I think Ryker is a perfect name for a boy – it’s decidedly male and yet playful and not too serious. It’s listed on other baby name sites as a Dutch or German name (from Richard) that means “strong power” or “to become rich.”

Gunner is my mother-in-law’s maiden name. She HATES it. My mom thinks it’s really cool and is pushing for us to use it on our first son. I can see its coolness factor, and I like the fact that it’s a family name, but on the whole it sounds a bit too ueber-masculine to me. I like my boys’ names a bit softer.

Wilder is one that actually appeals quite a lot. Though its meaning is rather wild, its sounds are soft and romantic. It makes me think of Laura Ingalls Wilder out on the prairie, or handsome young men riding through the windswept moors of Northern England. I’d put Wilder in a different category entirely from names like Maverick, Gunner, Vandal, and Cannon. Now, Wildman (another family surname for us) DOES sound a bit more aggressive. Can you imagine if we named our son Wildman Gunner? It would be a legitimate heritage choice for us. But don’t worry — we’re not going to!