Help! Boy Names (warning: neurotically long) « Back to Group Discussions

[MovnMama]

Okay, we had a girl name ready to go, I was happy with it, but we aren't having a girl! Found out yesterday. We have some pretty specific parameters for names and have a good list going. So 1. I'd like feedback on the list we have and 2. any suggestions if you have some that fit in our limited parameters (not sure if any more exist that I haven't seen but I'm open to it). So...

1. Husband is Danish and I have German heritage, and we have a whole northern Europe name thing going on. Want to stick with that, regionally speaking. 

2. DS will get both last names, mine as a middle name. Both last names are longish (11 letters) and three syllables. So his middle name will sound like Lundenberg and his last name will sound like Borgensen. It's a cumbersome name, but we all have them both, and that's important to us. So we all have names that sound like FIRST NAME Lundenberg Borgensen. So we lean to 1 syllable names, 2 syllables maximum. 

3. DH's name is a Danish name that is commonly (very commonly) mispronounced. So he really has ONE rule about names - that it be Nordic-ish or whatever but that people won't screw up pronouncing the name for the kid's whole life. He hates having to explain his name to strangers all the time and doesn't want DS to have to do that. 

4. My son's name is a K name and my name is a K name so I really don't want any more K names. 

Okay, I think that's it. Here's the list (with annotations)

#1. Bjorn (I do hear this mispronounced so I'm leaning against it, but it is on the list. For now...). 

#2. Jan (again, mispronunciation here. This sounds like "yahn" in Danish/German/Scandinavian and I really woundn't like to spell it with a Y as in Yan/Yann. Could also spell with two n's or two a's, neither of which I like as much as the original). 

#3. Sigmund (this is currently my tip-top choice but I still need to convince DH. He thinks it's too "old fashioned" and I'm having trouble showing him that's back in style! Also major points for this name: Totally bad-ass hero from Norse legend Saga of the Volsungs, has great capacity for pet names - Siggy and/or Ziggy for a kid, plain old Sig for a grown up. DH has no arguments to these points except a scrunchy face. But let's hear his faves...) (ETA: yes I do know this was Freud's first name and I really don't think that's a big deal. Yet other people I've talked to cite this as the reason alone not to use it. )

#4. Freyr and/or Frey (our girl name was Freya, she's the norse god of love, along with her brother/husband Freyr. Hence the name is on the list. DH really likes this even though, as I pointed out, it doesn't pass his mispronunciation rule. And I think it's way weirder than Sigmund)

#5. Hagen and/or Haagen (DH likes. I don't. I don't know what my problem with it is, exactly, except maybe it sounds too Scottish?)

#6. Soren (again, DH likes. I don't. Sounds like something that happens to your legs after you exercise.) 

Okay, whew. If you read all that, congratulations. If you respond with feedback, even better! Thanks!

Edited by MovnMama - 2/16/12 at 5:20pm

[kjourdan]

We are looking at Scandinavian names too, so I have some input!  I also have the rule that it should be common enough that it doesn't get mispronounced all the time.  I also don't want it to sound close to a more common name, because then people assume that's what you mean.  Our daughter's Scandinavian name can sound like a more common American name and we always have to say her name again to clarify.

How have you heard Bjorn mispronounced?  I have always heard it as Be-yorn....

Soren is getting very popular.  How do you feel about names that are popular?

What about Haakon?  (vs. Haagen)  I know a little boy named Haakon at music class and even little kiddos say it correctly.

What about Bergen?

An alternative to Jan could be Jens....

[Nicole730]

Originally Posted by MovnMama 

#1. Bjorn (I do hear this mispronounced so I'm leaning against it, but it is on the list. For now...). 

#2. Jan (again, mispronunciation here. This sounds like "yahn" in Danish/German/Scandinavian and I really woundn't like to spell it with a Y as in Yan/Yann. Could also spell with two n's or two a's, neither of which I like as much as the original). 

#3. Sigmund (this is currently my tip-top choice but I still need to convince DH. He thinks it's too "old fashioned" and I'm having trouble showing him that's back in style! Also major points for this name: Totally bad-ass hero from Norse legend Saga of the Volsungs, has great capacity for pet names - Siggy and/or Ziggy for a kid, plain old Sig for a grown up. DH has no arguments to these points except a scrunchy face. But let's hear his faves...) (ETA: yes I do know this was Freud's first name and I really don't think that's a big deal. Yet other people I've talked to cite this as the reason alone not to use it. )

#4. Freyr and/or Frey (our girl name was Freya, she's the norse god of love, along with her brother/husband Freyr. Hence the name is on the list. DH really likes this even though, as I pointed out, it doesn't pass his mispronunciation rule. And I think it's way weirder than Sigmund)

#5. Hagen and/or Haagen (DH likes. I don't. I don't know what my problem with it is, exactly, except maybe it sounds too Scottish?)

#6. Soren (again, DH likes. I don't. Sounds like something that happens to your legs after you exercise.) 

Okay, whew. If you read all that, congratulations. If you respond with feedback, even better! Thanks!

1. Bjorn -  I've never heard this mispronounced....unless everyone is not saying it correctly! I like it.

2. Jan - I don't care for and I always default to Jan rhymes with ran, even though I know it's incorrect

3. Sigmund - It does seem a little old fashioned to me, but not horribly so.  I could like it.

4. Freyr or Frey - Hmmm, don't really care for it, but fwiw - I loved you using Freya for a girl!

5. Hagen or Haagen - okay, reminds me of Hagrid from Harry Potter

6. Soren - I like it, but it's not one of my favorites and it is definitely trendy right now.

I won't be much help for suggestions because I don't know of that are for sure the origins you are looking for.  Good luck!

[Sarasyn]

I can see why you might have a problem with Haagen...makes me think of ice cream...but that might just be me.

With a nickname of Sig, it makes me think of a gun nut...Sig Sour (or however it's technically spelled)...but again, I know a lot of guys into firearms, so that sticks with me.  It was my first thought.

Jan, unless you actually spell it Yan, he's going to be called Jan a lot of times.  I knew a guy named Yan when I was in camp.  He was a counselor.  He said his biggest problem with the name was outside his own country people kept mistaking him for a girl before they met him.  Of course, he didn't get much teasing because he was definitely the spitting image of a big, blonde Norseman!

Freyr is perhaps my favorite, along with Soren, though I know I could never have a boy named Soren.  There's a lot of Magic the Gathering fans around here and one of the planeswalkers is named Soren.  I'd never hear the end of it!  But I love the name.

Bjorn, I've always heard it pronounced the same way...but maybe because I know a lot of Bjork fans and everyone just assumes the pronunciation is the same?  I don't like it as much as the other two, but I like it.

But, of course, this is your baby so you don't have to take my choices.  I just love some of the names you picked.  Then again, I have a thing for uncommon names myself.

[PrincessSputnik]

I'm going to echo Sarasyn's sentiments. Haagen totally reminds me of Haagen Daz ice cream. 

Sigmund is neat because you can shorten it, and it would be difficult to mess up the pronunciation, but for me anyway, I immediately think Freud..

I do think Freyr or Frey is kind of cool. I don't know what Magic the Gathering is, so Soren is actually my favourite.

This may not help at all... but after a quick search, I quite like:

- Eirik

- Aksel

- Matteus

- Rune

G'luck!

[Nicole730]

Ansel?

[Veritaserum]

Our baby is getting a Nordic name (dh's heritage and last name originate from this region).  We are going to use Anders (Swedish version of Andrew).  I also like Magnus, Axel, Gunnar, Lukas, Markus, and Mattias.  I think Loki is cute, but I don't know if he'd appreciate being named after a trickster god. Is it common to use the names of gods and goddesses?  Thor is cool.

Edited by Veritaserum - 2/16/12 at 9:52pm

[MovnMama]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies! 

After looking further, and hearing some of the feedback, here's our update...

Off the list:

Soren

Haagen/Haakon

On the list:

Aksel

Vigo/Viggo

My issues with these names: I think I can get over the music/movie star factor (Axel Rose and Vigo Mortensen) but still, the names sound really "hardcore." Like Aksel and/or Viggo Borgensen would be kinda scary to meet in a back alley... Is that weird to think this? 

Sigurd (instead of Sigmund, but I still like Sigmund. The Frued thing is so small to me, but DH is okay - just okay - with Sigurd)

DH also likes Jesper, but I don't think I can do it.  He also likes Magnus, but I can't do that either. All I can think of is the corresponding size of condom ..

I still really like Sigmund (Siggy) but it looks like that's not going to happen. Verateserum, I like Anders a lot - but have a friend with a son with the same name so I'm not willing to go there. It's a good name though - Congratulations!

Please keep weighing in... the feedback is SO helpful!

[becoming]

I have nothing valuable to add, but I like Bjorn and Soren the best from your list. Soren would be my first choice.

[MovnMama]

Okay, Axel is currently topping my list. Please weigh in on Axel Borgensen! 

Bjorn is a distant runner up. I don't know why - it's perfectly good and sounds great, I just... I just don't LOVE it, you know?

[Nicole730]

I love Axel!

[Veritaserum]

I've always liked Axel.  If we'd had five boys in a row instead of five girls, I'd probably have pushed dh into using it. 

[MamaInTheDesert]

I like Axel a lot. DH wouldn't go for it because of the guy from Guns and Roses.

I also like Magnus. If it helps, the condoms are actually Magnums.
 

[MovnMama]

Originally Posted by MamaInTheDesert 

I like Axel a lot. DH wouldn't go for it because of the guy from Guns and Roses.

I also like Magnus. If it helps, the condoms are actually Magnums.
 

LOL yeah, I know they're actually magnums. I just still can't get past the similarity ! it's a me thing.

Okay, to spell Axel or Aksel? Anyone?

[BroodyWoodsgal]

LOVE Axel and I really think it's cool Aksel. Nobody is going to mispronounce it and you get to keep to your roots.

I would put three votes on Aksel...but since I only have one vote, I guess that'll have to do! I love it.

[kjm279]

My favorite is Sigmund.  

Soren is one of the top names on our list, but it is getting very popular - but since you don't really like it, it's probably not a concern how popular it is...  My grandfather's name is Eero (which is another top name on our list) and if we name our child Soren, we'll probably go with Soren Eero.  It makes me laugh every time, but I love it!

My least favorites are Jan and Hagen.  Jan is going to be pronounced wrong and it'll be turned into a girls name.  And Hagen I just might not like because it's my mother's cousins families last name, and most of them are a bunch of weirdo's lol

I've also never heard Bjorn pronounced wrong.  Maybe that's because I live in Minnesota ;)

And I'm completely indifferent about Frey/Freyr - it's not a name that I think would be consider weird, but it's definitely uncommon - so that could be a plus.  (I like uncommon names, but I am not so fond of how popular weird uncommon names are becoming).

---

I see Soren & Hagen are off the list.  I do love Vigo (and the rice too, yum!), it's a very cute name!

[MovnMama]

Oh, Sigmund is still absolutely my favorite too. But, DH used his VETO and I have to respect that, just like he respects my VETO on Haagen and Frejr. *sigh* At least I'm pretty sure we can agree on Axel/Aksel, as long as we agree on the spelling!

Broody, I'm glad you like the traditional spelling too. My only concern with it is that people will interpose the k and the s to say Askel, since k before s in our language only happens at the end of words and not in the middle. 

Am I over thinking it?  

[PrincessSputnik]

I vote Aksel all the way!!

[Nicole730]

Aksel is my vote

[kjourdan]

Aksel is great!  I do think you are overthinking it when you worry about the transposition of the s and k.  I think that when he introduces himself, people will remember his name and how to pronounce it.  Once they've seen its spelling, it makes sense so I would be very surprised if people said Askel.