Finding a Strong Boy Name for Joey’s Brother

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NAMING A BROTHER FOR A GIRL CALLED JOEY

Brittany writes:

The biggest name for both of our families is some form of Joe. My father-in-law is Joseph called Joe and so was my grandpa. It’s my husband’s middle name, and my mom is named Joanna after her dad. We decided that our firstborn would be Joseph or Josephine, called Joey or Josie.

We had a daughter and she’s Josephine Grace, just like we planned. But somehow her nickname is Joey. It wasn’t intentional, it just kind of happened, but she’s SUCH A JOEY.

We are expecting our second child in March. It’s a boy. We don’t have another family first name, though we will use a family middle name, probably Matthew, but we have some other choices if that doesn’t work.

But I feel like nothing goes with Joey’s name.

We have talked about:

• Charles/Charlie, Theodore/Theo, Henry – All names I think I should like, and I do like them, but they don’t feel like my baby, if that makes sense.
• Wyatt – Love this name, but we know another little Wyatt already, and I don’t know the rules/etiquette around that. It feels like lots of people talking about stealing names, and I don’t want to be that person.
• Beckett – My husband’s favorite, and I think I could get on board. He has an aunt Becca (Rebecca) so it feels like an honor name to me, but he says he just likes it.
• Timothy – I feel like this is a really weird name to like, but we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol with Joey for the first time and she now wants to call her brother Tim. At first it was just funny, but now I’m sort of thinking I might like it! But only Timothy … Timmy is all South Park for me.

Our last name sounds like “more” but spelled differently.

Do we have the right name on our list and I’m just not seeing it? Or do we need some new ideas?

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

NAMING A BROTHER FOR JOEY

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new son!

This is a twist, but it’s the kind of twist lots of parents encounter when naming a second child. Joey’s name developed over years. It ties to both of your families in a thoughtful way. And it’s also a very current name. Josephine is rising in use in the US for lots of good reasons.

It makes sense to try to match your firstborn’s name. But naming a brother for Joey doesn’t have to be all about matching. It might make it easier to focus on names you love for your son first, and then work backward to make sure there’s not a mismatch.

Because if you choose both names with love – and I know you will! – then they automatically go together.

I’m also tempted to add a caveat. A toddler called Joey could easily become Jo, Josie, or Josephine in a few years. (Or something else – Josephine offers so many nickname options.) And then change again! Naming a brother for Joey is one thing, but you’re really naming a brother for Josephine and all the infinite possibilities it presents.

Now, let’s talk about the names on your list.

A BROTHER FOR JOEY: CURRENT LIST

CHARLES/CHARLIE; HENRY; THEODORE/THEO

I think I’d drop all three of these names. They’re classic choices for boys. If you’d told me you’d named your firstborn son Joseph, without any other context, my brain would immediately suggest names exactly like this for his brother. I’m guessing your brain is doing the same thing … completing the sentence automatically. Let’s drop these and focus on names you really like.

WYATT

I think this is a great choice for a son, and the perfect brother for Joey. Josephine and Wyatt both rank in the current US Top 100, so even if they’re not exact style matches, that similar currency connects them. There’s a sort of adventurous spirit to Wyatt that pairs well with Josephine-called-Joey.

BECKETT

Pretty much everything I’ve said about Wyatt applies to Beckett, too. One slight adjustment: Beckett ranks in the current US Top 200, so it’s a little less common than Wyatt. I do like that there’s a subtle family connection since Joey’s name is so connected to both sides of your family.

TIMOTHY

I love the story about your daughter deciding to name her brother after her Tiny Tim – who is a frog in The Muppet Christmas Carol, right? It’s beyond sweet. Timothy works as a brother for Joey, too. It’s really more of a classic in the Henry/Theodore camp. But I think Timothy is one of those names that we do automatically shorten. Could you push back? Of course. I know a Gregory, not Greg, and plenty of women who are Elizabeth-not-Liz. But it takes effort, and I can imagine your Timothy might prefer Tim. And with a sister called Joey? A brother for Joey feels like it has to be Timmy, right?

All of that said, could you consider Timothy as a middle name?

COMBINATIONS FOR JOEY’S BROTHER

I’m not going to suggest any new names this time, because it feels like you have two top contenders, as well as some good options for middle names.

Instead, I’m going to put together a few combinations, in order of recommendation.

4. WYATT MATTHEW

I think Wyatt Matthew sounds great as a brother for Joey. There’s a shared spirit between the two names. Wyatt and Joey, Joey and Wyatt. Josephine Grace and Wyatt Matthew. There’s a balance between current favorites and more traditional choices, too. And yet, this is fourth of my recommendations – if only because as good as it is, I wonder if there’s a better option.

3. WYATT TIMOTHY

I love the idea of your daughter choosing her brother’s middle name. But I also like the rhythm of Wyatt Timothy quite a bit, so I’d give it a fraction of a point more.

2. BECKETT MATTHEW

Speaking of fractions of a point, I’m ranking Beckett a tiny bit higher only because there’s a family connection. Which doesn’t matter at all, except your daughter’s name is so tied to family. Choosing something with a connection – even if it’s not really meant as an honor name – could be valuable. One caveat: if you imagine you might grow your family in the future, and cannot imagine using another family name? Then that’s a strike against Beckett, and I’d put Wyatt in the top spot instead.

1. BECKETT TIMOTHY

No surprise then … I’m putting Beckett Timothy in the top spot. It’s a really tough call, because I like Wyatt Matthew as a brother for Joey almost as much as I like Beckett Timothy. I think it comes down to how much you like the idea of Joey choosing (part of) her brother’s name, and whether Beckett’s slim family tie is more of a bonus or a detraction. I’m assuming it’s a plus, which is why I’ve ranked this combination #1.

Readers, over to you! What would you name a brother for Joey – Josephine Grace?