Name Help: A Brother for Laurie

 

Phoebe and Ken are expecting Baby Number Two and are on the hunt for the perfect name for him.

Phoebe writes: "We are expecting our second child, who will be a little brother to our son Laurie. We love Laurie's name because it's quite uncommon; we've never met another, yet it's recognisable and easy to pronounce. We're struggling to find another boys' name we love as much and would really appreciate some suggestions! We love Gabriel, but can't use it because Gabe really doesn't go with our surname, unfortunately (and we can't think of a realistic alternative nickname). 

 

We're ideally looking for a name that's fairly uncommon or unusual. We seem to like a lot of biblical and Scandinavian sounding names. We also like a lot of Scottish and Irish names; we like Hamish and Seamus) but as we have no Scottish or Irish ancestry, we're not sure we can use them. Our surname is a common name beginning with a B so we'd like to avoid any 'B' names.

 

Names we like: 

 

Joah (but worried that, as it's rare, it will be a lifetime of having to say 'Noah with a J' or people thinking it's a misspelling of Jonah) 

Seth

Sacha 

Jonah

Arlo

 

Names we like but have discounted due to popularity: 

 

Leo 

Noah 

Alfie 

Oscar 

 

Names one of us likes but the other isn't sold on: 

 

Sully (I love it, but my husband can't get past the big blue monster in Monsters Inc) 

Rafferty, nn Rafe or Raffy 

Asher 

Ethan 

Ludo 

※    ※    ※    ※

 

I can totally see why you are drawn to Biblical names: there are so many familiar yet uncommon choices for boys which make a great compliment to Laurie. For that matter, I can say the same for a lot of Celtic or Scandinavian names. The great news is that there are plenty of choices which fit the criteria of "familiar but not common". 

Amos – A sweet but uncommon Biblical name possibly meaning "strong" or "courageous". Though like Laurie, it sits not far below the top 500, it is familiar thanks to its also being a variant of the surname Amis/Ames which derives from the Latin amicus "friend." 

Emmett – A medieval name turned surname which has a buttoned-up yet amiable style. It ranks at #572, making it uncommon but easily accessible. 

Gideon – Another Biblical alternative to Gabriel. It has plenty of character, is familiar, and ranks at #777 -- a few steps behind Laurie (#749)

Joel – Joah, Jonah, Arlo, Leo and Noah are all echoed in laid-back and sleek Joel: a friendly Biblical staple that ranks below the top 100. 

Josiah – If you want a safer form of Joah (which you could even use Joah as a nickname for) then perhaps Josiah, with its sprightly Georgian style and rank of #219, will appeal. Jonas (#422) is another variation on a theme which is easily accessible but not too popular. 

Jowan – A Cornish, and once Welsh, form of John which has a modern appeal. With Owen as a staple, and Rowan as a top 100 favourite (as well as Logan and Roman), Jowan doesn't feel too 'out-there' in the least with current trends. 

Judah – Anglicised Jude is #56 while the Hebrew form of Judah sits in the sweet-spot of #610. It has all the elements for a trendy name (Jude meets Noah) but is still underused. 

Matthias – The Biblical Greek form of classic Matthew which has an international flair and suave appeal. Like Tobias (#98) and Elias (#123) it has sophisticated Biblical style, but at #544, it is still an uncommon gem.

Micah – Though both are equally pedigreed, Micah feels like a hip and updated form of classical Michael. At #262, it is also familiar without being too popular. 

Nathaniel – In terms of a name that evokes a similar style to Gabriel, Nathaniel is one of the closest. Not too overused at #131, it also comes with the laid back nickname Nate. 

Oran – Both a Hebrew name meaning "light" and an anglicised form of the Gaelic name Odhran meaning "pale green". 

Otis – A cool retro choice with a laid back style to compliment Laurie. 

Rufus – Quirky and gentlemanly, Rufus is a kingly name which is easy to spell and for both sound and style sits between Ludo and Rafferty. 

Saul – With both Seth and Sully on your list, it feels natural to suggest Biblical Saul as an option. Sully could even be used as a nickname. 

Sawyer – As a pedigreed surname, Sawyer is widely familiar, yet is different enough to stand out amongst the likes of Arthur, Oscar, Hunter, Carter, Jasper and Dexter which all sit in the top 100. 

Silas – Lucas, Tobias and Elias... Silas fits perfectly with these other stylish up-and-coming choices, but at #810 it is an underused gem. 

Solomon – An upbeat Biblical name borne by the famously wise king. Sol or Solly make for sweet nicknames. 

Soren – A sleek Scandinavian form of the stately Roman Severinus.

Wesley – A laid-back and affable name with a breezy appeal. It is widely known but only ranks at #786. 

Wyatt – Sharing Laurie's cheery style, Wyatt is an old medieval name, turned surname, turned given name again which descended from the Anglo-Saxon Wigheard "battle-brave". 

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for finding the perfect name.