[Opinions] Alternatives To The Top 20 Most Popular Names - Male Edition
According to Nameberry, here are some alternatives for the top boy names in the US. Which name do you like better - the popular one or the alternative?
1 Liam or Leland
2 Noah or Joah
3 Oliver or Franklin
4 James or Ames
5 Elijah or Uriah
6 Mateo or Tadeo
7 Theodore or Isidore
8 Henry or Harvey
9 Lucas or Lucian
10 William or Winston
11 Benjamin or Benedict
12 Levi or Levon
13 Sebastian or Augustus
14 Jack or Mack
15 Ezra or Ira
16 Michael or Russell
17 Daniel or Dashiell
18 Leo or Lenny
19 Owen or Lowen
20 Samuel or Samson
1 Liam or Leland
2 Noah or Joah
3 Oliver or Franklin
4 James or Ames
5 Elijah or Uriah
6 Mateo or Tadeo
7 Theodore or Isidore
8 Henry or Harvey
9 Lucas or Lucian
10 William or Winston
11 Benjamin or Benedict
12 Levi or Levon
13 Sebastian or Augustus
14 Jack or Mack
15 Ezra or Ira
16 Michael or Russell
17 Daniel or Dashiell
18 Leo or Lenny
19 Owen or Lowen
20 Samuel or Samson
This message was edited 8/19/2024, 4:34 PM
Replies
Liam. I really strongly dislike both, but Leland gives me a cold sweat, it's creepy.
Noah. Joah might not be made up, but it feels made up ("We like Noah but it's too popular so we made our own name by changing a letter, aren't we fun!") or strongly orthodox Biblical in a way that doesn't fly in the UK (or that parts of it I'm familiar with)
Franklin. Only because I have a real passionate dislike of Oliver. Franklin is pretty trendy here too though.
James. Ames. Lol. What. No, don't do that, you'll get laughed at.
Elijah. Not a fan, better than Uriah which makes me think of a band and musty pee smell.
Mateo. Tadeo's ok too though. Neither are massively common in the UK.
Isidore. Theodore is ok but it is common and Theo annoys me a bit.
Lucian. It's horrible and slimey and but less mucus-y than Lucas.
William. Winston is all Winston Churchill and outside of WWII I have strong opinions on the man that err towards 'Being better than Hitler doesn't always make him a saint'.
Benjamin. Both are ok, but I think Benjamin is slightly more wearable than Benedict by virtue of being more common, Benedict does have a certain...vibe... that is not mine. But I don't dislike it, might even be pro using it as a middle name.
Levi. Levon does not appeal.
Sebastian. It annoys me, but... Augustus Gloop.
Noah. Joah might not be made up, but it feels made up ("We like Noah but it's too popular so we made our own name by changing a letter, aren't we fun!") or strongly orthodox Biblical in a way that doesn't fly in the UK (or that parts of it I'm familiar with)
Franklin. Only because I have a real passionate dislike of Oliver. Franklin is pretty trendy here too though.
James. Ames. Lol. What. No, don't do that, you'll get laughed at.
Elijah. Not a fan, better than Uriah which makes me think of a band and musty pee smell.
Mateo. Tadeo's ok too though. Neither are massively common in the UK.
Isidore. Theodore is ok but it is common and Theo annoys me a bit.
Lucian. It's horrible and slimey and but less mucus-y than Lucas.
William. Winston is all Winston Churchill and outside of WWII I have strong opinions on the man that err towards 'Being better than Hitler doesn't always make him a saint'.
Benjamin. Both are ok, but I think Benjamin is slightly more wearable than Benedict by virtue of being more common, Benedict does have a certain...vibe... that is not mine. But I don't dislike it, might even be pro using it as a middle name.
Levi. Levon does not appeal.
Sebastian. It annoys me, but... Augustus Gloop.
1 Leland - it feels stronger, like the NN Lee, dislike Liam
2 Noah - dislike Joah, it feels like Noah and Joe combined
3 Franklin - like both, Franklin is less common
4 James - Ames feels like a NN for Amy
5 Elijah - dislike both, Elijah sounds slightly better
6 Tadeo - dislike both, Tadeo just because it's less common
7 Isidore - again, like both, but I don't know a single Isidiore except the hurricane. Would be cool to see it on a human.
8 Henry - both are OK but not my favorites
9 Lucas - it feels stronger and doesn't cause pronunciation issues
10 William - William; Winston feels too preppy
11 Benjamin - like the sound better, and Benedict feels too religious
12 Levon, but I prefer Lev to both
13 Sebastian, but August would win over Sebastian. Augustus is too stuffy.
14 Jack; Mack feels too nicknamey and old-fashioned
15 Ezra - prefer the sound to Ira
16 Michael - always liked the sound and look, even though it's always been very popular
17 Daniel - same as with Michael. Michael and Daniel feel rather timeless while Oliver and Theodore feel rather vintage/trendy.
2 Noah - dislike Joah, it feels like Noah and Joe combined
3 Franklin - like both, Franklin is less common
4 James - Ames feels like a NN for Amy
5 Elijah - dislike both, Elijah sounds slightly better
6 Tadeo - dislike both, Tadeo just because it's less common
7 Isidore - again, like both, but I don't know a single Isidiore except the hurricane. Would be cool to see it on a human.
8 Henry - both are OK but not my favorites
9 Lucas - it feels stronger and doesn't cause pronunciation issues
10 William - William; Winston feels too preppy
11 Benjamin - like the sound better, and Benedict feels too religious
12 Levon, but I prefer Lev to both
13 Sebastian, but August would win over Sebastian. Augustus is too stuffy.
14 Jack; Mack feels too nicknamey and old-fashioned
15 Ezra - prefer the sound to Ira
16 Michael - always liked the sound and look, even though it's always been very popular
17 Daniel - same as with Michael. Michael and Daniel feel rather timeless while Oliver and Theodore feel rather vintage/trendy.
I chose the original popular one 18/20. The exceptions were Lucian and Dashiell. So out of 40 names, I only chose 3 alternatives - Nameberry would have to come up with better alternatives to entice me away from the norm.
1. Liam
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. James
5. Elijah
6. Mateo
7. Theodore
8. Henry
9. Lucian
10. William
11. Benjamin
12. Levi
13. Sebastian
14. Jack
15. Ezra
16. Michael
17. Dashiell
18. Leo
19. Owen
20. Samuel
1. Liam
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. James
5. Elijah
6. Mateo
7. Theodore
8. Henry
9. Lucian
10. William
11. Benjamin
12. Levi
13. Sebastian
14. Jack
15. Ezra
16. Michael
17. Dashiell
18. Leo
19. Owen
20. Samuel
1. Leland
2. Noah
3. Franklin
4. James
5. Elijah
6. Mateo
7. Theodore
8. Harvey
9. Lucian
10. Winston
11. Benedict
12. Levon
13. Augustus
14. Jack
15. Ezra
16. Russel
17. Daniel
18. Leo
19. Owen
20. Samson
2. Noah
3. Franklin
4. James
5. Elijah
6. Mateo
7. Theodore
8. Harvey
9. Lucian
10. Winston
11. Benedict
12. Levon
13. Augustus
14. Jack
15. Ezra
16. Russel
17. Daniel
18. Leo
19. Owen
20. Samson
1 Liam or Leland - neither
2 Noah or Joah - neither
3 Oliver or Franklin - both
4 James or Ames - James
5 Elijah or Uriah - neither, but Elijah at gunpoint
6 Mateo or Tadeo - neither
7 Theodore or Isidore - neither
8 Henry or Harvey - Henry, at gunpoint
9 Lucas or Lucian - Lucian, mn only
10 William or Winston - William
11 Benjamin or Benedict - both
12 Levi or Levon - neither
13 Sebastian or Augustus - Sebastian
14 Jack or Mack - Jack
15 Ezra or Ira - neither
16 Michael or Russell - Michael
17 Daniel or Dashiell - Daniel
18 Leo or Lenny - Leo, reluctantly
19 Owen or Lowen - Owen
20 Samuel or Samson - neither; heartily dislike Sam
2 Noah or Joah - neither
3 Oliver or Franklin - both
4 James or Ames - James
5 Elijah or Uriah - neither, but Elijah at gunpoint
6 Mateo or Tadeo - neither
7 Theodore or Isidore - neither
8 Henry or Harvey - Henry, at gunpoint
9 Lucas or Lucian - Lucian, mn only
10 William or Winston - William
11 Benjamin or Benedict - both
12 Levi or Levon - neither
13 Sebastian or Augustus - Sebastian
14 Jack or Mack - Jack
15 Ezra or Ira - neither
16 Michael or Russell - Michael
17 Daniel or Dashiell - Daniel
18 Leo or Lenny - Leo, reluctantly
19 Owen or Lowen - Owen
20 Samuel or Samson - neither; heartily dislike Sam