Boy Names Like Owen and Theo

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

AGREEING ON A THIRD BOY’S NAME

Michele writes:

Our third boy is due in early March. As happy as we are for another son, finding a name we can agree on feels impossible.

This baby will join:

• Owen Perry – We agreed on Owen pretty easily, but it was the only name we agreed on. Perry is a family name for me. I was worried about the initials OP for a while, but I think I’m over it.
• Theo Andrew – I had liked Theodore originally. My husband was NOT on board. He really doesn’t like O ending names, and he definitely dislikes old-fashioned names. They sound “heavy” to him. I’m not sure how we ever agreed on Theo, but the nurse had been by with the forms at least twice before we were ready. Andrew is my husband’s name.

Our last name is long and sounds like Car plus Pin plus Ski. I think short names are better. Now that we have two boys with short names with the letter O, I’ve been trying to find more short boy names with the letter O. Here’s what we have:

• Noah – I’ve always sort of liked this name. I know it’s supposed to be very popular, but it took me a while to even think of one that we know, so maybe that’s over/not a thing where we live? Is it too much like Theo and Owen, though?
• Milo, Arlo – Husband isn’t on board.
• Cole – My favorite so far, and my husband is kind of on board.
• Jace – My husband’s favorite. I don’t really like it, and I don’t think it goes with Owen and Theo. (I guess if he doesn’t like old-fashioned names, I don’t really like new ones.)

We’re thinking about Joseph for his middle name, because it’s a name on both sides of our family.

Can you help us come up with some other ideas? I feel like we’ve looked a lot, but maybe we’re not seeing something?

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

HOW MUCH TO MATCH?

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your third son!

Let me start with a few observations:

• Yes, your older boys’ names match – quite a bit! But that doesn’t mean your third son’s name has to continue any sort of a pattern. I know it’s tempting, but the priority should be on finding a name you and your husband love. I wouldn’t necessarily suggest choosing something really different. Owen, Theo, and Algernon or Owen, Theo, and Ignatius is … a BIG switch. But Owen, Theo, and Jace is perfectly fine. They all have short, four-letter names with strong vowel sounds.
• On the other hand, limiting your search to four letter names with an O sound might make sense if it helps you choose. If you’re down to choosing between, say, Sebastian and Cole, using the match as a deciding factor is reasonable.
• Does this child complete your family? Because as tough as it is to find a brother name for Owen and Theo, finding a brother name for Owen, Theo, and Cole is some order of magnitude harder.

On to the name suggestions!

A BROTHER FOR OWEN & THEO

BEAU, BODE

It’s not the letter O, but it’s a strong O sound! Boden is too close to Owen, but with the strong B sound, I think Beau is just different enough. Bode is another possibility, but I’m a little uncertain about this spelling. Bodhi and Bodie are both much more popular, but I wonder if they’re too modern and, of course, they’re five letters.

HAYES

Except I do think five letters could be great! Hayes feels like a preppier, more polished take on Jace.

JOEL

If you’re willing to drop Joseph as a middle name, Joel offers a strong O sound and four letters and it’s different enough to work with Owen and Theo. No question it’s more on the classic side.

JONAH

While we’re on Joe names, Jonah always comes to mind.

JOSEPH

Or maybe Joseph could be your son’s first name, especially if it’s a family name on both sides? Call him Joey for short, and it’s a great four-letter O name, too.

KNOX

Not all O sounds are the same, though. Knox is visibly an O name, but it’s a little different. It might be a nice, subtle shift, especially if you imagine there might be a fourth child in your future. Matching the letter O is easier than matching the long O sound.

NATE

Traditional, like Theo. Brisk and friendly, like both of your sons’ names. And with a strong vowel sound, too. Nate feels like a solid alternative to Jace.

ROME

I think this is a great long O name that’s, again, different enough from Owen and Theo to work.

I’m drawn to Knox. It’s four letters, it includes an O … and yet, it sounds different and distinct from Owen and Theo. Knox Joseph is a great combination. I think it’s just a little different than Cole.

Which reminds me, I do think Cole Joseph is the best choice from your current list.

But I do think your husband’s suggestion of Jace opens the door to another vowel sound. Would you consider Nate? Like Theo, it’s a friendly, accessible short form of a longer name. It feels more traditional than Jace.

As for repeating letters? Owen, Theo, and Nate means that two of your boys share an O, two share an N, and two share a T. Lots of repeating letters, but it’s not quite as obvious. Plus Joseph has such a strong O sound that the pattern really does hold.

Owen Perry, Theo Andrew, and Nate Joseph would be my pick.

Readers, over to you! What would you name a brother for Owen and Theo?