# Need ideas for boys' names. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391 "2009-06-10T23:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/21 "2009-06-11T14:25:03Z")
A friend of a friend named his kid **Orion** , and I thought it was a lovely geek name wasted on a kid destined to grow up as white trash. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/22 "2009-06-11T14:46:23Z")
Hunter ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/23 "2009-06-11T15:47:53Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > John (or Jon) or Atticus are my two current favorite names. I like Atticus, too, and it would go well with Athena if they ever have a girl. Plus, hey, literary reference! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/24 "2009-06-11T15:48:10Z")
> [@Oni no Maggie](#): > > I like nature/mythological names - my current favorite is Arthur. Apollo is nice, too, and works well with Athena…but I once knew an Apollo and the name really worked against him. I’m also kinda partial to Kestrel, but Oni no Husband hates it. > > Ideas? Mythological names, seems to like Greek… **Jason**? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/25 "2009-06-11T16:12:45Z")
Another vote for Declan, just because it sounds good. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/26 "2009-06-11T16:13:14Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > James Tiberius Curse you, Sampiro! This was my suggestion! Howzabout Tiberius Spock ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/27 "2009-06-11T16:15:39Z")
Marduk Hastur Jotunn Visgoth Tannin Ixion Sandarach Eldric Fingol D’Jinn (I know Djinn is pronounced “jin” but with the apostraphe you can call him “dee-jin”)! ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/28 "2009-06-11T16:22:07Z")
Oliver Stuart Marcus Ian Andrew ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/29 "2009-06-11T16:42:16Z")
Gareth ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/30 "2009-06-11T16:49:55Z")
Damien. Bullies shy away from picking on Damiens, for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/31 "2009-06-11T16:53:56Z")
Our son is called Esper. The name is rare, but not unheard of, and it does come from an official name book. (Norse for “holy bear”) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/32 "2009-06-11T17:00:52Z")
Agamemnon is nice. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/33 "2009-06-11T20:10:25Z")
It’s scary how much your taste in names is like mine. I also hate “last-name-as-first-name”, & dislike “common as dirt.” I’m OK with monosyllabic, but longer names can have a good rhythm. And I have occasionally considered using “Kestrel” as a username or something. > [@Oni no Maggie](#): > > At least two syllables (this is important) > Not a “last-name-as-first-name”; both of us hate that trend. > Interesting. Not never-before-heard-of, not common as dirt. Not a misspelling of another name (ie, Ayden, Brandonn, Lerry) > > I like nature/mythological names - my current favorite is Arthur. Apollo is nice, too, and works well with Athena…but I once knew an Apollo and the name really worked against him. I’m also kinda partial to Kestrel, but Oni no Husband hates it. I like **Apollos** (both Biblical & works as “American-historical”–Paul Revere’s father was a French immigrant named Apollos Revoire). Old Testament names I’m not quite willing to give my kids: I used to like **Mordecai** & **Baruch** , but they seem a little too Jewish to me now. I know too many **Nathan** s, **Ehud** & **Ari** are a bit stereotypically Israeli, & there’s probably a minor **Barack** explosion in progess. How do you feel about **Elisha** , **Elijah** , or something like **Zebulon**? (Not my thing, maybe \*\*Zebedee \*\*instead. Names of the British Isles: **Allan** is nice despite having three standard spellings (!). **Gawain** looks nice, hard to say. **Tristram** is OK. **Robin** could be reclaimed for the male sex. I have a strange fondness for the etymologically mysterious **Gilbert** (servant of Bert?). **Harold** maybe? Can we name kids **Ernest** now that Jim Varney has faded away, or is it too soon? Maybe **Vernon** would be better. Of course there’s **Alistaire.** Oh! bird names! **Drake** & **Jay** are out, too short. European names: I like **Roland**. **Louis** is a nice name with an ugly history (and the variant **Aloysius** will always be mispronounced). Some form of **Julian** , maybe? Or **Frederic**? I love the name **Benedict** but you should perhaps call him \*\*Bennett \*\*or **Ben.** Also **Bertram** , some form of **Milo/Emil/Milos/Milian** , or something. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/34 "2009-06-11T20:26:14Z")
Sorry, not meaning to neglect the thread - I am reading and getting lots of good ideas! But sudden death in the family means no time to respond. Keep it going! ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/35 "2009-06-11T20:41:18Z")
Milo Asher ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/36 "2009-06-11T20:48:01Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Maybe Bahamut could be a middle name. That’s a name that would need not only spelling out every time someone writes it down, but every time someone hears it. Bahawhut? Appears to be a form of Muhammad. > [@Sampiro](#): > > Jason Padraig [Jason Patric](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000574/)k? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/37 "2009-06-11T20:50:51Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Names of the British Isles: **Allan** is nice despite having three standard spellings (!). **Gawain** looks nice, hard to say. **Tristram** is OK. Ixnay on alternative/easy to confuse spellings…Tristan? Tristam? Alan? Allan? Ga-who now? –Gwendolen, that’s G-w-e-n-d-o-l- **E** -n ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/38 "2009-06-11T21:02:40Z")
OK, I second \*\*Cormac \*\*& **Oliver**. How about **[Fandral](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fandral)**? Oh, wait, too obscure. **Galen** (or **Galan** for the Pictish sound-alike) & **Ajax** are cute & not too off-the-wall I hope. More Greek names: **Nicholas** , **Philo** , **Corin**. I’m not recommending Peter because it’s too ordinary, & I’m not recommending Philip or Stephen because 70% of those he meets will misspell either of those, & if that’s going to happen you may as well have a more distinctive name. You can still use one of those if you like, I’m just warning you. Oh, crap, they’ll think Corin is Colin, too. And spell it Collin. Or Collins. Oh, do what you want. ---
**Author:** ![RedRosesForMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RedRosesForMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedRosesForMe)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/39 "2009-06-11T21:25:31Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > I’m not recommending Peter because it’s too ordinary, & I’m not recommending Philip or Stephen because 70% of those he meets will misspell either of those, & if that’s going to happen you may as well have a more distinctive name. You can still use one of those if you like, I’m just warning you. Oh, crap, they’ll think Corin is Colin, too. And spell it Collin. Or Collins. Oh, do what you want. Well that’s the problem with names. There are a lot out there that have a standard spelling (e.g. Michael/Mike, Patrick, etc) but there are many many names (see Allan, above) that have multiple standard spellings. My friend Marc at least can get away with the fairly easy “Marc with a c” but I have to spell my name out no matter what, despite it being a very common standard spelling (Laurie). And then people like to get in arguments with me that my name should be pronounced Law-ree instead of Lor-ee. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391/40 "2009-06-11T21:35:11Z")
Tell them, “like the boy in _Little Women_.” Wait, maybe that would only work on me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-boys-names/499391.md?page=3)