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!
Clara writes:
I am writing to ask for help for a scenario I did not envision happening – naming our (surprise) fourth baby. We recently found out baby is a boy, which was a second surprise as I was convinced it was a girl. We had a girls name ready to go, but are struggling to find a boys name.
We currently have two boys and a girl: Asa, Emmeline (who always goes by Emmie) and Baker. Combined with my husband and my names, our initials represent ABCDE. Our last name rhymes with Thomas.
The alphabet initials were not intentional- in fact we didn’t quite realize it until after Baker was born. Now, it feels like a missed opportunity not to find an F name for this boy.
We like Forest, except that it is a bit of a tongue twister with our last name (Forest Thomas gives you the idea of the sounds). The bonus is that we have been calling the baby Four as a nickname and could continue that. I just can’t quite get over the rhyming aspect.
We aren’t wild about other F names, but have considered Fox as a middle name (our oldest child’s middle name is Bear).
So – should we throw out the pattern and go back to the drawing board to find another name? Would Forest actually work? Is there a mystery third option I can’t see?
Looking forward to hearing your advice and also hearing from your awesome readers!
Please read on for my reply and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new son!
Let’s think this through:
- First off, I so agree with you! Finding a name that starts with F feels like solving a puzzle, and completing your family in a subtle, but clever, manner.
- It also automatically narrows your list from Every Name Ever to just a few dozen possibilities, which can be helpful.
- Except I also agree that Forest sounds-like-Thomas isn’t ideal. Parents use flawed first-last combinations ALL THE TIME. So you absolutely can make this choice. But will it bother you? I suspect the answer is yes, or you wouldn’t have written.
For the moment, let’s assume that Forest is off the table.
Let’s consider other options.
ANOTHER NAME BEGINNING WITH F
FOX – I’m guessing you’re not wild about using Fox as a first name. I do think the strong association with the cable news network could make this a polarizing name, and yet … Fox Mulder is probably most parents’ first thought with the given name. Besides, it’s the age of Bear and Wren. In the past twenty years, Fox has more than quintupled in use. It sounds good with your last name, too, so I think it deserves consideration.
FRANKLIN – This name sounds smart and principled, friendly and accessible, thanks to some combination of Benjamin Franklin and Franklin Turtle. It’s got a great vintage vibe, too.
FRASIER – Forest had me thinking about trees, and Frasier firs immediately come to mind. This Scottish surname is also spelled Frazier and Fraser, which gives you a few options – and possibly complicates your son’s name ever so slightly.
FINNIAN – I’m guessing you’ve ruled out Finn names, but would Finnian appeal? It has the longer sound of Julian and Adrian. Also, I love it for you because fin means end in French, from the Latin finis – conclusion. (Think of our word finish.)
FORESTER, FORRESTER – What would you think of adding an extra syllable to your son’s name? He could still be Forest for everyday use, but for those first-last name occasions – kindergarten graduation, third grade award ceremony – he’d be Forrester Thomas, which sidesteps all of the awkward repeating sounds.
FOSTER – Another surname name option.
NAMES THAT MEAN FOUR
FORD – Okay, it’s an F name. But it’s in this section because it also sounds quite a bit like Four. And it works with your surname. Asa, Emmie, Baker, Ford … it fits.
DREW – This is a stretch, but the sound Drew is right there in “quadruple.”
NAMES THAT BEGIN WITH Z
ZANE – Since your firstborn’s name begins with an A, another option might be to choose a Z name for your last child. Zane seems like a possibility.
ZEKE – Or maybe Zeke? It’s often short for Ezekiel,
BUT IF NONE OF THESE SEEM QUITE RIGHT …
It’s worth considering that the pattern is so subtle that it took three kids until you’d noticed it!
Most people will never pick up on – after all, someone has to know the names of every member of your family to even have a chance to notice. So often, we forget the name of a casual friend’s husband – maybe we’ve only met him once. Or you know your daughter’s best friend has an older brother, but you’re not sure of his name.
In other words, if finding an F name just isn’t happening? You can move on, guilt-free, and know that your son won’t feel left out.
But I feel like Ford and Finnian deserve a closer look, because they’re F names with a meaning that nods to this child’s place in your family.
My favorite pick of all might be Forester/Forrester. Like Emmeline, he doesn’t have to use his full name. But it’s there for those moments that require it.
This might be a bit of a stretch, but you could use a name that starts with “Iv” – to signify IV, the Roman numeral for 4. Ivor or Ivan? Sullivan has it hidden and I think it’s a great choice with your other kids’ names.
Since you like Forest, you might consider Silvan (meaning “of the forest”, and it has a hidden i and v). Silas is a related name which also gives you the “forest” meaning, as well as a similar style to Asa and Baker.
I actually love a lot of F names for boys. Some that have already been mentioned, like Forrest, Fletcher, Fraser, Felix … so many great choices! Another that I love is Fergus, which may not work with your surname – but Ferguson would be great, and it complements your other kids, too. You then have the nn option of Gus for a double alphabet bonus – F & G in one name.
Some great suggestions here!
Felix was my first thought as well, though I’m guessing it’s on your ‘not wild about’ list. But since you have considered Fox as a middle name, I thought it worth mentioning that I’ve heard Fox used as a nickname for Felix. I think it works really well.
I’m loving Flynn, Fritz, or Frederick (nn Freddie) with your last name and sibling names.
If surname rhymes with Thomas, I myself would skip Clarence as a first name. (If original poster is not in the U.S., this is obviously less of an issue.)
I like the suggestions of Flint, Ford.
I also really like Frank.
An F name is cute, but you can also use a c name. This, way, your 1st boy is A, your 2nd boy is B and your 3rd boy is C.
Carter
Callum
Colter
Cody
And if you really want an F name:
Felix
Fisher
Fletcher
Floyd
Frederick
Fraser
Fitz
I’m with you – an F seems so tempting and satisfying! A way of making sense of the unexpected too 😉
With your set, especially the boy names, I don’t see Four as an outlier. It’s hard to know the exact surname, but if it works, I’d totally go for it! Give him a ‘conservative’ backup name in the middle and be done.
I’m sure you’ve scoured the F names but I love the sound of these with the set and the surname:
Finch
Fitz
Floyd
Fielding
Flint and Felix are super cool too, as suggested! And all of Abby’s suggestions!
I’d suggest not repeating any endings as a way to narrow: no -a, -y, and -er (Fisher is cool but a Baker and Fisher might be too much 😉
My first thoughts were Frederick or Franklin. I love Franklin, but I’m a fan of the turtle. Otherwise, how about Falcon? Felix?
Usually I’d be like, “yeah go ahead and name him Four, that’s so cool!”, but I think it might not work with the family name. I’m not sure I’m quite following what your “sounds like Thomas” last name is, but if it does start with a T, then I wouldn’t do Four because “Four Thomas” turns into “Fort Thomas” when I try to say it.
From Abby’s suggestions, I like Franklin best. Other F names that I think are worth considering:
Francis
Felix
Fisher
If I throw out the idea that it should start with F and just think of names that fit with your other kids, I have:
Clarence
Gilbert
Harrison
Joseph
I worked with a guy named Flint. It’s a name with a longer history than you might guess. The one I know is in his thirties and I’ve heard of it for older men as well.
Filip is a Scandinavian spelling of Philip. Feodor is Russian for Theodore. Fjord might be an interesting name as well, pronounced with the y sound. Also Francis, Finnegan, Flynn, or Fitzpatrick or Fitzhugh or Fitzhenry or just Fitz or Fritz, short for Frederick.