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!
Lauryn writes:
We have a daughter named Mary Adelaide, and we’re expecting a son this summer.
When we were pregnant with Mary, I wanted to name a boy Henry Barnabas. My husband’s sister just had a little Henry a few months ago, though, so we can’t use Henry now.
Our style is pretty traditional, but I definitely like older names. My husband wouldn’t agree to those as first names, but he’s happy to let me choose what I want for middles.
Names I like that my husband has said no to: August, William (because of someone he went to school with! this bothers me so much), Simon (because of the chipmunks!), Daniel (no reason why he doesn’t like it, just says no).
Names he likes that I’m not crazy about: Patrick (we’re not Irish and this just is so Irish to me), Thomas (I want to like Tommy/Tom, but I’m not sure), John (this is too basic even for me, especially with a daughter named Mary), Joseph (his dad’s name, but we’re avoiding family names for lots of reasons, so even though I like it as a name, I feel like it would cause problems).
Nothing else has really leapt out at us, even though I feel like we keep going over the same names. Help!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your son!
It’s too bad about Henry, but I can see that having two cousins so close in age with the same name is a lot.
So we need a boy’s name that is:
- Traditional
- Probably nickname-light, if not entirely nickname-proof
- Familiar without feeling antique
Let’s see what I can think up that you haven’t already considered!
A BROTHER FOR MARY ADELAIDE
DAVID
Not so long ago, David was a really common name. (Canadian comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall created a song called “The Daves I Know” … but that was back in the early 1990s.) Today it ranks a relatively modest #31 in the US and is falling. That could be the sweet spot – a name everybody knows, but your son won’t actually share with boys his age.
EDWARD
Like David, Edward was once really common in the US. Today, though, it’s faded. The challenge here might be around nicknames. Eddie is obvious, and would fit right in with boys named Charlie. Ned is another option, a sepia-toned choice that would fit in with current favorites like Max. But I’m wondering if the nickname makes this a non-starter?
GREGORY
Greg is a Brady, but Gregory used in full? It’s a handsome name, a little like Montgomery.
JONATHAN
If your husband loves John, would you consider Jonathan? It’s just a little different. (Because I agree that John and Mary is maybe too classic together!)
JULIAN
A name that feels both traditional and contemporary.
LUKE
As brief as John or some of the other traditional choices you’re pondering, but with some of the spirit of Jack, too.
SAMUEL
Mary and Sam sound perfect together.
VINCENT
A classic we sometimes overlook, maybe because we’re not wild about Vinnie. But Vince is a great nickname … not that a tw0-syllable name requires one in the first place!
My favorite, overall, is Samuel. Samuel Barnabas and Mary Adelaide; Sam and Mary. Or maybe Jonathan, as it feels like a compromise between one of your husband’s favorite and your preferences.
After thinking it over, I love John with Mary. It’s so classic that’s it’s fresh and unexpected. Especially with a fancy, long middle name. So good.
Other new ideas… Adam (love with Mary), Evan (fresh take on John), Jamie (fresh, handsome take on James and sweet with Mary), Louis (a classic and ee sound like Henry).
Congrats!
Arthur! Arthur Barnabas is a wonderful name.
Oh, Arthur Barnabas is great!
I sometimes think that picking a name for some comes down to picking the right first name and middle combination.
So when you have something in Mind like Henry Barnabas
So I may suggest a name like Silas. A lesser know biblical name. Has sounds like Barnabas. Kinda modern like Adelaide.
Would Silas Henry work?
Also Asher. Seems like a good option as well
Asher Barnabas
As nice as David is, I wouldn’t choose it because “Mary and David” sounds a lot like Harry and David (the mail-order fruit basket company).
I think Samuel is a perfect choice!
James also seems like a great alternative to John and Joseph.
Love Barnabas as a middle name! I hope they keep that.
Interesting observation about Mary + David. I don’t hear that as much, but it’s worth noting that Mary and Harry DON’T rhyme when I say them … and that varies regionally in the US. (And elsewhere in the English-speaking world, I assume!) So it’s a good caution to think about that potential association in advance – thank you!
Spencer
Victor
Conrad
Auberon
Albert
Otto
Malcolm
Jude
Leonard
Wallace
Clement /Clemence
Martin
Oswald
Ignatius
Instead of William : Wilbur , Wilder, Wilkie , Willard , Willem , Wilson
Francis
Oscar
Carl
Richard
Robert
Sebastian
Ernest
Otis
Lawrence
Neil
Roman
Raymond
Love the idea of Samuel Barnabas! I think it’s a perfect fit!
My other idea is Phillip Barnabas! I feel like that is a pretty classic name that is ready for a comeback. George Barnabas was another idea!
Mary and
Lewis
Silas
Peter
George
Walter
Frank
Hank
Ray
James
Paul
Phillip
Toby
I was also thinking that Mary and Joseph might be a bit too Nativity story for siblings, although I would consider both to be excellent names with solid patrons for the same reason. I like Mary and Luke, Mary and John (not too classic in my book!)… Of Abby’s choices, I also really like David.
Oh gosh! I absolutely love Mary Adelaide. I do think that these days, a Thomas could easily just go by Thomas. Some of my favorites for you:
Jonathan
Nathaniel
Peter
Andrew
Jeremy
Adrian
Christopher or Christian
Timothy
Blaise
Emmett
Elliott
Edmund
Mostly repeats:
Andrew
Benjamin
Charles
Douglas
Edward
Elliott or Elliot
Grant
Jacob
Joel
Nathan
Peter
Samuel
My first thought was George. I also like Hugh or Hugo as both a brother to Mary, and an alternative to Henry.
Alexander is another classic name that you might both like. Mary and Alex are cute together!
Love Mary Adelaide. My first thought was Mary and Miles (or Myles.)
Miles Barnabas is so distinguished sounding yet very approachable. Miles is a great classic.
Some ideas and some repeated suggestions:
Wesley, Lewis, Isaac, Anthony, Felix, Arthur, Benjamin, Noah, Peter, Zachery, Joel, Jonas, Joshua.
I’d also avoid Joseph with Mary.
I was coming here to suggest James, though I feel like you probably have already tossed that classic around? But it is great. Would he go for Will instead of William? I really love Will on its own.
Henry is a hard act to follow. No nicknames needed, classic, sweet….
Elliott
Cameron
Davis
Conrad
I love Abby’s suggestions of David and Julian! I also like the above suggestions of Frederick and Wesley.
Some others I’d suggest would be Philip, Christian, Jude, and Warren.
Nathaniel! It’s such an underrated handsome classic!
Other suggestions:
Isaac
Wesley
Francis
Michael
Peter
Timothy
Robert
Jack
Solomon
Clark
Dean
Grant
Lewis
Arthur
Cooper
Jack
Felix
Bryce
Finn
Atlas
Lincoln. Link would be cute for a nickname if that would ever be a possibility.
Franklin
Wesley
Jean/Gene
Louie/Louis
Wyatt
Ambrose
Oliver
Arthur
Liam
Elijah
Caleb
Ethan
Paul
Roger
Wallace
Some of these are not too traditional and some are heavy with nickname potential so sorry about that! But I think Cooper and Wallace are great names and if you’re sticking with common names like Mary– Oliver, Jack, and Liam are high in the charts.
Mary and James
Nicholas
Seth
Emmett
Adam
Paul
Hector
Clark
Timothy
Ivan
Andrew
Anthony
Oh Luke sounds great with Mary!
Other options:
Mary and Leo
Mary and Frederick (Fred)
Mary and Noah
Mary and Peter
Mary and James
Mary and Edmund
Mary and Charles
Mary and Zachary (Zach)
Mary Adelaide is so pretty! If I had a Mary, I’d want to avoid Joseph too, unless I was deliberately wanting to name my children after Jesus’ parents. My favourites for you from Abby’s list are Samuel & Edward.
Instead of Daniel, Nathaniel?
Instead of Joseph, Josiah? Jonah?
Peter or Benjamin would make great choices too.
Edward Barnabas
Peter Sebastian
Benjamin Rupert
Josiah Montgomery
Just some extra ideas for middle names.