# Baby name questions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378 "2005-04-02T06:34:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BethCro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cdc98d/32.png) [@BethCro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BethCro)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/41 "2005-04-03T00:05:49Z")
Gah! Thanks pepperlandgirl … I did know that, on one level, however, I always preferred Jo. But cheers for clearing that up for me. ---
**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/42 "2005-04-03T00:10:23Z")
Another one who doesn’t like deliberately matching names. My cousins have rhyming names and I have a name that complements my brother’s in a literary way. I’ve always thought it sucked, being named as a kind of appendage. I also have it on the authority of three people named MB that it’s annoying when the post arrives too. Just go for whatever suits the kid! ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/43 "2005-04-03T00:35:17Z")
I agree that you should stay away from adding a matching initial name, even though your older boys go by non-matching initial nicknames. However, y’all are too far from your childhood if you haven’t figure out some of the many ways this will be used against the newest boy by his loving older brothers. If he doesn’t have an R name, it’s just proof that Mom and Dad adopted him, found him on the side of the road, he’s an alien baby, and so on. I can already hear them–Mom and Dad felt sorry for you after they found you on the doorstep with your non-R nametag; if you were really our brother your name would start with R. There’s always something… ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/44 "2005-04-03T00:39:31Z")
k was like beth from little women. in more ways than one. she also died young. if k had lived she would be the same age as john paul ii! they are showing his birth and death dates on tv now and i just realized they were both born in 1920. william and edward are both names that would go nicely with richard and robert. they are all “any guy” names. you don’t get an immediate picture when you hear those names. so teachers and anyone they meet don’t instantly judge them. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/45 "2005-04-03T00:48:54Z")
> [@stretch](#): > > However, y’all are too far from your childhood if you haven’t figure out some of the many ways this will be used against the newest boy by his loving older brothers. If he doesn’t have an R name, it’s just proof that Mom and Dad adopted him, found him on the side of the road, he’s an alien baby, and so on. I can already hear them–Mom and Dad felt sorry for you after they found you on the doorstep with your non-R nametag; if you were really our brother your name would start with R. **There’s always something…** Exactly. There’s _always_ something, so there’s no point trying to pre-empt any particular anything. If it ain’t the names, it’ll be something else (and who’s to say that a third R-name wouldn’t still offer other possibilities for ridicule?) ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/46 "2005-04-03T01:29:36Z")
> [@Manatee](#): > > **Shirley Ujest** : thanks for the suggestions! Thomas is another candidate right now too. […] I heartily endorse ‘Thomas’ as your name of choice. People named Thomas, who go by Tom, are exceptionally intelligent, motivated and handsome. Unfortunately, they also feel the need to crow about themselves on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/47 "2005-04-03T01:45:53Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > If this kid not having a “letter buddy” is a major concern, pick a first name which shares an initial with Mom, Dad, or a favorite relative. Or if one of these R names is OK, but not truly to your taste, pick a first name that suits you and give the kid an R name for a middle name. I was just going to suggest this, myself. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/48 "2005-04-03T02:23:12Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > I grew up in a family where I was the odd one out. I was also the odd one out in my family. My sisters both had plain and simple names that had no nicknames. Their given names were what they were called. Keeps things nice and easy. However, I got a rather formal name, but have always been called by a nickname, and one that’s not the usual choice for the formal name, either. Doesn’t even have the same initail as the formal name. Made the first day of school a pain in the ass, IMO. > [@](#): > > Ace309 said: > I heartily endorse ‘Thomas’ as your name of choice I heartily second the name Thomas. That’s my son’s name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/49 "2005-04-03T03:12:55Z")
I was going to add Thomas to my list of suggestions (it’s one of my favourite names too) but thought that the peanut gallery would start asking poor Robert if his name was Harry… as you’ve got a Tom and a Dick you see… ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/50 "2005-04-03T05:07:28Z")
> [@stretch](#): > > However, y’all are too far from your childhood if you haven’t figure out some of the many ways this will be used against the newest boy by his loving older brothers. If he doesn’t have an R name, it’s just proof that Mom and Dad adopted him, found him on the side of the road, he’s an alien baby, and so on. I can already hear them–Mom and Dad felt sorry for you after they found you on the doorstep with your non-R nametag; if you were really our brother your name would start with R. There’s always something… > [@GorillaMan](#): > > Exactly. There’s _always_ something, so there’s no point trying to pre-empt any particular anything. If it ain’t the names, it’ll be something else (and who’s to say that a third R-name wouldn’t still offer other possibilities for ridicule?) You don’t have to tell me–I have the weird name, red hair, wore glasses, and was skinny as a stick when I was a kid. Plus, my mom dressed me funny. There is always something. Being as I remember being a kid and all, I just thought I’d mention one of the easy ‘somethings’ it can be, since it came to me almost immediately. I can think of about a million more. Maybe I’m still not grown up. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/51 "2005-04-03T05:16:44Z")
How about Joshua? I’ve known several Joshua’s who are all wonderful, intelligent young men. I’d love to name one of my future children Joshua, but I plan on keeping a couple of these guys as friends, and they really aren’t close enough to name kids after. “Josh” is other people’s “Dave” for me. James is good, as well. There’s also John, Brad, Daniel, Christopher, Jeffrey (or Geoffrey, if you feel so moved), Mark, Dylan, Jonathan, Donald, Aaron, Brian, Arthur, Matthew, Samuel, Kenneth, and, um, Bertrand . . . ooh, wait. Russell. Much better. Really, you can’t go wrong with apostles or dead presidents. Although, if you wanted to go Shakespearean, you could name him Francis. (1 Henry IV: “Sirrah, I am sworn brother to a leash of drawers; and can call them all by their Christian names, as Tom, Dick, and Francis.”) And, if by any chance, your bundle of joy turns out to be female, please refrain from naming her Sarah/Sara. There are too many of us in too small a world. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/52 "2005-04-03T05:26:01Z")
**Stretch** - You’re so right. When I was a kid, I was obviously taken in out of pity because I had green eyes when all my sibs had blue eye. Never mind that our mother has green eyes. There’s also the fact that there are **three whole years** between my next oldest sibs (a set of twins) and me. Before that my mother had babies about every 15 months. These were obvious Signs. I was a gutter child, might as well get used to it. As for the OP, I’d vote for Thomas. It’s a good strong name that goes with your other sons’ names. StG ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/53 "2005-04-03T07:22:28Z")
I wouldn’t repeat initial. Two is coincidence, but three is “too precious.” Four of the most common male names in Spanish are Juan, José, Jaime and Jorge. Getting several J names in the same house is not surprising; Juan José is one of the most common multi-word-names (these are either things like Francis Xavier, where you need both words to identify the specific saint, or combos so common that they’re perceived as a single name). But once you get Juanito, Jorgito and Jaimito… those are Donald Duck’s nephews! ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/54 "2005-04-03T07:57:45Z")
Love Joshua - have a 5 week old Joshua myself. Not sure it is a great fit with Richard and Robert though. I gotta vote for William instead, which was our second-runner-up name for the boy. Other ideas, going with an British or Scottish monarch theme: Henry Charles Edward (I love love love the nickname Ned!) James Michael John Malcolm William David Stephen Good luck! Twiddle ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/55 "2005-04-03T08:04:30Z")
One of my aunts has three sons. Shannon (actually Jeremy Shannon, but no one calls him Jeremy), Shawn, and…Tyler (TJ). Non-matching has never been a problem there; if anything, Shawn possibly feels left out because he is called by his first name always and not a nickname or initials. My suggestions: Thomas Charles Michael Joseph Daniel David (may as well get all the uncle’s names out of the way) Vincent–a little swanky for a child, I fear, but easy to grow into. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/56 "2005-04-03T08:36:13Z")
> [@Harimad-sol](#): > > One of my aunts has three sons. Shannon (actually Jeremy Shannon, but no one calls him Jeremy), Shawn, and…Tyler (TJ). That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of a male Shannon. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/57 "2005-04-03T09:35:39Z")
> [@Random](#): > > Roger strikes me as strange, but I can’t articulate why, unless the kid’ll be British, in which case I can. Dang it all, man, can you get more all-American than Roger Maris, Roger Clemens, Roger Ebert, Roger Thornhill, and Roger and Me? ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/58 "2005-04-03T11:41:04Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Dang it all, man, can you get more all-American than Roger Maris, Roger Clemens, Roger Ebert, Roger Thornhill, and Roger and Me? Sorry. I was unclear. I agree the name is fairly common here. That’s not the sense of the word strange I was intending. Maybe goofy would have been a better choice. The reason I **could** articulate a reason why the name would be strange/goofy/laughter-inducing if the kid was in Britain is the British slang meaning of “roger”. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/59 "2005-04-03T14:47:16Z")
Just out of pure curiosity, do you have a back up name in case this #3 boy turns out to be the superior sex and be a female? ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378/60 "2005-04-03T22:16:51Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of a male Shannon. Until I met a female Shannon at about age ten, I thought it was a male name. Imagine my surprise upon meeting a male Kelly (my name). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-name-questions/297378.md?page=4)