Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. 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! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.
FINDING A WESTERN NAME FOR BABY THREE
Jenna writes:
We named our son Garrett Maverick for my husband’s grandpa Gary. Our other favorite name was Wyatt, but we felt like there were already a couple of Wyatts that we knew. Because Garrett was for Gary, we picked Maverick because we liked it.
Lainey’s name is the opposite. We got it from Lainey Wilson (from when she was on Yellowstone, like everybody else, lol) and her middle name, Margaret, is from my grandma Peggy.
We’re having a delivery surprise in June and so far we have a list, but no favorites.
Our last name is pronounced like Sears, so we can’t use Brooks, Hayes, or Briggs, all names we like.
I would call our style sort of Western and outdoorsy but not really extreme. We live in Colorado and we know kids with names like Canyon and Axton and that’s not us.
Our boy list so far is:
- Bode – love this name, husband isn’t sure, spelling seems like a problem
- Colton/Colson – was on our list for Garrett, I think we’re mostly over it,
- Jackson – really like this name, but feel like we hear it a lot, but it would be an honor name because his mom is Jackie/Jacqueline so like it for that reason
- Miller – husband loves it, I don’t like the beer association
- Wilder – I think we both like it, sort of seemed like too much at first, but maybe not?
Our girl list is:
- Annabelle – really love this name, but my husband isn’t crazy about it. We do have several Anne/Annas in our family, so maybe for a middle?
- Halle/Hallie – newer name on my list, but I think I really like it, not sure about spelling, is it too much like Lainey’s name?
- Jeanne – from my other grandma, I was supposed to be named after her, but they changed it to Jenna at the last minute, maybe a middle name
- Rayna – I’ve always liked this name, not sure it feels right for us, maybe too much like Lainey’s name
- River – my husband likes this for a girl only, I think it’s more of a boy name
- Robin/Robyn – another name I’ve always liked
- Sadie – but this was our runner-up name for Lainey so it already feels second best, and also I really don’t like it with our last name, but still my husband’s favorite
- Vienna – I love this name, husband is a no
We do probably want more kids after this, maybe, so if we ended up with a few more names we liked, that would be amazing!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
WELCOMING A SIBLING FOR GARRET AND LAINEY
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your third!
A few things jump out at me:
- You and your husband seem to have a good balance of subtle family names/honor names with choices you both like. That’s always a compromise, but it sounds like you’re on the same page, which is a great place to start!
- Avoiding sibling names that sound too similar is a good idea. In fairness, my kids’ names sound nothing alike and I’ve still looked directly at my daughter … and called her by the dog’s name. I can only imagine parents of James and Janie set themselves up for even more of this.
- Lastly, but most important: a popular name you love and choose for a sentimental meaning will always top a slightly less common name you choose just because. Jackson is very well-used, yes. But it’s also a family name in the key of Garrett, and that makes it special for you. My sense is that parents rarely regret a choice like this, because their reasons for choosing the name outweigh other considerations.
I do think there are some real contenders on your lists, but let’s talk about fresh ideas first.
A BROTHER FOR LAINEY AND GARRETT
BEAU
Could paring Bode back to Beau make it a little more your style? I think of it as very Western.
CALLAN
Possibly an update to Colton and Colson. Cal is a great short form.
CREW
A modern favorite that feels polished, but with an edge.
FLYNN
A surname name like Maverick or Lane, with a slightly different sound.
HEATH
The name heath rose to prominence on a television Western called The Big Valley in the 1960s.
OWEN
The long O of Bode and Colton is shared by the slightly more traditional Owen.
ROMAN
Like Owen, Roman shares plenty of sounds with the names on your list. And while it’s a nod to the Eternal City, I think it’s also a strong, independent choice in the key of your older kids’ names.
WESTON
Effortlessly Western – after all, it’s right in the name – but also nicely mainstream, just like Lainey and Garrett.
A SISTER FOR LAINEY AND GARRETT
AVALON
The V of Vienna, longer like Annabelle, with a distinctive sound.
CASSIDY
If there’s such a thing as classic new Western, then Cassidy is it.
JUNIPER
A nature name with energy to spare and sweet nickname Junie.
MILLIE
Inspired by Miller, Halle, and Sadie, a sweet, sparky, retro choice without even a hint of hops.
QUINN
I think Quinn is nicely versatile as a girl’s name, at home with Lainey and Wyatt.
RORY
Or even Aurora called Rory? Like Lainey, Hallie, and Sadie, it ends with the ‘ee’ sound, but it’s a unisex pick in the key of Robin and River.
SCOTTIE
Another Sadie substitute.
WILLA
Willa Jeanne could be a perfect double name.
Overall, my top pick for a son is Jackson from your list and Weston from mine. Jackson Wilder or Weston River, maybe? Though Weston doesn’t have an obvious family name component, so that’s maybe not perfect.
For a daughter, I wonder if Scottie Annabelle checks every box? Though Willa Jeanne might be my top pick.
Cody Jackson might be perfect for a boy, if you like Bode and Colton. Or maybe Logan, Chase.
Tara Jeanne for a girl! Or – Casey, Sydney, Renee, Bella?
I love Abby’s suggestion of Millie to fill the Sadie/Miller gap. I agree Sadie and Lainey are too close and Miller “Sears” does sound like a corporate M&A. Millie Jeanne has the perfect bounce to it! And it continues the M initial without committing to all M middle names. Garrett Maverick, Lainey Margaret and Millie Jeanne.
With Jeanne and Jacqueline as names to honor, not to forget Jenna(!), how about another J name? Josie maybe? Josie River? Josie Rayna?
For boys, Jackson Wilder is perfection! To me that is the name to beat. I especially love a boy being named for his grandma. So cool!
If you wanted a boy M middle option, how about McKinley? Another presidential option I know, but there is a bonus Mack nn there too! Perhaps Weston/Waylon McKinley. Garrett Maverick, Lainey Margaret and Weston McKinley.
For Bode, that spelling could be read to sound like code. I have seen Bodhi, Bodie, Beaudie all on young kids. Does Boden get you the Bode spelling as a nickname? Boden Jack. Boden McKinley.
Best of luck!
From your existing list, I love Jackson Wilder for a boy and Robin Jeanne for a girl. (I think if you don’t have a strong reason for choosing a variant spelling like Robyn, it makes sense to use the most common spelling, which is Robin.)
Abby has some great suggestions, too! I especially like Callan and Owen for a son and Cassidy, Juniper, Rory, and Willa for a daughter.
I would avoid Miller, Weston, and any other name strongly associated with a brand. The combination with your last name might sound like a corporate merger.
On a similar note, Vienna “Sears” or Roman “Sears” sounds like a department store located in one of those places.
Here are some additional ideas for a boy:
Boden
Bowen
Caleb
Loden
Logan
Tanner
Walker
Wylie
And for a girl:
Addison
Caroline
Ella
Hazel
Mabel
Nora
Nova
Rebecca
Susanna
Tessa
Best of luck making your choice! Hope you’ll write back with an update.
You like Bode and Abby suggested Owen, so I came here to suggest Bowen. I love it with Garrett and Lainey, and it definitely strikes me as a Western surname.
Seconding Willa Jeanne & Jackson Wilder!