The 8 Baby Names on Our Shortlist

One of the only upsides to this long and drawn-out fertility struggle is that it’s allowed us plenty of time to spend on baby names. I could talk names for days and, lucky for me, I’ve got a dear friend who can talk the talk with me; she’s my saving grace when it comes to names.

I’d say that my wife and I have fairly different naming styles (I’ll never forget the day she suggested Jett). But this extended amount of time has warmed her up a bit, and she’s actually come around to more of the names I like. Two years ago, I suggested the name Huxley for a boy and she scoffed at it. So when good friends of ours were pregnant with a boy, we all talked about Huxley and it eventually became his middle name. Fast forward a couple of years, and now my wife loves the name. See? It just takes her a bit. I get that naming styles vary, but we’re closer to being on the same page than we ever have been — she’s even suggested names that I’m digging now. Just not Jett.

Here’s what our shortlist looks like, in no particular order. Now we just need a baby.

Ramona

This name has been our #1 for over a year now, and I’d honestly be shocked if we ended up with a daughter of a different name. We both love the nickname Rae, and agree that Mona, Moni, and even Ona are all wearable choices.

Delphine

There’s something about this French name that hits us both in a sweet spot. The twin daughter that we lost at 17 weeks was named Daphne and this name reminds me of her, without being too similar. Phinia is a cute nickname possibility (right in line with the Finn trend) but more unique and not so obvious. Plus, I have a 90-year-old grandmother named Della, and this would be a nice nod to her.

Simone

This is the last name of my other grandmother, and while I like this name, my wife likes it even more. With the last name Mass, I feel like Simone shares too many of the same sounds and letters. But the more I say it, the more I really like it. It’s one of those names that is growing on me.

Gloria

My wife doesn’t really like this name, but I absolutely adore it. Not only do I like the way it sounds, but I also love the meaning behind it. After everything we’ve been through, this name feels so appropriate (I once joked that our future child’s middle name would be Hallelujah, though of course not paired with Gloria). I shamefully and self-servingly gave my wife one too many drinks one night and got her to agree to this name on video. Just in case …

Leon

My great grandmother’s name was Leona (a name I don’t much care for), my mother’s middle name is Lee, as is one of my brother’s middle names — so Leon is a strong contender for a boy. My biggest fear is that Leo is far more popular than I care for, and Leon seems like an obvious alternative for people like me who like the sound but not the ranking.

Stanley

This was the name of my great uncle, and it’s a hard sell. To me it’s a no-brainer, but I knew and loved him greatly. My wife never had the pleasure and she thinks that Stanley is clunky and old-manish — which I can totally see. But I’d just love to have a little Stanley running around. It’s a long shot, but I’ll never cross this name off the list.

Hawthorne

My wife cringed the first time I mentioned this name three years ago. Since then, it’s grown on her — especially after I mentioned the nickname possibilities of Hawk, Thor, and Thorn. The last name and middle name are both short, 4-letter, single-syllable names, and while Hawthorne is only two syllables, the extra letters go nicely with the shorter names. And come on, what’s cooler than a little boy named Hawk? (Bonus: hawks are a special bird for my wife. It’s a long, private story but that connection certainly ups its appeal.)

Lazlo

Isn’t this just a super fun name? I don’t think we’d ever have to worry about it being overused, and it’s got the unique “z” without going all out with a full-on Z name. Plus, it’s just totally fun to say and pairs really well with our last name.

There you have it! I don’t expect everyone to like this list — I know none of these names are Top-10 worthy, and I’m more than good with that. Obviously, I prefer names that are not overused. But I’d still love to hear what you think of the names here!

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