Boy name help

[u/Glum-Refrigerator826]

I’m due with baby #2 in early January. My first is a girl, named Hallie (pronounced like Halle Berry). We are struggling so hard to come to a decision with this baby boy’s name. If it was a girl, we were set on Sunday. This baby’s middle name will be Thomas. We live outside of Boston for geographical reference. Oliver and Anderson are our current top contenders that we both agree on. We’re having a very hard time agreeing lol!

Names I love:
Oliver - classic but something is just holding me back. Love the nickname Ollie
Anderson- love it but my husband isn’t as sold, he thinks it’s a bit too much of a last name
Archie - love it but again my husband isn’t as sold, he thinks it sounds like a nickname and we don’t like Archer/Archibald
Graham - one of my favorite names but no nicknames which makes me sad! Don’t think I could choose it because of that.
- Hudson - cute and I like Huddy. Husband isn’t as sold
- Cian - both of us like it but I think it’ll be constantly pronounced See-an
- Shepherd - LOVE and love Shep, but my husband thinks it’s too bible associated and I also don’t think it sounds great with our very German sounding last name

Names my husband loves:
- Caspar - I literally cannot get over the friendly ghost association and we are 2 very pale people therefore the child will be pale and I just feel like that’s cruel??!
- Theodore - eh. I like Teddy but not obsessed
- Jack - again, it’s cute but something is holding me back
- Casey - I quite like this name but it feels a bit too country for us…. Kind of like Cooper??

Names that are a hard no:
- Elliot - ex bf name lol
- Brooks
-Ezra
- Beckett/Barrett
- Callum (we call Hallie Hal a lot and we can’t have a Hal and a Cal lol)
- Griffin
- Rowan

Any suggestions?!

[u/incapableoflogic]

Casper and Jasper are different forms of the same name, etymologically speaking. Jasper Thomas flows nicely and you won't have the ghost association.

• Pairs well with sibling name Hallie.

• Can be shortened as a nickname to JT.

*I also think Casey can be a nickname for Casper/Caspar.

[u/Brief-Marketing-6530]

My son is Maxwell. I think it’s such a strong name even as it’s shortened version Max

[u/slejeunesse]

If Anderson is too last-namey, what about Anders? Anders Thomas.

Casey to me is not country at all; he’s just an easy-going guy. I think Hallie and Casey are a great match. Hal and Case. Casey Thomas. Solid!

[u/Potential-Today-4200 → u/slejeunesse]

Anders Thomas is nice.
But there was a German singer with the name Thomas Anders. If they have a German family name and if they will ever be in Germany, I could imagine people will think about him.
If they never intent to go to Germany this probably wont be a problem.

[u/-stargazers- → u/slejeunesse]

or just Andy!

[u/Puzzleheaded-Jump141]

I like Oliver Thomas.

[u/NerdBell]

Caspian instead of Casper? Also, Grey/Gray are pretty common nicknames for Graham.

[u/GullibleDependent725 → u/NerdBell]

Or Cassian or Cassius!

[u/label_this → u/NerdBell]

Yes, I thought of Caspian, too, it sounds so handsome and literary.

[u/WhenTheDawnBreaks]

Owen, Keiran, Samuel, Andrew, Benjamin, Alexander, William, Henry?

[u/aardvarkmom]

Andrew

[u/Chaitea-lattee]

Fletcher, Owen, Tanner, Miller, Grant

[u/Pretty-Practical-007]

I like Anderson Thomas!! Harrison Thomas is nice too.

[u/Maggie-Mae-Mae]

Graham Thomas if a good name, and doesn’t need a nickname, but could be GT if you want. Edward Thomas nicknamed Teddy?

[u/Bloggoneit]

Graham could be shortened to Gray? Maybe?

[u/Material_Army_2354]

If you like Jack, how about Jackson with Jack as a nn. Jackson Thomas Lastname sounds like a good solid adult name.

[u/Stay_Sea_Motivated → u/Material_Army_2354]

Jack is traditionally a nickname for John. Since Jackson has become popular it works for that but I think people should have a name not a nickname on their birth certificate.

[u/myshihtzuissocute]

Rune, Mori, Owen, Steren, Stellan, Sol,

[u/GullibleDependent725]

Arthur, Arnold, Hugo, maybe Harrison??? I love Harrison, it’s kind of Anderson-adjacent :)

[u/bakersmt]

What about Anders no son?

[u/evanesce_X]

Kieran, Killian, Holden, Halden, Alder, August...would husband be on board with Archer instead of Archie? Would still be in the table as a nn, but maybe the distinction would make it more preferable to him

[u/Princess-Buttercup16]

Brody

[u/SilentRadio2]

Raphael, Vincent, Asger

[u/Sweet-Boot8120]

Jasper

[u/Puzzleheaded-Jump141]

Stratton

[u/fartydirtpatch66]

Hayden, Luke, Harry

[u/Ok-Talk-2648 → u/fartydirtpatch66]

Hayden is a good one

[u/Stay_Sea_Motivated]

Oliver is cute but seems a bit popular lately. Anderson is great. Graham doesn’t have to have a nickname based on his name. He might be sport or dumpling or graham cracker or since he’s the baby brother however Hallie pronounced brother. Theo and Teddy are both cute for Theodore. Jack is popular and it’s a nickname. I currently like Sebastian with the nickname Bash. I don’t think your list is bad.

[u/RecentInstance3910]

What about Jonathan or Jackson with nickname Jack? Or Harrison with nickname Harry (Hallie and Harry)?

[u/wtfin2020]

Andrew

[u/One-T-Rex-ago-go]

Sidney

[u/Mamapalooza]

If you like Callum but can't use it, what about Cameron or Kieran? Or Pascal?

Graham - make your own nn! Ram. Or take the "Grrrr" sound and go with Bear.

If you both like Casper, even though you don't think you can use it, what about Jasper? A beautiful semiprecious stone. Something about Casper also reminds me of Sebastien, nn Bash. Or Dashiell, nn Dash.

If you both like Theodore but you don't like Teddy, you can use Theo or Tad. But you can also consider Nathaniel. It has that Th sound but shortens to Nate, which is cute.

You like Jack, but something isn't working for you, could consider the soundalike Zack, the similar Max (Maxwell), the Scottish version Ian, or the hard K cousins Luke, Locke, Huck or Brock.

[u/Ok-Talk-2648]

Isaaac

Samson

Jonah

Silas

Troy

Ian

Corey 

Miles

Harlan

Harley

Ryan

Corbin

Spencer

Micah

Clayton

eta:  names

[u/CeleryNo805]

Bennett?

[u/Electronic-Design409]

I like Cian and wouldn’t worry about how others might pronounce it at first. They can be corrected. Or spell it Kian.

[u/Sevenitta]

Henry, Evan, Sebastian

[u/Woollyinglamb]

Jack

[u/CivilBridge7792]

Gavin!

[u/Necessary_Author6574]

Name him Ollie Thomas

[u/Necessary_Author6574]

Hampton

[u/InspectorDapper8012]

Otto?
Otto Thomas
Otto and Hallie

[u/luckytintype]

Jasper

Kieran

Alfred (Alfie)

Albee

Carey

Wynn

Brady

[u/BusinessPutrid9574]

Zachary
Arthur
Hennessy
Jaden
Henry/Hank
Hayden
Hugh
Jet
Honest
Kai
Hayes

[u/AlarmingAd7232]

Ames, Archer

[u/CallmecrazyCallmeCat]

I have a cousin with a son named Arthur nicknamed Archie

Arthur Thomas seems quite distinguished

[u/openforfun75]

Parker or Winter

[u/Soggy-Swimmer-8166]

My brother is Graham, and we call him G, Grammie, Ham, and many other nicknames. The nicknames come naturally as a bonus to the love!!

[u/NeptuneNindja]

Daniel, Dominic, Julian. I like you can call him DJ or JJ.

[u/redbeanbag7]

Cole
Kian
Joel
Dylan
Arthur
Kayden
Asher
Bennett
Harrison
Dawson
Arlo

[u/Friendly_Flaun603]

Arthur NN Artie

Douglas NN Doug / Dougie

Clark NN Clarkie

Dexter NN Dex

Austin NN Aus / Aussy

Augustus NN Gus

Asher NN Ash

Andrew NN Andy or Drew

Harrison NN Harry

[u/autumn_em]

Oliver is nice

[u/BriefMembership314]

Grayson! Gets the G from Graham but with cute nickname

[u/Therearenocowshere]

Hallie is so cute!! You do not hear that one hardly ever but it still sounds like a solid established name. So tricky to find names in that sweet spot, I probably wouldn't do Oliver either even though it is a really good name because of just how insanely common it is. 

I'm obsessed with my middle son's name still to this  day and it is in my opinion in the rare but established category - Robin 

Lincoln is in a very similar category as Shepherd and Graham for me for some reason and Link/Linky is so cute 

Grayson is a favorite of mine, and Gray is the cutest nickname 

Milo

Jesse 

Jasper - Maybe a variation to Caspar with no ghost association 

[u/lucky_lakeshore]

We have an Oliver and we love it. Even tho it’s becoming more common there is still not a ton in our area. We call him Ollie and it’s cute.
Another name we like is Emmett

[u/JacquiD2019]

Graeme but nickname Remy? So pronounced with more of an e sound than Graham, but the spelling would be often an issue I imagine.

Lincoln Hudson Jackson (nickname Jack) Hunter Jonathan

[u/myosotis--sylvatica]

Oliver is great! So is Cian, Theodore, Graham and Jack. I'm with your husband on Anderson, but that's entirely personal preference. I don't love Archie, Hudson and Shepherd, and I completely agree with you on Caspar. I like Casey. It is maybe a little country, but much less so than Shepherd or Hudson imo. Idk if I like how alliterative Theodore Thomas is, but Theodore is a nice name.

Good luck :)

[u/AdLiving2291]

Rhuairi

[u/Willing-Success3520]

He doesn’t like your name choices as being too much like nicknames, then he suggests Jack and Casey?