Since we did one for girls, it’s only fair to sum up my Top Ten boys for now. I know I don’t talk nearly as much about boys’ names and girls’, but I do have a top ten!
- Rufus
- Frederick
- Johann/Johannes
- Niles
- Calvin
- Edward
- Peregrine
- Alasdair
- Leopold
- Malcolm
So, again, only first name fodder here. John and Richard are my favorite middle choices at the moment.
What do you think of my top ten? What’s yours?
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Oooh, another Rufus lover, Huzzah! Your list is a snappy one.
I can find no fault with anything on it. I firmly love Rufus, of course, Frederick’s snazzy and if I could enforce Fritz, I’d use it myself. Sadly, I’m no enforcer. Too lazy. 
Calvin, Edward, Peregrine! *swoon* Alasdair’s awesome; Leopold, I wish I’d used this for Leo! *sigh* Malcolm is one that pops on & off my own lists, so handsome! Niles is cool, too.
John’s a favorite of my own for the middle. Richard is one I can’t warm up to. Too Nixon for me *yes, I remember Richard Nixon being President. I was very small, but I remember him on tv.* I have a few friends named Richard, one is a Rick (Ala Bogart), one goes by Rich (and Richard’s the lesser of two evils for him, his first name is Laurence and he HATES it)and one goes by Ricky and has forever. It’s a bit odd to run into an almost 50 year old Ricky but it suits him. Richard’s just not my cup of crackers. He’s really nice in the middle, I’ll agree.
My top 10:
Rufus
Cosmo
Remy
Bruno
Barnaby (can’t shake him, I adore him!)
August
Arthur
Alasdair
Clarence
Linus
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
We don’t have a top 10 list for boys’ or girls’ names, but those at the top are:
Boys:
Basil
Theodore
Girls:
Macrina
Miriam
Emmelia
We’re taking suggestions at our blog, but there’s an odd formula for folks! Please suggest away, though.
Really, we wanted to know what some of you name fans think of those above – particularly Basil and Macrina, as they are rarer, especially in America. What do you think?
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Thanks Lola! I have fallen fully in love with Rufus. I think it’s just about the best name in the world. My boyfriend’s dad is a 55 (I think) Rick, but his brother calls him Ricky, which I think is great.
Vagueperson: I really like Basil and Theodore, and I think both are usable in America. Theodore more so, I’d say, and Theo is just awesome. Theodore used to be my #2, right after Frederick. I like the girls’ too, but I think Macrina sounds a bit like a toilet paper brand. =/ Not to offend, you know. I also think Emmelia would be more effective spelled Emilia. Miriam is gorgeous and lovely in every way. I know you are looking for Orthodox saints’ names (I meant to get back to your blog but it got lost in the sands of time, sorry!). Going off a list I found online, I’ll suggest a few firsts for gals and guys: Jude, Martin, Simon, Amos, Vera, Verena, Lucy, Martha…if any of these aren’t actually Orthodox saints, let me know so I know the site I’m using is crap.
If you like, I could put together a post with your criteria, asking for suggestions. I know you have one on your blog, but I think mine is a little more visible to the namenerding public, and I’m sure my readers would give great suggestions!
Actually, I’d quite like to do that. I love to help when a real baby’s name is on the line!
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
My wife gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to your suggestion of putting up a post.
I had trouble finding Verena, but the rest seem good – none of the lists are completely authoritative. There are several good links on the post we put up for saints databases, along with the familial name options that would go in the middle.
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Another great list, Cat! I have Frederick, Edward, and Alasdair in my own top 10. Calvin, Malcolm, Niles, and Johannes are other favorites. Peregrine is probably my least favorite. It makes me think too much of the falcon. It’s funny that bugs me, since I I love Wren, Lark, and even Sparrow on girls.
I’m having trouble with my boys’ names, since my husband doesn’t like many of them. Ignoring his opinions, my favorites would be:
Julius
Gideon
Frederick
Edward
Alasdair
Wesley
Caleb
Jude
Kenneth
Arthur
I really want to put Ashley on the list, but I’ll restrain myself.
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Vagueperson, expect a post tomorrow!
Emmy Jo, I love your list, Julius, Frederick, Edward, Alasdair and Wesley especially. So dignified.
I like Wren as a GP. It’s too cute! Peregrine, for me, is Lord of the Rings instead of birds, but I can definitely see your point.
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Great list! Edward, Peregrine, Alasdair, Leopold, and Malcolm are my favs from it!
Peregrine, Alasdair, and Malcolm are on my own list!
I love Edward, though right now slightly leaning towards Edmund, it just gives me proper feeling when I say it. We really love Perry and have a list of names we really like that lend to the name (Peregrine, Percival, Peredur, and Peridot). Alasdair is just the most handsome name ever, Leopold gives me goosebumps to think about, and Malcolm is so manly!
Here is my list:
Wynn (great personal significance to me, plus family name)
Augustin/August(our top two favorites to get Gus)
Cosmo
Percival/Peregrine (our top two choices for Perry)
Malcolm
Alasdair
Linus
Darcy (actually probably my favorite, but Erik is not a fan! Makes me sad!)
Jasper
Joscelin/Edmund (too tired to decide, love Joss and Ned!)
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Perry is really cool, although any Peregrine of mine would be Pip/Pippin. Peri on a girl is a bit of a GP of mine, actually.
And I know about the dreaded boyfriend hate! Mine dislikes Daphne, and it just breaks my namenerd heart.
Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Great list. I’m curious about Johann/Johannes; I used to toy with it myself but haven’t seen anyone else play with it.
I really really really love Calvin and Malcolm but i can’t use them because of associations, so it’s wonderful when I see them on others’ lists. Especially Malcolm.
Peregrine goes on and off my shortlist. All these are nice. I’ve been into the Niles/Neil/Nigel/Nils names lately, they’re totally suave and smart and undercredited.
Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Niles is actually one of my very favorites at the moment, but it gets panned pretty much everywhere. Underrated indeed. Oh well. Johannes has been a favorite for a good while; it’s German but not ostensibly so.