names - feedback please

[flowmom]

Omigosh picking names is torture. Here are my picks so far:

Iona Matthea

Rupert Matthew We have Swiss/German/Ukrainian heritage. The name Matthea/Matthew remembers a treasured deceased relative.

Be honest!

[eco_mama]

Well, My DH's name is Matthew so OF COURSE I that name!
Matthea I really like too. Are you pronoucing it just how it looks or will be be pronoucned like Mattea? Mattea is on my fav. name list. I like your names but I can't get into Rupert. Just reminds me of Rupert from Survivor. But, it's definitely different! And it does flow w/ Matthew.

[flowmom]

Originally Posted by EcoMama7

Are you pronoucing it just how it looks or will be be pronoucned like Mattea?

I would pronounce it like "Mattea" - which would be the German pronounciation of Matthea I believe.

Originally Posted by EcoMama7

I like your names but I can't get into Rupert. Just reminds me of Rupert from Survivor.

I don't watch TV so I had no idea that people would have that association - I must do a little more research I see! thanks!

[elmh23]

Iona Mattea is beautiful. Rupert Matthew is also very handsome. Rupert reminds me more of Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but then again, I never watch Survivor. I don't think most people would be reminded of Survivors Rupert (which isn't bad anyways, from what I know of him he seemed pretty crunchy.)

[nitareality]

I think that they are both very nice names!

[eco_mama]

Originally Posted by elmh23

I don't think most people would be reminded of Survivors Rupert (which isn't bad anyways, from what I know of him he seemed pretty crunchy.)

That is true though! He was always wearing his tie-dye shirt! And had long hair and a big beard. I liked him.

[AugustineM]

Honest? OK -- I *love* Iona but am not crazy about Rupert. What about Matthew Rupert?

[flowmom]

Originally Posted by AugustineM

What about Matthew Rupert?

No, it would feel wierd to use the first name Matthew because it's the name of my brother-in-law who died accidentally in his youth - still too raw...

[ecoteat]

When I hear Rupert I think of a dear friend who passed away last fall at 85. I think of it as an old-fashioned name, but a special one.

[luckylady]

I like the names - I think of Rupert Murdoch - which makes me think it's a powerful name.

[Marylizah]

I like both of the names, too. Just curious about the spelling of Matthea-- is there another way to spell it? I like the way you'd pronounce it, I just think the spelling isn't very pretty (strange thing to say, I know! )

Rupert is a great name, makes me think of the actor. Very handsome!

[De-lovely]

LOVE Mattea! Not so hot on Rupert but I think together its cute and so nice to not have an overdone name.IONA is beautiful and would have no doubts on that one.

[AugustineM]

Originally Posted by Ksenia

No, it would feel wierd to use the first name Matthew because it's the name of my brother-in-law who died accidentally in his youth - still too raw...

Ah yes, I understand that. It's the same with the middle name DH and I chose for DD, ironically.

[brown eyed girls]

We named a boy Reuben almost 5 years ago, and at first I got a lot of negative feedback from it. It was an "old man" name etc... but then 4 mos later another lady at church named her son Reuben, and then another lady I knew from Email named HER son Reuben and in between all that, Ruben won American Idol... etc.....

I would bet that even if Rupert seems like a strange- unpopular choice now... once you have named him that, you will find it popping up EVERYWHERE. Like once you buy a white car, you realize that half the cars on the road are white. LOL Or once you are breastfeeding, you start noticing other breastfeeding women everywhere....

You choose the name that has the meaning for YOU, and that you feel your child is calling to you, and you won't go wrong!

[Mom2Adam]

I agree with PP about choosing the name the feels right to you. Both names are beautiful and original without being "made up". I like them.

Oh, and by the way....association is a funny thing. We are seriously considering Oscar if we have a boy, and even DS (who never watches it on TV (because we don't have cable and have awful reception) but has a Seasame Street Video) says "Oscar the Grouch?". Oh well. It will probably be either that or The Odd Couple....

Traci

[flowmom]

By the way, I love Reuben and Oscar...as you can see from my naming my ds Wolfgang, I love dusting off old-fashioned names and using them for the next generation.

Hit a bit of a hitch with Iona, much to my disappointment. It's the name of an island near our city where they do sewage treatment - surprisingly for many people that seems to be a strong association with the name : .

[Marylizah]

Ooooh, bummer about Iona and the negative connotations.

I'm a fan of old-fashioned names, too. If baby is a boy, he'll be George, a name that was last popular in France in 1912. (Seriously, we looked it up!) But I really think it's a handsome name and so... anyway, go with your gut.

And about Iona, do you plan to stay for a long time in your area? It would be a shame to drop such a pretty name and then move somewhere where it has no such negative connotation...

[mamacatsbaby]

I love the names you've got there! I'm especially diggin' Iona Matthea.