Hi Duana, 

My husband and I are expecting our second boy in just four weeks and we are stuck in name purgatory. We had our hearts set on August but our families lambasted us on that months ago and we haven’t been able to recover the original spark we had for it. The other problem is our first is Ellis, which I love so much and can’t seem to match. The middle name for this one will be Gordon and our last name starts with U. Cole was/is in the running but I find it boring. My husband loves Harvey which I’m on the fence about. I love Rhys but my husband isn’t ok with the spelling, and Arthur which also gets no hubby love. Help! We are going to have a nameless baby in less than a month!  

Thank you!! 

About to Pop and Panicking  

 

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Okay, this letter has a sense of urgency and so do I, so let’s not beat around the bush. What’s clear to me is that you really want a two-syllable name with lots of vowel sounds, and maybe some unusual consonants while we’re at it, so let’s get going with options that might work for you. 

My first inclination was Eamonn – yes, it shares a first letter with Ellis, but the sounds are completely different, so I’m not mad at it. I’d also go (for the second time in a week) for Callum, sharing those two double-Ls but again, to totally different effect. Maybe? 

Not sure whether your feelings on Harvey are about the sounds or the associations – either is valid – but maybe you want to go with Victor, or Simon? Hamish or Damon or Calvin or Marcus or Nigel?

Maybe, even though these are the names that hit you where you live, you’re struggling with the rhythms of a two syllable name with ‘Gordon’ in the middle spot, so perhaps something like Darius or Abraham…? I even considered Timothy, which seems like it has a nice flow with Ellis – but if it feels too throwback-y right now, so something like Thaddeus or Lionel (which, really, walks a line between being one syllable or two) or Frederick, or even something like Lysander might work? 

I know we’re on a time crunch, so I’m giving you my top options – I think it’s somewhere in here, and I hope something gives you the kind of last-minute spark you’re hoping for, let us know!