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.
FINALIZING OUR LIST
Paige writes:
Our son isn’t due until around Thanksgiving, but I like to have things settled in advance. I thought that choosing a name would be simple, but my husband and I can’t decide on one final name.
We agree that we want a name that:
- Doesn’t shorten/nickname
- Isn’t something we know anyone else (kid/adult) named
- Feels strong but not toxic, so no Striker or Crash
- Is cuddly and cute on a baby but grows up
- Something that has been around and people generally know how to spell and pronounce
His middle name will be Edward, which is a family name on both sides. He will have my husband’s last name, which is three syllables, starts with H and ends with son, and has a strong K sound in the middle.
The three names we have on our final list are:
- Archie – Would probably be my favorite but is it trendy
- Carl – I’ve loved this ever since Up
- Roy – My husband’s favorite
I’ve gotten some negative reactions to these names, but I really don’t want to be talked into Liam or Noah.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
KNOW THAT YOU WON’T MAKE A MISTAKE
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your son!
That last part really hit home for me. Choose a very common name and some people will rush to tell you you’ll regret it. But choose something different? And people – some of the Exact Same People – will also predict certain doom.
Instead, know that you will not make a mistake.
You’ve narrowed your list to three strong, traditional names for a son. There have been Archies, Carls, and Roys for generations. And there will be for generations to come.
Let’s look at all three names a little more closely, and I’ll rank them – and invite others to do the same.
(And to be clear – if you look at the name I’ve listed third and think what? But that’s the best name! then of course, you should use it. Sometimes that’s the feisty reaction that clarifies our choice.)
CHOOSING BETWEEN THREE NAMES
3. ARCHIE
I’m going to put Archie third out of three. To be clear, Archie is a great name. It’s cuddly and strong. And it can read as all-American … think of the comics that inspired Riverdale. But it’s also the name of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s high-profile firstborn. The couple welcomed their son in 2019, when the name was already on the rise. But it’s accelerated since then, currently ranking in the 300s in the US. (And the top 20 in England and Wales.) That’s still not especially common, but it might feel trendy, so that knocks it down a peg for me.
2. CARL
I love Up, too! And Pixar movies are great sources of naming inspiration. Somehow I’ve never considered Carl for a child, but it absolutely works. It’s teetering on the edge of obscurity today, but back in the 1920s, it was a Top 50 choice. That makes it traditional, rock-solid, and nicely trend resistant.
1. ROY
It’s almost a coin flip between Carl and Roy. But I’m putting Roy at the top of the list because I think it’s just slightly better on the can’t-be-nicknamed front. And I wonder if the one-two punch of music’s Roy Orbison and Ted Lasso’s Roy Kent makes it just a shade cooler? Also, the name Roy has ranked in the 500s on the US popularity charts for over a decade. That makes it a steady name, strong and resilient, not obscure or trending.
So that’s my vote: Roy Edward H—son.
Love that you’ve leaned into what I think of as the great uncle names. I think both Roy and Carl are great. For what it’s worth, I think Archie Edward doesn’t flow as well as the others.
If you have to name a sibling at some point, here are some of the other great uncle names from my family: Earl, Cliff, Jake, Otto, Mal, Arthur, Charlie, Russ (plus the usual Bobs, Toms, and Joes). Maybe thinking about potential siblings could also clarify what name works better for you.
The “great uncle names” – love this!
All three of these names are terrific options. I really don’t think you can go wrong!
Archie does make me think of Prince Harry’s son, but it makes sense to me that it’s growing in popularity, because it’s a great name. I personally prefer it as a nickname for something more formal, like Archer, as it gives the child more options once they’re an adult. But I know some parents prefer to just use the nickname as the legal name for simplicity.
Carl is my favorite on the list. Carl H—son flows nicely and has a Scandinavian vibe to it. Definitely feels equal parts cuddly and capable to me: a great name for any stage of life. For what it’s worth, the Up character’s full name is Carl Fredricksen, which probably sounds similar to your last name. However, I don’t think that’s a reason not to choose Carl.
Roy feels a little more old-fashioned to me, but I can certainly see it working nowadays. I like another commenter’s suggestion of Royce, which I think flows a little more smoothly with Edward H—son.
I like Carl Edward the best!
Instead of Roy, you might consider Ray or Jay or even Hayes.
Other possibilities:
Bryce Edward H.
Dylan Edward H.
Graham Edward H.
Lane Edward H.
Neil Edward H.
Sean Edward H.
Best wishes to you!
Carl! Love this! What a great name!
If you are looking for other options…..
Otto Edward H-son
Clark Edward H-Son
Grant Edward H-son
I like Archie best. A name in the 300s isn’t well used and I haven’t seen a lot about Prince Harry’s son.
Sterling – Always in US Top 1000 since records have been kept
Palmer – Long history of use. Fell off US Top 1000 some decades ago. Is just barely back on in the 900s.
Royce – Like Roy, with a twist
Pierce – Recognized, yet uncommon
Archie is lovely, however so lovely that it’s also popular with humans and dogs. Which means it may disappoint you if not knowing another one is an important factor.
Carl is one to really say out loud with your surname several times. I note you have a hard K sound in the middle of your surname. K is a very strong sound and two in his whole name might not bring that cuddle factor you imagine. It will depend very much on the vowel sound before the K … An O or A tend to sound softer so might sound ok whereas I or E tend to be stronger and more abrupt so potentially sound harsh so rolling together with Carl.
Roy sounds softer with your last name.
So I suggest repeating the combo and listen it is as a whole.