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!
Alyssa writes:
We have two boys, Theodore and August. We call them Theo and Auggie at home. Theo is Theo everywhere, but Auggie is usually August to everyone outside our family. (We thought we would call him Gus, but it never really stuck.)
Our third baby and third boy is due early in 2023, and we have that awful “out of names” feeling that people talk about!
Since we were expecting Theo, our girl name has always been Susanna. We might have a fourth someday, so I wouldn’t want to use anything too similar.
The names we’ve talked about:
- Charles/Charlie – Love Charlie. Pretty meh about Charles. It was on our list for Theo, too, but I can’t see us naming him just Charlie and it seems wrong to choose a name we don’t love just because we do like the nickname so much.
- Wallace – Opposite problem here. I like Wallace, and it’s a family name for me, but Wally? Just no.
- Alexander/Alex – I like it, but I’m not sure we want to repeat initials AND maybe it’s a little too popular.
- Oliver/Ollie – It’s just fine for me. Same for my husband. Almost like it feels like we should like it more than we do, if that makes sense.
What are we missing?
Read on for my response and please leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your third!
The Charlie question is tough, isn’t it? I’m guessing you wouldn’t want to choose something like Charleston, so I agree – Charlie is probably off the list. Wallace and Oliver and Alexander, too.
But I think you’re on the right track. We’re looking for a traditional boy name, with or without a cuddly nickname option.
A BROTHER FOR THEO & AUGUST
BENJAMIN, called BENJI
I hear your concerns about popularity … and yet, Theo/Theodore ranks pretty highly. And August isn’t exactly rare, either. And so I’m suggesting Benjamin, even though it’s #7 in the US right now. Ben is a rock solid, reliable kind of name, so maybe it’s not terribly exciting. But Benji? Sky high on the cozy-cool charts.
CLARK
Are you open to nickname-proof names? Because Clark has lots of potential with your boys’ names.
EDWIN, called NED
Probably I should’ve suggesting Edward, with Eddie and Ned as sweet nickname options, either at-home or in the world. But Edwin, with that dashing second syllable, seems more appealing. And while it’s very rare, it’s certainly the kind of name we all recognize.
FREDERICK, called FREDDIE
Freddie and Frederick are trending in the UK, and American parents often embrace British favorites a few years later. I think this is the perfect overlooked classic.
JONATHAN, called JACK
Jonathan is falling in use in recent years, while Jack is white hot. The combination might balance everything out nicely. Yes, your son will probably know others Jacks his age, a mix of boys named Jackson and Jax and just Jack, too. But Jonathan-called-Jack is a little bit of a twist.
OSCAR, called OZZY
Full disclosure: Mandy Moore just gave this name to her second son, and his big brother is August. So maybe if you’re big This Is Us fans it would feel a little too fangirl. But Oscar just makes the perfect brother name for August and Theodore, so no surprise it’s heard out there.
RAYMOND, called RAY
Before a traditional name can be cool, it has to feel, well, un-cool. Raymond has definitely been stuck in style limbo for a while. But Ray never really lost its appeal. And now Raymond – which really was a medieval knight kind of name originally – could be ready for revival.
XAVIER, called XAVE
Any name with an X and a V is effortlessly appealing. Xavier is still plenty traditional, though, a fun name to say with history to back it up.
Overall, I keep coming back to Xavier. Theo, August, and Xavier; Theo, Auggie, and Xave. I think you’d find it more like August, where you use his name in full. But it can be easily shortened at home, if you like.
These are my suggestions…
Theo, Auggie and Jasper I particularly like the Ah sound at the end with the other two names
Theo, Auggie and Felix “x factor name”
Theo, Auggie and Harvey similar sound to Charlie but different
Theo, Auggie and Jonah another ‘ah’ ending name, but you could also use Jonas
Theo, Auggie and Luca love that’s it’s strong sounds so the name sounds like it’s own not an afterthought name
Theo, Auggie and Otis something a bit different but seems to fit well.
My slightly different less mainstream idea.
You like Alexander and Oliver … But what about a name that combined both of those great names into one? Something a bit different but still easy to understand? With a Germanic feel. Plus a spectacular link the Harry Potter too.
Ollivander
Ollivander so many Nick name options Olli, Van, Vander
Theo, Auggie and Olli
Theo, Auggie and Vander
We have four boys: Elliott, Oscar, Theo(dore), and Rhys. August and Augustus were string contenders when we had Elliott. Then my best friend had a son and named him August, so ruled it out for us. So of course I think that Elliott and Oscar would make a great sibling for Theo and August. Rhys too for that matter.
I also like Fredrick (Freddie), Calvin (Cal), and Maxwell (Max) that have been suggested.
I’ll also suggest:
Franklin (Frankie)
Harold (Harry)
Wesley (Wes)
Isaac (Ike)
Congrats! And good luck!
I have friends who have a Theo and Auggie and just had their third boy a couple months ago and named him Oliver/Ollie.
Congratulations on your 3rd! Maybe I’m in the minority here, but I actually really like the idea of “Jonathan” nicknamed, “Jack”! It’s a traditional name in decline for popularity but has a lot of substance like “Theodore” and “August”. I’d vote for Theodore, August, and Jonathan. Oh, if there’s a fourth who will be a daughter, Susanna fits wonderfully too.
Anyhow, enjoy the journey leading up to the welcoming party! You’ve more options than you think. x
My vote is for Theo, Auggie and Oscar/Ozzy or Theo, Auggie and Edward/Ned! A lot of amazing choices though! My other thought if you aren’t tied to a nickname is Owen. Theo, August & Owen sounds really perfect to my ear!
What about Russell? Theo, Auggie/August and Rus.
Or Cyrus? Theo, Auggie/August and Cy
Beckett? Theo, Auggie/August and Beck
Julian nn Jules
Sebastian nn Bash
Surprised no one has mentioned Maxwell nn Max!
Theodore, August and Maxwell
Theo, Auggie & Max.
Or Christopher nn Kit: Augg!e, The0, & Kit.
Theodore and August are my two favorite boy names – if my daughter had been a boy it was going to be a toss up between Theodore August and August Theodore (and hope the next would be a girl!)
My next favorites are Evander (nn Ev, Evan, or Van), Frederick (nn Freddie, as long as Theodore did not go by Teddy), Walter (I do like nn Wally, but Walt could also be cute).
Others I considered were Alfred (nn Freddie), and Albert (nn Bertie).
I also like Benjamin (nn Benny), David (Davey), and Jonathan (Jonny), but, if you are like me, those will all have been just a little too popular over the years. Still, if my husband liked them, I could have been won over by them.
I ruled out Cecil due to lack of nicknames, and Angus and Magnus (Gus!) as being too close to August, but mileage will vary on what is too close and how important nicknames are.