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.
NAMING A THIRD SON
Kelly writes:
We are expecting baby boy number three, and as always I’m struggling to narrow down the list – flip flopping between names almost daily. We have two older boys named Everett Jude and Arthur Abel.
We originally wanted to do a name theme where all our children have a name that has an animal meaning, but I’m no longer attached to that idea. I would like this baby to have his own first initial.
Names that I like but my husband doesn’t care for: Callum & Otto.
Names I think I can talk him into: Barnaby & Theodore.
I am crushing on Barnaby Jack or Barnaby Drake. Is that too out there with my older boys’ names? And What nicknames would be cute for Barnaby? I like Theodore, and love Teddy as the nickname.
Am I missing a name that is more perfect?
Our last name is a single syllable common surname that starts with Sh.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
DOES MATCHING POPULARITY MATTER?
Abby responds:
Congratulations on your third son!
Theodore and Barnaby share the same basic style as Everett and Arthur. They’re polished, a little old-school, with great nickname options.
And yet, they’re also at opposite ends of the popularity spectrum. Theodore ranks in the US Top Ten, while Barnaby has never charted in the US Top 1000.
That said, Barnaby is trending upward in England, and that often signals a future rise in the US.
In comparison, Everett is a current US Top 100 name, while Arthur sits just outside the current Top 100.
In that sense, both names are outliers – but they’re also perfect.
The logical nickname for Barnaby is Barney. What else might work? Bear is the one that comes to mind. The sound is almost there, and Barnaby Bear was a children’s television character in the UK.
Let’s see if we can find some more strong names for Everett and Arthur’s brother that offer a distinct initial, that same old school-modern sound, but fall somewhere between Theodore and Barnaby in terms of popularity.
NAMING EVERETT AND ARTHUR’S BROTHER
CONRAD
This name is trending upward in use, thanks in part to a romantic lead from YA-novels-turned-Netflix hit The Summer I Turned Pretty. But it’s also a strong, classic name with a distinctive sound that fits your criteria nicely.
FRANKLIN
A distinguished surname, but also a sort of cozy, down-to-earth choice, Franklin shares lots of the same qualities as Arthur and Everett, but has a different first initial and ending sound.
FREDERICK
Teddy always makes me think of Freddie. Frederick is every bit as traditional as Theodore, but not nearly as common.
HARVEY
While Barney is stuck in style limbo, Harvey is back. Credit our love of Henry and that great middle V sound.
HUGO
If Otto is a non-starter, might Hugo appeal? It has a warmth to it, and sounds just right with Everett and Arthur.
LOUIS
I considered quite a few S names, as well as names ending in S. But I’m not clear how we’ll they’d work with your one-syllable surname starting with S. Louis, though? Pronounce it like Louie and it almost certainly sounds right with your boys’ names and your last name, too.
RUSSELL
On paper, Russell is a little more modern than Arthur and Everett. It was still very popular through the 1960s. And yet, Russell’s rise started in the early 20th century. It’s the name of one of the families at the center of HBO Max historical drama The Gilded Age. And it has a sort of amber-hued glow about it.
TIMOTHY
This might be the first time I’ve put Timothy on a recommendation list, but I think it reads like a more familiar take on Barnaby – particularly when use in full. It’s a great sound, and works well with Everett and Arthur, too.
I’m not sure any of these top Theodore or Barnaby, but I love the idea of Hugo Barnaby or Conrad Drake as Everett and Arthur’s brother.
A few more ideas for Everett’s & Arthur’s brother:
Gavin “white hawk”
Hart “stag”
Lowell “young wolf”
Conall “strong as a wolf” (sort of like Callum…in a way)
Rollo “wolf”
Ingram “angel-raven” nn could be Ingo (could continue with using a vowel first initial)
Maybe Gavin works best though…
Everett, Arthur & Gavin.
Your boys names are very handsome.
I immediately thought of Roscoe! Everett Jude, Arthur Abel, and Roscoe Luke. Roscoe is strong but feels current, has a new initial and ending, and means deer forest (or the like).
I especially like that your name these are very subtle. I had a bit of a subtle theme with my first two that I couldn’t make work with my third so I put it in the middle name spot. Conrad was a great suggestion from Abby, with your son’s names. Really, there were a bunch of great suggestions there. Conrad Drake, Conrad Leo, Conrad Ari, Conrad Wolfe, Conrad Jonah (dove) etc.
Here are some other ideas…
Channing Luke
(A,C,E, Wolf,Boar,Bear are very cool)
Conan Luke
(A,C,E, Wolf)
Ronan Luke
(Seal)
Phillip Luke
(Lover of horses)
Theodore Drake
(My favorite of your favorites. The Ts stand out to me in your boys names).
Congrats!
Congratulations on baby boy #3!
I think both Barnaby and Theodore could work with Everett Jude and Arthur Abel! My preference is Theodore..I think because of all the rounded letters of Theodore that visually balance the more straight letters of Everett and Arthur. This is getting into it though! I am a visual person and ultimately if you are crushing on Barnaby and your husband loves/likes it too than that’s the name!!
Everett, Arthur and Barnaby!
I do really love the options Abby suggested of Franklin, Frederick and Timothy. I’ll suggest a few others:
I love Otto and know a smart and sporty 10 year old with that name! If it’s the starting O you are drawn to, how about Owen or Oscar?
Everett, Arthur and Owen
Everett, Arthur and Oscar
Other boy names with Os and rounder letters that appeals to Callum, Otto and Theodore: Nolan, Leo, Rudy, George,
Everett, Arthur and Nolan
Everett, Arthur and Leo
Everett, Arthur and Rudy
Everett, Arthur and George
Other names that might work: Rupert, Oliver, Harrison, Cormac
Everett, Arthur and Rupert
Everett, Arthur and Oliver
Everett, Arthur and Harrison
Everett, Arthur and Cormac
In the end I don’t think any of these are better than Barnaby or Theodore! They all could sound nice, but just depends on the one you and your husband fall in love with and imagine calling your baby boy! All the best!
I’d love to see another four letter middle name. Here are ones to consider……
Finn
Milo, Nico
Hugh, Hugo
Arlo
Ezra
Liam
Rhys
Rory
Noah
Otto
Bode, Beau
Carl
Rare
Beck
Drew
Owen
Theo
Mack, Jack, Zack
Lyle
Leon
Otis
Evan, Ivan
Paul
Alec, Alex
Luke, Luca
Knox
Cole
Ford
Reid
Tate
Seth
Bram
Zane
I love the idea of another name related to an animal.
Everett (brave boar), Arthur (bear) and……
Conan, little wolf
Phelan, wolf
Lowell, young wolf
Conall, strong as a wolf
Channing, wolf related
Lyall, wolf
Rudolph, famous wolf
Corbin, crow, raven
Oscar, deer lover
Giles, young goat
Caleb, dog
Brock, badger
Buck, male deer
Leonard, Lionel, brave as a lion
Arnold, strong as an eagle
Phillip, Philip, lover of horses
I think before suggesting nicknames for Barnaby, I’d need to know what you call Everett and Arthur… are they Ev and Thor? Rett and Artie? Those names could go either way. I do agree with Bear for Barnaby. Maybe Barnie is an outdated reference, but it’s still a huge purple dinosaur to me. And a character from How I Met Your Mother lol, which could bring it back for me. Maybe just Barn? B?
I love Abby’s suggestion of Russell. And Orson was on my list below but I see everyone has already thought of it, so maybe that’ll be a winner for you! (I thought of Otis but assuming it’s not great against the surname.)
I totally want to find you a name that starts with a vowel, and maybe even has Rs and Ts…. that would please my pattern-loving brain.
Ignatius (little Iggy!)
Ira
Irving
Ivan
Orion (Ry-guy!)
Oren
Osbourne or Oswald (Ozzy!)
Or some longer / cozy names:
Callahan (Cal or Hank!)
Cormac
Felix
Kerwin
Marshall
Tobias (maybe okay with surname – and Toby!)
I know a Malcolm, nicknamed Mac and his baby brother is Orson, nicknamed Oz. Love both names and nicknames !!
A few more ideas:
To continue w/ the animal theme-
Leon (Lion)
Lionel (little Lion)
Channing (wolf cub)
Everett, Arthur & Leon
Everett, Arthur & Lionel (really like these together!)
Everett, Arthur & Channing
Also … would your husband like Otis? (Variation of Otto)
Everett, Arthur & Otis
And…Phineas seems like it would go well with the others too
Everett, Arthur & Phineas
Really like Barney and also Theodore & Hugo from Abby’s list too. And seconding Orson from another commenter’s list.
Best wishes!!
I meant to write Barnaby above – it autocorrected.
How about Thaddeus or Edmund? You could get Teddy as a nickname from either. Tad or Thad is another option for Thaddeus; Ned or Eddie for Edmund. I also like both Barnaby and Theodore, though there’s a good chance he’ll know a few other Theodores or Theos in his school or on sports teams. I doubt it would ever be a big problem. The plus side is that most people like the name Theodore.
Also Howard (Howie) or Bernard (Bernie).
Congrats on baby #3! Everett and Arthur are so handsome!
Some fresh ideas:
Isaac- I love how it adds another vowel name into the mix plus it has a great meaning: laughter! If you want a nickname you could have Ike, Zac, or even Zeke.
Nathaniel- a lovely underused gem and perfect middle ground between popular Theodore and more offbeat Barnaby. He could easily be shortened to Nate or Nat. Nathaniel also has the same meaning as Theodore: gift.
Malcolm- every bit of polished and handsome as Arthur and Everett and might appeal to you if you like Callum. Mac, Cole, Cal could all work as nicknames.
Orson- another vowel name plus he means Bear. Sonny or Teddy could easily work as nicknames.