The Johnson brothers: Chivalrous and courteous; dashing and debonair?

[lori johnson]

[Revised to 05.30.2012]

Excitedly preparing to fulfill a longtime dream of adopting a vintage farm-houseful of children [U.S. residents who share this dream, see signature below]. Your honest feedback on my boys' sibset is wanted!: 1) Do the firsts and middles fit my target name image [below]? 2) Which combos could use some tweaking?



~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~

01. ABELARD Clancy

02. AVERILL Felix

03. BARNABY Jasper

04. BRAMWELL Sutton

05. CALLUM Rutherford

06. CEDRIC Pomeroy

07. CHESTER Ferdinand

08. CLIFFORD ________

09. FILBERT ________ [or] GILBERT Sloane

10. JONAH Whittaker

11. NEWTON Ellsworth

12. PRENTICE Oliver

13. SELWYN Rupert

14. STERLING Maxwell

15. STUART Remington

16. TRUMAN Bradford

17. WALTER Caspian [nickname: Watson]

18. WERTHER Cadmus

19. WILLOUGHBY Tate

20. WINSTON Thackeray

~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~

More favorite firsts/middles ...

One syllable:
Grey / Jack / Ralph [nickname: Rafe] / York

Two syllables:
Ambrose / Arthur / Brigham / Calvin / Chauncey / Dawson / Desmond / Edmund / Everett / Latham / Radcliff / Spencer / Winsome / Winthrop

Three syllables:
Algernon / Amory / Carbery / Casimir / Cicero / Deveraux / Harrington / Leopold / Rafferty / Roderick

Four syllables:
Aloysius

~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~ * ~ b o y s ~

Target name image: Chivalrous and courteous; dashing and debonair ... as in:

A) King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table according to legend [Sub-Roman Britain (410-597) / Anglo-Saxon Era (550-1066)]



B) "Pride and Prejudice" book by Jane Austen [Georgian Era (1714-1830)]



C) "Anne of Green Gables" book series by Lucy Maud Montgomery [Victorian Era (1837-1901) / Edwardian Era (1901-1910) / World War I (1914-1918)]



D) "Downton Abbey" television series by Julian Fellowes [Edwardian Era (1901-1910) / World War I (1914-1918) / Interwar Era (1918-1939)]

[photo link]

~ g i r l s ' ~ * ~ t h r e a d ~

The Johnson sisters: Quirky and confidant; spunky and spirited? ... http://nameberry.com/nametalk/thread...eedback-wanted

[erose]

So.

I love 99% of these names, they all sound so distinguished and intelligent! I only have a few suggestions for tweaking, really.

I would change Boniface to Bonaventure, because having "face" in a name is just a tiny bit peculiar IMO. I would also change Percy to Percival for a stronger sound, and the knight connection. I would exchange Avery for Adaire, because Avery is starting to tilt toward the girl side. I really like Ambrose, Bramwell (have you considered Bertram, nn Bram?), Cedric, Crispin, Fitzgerald, although I'd use Hamish instead of Hamlet, Rupert, Simon, and Thatcher.

My absolute favorite combinations;

Willoughby Tate

Winston Thackery

Deveraux Felix

Arthur Boniface

Barnaby Jasper

I'd add;

Benedict Rupert

Crispin Thatcher

Bramwell Nicodemus

Montgomery Ambrose

Simon Winthrop

You have exceptional taste, hoping for a girls' edition of this style!

[lori johnson]

... I love 99% of these names, they all sound so distinguished and intelligent! ... You have exceptional taste, hoping for a girls' edition of this style!

You made my day, Emily -- thank you so much for your kind feedback!

I love the nickname Bram, and Crispin Thatcher sounds terrific.

P.S.

Girls' thread coming soon !

[agirlinred]

Oh my goodness. I would so love to live on the farm in the first picture. Your list is fantastic. Here are my favorites:

Abelard Clancy
Barnaby Jasper
Clement Avery
Gilbert Sloane
Newton Ambrose
Stuart Remington
Winston Thackeray

All of your names have a distinguished gentlemanly air about them that you just don't hear anymore.

[backtomyroots]

Here is my two cents!

01. ABELARD Clancy - Love the nn Abe.. but i prefer Abraham

02. ARTHUR Boniface- Cute! I like the suggestion of Bonaventure as well!

03. AVERIL Percy- Agree with the suggestion of Percival.. but with Averil it wouldnt work.. I also think of Averil Levine when I hear the name (female singer)

04. BARNABY Jasper -Im loving Jasper lately barnaby is NMS

05. CALLUM Frederick [or] CALVIN Frederick - LOVE both of these!

06. CHESTER Ferdinand- Again Chester is NMS but ferdinand is adorable! I think of the book ferdinand the bull! (i would use it as a fn)

07. CLEMENT Avery - Like it!

08. DASHIELL Harrington [or] DEVERAUX Felix - I like Dashiell but prefer Felix as a mn! Maybe Dashiell Felix?

09. GILBERT Sloane- Nice combo!

10. JACK Rutherford -Jack is adorable for a little guy!(or a grown up!)

11. JONAH Phinnaeus - LOVE IT!!!!!

12. LANCELOT Hugo [or] LEOPOLD Maxwell - I like Leopold Maxwell much better than Lancelot..

13. NAPOLEON Bradford- Like Napoleon not sure about bradford

14. NEWTON Ambrose - Prefer Ambrose as a Fn and Newton as a mn!

15. SPENCER Augustine - Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

16. STUART Remington - nms

17. TRUMAN Oliver- I would prefer Oliver Truman... but i would like the nn Tru!

18. WALTER Caspian - I like Cassius better than Caspian... only for the nn Cash! not a fan of walter thoug

19. WILLOUGHBY Tate - An interesting alternative to William.... Will is a good nn for all ages!

20. WINSTON Thackeray- Love Winston!!!!!!!! Adorable!


I would add....

Augusten Nicolai
Cassius Montgomery
Simon Benedict
Benedict Lorenzo

other names on your sig. that I like but cant think of combos are....

Fyodor
Alastair .. i prefer Alasdair.. only for the nn Dair
Cyril
Julius
Nicodemus

Good luck with your farm house and big family!

[auroradawn]

I've been watching your post evolve over a couple of days, but now I finally have the time to comment! A dozen or more boys? It sounds more than wonderful...that would indeed be a dream come true for me as well! (And I want some girls, too!)
I like your list. My honest opinion is to wonder whether Abelard, Averil, Lancelot and Napoleon could make it as 21st-century American boys, even though I couldn't agree more with your images of a more chivalrous age. They could be nicknamed, but that might seem to project a sort of "I-love-this-name-but-I'm-afraid-you-might-be-ashamed-of-it" attitude. I like Abelard but don't really care for the other three. You have so many other great options here that I'd probably drop those four, though I think they'd all make great middle names. Oh, and I loved Prentice! I'd definitely put him back in there somewhere!
I also have to admit that Gilbert Sloane made me smile, with your direct reference to Anne of Green Gables (though it's a great-sounding combo.) Have you read the books or only seen the movies? Anne married Gilbert Blythe, of course, but she was also courted by Charlie Sloane, who was neither very handsome nor very sensible. He may not even be introduced in the movies; if he is, it's only in passing. I don't mean to sneer. I just thought that if you weren't aware of the connection, it might be something to consider.
Did you get Nicodemus from me? I know you commented favorably on my Nicodemus post! If so, I'm flattered.
I think I'd add:

Harry Nicodemus
Edmund Cavanaugh (I strung this combo the other day--do you like Edmund? I think he works really well with your others.)
and Selwyn Adair, and second Simon Winthrop or Simon Benedict.

And you need SOMETHING to go with Prentice! I wasn't able to pick the perfect fn for Prentice from your other middles. Simon Prentice would be nice, but the other Simon combos are already so good...I may be back later with the perfect one.
Best wishes, and I shall look forward to the girls' list!

[auroradawn]

Oliver Prentice! I knew you had Oliver somewhere else in your combos (Truman Oliver, I see), so I didn't really consider it till I was writing down Prentice combos. I'm not Oliver's biggest fan, but it's a good name, and none of the other combos really struck me as The One till I found this. Oliver Prentice Johnson sounds so good. I also liked my sister's suggestion of Levi Prentice. We liked Jonathan Prentice, too, but sadly Jonathan Johnson doesn't work very well.
It also struck me that Francis would make a good addition to your list. Francis Adair, Francis Sherwood or Francis Montgomery, perhaps?
Best wishes again!

[lori johnson]

... Hoping for a girls' edition of this style!

As promised, Emily : http://nameberry.com/nametalk/thread...swept-and-wise.

[lori johnson]

... Your list is fantastic. ... All of your names have a distinguished gentlemanly air about them that you just don't hear anymore.

Thank you, Girl in Red! Your affirmations are genuinely appreciated.

[lori johnson]

Here is my two cents! ...

Good luck with your farm house and big family!

You're terrific, Back to My Roots! Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this exceptional line-by-line feedback.