What Goes Best With Juniper: Theo, Bodie, or Riggs?

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! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

A BROTHER FOR JUNIPER “JUNIE” BELLE

Leisha writes:

We are a few weeks away from having our son in our arms and about a zillion miles away from him having a name.

Our daughter is Juniper Belle. What we love about her name: it’s sweet and spunky. We call her Junie and Jujubee, but no one has a problem with Juniper. Where we live, it’s not a super-uncommon name, but it’s not like we named her Emma, either.

We have come up with three boys’ names that we (mostly) agree on, but now we can’t choose one. (Or two, because we don’t really have a middle name in mind, either.)

The names are:

• THEO, not Theodore – I like Theodore but my husband thinks it’s way too nerdy. He will not hear my arguments about Theodore being so popular. He says it’s a chipmunk name. I wish it was less popular, but at this point, I feel like I’m willing to overlook that.
• BODIE, not Bodhi – My husband loves the name Bodhi. He thinks it’s an athletic, X Games kind of name. I get it, but we’re not spiritual at all, so Bodhi feels like a problem to me. Neither of us hates the spelling Bodie, so I guess that’s where we are right now. (For a fraction of second, we almost agreed on the spelling Body until we realized that it was our worst idea yet. Is Bodey any better?!)
• RIGGS – I want to love this name. I do really like the way it sounds with our last name. But is it really a name? When I say it together it sounds like a business, not a baby.

Our last name is Hatten-with-a-P.

We have been stuck on these three names for weeks now. Are we missing an obvious choice? Or is one of these the right name and I just can’t see it?

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

MAYBE THE RIGHT NAME IS SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new son!

Often when I read a couple’s short list, I think “oh yes, that’s the perfect name, let me see if I can build their confidence in that choice” or maybe “they have such good choices here, what can I possibly add?”

This is the third case, though. I think you’re not finding The Name because you’re circling a series of names that are close, but not quite right.

I feel a little sheepish saying that after you’ve put in The Work to come up with your list. But it’s pretty clear there’s something less-than-ideal about every one of your three final choices.

So let’s see if we can come up with choices that are very similar, but just slightly different, in hopes that a tweak to one of your favorites might make all the difference in naming a brother for Juniper.

NAMES INSPIRED BY THEO, BODIE, AND RIGGS

ARLO, MILO

Theo is great, and I don’t think you’d regret it. But yes – with Theo in the US Top 100 and Theodore in the Top Ten, there are an awful lot of little Theos. Would another O-ending name appeal? I am not familiar with any chipmunks called either Arlo or Milo. Though The Good Dinosaur involved an apatosaurus named Arlo. Still, I feel like either would make a great brother for Juniper.

BODEN, OWEN

Inspired by Bodie/Bodhi. I completely hear you about Bodhi. Yes, it’s a very X Games kind of name. (Well, it was Patrick Swayze’s character in Point Break back in the day, which I think explains the initial rise in popularity.) But it’s powerfully spiritual, and if you’re not? I think that might be awkward. Boden, though, sidesteps it. And you could still call him Bodie. Owen goes even farther into mainstream names choices. The only downside? I’m not sure about a two-syllable ends-in-N first with a two-syllable-ends-in-N last name.

LUCA, NATE

Your husband mentioned the X Games vibe. I get it, but it’s hard to put into words – and even harder to come up with a name list. After all, X Games competitors come from all over the world. But looking at lists of athletes, I wonder if he means something short, with a mix of strong vowel sounds and consonants? Luca and Nate appeared on multiple rosters, and so I wonder if one of these names would appeal?

Luca is, of course, very popular now, but it’s still fresh, at least to a generation that grew up hearing Luke. And Nate is a common short form of Nathaniel and Nathan, both popular and traditional names. But just Nate is pretty rare.

RHODES, ROWAN

Inspired by Riggs. Actually, at this point on the list, Rhodes is more of a Bodhi-Riggs blend. And Rowan comes from Riggs and Boden.

Overall, I feel like Rhodes is a slightly softer alternative to Riggs, with a vowel sound borrowed from Bodhi. Rhodes Theodore, maybe? Then again, Rhodes Hatten-with-a-P does sound a little bit like a law firm. But I’m also drawn to the energy of a name like Luca. Luca Riggs would get my vote.

Readers, over to you! What would you name a brother for Juniper Belle? Would you prefer Theo, Bodie, Riggs, or something else?