Baby Boy Names I Love But Won’t Be Using (This Time)

It is on friends. We have about six weeks (give or take) left of this pregnancy and then we meet our baby boy! Of course, we have a million things left to do. Like what, you may ask? Like pregnancy classes, hospital bag packing, nursery prep, and all of the other fun things that I’ve saved until the very last minute just so I can, naturally, panic during my last few weeks. Probably not the most effective way to manage my anxiety, but it is what it is. At least we have a name picked out. I finally ordered the first piece of clothing with his name (the cute little hat that completes his “going home” outfit, seen here)!  So, now we’re committed. Speaking of which, a few weeks back I shared some of my favorite baby girl names with you all and promised that I would also share some of the baby boy names that we love but won’t be using, at least this time. I contemplated NOT sharing some of our top names because, as I mentioned in my Baby Girl Names We Love blog, we do plan on having more children. HOWEVER…coming up with a name for this little guy was anything but easy. Matt and I had a really difficult time agreeing on a name, which makes his name that much more special 🙂 So, I figured, I’d share ten of our top baby boy names, even if they’re still in contention for a future child. 

A few rules if you’re going to read this baby boy names list:

For those of you who read my previous baby names blog, this is redundant, but I want to make a few things clear, especially if this is your first time reading my blogs and/or you missed the baby girl name blog:

1. The purpose of this list isn’t to offend anyone. Remember, I love these names, but for one reason or another, they just didn’t make the final cut, at least for this baby. Please don’t get upset if your name is included on this list or if your child/spouse/family dog has this name.
2. I appreciate all of the comments on this post and social media, but I don’t appreciate negativity.  I don’t want to hear any nasty comments about the names I’ve put on here. You don’t know who’s reading the comments. Be respectful.
3. These names are in no specific order, so we don’t like one more or less than another.
4. I’ve come to find out that name origins and meanings are VERY subjective. You’ll find a lot of ambiguity in your name research. Trust me. At the bottom of the page, I’ve referenced some of the resources I used in my baby name research, but there is a plethora of resources out there. Don’t hesitate to do some added research if name meanings are important to you.
5. All popularity dates refer to the 2017 Social Security Administration database.

Baby Boy Names We Love But Won’t Be Using (this time)

Sawyer

Meaning: occupational name for someone who earned his living by sawing wood

US Popularity: #95

Origin: English/Celtic

This is, by far, one of my favorite baby boy names. I’m a sucker for classic, literary characters and, of course, one of my all-time favorite characters is Tom Sawyer. As a first name, Sawyer has been gaining some momentum in recent years and is very much a gender-neutral name. When I think of “Sawyer,”  I think of a little boy jumping in puddles and getting into harmless mischief. Perhaps that’s why Matt felt differently?  He has no respect for American Literature and has difficulty channeling his inner child. Alas, we moved on. 

Landon

Meaning:  “long hill”

US Popularity: #57

Origin: English

Landon was one of our top three names for Pistachio, which says a lot. It was different enough for me but traditional enough for Matt. Like many of these two-syllable surnames as first names (Matt would disagree), Landon has gained some traction over the 21st century. Perhaps we’re all channeling our “Little House on the Prairie” childhood memories (referring to Michael Landon for all of my fellow millennials reading this). When choosing between the name we selected and “Landon,” I was swayed ultimately by popularity. I’ve seen and heard of a lot of newborns with this name lately and I wanted something a bit different.

Camden (Cam)

Meaning:  “winding valley”

US Popularity: #148

Origin: Scottish

I love the name Camden for so many reasons. I love the name in and of itself;  For all my fellow Cam Neely fans out there, I love the nickname “Cam.” As a Baltimore transplant, meeting my husband in Baltimore and establishing our first home together right down the street from Camden Yards, the name personally meant a lot to me. However, I’m not alone in desiring an homage to Maryland. As Matt and I traveled around town, touring daycare centers, there were at least 2-3 Camdens in each infant or toddler classroom. That’s a huge percentage. If you live anywhere outside the DMV (and perhaps New Jersey), this probably won’t be as big of an issue.

Jack

Meaning:  “God is gracious”

US Popularity: #35

Origin: English (diminutive of John)

For personal reasons, this name means a great deal to me. I’ve told myself and Matt that I would somehow incorporate this name into one of the names of my children (so who knows…) I’m really, really hoping that its popularity shrinks a little. I’m not alone in feeling like “Jack” is a solid, stand-alone name. It has consistently ranked in the Top 50 names since 2000. I blame Titanic. I also considered the name “John,” nicknamed “Jack,” but I have friends who have used the name “John” very recently. I even tried presenting the name “Giacomo” (the Italian form of Jacob, which can also be shortened to Jack), but Matt was not a fan. So, as of right now, Jack is not the first name of our little guy. SIDE NOTE: Jack is transcending gender name boundaries- something to keep in mind for all my mamas-to-be out there who are looking for a cool, gender-neutral name.

Nolan (Nol)

Meaning: “champion”

US Popularity: #67

Origin: Irish

I don’t care that we are predominantly Italian and this name is VERY Irish. The name means CHAMPION. Come. On. With an athlete like Nolan Ryan bringing this name to the US stage, how can you not fall for it? Nolan was another one of our finalists in the battle of the baby boy names. I love the meaning, and Matt loves the fact that the nickname “Nol” sounds like “Noel” Gallagher from Oasis. Insert head shake. Despite its apparent popularity, I don’t know anyone with this first name. At the end of the day, the name was only slightly edged out by Pistachio’s actual name. It’s not out of the baby boy name competition if we have another boy.

Phineas (Finn)

Meaning: Oracle

US Popularity: (not in the top 1000 in the US)

Origin: Hebrew

I’m sure I’ll get a few eye rolls with this name, but hear me out. We all know that I enjoy names that are a bit different, but for all of you who think I’m being a bit “too different,” the nickname we’d use, “Finn,” is ranked #167 on the popularity charts. Older, vintage names are making a comeback, friends, so if any of you love the name (or nickname) Finn, but would prefer a longer less common name, I highly recommend giving Phineas a chance.

Benjamin (Ben)

Meaning: son of the right-hand

US Popularity: #6

Origin: Hebrew

Benjamin was a top contender on Matt’s “baby boy names” list and, originally, made my top pick list too. However, it’s a super popular name and I’ve been pretty adamant about keeping our name relatively unique unless a top trending name has significant meaning to one or both of us (like Jack). Also, though I’ve known some awesome Benjamins, I’ve known a few rotten apples. Teachers, I don’t know how you do it, but I can’t get passed it. We like the nickname “Ben,” so we considered “Benedict” (not even ranked in the top 1000 and meaning “blessed”). Matt was on board with that name, which surprised me. Unfortunately, instead of correlating the name to the insanely talented actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, I can’t help but think of Benedict Arnold, the traitor. Name ruined. 

Brooks

Meaning: “of the brook”

US Popularity: #204

Origin: English

Brooks has been a personal favorite of mine ever since I heard it at my first Caps game (Brooks Laich). I find it to be a strong name that can transcend all age boundaries. My only issue, for our child specifically, is flow. Brooks Sgambato doesn’t flow because the “s” at the end of Brooks can easily get lost when transitioning into Sgambato. Too many people will confuse his name with one of my favorite female names, “Brooke.” As someone who has constantly and mistakenly been referred to as “Christine,” I am consciously limiting the ability to confuse his name with similar names.

Theodore (Theo or Teddy)

Meaning: “Gift of God”

US Popularity: #62

Origin: Greek

With a meaning like “gift from God,” it’s hard not to do a double take when considering this name. Matt and I are “history buffs,” immediately thinking of former president Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. I like the nicknames “Theo,” “Teddy,” and “Ted.” However, my parents named their Maltese Theo after Theo Epstein and now I will never be able to use that name. Parents do the darndest things! A few other baby boy names we considered as we scoured through our list of historical figures included “Lincoln,” “Jefferson,” and my personal favorite, “Fitzgerald”…who I would immediately nickname “Fitz.” Scandal fans, rejoice. 

Paxton (Pax)

Meaning:  “Peace Town” or “Peace”

US Popularity: #206

Origin: English or Latin

I’m obsessed with “x” names. I’ll put that out there right now. I love Paxton and Jaxon, along with their nicknames “Pax” and “Jax.” Paxton edged out Jaxon, mainly due to popularity. Paxton is far more unique, and I love the association with “peace.” However, my husband does not share my affinity for “x” names and crushed my dreams. Little does he know that Paxton is not as uncommon and “weird” as he’d like to think. Football great Terry Bradshaw carries “Paxton” as his middle name. So there.

Here are a few other honorable mentions worth noting:

• Weston (Wes as a nickname)
• Easton (Channeling my country music fandom) 
• Thomas (I like the nickname “Tommy,” but Matt only likes “Tom.” Hence why this name was nixed). 
• Joseph (another solid contender for both Matt and I, but due to dominant usage in our family, we had to move on)
• Carter (love the name; don’t love the association with a store brand) 
• Spencer (ruined for me by the Hills)
• Walker (I can hear Lisa Turtle now…”Take a walk, Walker.”)

BIG THANK YOU to everyone who sent along their favorite baby boy names to us. I love hearing other names and, who knows, your name may be the one! 

For your reference, below are some of the resources we used when searching for a name:

• Social Security Administration
• Nameberry
• YouTube/Blogs/Social Media: I loved having the opportunity to hear other names from you all. There were quite a few names that I loved and would have never thought of.
• The Baby Name Wizard book
• Family Tree: I had a blast looking through our genealogy. You can unearth some amazing names with the bonus of having sentimental value. How cool would it be to tell your child he or she was named after a great, great, great grandfather or grandmother?

Before we get to the baby name hint of the week, here’s a quick 34-week pregnancy update:

The Universal Question: How am I feeling?

To be honest,  a lot of those symptoms from the first trimester are back, especially exhaustion. Everything is getting harder to do, specifically if it requires bending over or sitting for long periods. Pro tip: An exercise ball helps to make sitting less painful and uncomfortable.  I’d highly recommend using one, especially during those final weeks. Luckily, I haven’t experienced too much swelling, aside from a little in my face, which is a huge plus. Ok, now I’m done complaining.

On the positive side, because he’s getting so big and I’ve passed the peak for my amniotic fluid, I can feel his movements way more and it’s pretty cool. I’m also learning to appreciate the bump. I’m still not 100% convinced that I’m going to be “that mom” who misses being pregnant, but I can say that I now see where all you moms out there are coming from.

Birth Plan?

I’m now entering the phase of anxiously awaiting his arrival, but nervous about “getting everything done” before Pistachio makes his appearance. Mix in a little “holy crap I’m going to give birth to a child and it’s going to be painful” anxiety and that about sums up where I’m at right now. I have yet to fully commit to a birth plan; more specifically, whether or not I want to go au natural or get an epidural. Considering the fact that I need to take three Advil every four hours every time I get my period, I’m leaning toward the epidural. On the flip side, I hate IVs and I’ve heard mixed reviews about postpartum recovery after getting an epidural. I’m open to hearing POSITIVE experiences with either method. 

The only other part of my plan that I’m adamant about is my husband being the only one in the room for the actual delivery (aside from the staff, of course). My parents and a few select family members/friends are on my list of people allowed to be there while I’m laboring, but that’s about it. Of course, after birth, I’m much more open to visitors. I’ll give a more complete round-up of my “ideal birth plan” in a future blog. So stay tuned.

Final Preparation?

After a nice trip home to visit our families over Thanksgiving, we are officially on Mid-Atlantic lockdown, which is good because I have SO MUCH TO DO. From finishing my “thank you” cards to putting the nursery together, I left a lot to preoccupy myself during my “nesting” month. We have our pediatrician meet-and-greet this week (things I didn’t know but should have: you have to find a pediatrician before giving birth. Mind blown.) and our birth classes in a couple of weeks.

I purchased a parenting book “Bringing Up Bebe”  for light reading while we traveled up north. I’m about 1/2 way through and will let you know what I think when I’m done! Other than that, it’s just little things like putting the car seat into the car, packing our hospital bags, preparing the house for the baby, and keeping our sanity levels in check. Easy as pie. Friends, when did you start/try to finish all of these tasks? 

Blood Cord Banking?

Matt and I have chosen to privately bank Pistachio’s umbilical cord blood. Blood Cord Banking, for those who don’t know, allows parents to essentially store the blood containing stem cells and immune system cells in the umbilical cord immediately after birth. These cells have been FDA-approved for the treatment of nearly 80 different diseases, ranging from metabolic disorders to types of cancer. The utilization of our stem cells as a form of treatment for various disorders and diseases has only just begun. There are so many promising studies happening that are further supporting the use of regenerative medicine.  For more information on blood cord banking and the benefits of blood cord banking for the entire family, check out the cord blood bank we’ve chosen to use. Let me know if you’d be interested in a separate post about the benefits, why we’re banking his blood, and how we selected our bank.

Now for Baby Hint Number Seven!

There are SIX letters in his first name. 

Also, I wanted to clarify a couple of things regarding last week’s clue because we received a lot of questions: So the hint was: Pistachio’s first name and potential nickname are shared with two famous athletes in the following sports: Golf and Baseball.  So, that means

1) the golfer and baseball player are TWO different people (not one person that plays both sports)

2) the golfer and the baseball player have two different names. One shares his actual name and one shares a shortened version of his name (or what my husband plans on using as his nickname). I’m probably giving a little more away than originally intended, but this should help clarify.

We are astounded by the number of people participating in this game! Keep those guesses coming! As a reminder, I won’t confirm or deny any of the guesses.

As a quick note, I’m going to start publishing these posts before I share them on social media. Facebook isn’t a fan of sending people off their site, so you may not see the post notification immediately in your news feed. If you want to be among the first to see my latest posts, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog. When you do, you’ll get an email notification when the post is published.

Until next time friends,

Christina