What are your favorite names?

An English guy I very briefly dated in the states had a cat named Winston. 
I also like the name Henry. DH named his son Jay, but originally wanted to name him Tom (yep, just Tom) so he's pretty hip on the short, regular name.

See, when I think of naming someone a name that is commonly a nickname, I wonder about how that would be perceived when finding a job. Not so much Tom, I know of kids who are named Danny or Tommy and it's their legal name, no nickname. I would think if a future boss looked at that it might affect the chances of getting an interview since it's common to put the full name on them.

I love the name Jude - I had a cat named Judas and I always called him Jude. 
If we had a girl, she might be Grace (after DH's grandmother), Imogen, or Sofia, or a combination of those names. Maybe Imogen Grace?
[...]
For a cat, I think I would go with Molly. 

LOL!  I've had cats named Molly, Jude AND Grace in my life.

My one criterion for my child's name is that it not be popular. 
[...]
My best friend is about to have a little girl she's calling Julianna Rose.  I think that's beautiful. 

One of my top names for a little girl is Julia Rose (my middle name is Rose).  I think it's a gorgeous combination.  And I completely agree - having been born in the throes of Thorn Birds mania, there are far too many similarly-aged Megs and Megans and Meggies out there for my comfort.

See, when I think of naming someone a name that is commonly a nickname, I wonder about how that would be perceived when finding a job.

My grandmother had five kids.  Three of them (the youngest three) are named Larry, Don and Cathy.  Not Lawrence, Donald and Catherine.  Just Larry, Don and Cathy.  My aunt had an awful time in school with teachers who refused to call her by a nickname and insisted on calling her Catherine or Kathleen rather than by her actual name - and she didn't even have a middle name to fall back on, unlike the boys!  I love my grandmother, but she was NOT thinking straight when it came to naming her kids. 

My personal favourites are, for boys, William and Daniel.  DH's big family name for boys is Evan, so that will probably figure in there somewhere; I prefer Owen but it's not really negotiable.   For girls, the aforementioned Julia Rose; I also love Ella but not only is it really becoming trendy, our family name for girls is Belle and Ella Belle is just a little too cutesy/hick-ish for my tastes.    Also, my sister really likes Nellie (after my great-grandmother) and Ella is just too close.  It's hard to find names that work with Belle as a middle name AND work with our last name, though!

My uncle was given one of those grand, preposterous, four-name Southern monikers beginning with William. They called him Billy. So when my mother was born, they named her Betty. Just Betty. Because it sounded good with Billy.

That, I think, was the beginning of Mother's feminism.

My uncle was given one of those grand, preposterous, four-name Southern monikers beginning with William. They called him Billy. So when my mother was born, they named her Betty. Just Betty. Because it sounded good with Billy.

I went to school with a guy who narrowly escaped becoming William Dee Lastname IV.  First one was called Bill, second one was Dee, third one was Chip and the fourth - the guy's cousin - was called Skip. 

Meg--I think Rose is a pretty name, one I'd consider for a daughter.  I also like Lily and Poppy, though probably just as a middle name. 

My mom's name is Peggy, which she hates because she thinks of it as a nickname (for Margaret, which I've never understood, but whatever).  I knew a guy once named Benji.  He changed it to Benjamin as soon as he could, which was not before he took some serious ribbing for it. 

When my parents were dating, my dad told my mom he wanted five kids named Horace, Boris, Morris, Cloris, and Doris.  They're divorced now, and my mom has said that that is the moment she should have known to run away fast 

Meg--I think Rose is a pretty name, one I'd consider for a daughter.  I also like Lily and Poppy, though probably just as a middle name. 

My mom's name is Peggy, which she hates because she thinks of it as a nickname (for Margaret, which I've never understood, but whatever).  I knew a guy once named Benji.  He changed it to Benjamin as soon as he could, which was not before he took some serious ribbing for it. 

When my parents were dating, my dad told my mom he wanted five kids named Horace, Boris, Morris, Cloris, and Doris.  They're divorced now, and my mom has said that that is the moment she should have known to run away fast 

lol, what about george foreman, naming all of his sons george!

Meg--I think Rose is a pretty name, one I'd consider for a daughter.  I also like Lily and Poppy, though probably just as a middle name. 
[...]
When my parents were dating, my dad told my mom he wanted five kids named Horace, Boris, Morris, Cloris, and Doris.  They're divorced now, and my mom has said that that is the moment she should have known to run away fast 

LOL!!  That is truly AWESOME.

And, thanks!  I really love Rose - and I quite like Lily and Poppy both, myself!  DH's mother was named Lilian and I like the idea of naming a daughter Lily after her, but oddly enough DH isn't all that keen - I think because of Lily Potter!

LOL!!  That is truly AWESOME.

And, thanks!  I really love Rose - and I quite like Lily and Poppy both, myself!  DH's mother was named Lilian and I like the idea of naming a daughter Lily after her, but oddly enough DH isn't all that keen - I think because of Lily Potter!

Rose is lovely. I've always been partial to flower names! And I loved Hyacinth until Mrs. Bucket spoiled it all!

lol, what about george foreman, naming all of his sons george!

Hah, celebrity baby name craziness is a whole 'nother story.  Michael Jackson with Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II?  Nicholas Cage with Kal-el?  Pilot Inspektor and Moon Unit? Madness, I say.  

And, thanks!  I really love Rose - and I quite like Lily and Poppy both, myself!  DH's mother was named Lilian and I like the idea of naming a daughter Lily after her, but oddly enough DH isn't all that keen - I think because of Lily Potter!

Lily Potter is the reason I like the name so much!!  And my DH's name is James, so we could have both Potter parents covered!

Lily Potter is the reason I like the name so much!!  And my DH's name is James, so we could have both Potter parents covered!

One of my friends named her son Sirius!  (Well, as a middle name, but still!)   On the other hand, Pettigrew put me right off the name Peter for life.

Rose is lovely. I've always been partial to flower names! And I loved Hyacinth until Mrs. Bucket spoiled it all!

I like flower names, too.  My parently currently have a cat called Poppy (she was originally called Lamar but turned out to be a girl - LOL!).   One of my favorite cookery blogs, Pioneer Woman, is run by a woman  who often has a friend helping her out in the kitchen who is named Hyacinth!

One of my friends named her son Sirius!  (Well, as a middle name, but still!)   On the other hand, Pettigrew put me right off the name Peter for life.

I like flower names, too.  My parently currently have a cat called Poppy (she was originally called Lamar but turned out to be a girl - LOL!).   One of my favorite cookery blogs, Pioneer Woman, is run by a woman  who often has a friend helping her out in the kitchen who is named Hyacinth!

I'd love to name a daughter after a literary character, but so few of the women I like in books have names I like.  I've considered Dahlia after Bertie Wooster's aunt (another flower name!), but I don't like the way the British pronounce it (Day-lee-ah, when I've always imagined it as daah-lee-ah).  I think Ophelia is a pretty name, but I'd never call my child after that twit from Hamlet.  Maybe Minerva, after Professor McGonagall?

I'm not religious, but I really like biblical names especially Noah, Jonas & Ezekiel.

Sharing the name with Mr Handsome himself, Gerard Butler, has to help

He is my celebrity crush!

The bf and I have decided that if we have children their names will be: Jack Winston and/or Julia Grace.  My middle name is Joy, and I really like it as well- but maybe more for a middle name.  I saw 2 flute players once with the best names EVER- Sawyer Hastings and Lowen Cattalco.  Such cool names.

I love the name Ashley/Ashlee/Ashlea for a girl, but I hear that it's primarily a boy's name in the UK...