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!
Kellie writes:
With our first baby, it took us all 39 weeks and 4 days to choose a name. We finally settled on Matthew Roger, after becoming those crazy people who were letting friends, family, and even the nursing staff vote.
Roger is my dad’s name. Matthew we just liked. We sometimes call him Matty/Matt at home, but we introduce him as Matthew.
Other names we both (mostly) agreed on for him were Joshua, Adam, Andrew, Nicholas, Caleb, and Cameron.
We had a much longer girls’ list: Brooke, Shelby, Paige, Kennedy, Sienna, Natalie, Elizabeth, Hannah, Addison, Zoey, Willow, Violet, Melody, Cara, Ava, Isabelle, Molly. There are a few more than we added/crossed off, but these are the ones that made it to the final cut of the list I’ve had on my phone for the last couple of years.
If it’s a boy, his middle name will be Marshall (for my husband’s dad) and if it’s a girl, her middle name will be Michelle (for my mom).
We’re due in December, and it would be great to choose her name before we’re those people again!! We just want a good name for our baby that he or she will grow into. Our last name is very common, starts with a W and ends with SON.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your second!
We often assume it’s hardest to choose names when we have lots of criteria. And yes, if you wanted a family-inspired name that starts with a G and isn’t in the current US Top 1000 and only has one obvious spelling and has a really good meaning, well … that’s a riddle to solve.
But when our goal is more straightforward, it can actually get harder, not easier. Because lots of names satisfy your criteria: a good name that will serve your child well. I could list dozens of names that fit that criteria. And then I could triple that list.
Instead, let’s try to focus what you’re looking for a little more. Based on your son’s name, I’m going to suggest your new child’s name should be:
- A traditional favorite – A name everyone will immediately recognize, ranked in/near the US Top 100 over the last twenty years. Timeless but current, too.
- Not easily nicknamed – While many names can be shortened, since you’ve opted for Matthew rather than Matt or Matty, I think we should focus on names that share that quality.
- Compatible with your chosen middles – Matthew Roger W-son is great – a rock solid choice. A great many names will work with Marshall and Michelle, too. But it might help drop a few options to keep this criteria in mind.
- Not duplicate sounds from Matthew’s name – Whether or not to repeat initials is very much personal preference, but since your middle names both begin with M, I wonder if we shouldn’t just drop any M names?
With those criteria in mind, let’s look at your lists again.
BOY NAMES: CURRENT LIST
- I’d drop Andrew, because the ending is so similar to Matthew’s name; Nicholas, because it’s so easily/automatically nicknamed; and Joshua, for the same reason.
- That leaves Adam, Caleb, and Cameron.
- I’d put Adam as my favorite of those three, mostly because it has the same timeless quality. Caleb and Cameron feel traditional, too, but maybe not in the same as Adam.
GIRL NAMES: CURRENT LIST
- I’d drop Melody and Molly because of the initial M issue; Brooke, Paige, Shelby, Sienna, Kennedy, Addison, Zoey, Willow, Melody, Cara, and Ava because I think they’re all a little more trending than traditional; and Elizabeth, because it’s so automatically shortened.
- That leaves Hannah, Isabelle, and Natalie.
- Of those, I like Natalie the best. It has a very long history of use and feels equally timeless. Natalie can be the grandmother, the mom, the baby … it’s a generation-spanning name and an obvious sister for Matthew.
Maybe you want to agree with me and say, oh yes: Adam Marshall or Natalie Michelle, we’re all set!
But it’s always good to come up with just a few more suggestions, just in case …
FRESH SUGGESTIONS: BOYS
ANTHONY
Like Matthew, there’s no need to shorten Anthony. And it’s quite dashing in full.
JONATHAN
The first name that came to mind. Like Matthew, it’s a generation-spanning choice.
NATHAN
If you love Natalie, would Nathan appeal?
RYAN
While Ryan peaked in the 1980s, it’s since mellowed to a very traditional choice for a boy, ranked in the US Top 100 since 1971.
FRESH SUGGESTIONS: GIRLS
CAROLINE
A possible compromise between Cara and Elizabeth/Isabelle.
GRACE
As brief and crisp as Brooke or Paige, but with a little more of a timeless vibe.
LUCY
As sweet as Molly, but without the repeating M challenge.
SARAH
Inspired by Cara, Ava, Hannah, and Sienna. It’s an enduring name that feels fresh, even surprising, on a child born today.
From my list, the two that jump out are Jonathan and Caroline. They’re timeless, traditional, still very much in use and yet sogmehow they feel like names we don’t hear that often.
I kind of love Caleb Marshall W-son
I do see a future where he is called Cal, which sounds like he is destined for varsity… Cal W-son. Matt and Cal. Matthew and Caleb…. I think it is pretty perfect.
Zoey W-son as a lot of great energy and is cute without being diminutive. I love it! Zoey Michelle… Matt and Zoey. Matthew and Zoey.
From Abby’s list Jonathan and Nathan sound great. Although the double n with the last name is something to think about…For girls Grace and Lucy are my favorites.
One last option may be Zara or Tara for girls.. similar to Cara, but with perhaps more recognition. Tara W-son is a solid, familiar name with a lot of back bone… a modern day Elizabeth (just ask Princess Anne!).
But my money goes on Caleb or Zoey.
Congratulations on your newest family member!
I LOVE the name Natalie, but I did pause briefly to consider that there’s always the possibility she could be called Nat or Natty. Would you be ok with a Matt and a Nat/Matty and Natty?
Lots of great choices here. For a girl, I love Natalie Michelle, Hannah Michelle, Lucy Michelle, and Sienna Michelle. Sienna is a bit outside my usual style, but with your surname I find the flow of the full name lovely and distinctive. For a boy, with the middle name and surname, I like Caleb best from your list and I would suggest Nathaniel, Zachary, and David as well.
I will add Stephen for the boys name. Maybe Phillip?
Julian?
I like Andrew & Cameron from the list.
For girls. I love Elizabeth. I know two girls across generations that go by Elizabeth.
Love Bettie and Mattie for at home nicknames.
I like the suggestion of Caroline
Savannah would also be super cute.
I also really like Elizabeth. You might also consider Catherine/Katharine/Katherine/Kathryn or a variant if you like some of the classics.
I can see you seem to prefer a name that could be equally good for a baby in 2023 and for that baby’s parents.
So my ideas are:
Emily
Lucy
Grace
Ethan
George
Samuel
Do you want two Biblical names? I’ve known a lot of Matthews, all of whom are called Matt. The one in my class had a brother named Adam and a sister named Sarah. However, these are classic names and it would be hard to guess their age. Sarah Michelle automatically makes me think Sarah Michelle Gellar, but that might not be the case with people you know. I also like Andrew, Caleb, Joshua and Hannah, if you do like Biblical name combos. If not, Natalie is also very nice, as is Nicholas. I know a fair number of Matts with brothers named Nick. I also like Molly, Willow, Violet, or Isabelle.
I actually really like the connection of Matthew & Andrew! Matty & Drew. (Sorry, Abby, I don’t know where you’re getting the not-as-easy-to-nickname part, as Matthews are generally called Matt, and in their situation they’re choosing to call him Matt / Matty.) To me an Andrew called Andy / Drew is a good match. So is Joshua / Josh.
For the middle name, can you prioritize your mom or his mom first? His dad is covered with the surname, your dad is covered with Matthew’s middle. Maybe it’s time to honour the maternal lines? Mitch / Michael for Michelle. Andrew Mitch Wilson sounds pretty great.
For girls I like Cara (I haven’t met one under 30) and Isabelle. Matty & Belle are a super cute pair. Violet if you’re feeling like a nod to Downtown Abbey (the mother/son pair.)
Riffing off your lists, do any of these appeal?
Tobias
Rueben
Isaac
Conrad
Graham
Simon
Hazel
Rose
Ivy
Alice
Zara
Eva
Annabel
Love Abby’s suggestions of Nathan and Lucy.
Matthew Roger is such a strong, solid choice.
I like Caleb Marshall for a boy. Caleb complements Matthew well while not sharing any similar sounds.
I like Natalie from your girls’ list, but you could end up with Matt and Nat.
Hannah is a great choice that goes so well with Matthew. Hannah Michelle sounds lovely!
I fully agree with Abby’s take on the boy names—I’d be choosing between Adam, Cameron (who could end up “Cam”), and Caleb.
For a girl, I’m not sure I’d make the same call. I’d probably cut Willow for the alliteration with her last game and Addison for the repeated -son endings. But after that I’d be trying to narrow down to your top 3-5 first. Maybe cut M names so not to repeat sibling initials? Maybe cut Elizabeth and Isabelle if you don’t like nicknames? Maybe Cara got possibly pronunciation challenges (is it Care-a or Car-a)? If you’re asking for favorites, I like Zoey, Ava, Hannah, and Natalie.