not only has Dominic been borne by saints and popes (like Bennett aka Benedict and Charles) it also has the reverent meaning "of the Lord."

Callum – The gentle and stylish Scottish form of Columba which, not only means "dove" (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) but also auspicious in reference to the preeminent Saint Columba who converted Scotland to Christianity.  

Austin – The medieval vernacular form of Augustine (the common form of the name in the Middle Ages, as Bennet was for Benedict) which was in good use thanks to the popular veneration of Saint Augustine of Canterbury (d. 604), the first Archbishop of Canterbury who is regarded as "Apostle to the English." 

Hallow – Now more commonly known as a surname, Hallow is an archaic English word meaning "holy, ordained, saintly."

Deacon – A stylish surname which literally means "servant of the church" or "in the service of the church."

 

 

I hope this has been of use. Good luck with the name choosing!