Boys names with middles, WDYT?

I'm not pregnant but TTC and have narrowed down (the best we could) our boys names including middle names. Sisters are Kira and Mia. I'm not really as much concerned about a boys name matching with my girls as I would be for a girl. Last name is Celentano (sell-in-tah-no).

Which name/names do you like best from the list below? All of these have been DH approved.

Ezekiel Matteo
Ezekiel Auron
Ezekiel Milo
Michael Anthony
Michael Larson
Michael Vincent
Dominic Christian
Dominic Eli
Dominic Matteo
Eli Tobias
Joseph Dominic
Joseph Eli
Joseph Larson
Joseph Domino
Anthony Michael
Anthony Vincent

While they are fine-sounding names, Michael, Joseph, and Anthony (along with Christopher and Matthew) are so widely used, I feel like I don't even hear the name anymore when I meet someone with one of those names. They've come to take on, at least in my opinion, a sort of "John Doe" quality. I think introducing your child as one of those names is like introducing them as "boy." You don't catch anything distinctive and you are hard pressed to remember what the name was. In fact, even though these names are actually all quite different in sound, I often confuse one for the other, because they all feel so blank. Unless you have a very strong attachment to one of them, I would strongly suggest going in a different direction to give your son more of his own identity!

I LOVE Ezekiel! It is one of my favorite names ever! But, I do think it is a mouthful with your long last name . . . it's also not the best fit with your daughters' short and to-the-point names.
I think Eli is fantastic! And it works so well with Kira and Mia! This is my absolute first choice! (though I don't know if I love the middle name you paired with it, as I think it might run into your last name a bit - are you open to other middle name suggestions?)

Dominic is a cool name, but nowhere near as fabulous as Eli, and I don't know how you feel about the short form Dom that is likely to result (I personally do not like Dom).

I love Michael for the first name. :)

My vote is for Eli Tobias :)

Kira, Mia, and Eli

I live in California and here are the statistics for these names.

CA - Michael #14, Anthony #2, Joseph #16, Dominic #83, and Eli doesn't make the top 100.
Dominic was actually more popular at my daughters school last year than Michael was. Conner, Mason and Owen where more popular than any of the above as well. So to me naming my son Conner ect. would be more trendy and less unique than any of my other choices.

USA - Michael #2, Anthony #7, Joseph #13, Dominic #93, and Eli #100.

My daughter Mia has a common name #14 for the US and actually #7 for California. I don't hear her names as much you think I would.

I actually prefer more classic or common boys names. I feel they sound more respectable and professional. With a last name like Celentano, I think if if we named our son John (which I love too) he would still be far from "John Doe". With a last name that is hard pronounce, hard to say and yes hard to remember that adding a more unique first name would only add to the problem.
Granted Ezekiel is by far our "wild card" and may be a bit much with our last name we would nn him Zeke, one syllable and pretty unforgettable.

Joseph is what I think of as a stepping stone name. The nn Joey works well with a baby and young child, Joe as a young man or adult and Joseph is older and more professional.

Michael is one of my husbands favorites. I had a problem with Michael in the beginning because of it's popularity. Of course when I realized it wasn't as popular in my area compared to the rest of the states I started to relax and actually look at this name for what it is, a good solid name.

Dominic was my husbands dad name, all though that's not the reason we would use it, the fact that it has a family tie is a plus. I hate the nn Dom and actually his dad went by Mickey. Nic or Nico is also a nn for Dominic. I prefer no nickname but we all know we have no real power over that when they start school.

Anthony #2 for CA but I hardly ever hear it. I live in northern CA and I bet this name is more popular in southern CA.

Eli is my favorite name that actually matches my girls names but I really don't care if a boys name matches with Kira and Mia as much as I do for a girls name.

Yes I'm totally open for suggestions. I love the fact we all have different opinions and styles of names. I'm sure there will be many great names or combos suggested that I've never even thought of but will love.

Thanks for taking the time to reply :)

I agree with you re classic/common boy names in general, AND with your last name, I think those work best. That said, of your list, my favorite first names are:

Joseph (I love nn Joey!)
Michael
Dominic
Anthony

Eli is a very nice name and also sounds good with your last name (I do really like Eli Tobias), but Eli seems a little trendy compared to the other names. But that could be due to its popularity where I live, and it seems it is less common where you live. And you mention Dominic being more popular where you are, but given the family connection, that would be a front runner for you I would think (and I really like nn Nico!). I know of a Nikolai which is also a pretty cool name, by the way.

I also like your more unusual combinations and would lean away from Michael Anthony or Anthony Michael just because those are more likely to be other little boys' full names.

Overall, I like Joseph Dominic the best, followed by Dominic Eli and Eli Tobias! And it seems to me that Dominic, Eli or Tobias might work for middle names for Michael or Anthony as well, although some might be a little long with your last name. Good luck!

I really love Joseph Dominic and Dominic Joseph. (I loved Dominic Matteo, but then realized that your last name ends in an O, too.)

Good luck, Disa! :-)

disa_lan wrote:I live in California and here are the statistics for these names.

CA - Michael #14, Anthony #2, Joseph #16, Dominic #83, and Eli doesn't make the top 100.
Dominic was actually more popular at my daughters school last year than Michael was. Conner, Mason and Owen where more popular than any of the above as well. So to me naming my son Conner ect. would be more trendy and less unique than any of my other choices.

USA - Michael #2, Anthony #7, Joseph #13, Dominic #93, and Eli #100.

My daughter Mia has a common name #14 for the US and actually #7 for California. I don't hear her names as much you think I would.

I actually prefer more classic or common boys names. I feel they sound more respectable and professional. With a last name like Celentano, I think if if we named our son John (which I love too) he would still be far from "John Doe". With a last name that is hard pronounce, hard to say and yes hard to remember that adding a more unique first name would only add to the problem.
Granted Ezekiel is by far our "wild card" and may be a bit much with our last name we would nn him Zeke, one syllable and pretty unforgettable.

Joseph is what I think of as a stepping stone name. The nn Joey works well with a baby and young child, Joe as a young man or adult and Joseph is older and more professional.

Michael is one of my husbands favorites. I had a problem with Michael in the beginning because of it's popularity. Of course when I realized it wasn't as popular in my area compared to the rest of the states I started to relax and actually look at this name for what it is, a good solid name.

Dominic was my husbands dad name, all though that's not the reason we would use it, the fact that it has a family tie is a plus. I hate the nn Dom and actually his dad went by Mickey. Nic or Nico is also a nn for Dominic. I prefer no nickname but we all know we have no real power over that when they start school.

Anthony #2 for CA but I hardly ever hear it. I live in northern CA and I bet this name is more popular in southern CA.

Eli is my favorite name that actually matches my girls names but I really don't care if a boys name matches with Kira and Mia as much as I do for a girls name.

Yes I'm totally open for suggestions. I love the fact we all have different opinions and styles of names. I'm sure there will be many great names or combos suggested that I've never even thought of but will love.

Thanks for taking the time to reply :)

I'm in Northern California and hear the name Elijah nn Eli quite often but I still like it. Eli and Joseph sound best with your last name and seem to have the criteria most important to you. Good luck!

I love Eli Tobias the best! Goes with your last names and matches the "short" names of the siblings!

Speaking of the common (michael/christopher/matthew names). Today in the store I heard a mom calling to her 4 year old son. To my huge surprise I heard her say, "Christopher!" Super common for adults my age, but not at all for little kids. It was very surprising to hear a little child being called that name for some reason..

Thank you all for the replies. I tried to make a poll for all these names but I have too many :( I know sometimes it's easier to be anonymous with a vote then to comment when you really don't know what to say.

Michael still seems to be my husbands first pick. I did say if we had a boy he could pick the name (some one just gasped I'm sure). I know he wouldn't pick anything we didn't both agree on so I'm not too worried. I just wish he's tell me what his second favorite name is but he wont.

All the names above were ones we agreed on. My list of course was miles long.
Ones I love that he didn't are -
Eli Donovan
Eli Sebastian - he said he liked this one a few weeks ago. :/
Dominic Xavier
Ezekiel Vaughn

I'm also in Northern California but don't hear Elijah or Eli very often. Then again I live under a rock :)
Christopher is one my favorite names it's also my brother in-laws names. Christian is another name I love.

Honestly my favorite first names are
Dominic, Eli, Joseph and Ezekiel.