Baby name questions

We’re expecting our third son at the end of this coming summer, but we’re having a Hell of a time coming up with a name.

Totally inadvertently, we named our first two sons with names starting with the same first letter. I say inadvertently because I’ve always thought that naming all of the family’s kids with names starting with the same letter was always just a little too precious. But we liked both of these names, and one of them was a family name, so we never even thought, “Hmmm…they both start with the same letter.” Now my wife is concerned that if the third one has a name starting with a different letter that he’ll feel left out or different.

So, question one: If two sons share a common initial and the third one has a different one, how likely is he to feel put out over this? (If you, or someone you know, is the odd one out initial-wise, I’d really love to hear your input).

Question two: if we go for the same initial, what’s a good name to go with Richard and Robert? (If you can, try to keep it serious; goofball names like “Ragnarok” [yes, I actually saw this on one baby naming website] aren’t the kind of thing I’m looking for here).

So, let’s play “Help Me Name My Baby!”

Riley, Ralph, Randy, Roland, Rupert, Russell, Rafe, Raymond, Ronald, Roger, Ryan, Rowan… off the top of my head.

Ryan and Randy ain’t bad. Rafe might work. Riley and Rowan seem to be more associated with girls. Ralph is a verb. Roland and Rupert are names for boys with mothers who read too many historical romances.

Russell is okay, but it makes me think of that bad pile of leaves joke. Ronald’s a clown. Roger strikes me as strange, but I can’t articulate why, unless the kid’ll be British, in which case I can.

Don’t go for the same initial!!

Two out of three won’t be noticed. I certainly wouldn’t notice it, anyway. If all three have the same initial, it will be noticed and commented on, particularly in that annoying ‘elder relative’-type way.

I can only ever see Randy as a classic Jerry Springer name. And female.

That’s just a misspelling of ‘Ralph’.

Agreed with Riley, but Rowan?

Huh?

In the US, “Ralph” is pronounced “Ralf,” and is also a colloquiallism for “vomit,” unlike the UK, where it’s pronounced “Rayf.”

As for the OP, stop thinking so much. Name your son whatever you like. There will always be some people that like it and many more that don’t like it. You’re the one who has to live with it day in and out, so make it something you like, and everyone else can bug off.

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

Name your child something different. No more R names! Believe me, he will not care one wit…but naming all three children with all the same initials would be a bit hokey IMHO.

Aha. That explains it. Does this also rule out ‘Chuck’? :stuck_out_tongue:

(BTW, it gets pronounced both ways in Britain.)

Arnold?

(Starts with an Arr.)

I’m not worried about what other people might think (or what I might think about what other people think, or what other people might…OK, I’ll stop thinking so much! :smiley: ) so much as what my son might think. I just don’t want him to feel like he doesn’t “match” his brothers and therefore is marked as different. After all, he will also have to live with it day in and out. [on preview: this sounds kinda snarky to me, but I’m not sure how to rephrase it; WhyNot: no snark intended].

So, Dopers, any resentments about being the unmatched sibling in your family?

My sentiments exactly (re: hokiness). But I also want to make sure that the third doesn’t feel like the oddball.

Given the first two’s proclivities for playing pirate, I’m surprised that they haven’t mentioned this as a possiblity yet. After all, my eldest nominated “Prince Philip” if it’s a boy (too much Sleeping Beauty) and “Vagina” if it’s a girl.

Ah, the joke that never gets old. My dad’s name is Ralph. :rolleyes: /hypersensitivity

It’s true though.

I always thought it was a derivative of Rafael/Raphael.

To add some actual content to this post, I also don’t think you have to use the same initial with your third child, and I doubt that he’ll feel neglected or whatever because of it. It’s just not that big of a deal. If you choose to, though, that’s also not a big deal. It might sound totally planned and corny to some people; just name your kid whatever you want. Good luck with everything. :slight_smile:

Well Manatee , I think you’re a very thoughtful and sensitive parent to think of your third child’s feelings in regards to being the odd one out. I suppose children can get hung up on some pretty strange things, so who am I to say?

Maybe someone will come along with the “odd initial, mentally scarred for life” complex and enlighten us!

(That sounded snarky, but I didn’t mean it to! :slight_smile: )

Real people deserve a name chosen on it’s own merits, and not one picked just to make them part of a matching set. I give a big thumbs down to a third “R” name unless you love it the way you loved Richard and Robert.

Richard and Robert are good, traditional names. Surely you couldn’t go wrong with something along the same lines such as William, James, Edward, Michael…

I’ve got a very unusual name and my younger brother has an uncommon one as well. Our youngest brother does not, and if he’s ever been bothered by it or even thought about it, he hasn’t said so.

My family are all initial groups - John, Jean, Jane in one group, Andrew and Anna in another group. Oh, and then there’s me - Robin.

I actually see it as a benefit - if mail arrives to J. Surname - who opens it? But when it arrives to R. Surname, I know it’s mine.

Plus, when mum was trying to yell at us - she always starts with J… or An… because the odds of it being one of them are higher than it being R… So that was all good :wink:

I wouldn’t get stressed about #3 feeling left out. But then, if you find an ‘R’ name that you love, I wouldn’t be too stressed about calling the kid that either.

Call him Randy if you think he will never leave the US, otherwise people will giggle and make horny jokes.

Rowan is a girls name? Since when?

Ralph is good name if your child resembles puke.

Rubert is a good name for a bear in tartan trousers. Otherwise give it a miss.

Roger…well ummmmmmm

Go for a different intial! The child will never notice unless annoying relatives point it out.

I vote for anti-r. Go with a nice classic old timey name to match his brothers. ( Great names, btw.) If you have to go with an R name, make it Rupert or ** Ruprecht** ( the monkey boy!)
Richard, Robert & Harry.

Richard, Robert & Thomas.

Richard , Robert & Henry ( I love Henry)

Richard, Robert & Terrence. ( Terry.)

Richard, Robert & Julian (ooooooh.)

If the other two are old enough, give them a bunch of names to shout out loud at each other as practice for when Baby X is driving them bonkers down the road.

Anyway, Good wishes for an easy pregnancy and uncomplicated delivery!

Shirley has many good suggestions.

Please avoid Rupert though. Not only did he did look like a dork but I can still hear (in my head …eeeeekk) his annoying theme song over 30 years later.

Imagine Barney… as a bear, wearing tartan and OLD. YES that annoying.