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!
Sarah writes:
Help! We’re due in two weeks with our second child. It took us until the very last minute to agree on our daughter’s name, Rosalie June. We love it now, but it was very stressful, knowing we had to make a choice so we could go home.
It feels like this time could be the same thing all over again. We’ve narrowed down our list to three names: Ezra, Archer, or Ellis.
Here are our criteria:
- Not common (this is harder because it feels like everyone we know is having babies!)
- Sounds good with our last name (sounds like Murr-old, so we kind of wanted a longer first name, like Rosalie, but we ended up not liking any in the end)
- Definitely a “boy” name (maybe this is old-fashioned?)
For a middle name, Rosalie was at first going to be Mae … but she was born on June 1st! So that was a last minute change that we really liked. Not sure what we’re thinking for this baby so middle name ideas would be great, too – just want something that sounds good when we say his full name together.
The only name we’ve ruled out is Reed, because I don’t like the way Reed Murr-old sounds.
We could definitely use some fresh perspective! Thank you in advance!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your second!
When I read your criteria, I had an immediate favorite, but let’s work through each name individually.
ARCHER
- While names like Carter, Cooper, and Asher sit near the top of the popularity charts, Archer is a little less common – at least for now. As of 2022, it ranks #126.
- Archer does not appear in the girls’ Top 1000. While nearly any surname is used for the opposite gender occasionally, fewer than three dozen girls were named Archer in 2022, versus nearly 3,000 boys.
- The go-to nickname, Archie, ranks #377. Again, it’s virtually unused for girls.
- On balance, Archer is almost exclusively masculine and familiar without being too common.
ELLIS
- In terms of popularity, Ellis is the rarest, at least on paper. It ranks #307.
- For girls, Ellis ranks #698.
- This name might feel even more unisex because it’s easily misheard as Alice, a classic girls’ name currently ranked in the US Top 100.
EZRA
- Ezra is the most common of the three, coming in at #25. In addition, Ezrah ranks #941 for boys.
- The name also charts on the girls’ list, at #648.
- Overall, this name is very popular and also increasingly unisex.
I think they all sound equally appealing with your surname, so in terms of rankings, I’d put them in this order:
THIRD: EZRA
If you don’t know a little Ezra by now, you soon will – and there’s a decent chance that Ezra will be a she.
SECOND: ELLIS
Perfect in terms of popularity, but not strongly masculine.
FIRST: ARCHER
Still outside of the Top 100 in the US, and exclusively used for boys.
As for middle names, Archer Ellis or Archer Ezra sound like possibilities, but I wonder if you’d like something for his late summer birthday? Let’s brainstorm a few ideas.
- Summery names: Archer Kai, Archer Leo.
- Classic favorites: Archer James, Archer Henry.
- Another current name, but with a different sound and possibly an extra syllable: Archer Lennox, Archer Ezekiel, Archer Sebastian, Archer Everett, Archer Brooks.
My favorite is Archer Kai. I love it as a brother name for Rosalie June. Rosie and Archie are darling if you’re inclined to embrace old-fashioned nickname names. And I think it perfectly meets your criteria.
Another vote for Archer.
Like Alison’s suggestion of Archer August.
Although not if you have have a third born in September….
My favorite is Archer, but I think three syllables in a row ending in -r is slightly tongue-twisting: Ar-cher-murr. Most of the time people won’t be using his middle name.
Do you like Alonzo, by any chance? It’s unusual, and shares attributes of both Archer (begins with A) and Ezra (contains a Z). And it’s a longer name, like you were hoping for.
Archer! I agree it is the one that fits the criteria best and sounds great with Rosalie. Archer James all the way!
Another vote for Archer!
Archer Luke
Archer Gus (if he was born in August)
Archer Gold (for gold leaves)
Archer David
Archer Emmett
Archer Lee
Archer Hugh
Archer Zane
Archer Finnian
Of your three favorite names, I would definitely go with Archer. And I like the suggestion of James –a strong, solid name that is very compatible with his sister’s middle name (both one syllable names beginning with J) — for his middle name.
Rosalie June
Archer James
Considering that the historical saint Sebastian was shot with arrows and is the patron of archers, I’d aim to skip that combo. Seems a little too on-point and almost a pun.
WHOA! I really should’ve thought about that … good point!
I like Archer best for all the reasons Abby listed. I do like Ezra, but it immediately strikes me as trendier than you’re looking for, and Ellis seems too unisex.
I like the idea of tying in their middle names together, but maybe not with a month or season. Maybe something nature related? A favorite flower/tree/bird/constellation?
Wren, Orion, Robin, etc.
Unfortunately we knew an Ellis and it was always misheard as Alice. I love it on paper, but that would be a big hesitation for me. I know you’re not looking to add to your list, but would tweaking it to Elias help? It also gives an extra syllable, so while visually short, it has the longer sound of Rosalie. Rosalie and Elias? Elias definitely reads masculine to me. Or Elliott, I love this too.
Thinking of middle names … any chance he could be born in October? Toby could be a fun middle name … or stretched to Tobias. Or Robert? Most of the letters are there!
Along these lines, what names could I make for September? Peter is all there and makes a great middle name. Stephen is mostly there. September … Septimus … Tim … Timothy? Probably all too much of a stretch but I’m having fun. And regardless, Timothy actually does sound fun with all your choices.
So to not actually answer your question (but hopefully not confuse the issue) … I love Elias for you.
Elias Robert
Elias Toby
(even Elias Tobias!)
Elias Peter
Elias Stephen
Elias Timothy
All the best!
I also believe Archer is the only one to satisfy your criteria. I like Archer Cael or Archer Zane – something one syllable to go with Rosalie June.
If you could stretch Ellis to Ellison (although that would also sound like Allison) and call him Sonny, that would be pretty fun.
I agree with Abby that Archer is the way to go. I think it sounds great with Rosalie.
The only Ellis I know is a girl, so while I can picture it on a boy, it feels much more strongly feminine to me. I didn’t realise Ezra is so common! It could still work if you love it, but I like the more distinct sounds of Rosalie and Archer – Rosalie and Ezra shares that “z” sound.
As Archer feels a bit more modern, I’d probably choose a more classic name for a middle. Archer Thomas? Archer Joseph? Archer Gregory?
My vote is Archer Ezra! Or Archer August!