help prove me right to my wife.

[water buffalo]

Rollo, thanks for putting in so much effort into helping me out. McNeil is actually my twin brother's middle name, and he used it for his son's middle name.

[rollo]

Rollo, thanks for putting in so much effort into helping me out. McNeil is actually my twin brother's middle name, and he used it for his son's middle name.

Sorry I missed your post yesterday. It would be interesting to look at the family tree and see if there is an awesome name that belonged to someone that you would dearly love to pass on via your son's middle name.

I still like Neil I was just trying to find another name that had more elements in it that would appeal to you.

In our family we have a mother passing down to her youngest son her maiden name as a middle and it meant that he could use a double barrelled surname if he wished to (he didn't though) but I loved the way it helped to tie the maternal line to him.

rollo

[water buffalo]

Rollo, I think I would go with just Neil before Mac/McNeil, I like it better too.

I've got my maternal grandmother's and paternal grandfather's family trees. I've gone through before, but will look them over again to see if anything sticks out to me, and let you know.

[water buffalo]

I found the following male names in my family trees. I'm not saying they are good or bad, but I dont hear them much, and thought all you that have helped me out might find them interesting.

Grandfathers side - Archibald, Rome, Durwood, Gilmer, Otho, Bartow, Elmer, Garland, Mebane, Otis, Hollis, Americus.

Grandmothers side - Asborne, Ivey, Namon, Pinkney, Houston, Tate, Loomis, Cornelius, Junior, Hayes, Shelton. Ona side note, this side of my family tree is the Lee's. I don't know how many, but a bunch had the first or middle name Robert.

[catheyc]

Great research! And great names -- I'm jealous. My family tree is much more boring. IMO Oliver Hayes Ervin sounds the best and is very distinguished and also macho at the same time. Houston also gets you the macho factor and sounds very nice as well. Personally, I also like Oliver Otis Ervin, but I think Otis could go one way or the other in people's opinions -- either super macho or super dorky. So I'm not sure. To me it's macho, but it might not be to others.

Do you two like any of these new names you found?

[water buffalo]

My wife has suggested Hayes, my great uncles's first name. I would say if has the most potential of the listed names. I was on the Otis bandwagon too. My wife says it reminds her of Otis Redding. The more I gave it consideration, I keep thinking of Otis the town drunk on Andy Griffith.

[catheyc]

Ha ha. I haven't heard an Andy Griffith reference in a while. Probably most of the people who know your son as he grows up won't know what that is. For some reason Otis makes me think of chocolate chip cookies. That probably reveals a little too much about my state of mind. Anyway, I agree that Hayes is a great great option, especially if you both agree on it.

[rollo]

Great research! And great names -- IMO Oliver Hayes Ervin sounds the best and is very distinguished.

Wow, Hayes is an awesome name. Lucky you to have it in your family tree!

I think you have a wealth of names to use, but for your son Oliver Ervin I really, really like Oliver Hayes Ervin.

What do you think of Oliver Hayes Ervin? Wouldn't it be great if you both loved it?

For future sons I like Tate, Robert nn Robbie, Ashborne the most as choices for middles, and if you were going for very 'aristocratic', classic/vintage style names then I think Archibald and Cornelius in the middle name spot would be perfect.

We would love to have you post in our Birth Announcement section when your son is born.

All the best,

rollo

PS If you were having a daughter I think if you used Garland as a middle name that would be very pretty eg Olivia Garland Ervin (although the 'n' in the last two names maybe a little heavy). Hollis may also be a good one for a daughter's middle name eg Olivia Hollis Ervin.

[water buffalo]

I will definetly post in the announcement section when the time comes, thanks everyone for all the great insight!

[water buffalo]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I have been getting some Stonewall signs lately. Thursday, I was riding my bicycle out in the country, and came across a farm called Stonewall Stables. Then Sunday night I was at a VBS meeting at church, and a lady said she needed a prop built, a stone wall. Then last night (Monday) I was watching Jeopardy, and the VERY FIRST answer was Stonewall Jackson. It is like someone is trying to tell me something. This seems like more than just a coincidence to me.