A reader named Kim has a son named Harvey James. She’s expecting her second baby (gender unknown) this fall. The baby’s last name will be similar to Landsberg.
She and her husband like different types of names, so let’s tackle one gender at a time.
For a girl, I like (stodgy?) old fashioned names like Matilda, Agatha, and Wilhelmina, and he likes more common names like Kate and Anna.
I looked for girl names that have an old-fashioned feel, but a contemporary look/sound (i.e. shorter, simpler, more melodic than Matilda, Agatha, Wilhelmina). Here’s what I came up with:
| Ada Alice Beatrix Bettina Celeste Celia Charlotte Clara Cora Delia Edith | Eliza Flora Frida/Frieda Georgia Greta Jane Leona Louisa Lucy Lydia Martha | Mina Nina Nora Petra Phoebe Rose Rowena Sabina Sylvia Vita Willa |
Now boys:
For a boy, I love the more classical / romantic Oliver and Frederick, but my husband likes the more (stalwart? masculine? mainstream?) Connor and Owen.
Finding middle-ground male names was a bit trickier, but I think most of the names below fit the bill. (I also sprinkled in a few random others that I happen to like with Harvey.)
| Bennett Charles Clancy Conrad Desmond Dominic Duncan Edgar Emil Emmett Evan | Everett Felix Garrett Gavin Graham Grant Jasper Leo/Leonard Luther Malcolm Maxwell | Morris Nathan Nolan Oscar Sebastian Simon Stanley Stuart Theo/Theodore Travis Walter |
Which of the names above do you like best? What other names would you suggest to Kim and her husband?
Update – The baby has arrived! Scroll down to see what name Kim chose.
I love Harvey James – what a tough act to follow! For a girl, have you considered Cordelia? She’s Lear’s loyal daughter, and like your son’s name, the kind of choice that everyone recognizes but no one shares. Harvey and Petra sound great together, too. Or you might spilt the difference and use something like Katrina/Catalina that gets the nn Kate/Cate – or Anneliese, Annabel, Annarose, Anastasia, Anthea …
Harvey and Owen sound fine together for boys, but I think Harvey and Conrad are a great pair. There’s also Beckett – fashionable, but Harvey and Beckett are interesting together, and Beck might appeal to your husband.
For the girls, I think that these more heard-of names from Kim’s list would appeal to her husband as well: Alice, Charlotte, Clara, Jane, Lucy, Lydia, Nina, Nora, and Rose. (Lydia and Nina aren’t very popular, but I’ve recently started to grow fonder and fonder of them, so I added them as well.) As for the boys, Bennett is a favorite of mine, as it’s in my top 5 favorite boy names for now. I also like Everett, Leo/Leonard, Nathan (what about Nathaniel?), Sebastian, Simon, and Theo/Theodore. If I had to choose a favorite that goes with Harvey from each list… Probably Lydia and Sebastian.
How about Hannah – sounds a bit like his preference for Anna – but more oldfashioned.
How about Adam for a boy – strong masculine but also oldfashioned and traditional
Just heard from Kim! Here’s what she says:
I think Charles Henry sounds perfect with Harvey James. Congrats, Kim!