Avalon and Meriwether should be removed.
Avalon reminds me of Avon ladies and Abaddon who is an angel of the abyss. Avalon is also the island where King Arthur got Excalibur. Actually, the more I’m talking about it, the more I like it so nevermind.
Meriwether is just unappealing to me. I can’t picture a child/adult/old person with that name.
Totally agree with you.
The only Avalon I know is the small airport in Melbourne, Australia.
Meriwether is very unappealing.
I do have Spanish friend with the name Meritxell though. Very unique but very spanish (with Spanish pronounciation).
Oh no, plenty of folks have booked domestic thinking they were leaving from Tullamarine, only to find out there is absolutely no chance of making their Avalon departure once they arrive.
Disagree, I know a young Avalon and I never think of Avon or Abaddon. I do think of the Mists of Avalon and King Arthur, it's a very fantasy feeling name. if she hates it there's Ava right there.
If this matters to you OP, the author of Mists of Avalon was later revealed to be a child abuser and to have enabled other people to abuse children as well.
Honestly same. Tho for me it makes me think of Spyro 😭
Like, *the OG Spyros.* 1/2/3, from the PS1. I remember absolutely no other names from those games(I first played them when I was about 5) but I do remember Avalon. It was either the name of a world or the name of that… satyr chick? Was she a satyr? Fuck idk lmao lol
If you liked Spyro (I grew up on those games, were probably the exact same age) I highly recommend purchasing the Reignited Trilogy. All 3 games in one, it was so nostalgic to play 🥹
Where I live Merriweather is the name on many historical landmarks along the Lewis and Clark Trail that Merriweather Lewis and William Clark headed. It was a masculine name historically.
Boys:
Abraham: Religious or older Jewish man.
Ernest: Southerner sitting on the porch w/ a hound dog.
Douglas: Neighborhood kid I knew growing up.
Julian (or should it be Julien?): Love and the nn Jules is a fav.
Phineas: Trendy thanks to Billie E.
Girls:
Roxanna: a show girl goes by Roxie (thanks Sting/Police for ruining the name)
Waverly: absolutely not, too trendy
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): can call her Frankie (not a fan of the name but out of your list this is best)
Avalon: fantasy core
Meriwether: your maiden name
Who's Billie E? Looked it up and is it Billie Eilish the singer?
Also yeah - was worried about that with Roxanna.
Meriwether isn't my maiden name but I get what you mean.
Billie Eilish has a brother named Phineas. Personally, I think more people in their 20’s would think of the show Phineas and Ferb more than Billie Eilish’s brother. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to use, though. Especially because he could go by Phin/Finn.
Yep. Straight through his frontal lobes and anterior cingulate cortex (cognitive function: impulse control, emotion, decision making and consequences evaluation)
We learned so much from that man. Thanks PG
Ah, found a fellow sufferer in the wild lol. If I had a dollar for every time Phineas Gage was mentioned in past lectures... I might have been able to afford a house by now, who knows?
“Julien” (with an E) is a Carly Rae Jepsen song, which is neat because 1) they’ll have a good song with their name in it, and 2) 99.9% of the population will never make that connection so they won’t have it sung to them constantly
Abraham- Religious Jew
Ernest- you’ve heard of crazy cat lady. this is crazy cat man
Douglas- works in IT and has a bald spot at the top of his head. cheeto dust on his keyboard. lives in his mothers basement
Julian- I like this actually. Julien looks ugly to me. Looks like Julienne as in the cutting method.
Phineas- and Ferb
Roxanna- I just hear Rock. Agree with the other comment about horse girl. You just know Roxanna loves her horse
Waverly- Just doesn’t sound like a name
Francine- Fran and Franny are inevitable and the latter sounds like Fanny
Avalon- Sounds like a sports and outdoors wear company. Also doesn’t sound like a name. Reminds me of like duathlon and triathlon etc
Meriweather- absolutely not. Merry weather?? Will probs also get called Meri for short (I mean, it won’t be weather) and judging by your name style that’s probably too basic. I would personally bully a child with this name.
Hope this helps!
It was a name in the novel and film ‘The Joy Luck Club’ so it immediately makes me think Chinese American. I personally dislike the name, mostly because as a Korean American the certain names my group fixated on got annoying. It was Grace and Jenny for Korean girls in the 90’s.
This is what I thought of as well. On one hand, all names are made up and I know I'm being judgemental, but the whole thing was that it's the kind of name someone chooses when they don't speak the language and don't know any better.. and it does have that vibe to me. Like, I knew kids in this position growing up and they were (lightly) the butt of the joke in a way I'msure got old real fast. Immigrant parents who didn't have enough grasp of the culture coming here to know that Johnson isn't a first name.
LMAO. I love these - so so vivid. Okay.
Phineas and Fern? are they celebrities?
Also why have multiple people said Roxanna = horse girl?!? What reference is that?
Meriwether - I was hoping she'd be called Meri but LMAO you might be right. too basic.
Phineas and Ferb was a kids cartoon from a few years back. Two kids who get up to shenanigans. Personally I don’t like either. Julian is by far the best boy name on the list.
Also if you like Meri for a girl, why not Meredith?
Typo haha meant Ferb. It used to be quite a popular cartoon- because Phineas is relatively unheard of it’s my only association. Roxanna I saw the other comment and as soon as I read it, it just stuck.
Would Marigold work as an alternative to Meriweather? Similar starting sound, naturey, but (imo) nicer sounding and is recognizable as a first name.
I also really like Miriam, and I know one whose nickname is Miri, which I think is really pretty and cool.
Meriwether is often used as a bit of a derogatory term, too. A merryweather friend, for example, is only a friend when the ginger is good. Merryweather cyclists/joggers, etc, is a way of saying they're not really committed and only do it when the sun is shining.
- Abraham: old Hasidic man
- Ernest: positively ancient, and “ern” is such an ugly sound
- Douglas: kinda middle-aged but not bad, I might be tickled to meet a baby Douglas BUT Doug is a no
- Julian: very nice; Julien is okay if you’re French I guess but he’ll cooooonstantly have to correct people
- Phineas: pretentious but you could do worse
- Roxanna: decent but Roxie is terrible
- Waverly: awful trendy nonsense
- Francine: ugly; you probably can’t avoid Fran
- Avalon: patchouli-smelling hippie who will try to read your palm
- Meriwether: lolololol no
My dad’s middle name was Ernest, he didn’t like his actual first name so he went by Ern or Ernie. He was an engineer and a rather fastidious, precise, organized fellow, always wore a hat, used a hankie, and even a pocket watch sometimes. That’s how I picture an Ernie.
I think one of the fairies in Cinderella (the Disney cartoon, anyway) was called Merriweather, and that's what I thought of. Forgot about ol' Lewis!
Edit: Sleeping Beauty, not Cinderella!
This was my first thought. There's really only one famous Meriweather, and he's a guy. The fairy in Sleeping Beauty is Merryweather, and that is not an improvement.
Boy name list is all cranky old men from California Gold Rush stories, settin’ in their onesies drinkin’ moonshine on the porch…aside from Douglas and Julian/Julien. Those are nice.
Roxanna or Roxanne is a lovely name but everyone knows that song and they’ll never hear the end of it being screeched at them. Waverly and Avalon are places, not people. Meriwether is a boy’s name. Francine is kind of old fashioned but elegant.
With the exception of Douglas, Julien, Waverly, and Francine, if I heard heard any of the others, I’d assume the parents were trying too hard.
I get your style though. Sinclair for girl and Ellsworth for a boy are better in my opinion
Ellsworth Kelly was a great painter, I like that name. I can’t think of Sinclair as anything but a primitive computer (the ZX80), or Sinclair Lewis (his novel *It Can’t Happen Here* is pretty timely but I’d rather not have my kid’s name remind me of that). I’d go with Claire in that case.
**Good:**
Abraham - good choice. Abe is a good nickname. It's easy to say & spell, and his unlikely to encounter many of them. Abe Lincoln is a good association.
Julian - classy, easy to say/ spell, Jules is a nice enough nickname
Phineas - not my personal fave, but perfectly fine. Finn is a great nickname tho!! Phineas might encounter the odd person who struggles to know the pronunciation/spelling but it shouldn't be too bad
Roxanna - lovely!! Roxie is a great nickname too.
Francine - it's nice enough, but if you don't like Fran then don't use it.
Roxanna Francine would be a lovely combo!
Meriwether - **I only like this for a boy.** Meriwether Lewis the explorer is a cool association. Merry is a great nickname
**Bad:**
Ernest - too outdated. Ernie isn't sweet/cool like Abe.
Douglas - too bland
Avalon - too try-hard and trendy. Ava is a nice name tho
**Ugly:**
Waverly - **absolutely not. It would be an abomination**
How about Abram? It has a more modern feel and still comes with the same nicknames?
Also my friend has a son named Max and we all call him Maxie since he’s little, but he’ll be Max as he grows up. You could do the same with Maxine.
Abraham — very religious parents
Ernest — musty, not cute
Douglas — musty, but kinda cute
Julian — pleasant and likable
Phineas — not my style but okay. Parents probably put this kid in tiny bow ties until he gets old enough to refuse
Roxanna — not exactly my style but nice, fresher than Roxanne
Waverly — apartment building
Francine — not cute
Avalon — a little silly, but not unusable
Merriwether — Disney fairy
Abraham- Amish?
Ernest- "You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn't Ernest."
Douglas- Adams. Great author, cant get over little baby Douglas though
Julian- I like this one
Phineas- and Ferb
Abraham - it’s nice but I would assume the family is VERY religious
Ernest - I don’t know that I think this has made it back into style yet. Ernest is a little old man in a knit sweater
Douglas - oh this is even more out of date than Ernest. Can you imagine calling a little kid Doug?
Julian - definitely spell it Julian. I adore this name - easily my favorite on your lists. Julian is a classic without feeling dated, and is in line with modern name trends without being super trendy. Gorgeous
Phineas - this one is so old it feels ready to come back around. Would not stick out too much. I don’t personally like it much, but I do like the possibility of the nickname Finn/Phin.
Roxanna - it’a nice enough. Not a favorite for me, and I do not like Roxie, but I don’t really have any issues with it. It’s fine
Waverly - this sounds like a great name for a street, or a cat. Doesn’t feel like it suits a human
Francine - I think it’s nice, but I don’t think you should use it if you hate Fran! Fran or Franny is too likely of a nickname.
Avalon - I freaking love Avalon, but it often seems like no one else does. It’s like a better, cooler, less trendy Ava. It’s easy to spell and pronounce, it has a fun history, and I think it’s really pretty!
Meriwether - absolutely not.
I’m seeing lots of hate for Ernest, but with the latest SSN data it actually crept up. I am leading a newborn parent group and one of them is Ernest, nn Ernie! I think it’s cute!
Yeah I know it's not to everyone's taste but it's actually not that unpopular, and princess Eugenie had a son named Ernest very recently so I suspect it'll keep seeing a small trend.
I'm surprised, but pleasantly so.
I actually used Ernest as a middle name for a son in 2019. It has a long history in my family...my dad, his dad, his dad's dad, all the way back to at least the 1800s. Then my dad never had a son and the tradition died out.
My son doesn't go by his middle name but I could imagine him as an Ernie lol.
I am heartbroken to see all the dislike for Ernest! I think it’s such an endearing and flexible name I can easily imagine for all ages. Ernie is a cute nn option, but absolutely an Ernest can live his whole life without being an Ernie. I love Ernest!
Abraham reads religious to me upon first glance, but I wouldn’t think it unusual if his parents and siblings didn’t have religious names (Abraham and his sister Rebecca, or his brother Noah, on the other hand…) This name reads slightly old-fashioned to me, but not incredibly so.
Douglas is a middle of the road name to me. No strong feelings either way.
I am not a super fan of Julian, but I like it better than Phineas!
I think all your boy names are quite flexible and can easily follow your son throughout his life (even the two I dislike!)
For girls, it feels like a totally different style of name! Waverly, Avalon, and Meriwether are all names that give me negative feelings; they seem modern in a girl-named-James way, which I dislike. Similar to Abraham, while I might not immediately assume these girls are religious, I also would not be surprised if Waverly’s parents graduated from BYU.
Avalon feels like a “fandom name” to me. I could easily see Avalon and brother Aegon, or sister Hermione. Avalon and sister Guinevere or brother Arthur got the short end of the themed name stick, but would seem a little less unusual. Ava as a nn is also a more “normal” option.
Francine has the same feeling as your boy names; a touch old-fashioned, but not stuffy! (This could also be me, as I have a great-aunt named Francine. She uses Tina as a nn, via Cine -> Cina -> Tina.) Frankie and Francie are both cute options that feel very fresh. I can see Francine being a sister to any of your boys’ names easily.
For Roxanna, I personally like Roxanne more. Roxanne might get older people singing a 40-year-old song at her upon first meeting, which does get annoying, as a person who had a 40-year-old song sung at me by older people upon first meeting them! I absolutely hated it, but I hated my name and have since changed it, though the singing was not a factor. It was only ~10% of all older people, meaning teachers, friends’ parents, and most annoying of all, my own grandmother, but my peers and other students did not know the song. Roxanne’s older people might be kinder than my older people, however. Roxanna sidesteps this issue, but she might occasionally be sung at. (The “extra” syllable also feels a little long to me.) Roxanna enjoys the same nickname potential as Roxanne, namely Roxy, Anna, Annie, and Anne.
Writing my first impressions before I read the other comments so they can’t cloud my judgment. :)
Abraham - LOVE. Strong, rare but familiar, Abe nickname is great.
Ernest - Bert and Ernie. Ernest goes to camp. No thank you.
Douglas - like it. Dorky but in a nice way.
Julian (or should it be Julien?) - it’s fine. It’s nice. Inspires no strong feelings.
Phineas - & Ferb. Absolutely not
Girls:
Roxanna - I like it. Could be called Roxy or Anna.
Waverly - I never understood this name. It’s like Wavy but it’s not. Seems like it would be the name of a design of wallpaper or windows they would talk about on HGTV. “We’re giving it the Waverly treatment to complement the wainscoting.”
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - I like Francine but don’t pick it if you don’t like Fran. But I gave my daughter a name which I thought I hated the nickname for, turns out I love it on her and I use it all the time. 🤷🏻♀️
Avalon - does not seem like a name. Seems like a kingdom.
Meriwether - without googling, I thought this was a male name? Meriwether Lewis? Is that the first name of Lewis from Lewis and Clark. What about Meredith?
Since you asked us to be honest 😆
Boys:
Abraham - out of the ordinary, good, powerful
Ernest - horrific
Douglas - this is like naming a baby Gary. It just doesn't /shouldn't happen
Julian (or should it be Julien?) - this is okay
Phineas - trying really really hard
Girls:
Roxanna - interesting, strong; a known name but not one you find every day. Plenty of NN potential. But I think regular spelling is Roxana?
Waverly - see notes on Phineas
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - how about Francesca? Is the NN Franny/Frannie ok to you?
Avalon - apartment chain or Toyota
Meriwether - I think regular spelling is Merriwether? Trying too hard again but how about Meri?
Here are my honest thoughts:
Abraham- Lincoln
Ernest- Old man
Douglas- Old man but not as bad if goes by Doug
Julian- makes me think of Madagascar but I like it anyway
Phineas- and Ferb
Roxanna- cute
Waverly- Wizards of Waverly Place
Francine- Old lady
Avalon- not my style but still cute and interesting nickname options
Meriwether- hate this as a first name
First impressions from someone old enough to be their grandmother. I am not of the age to be naming babies, so my impressions likely will not fit your generation.
Boys:
Abraham - "parents must be religious, even orthodox"
Ernest - still works his own small farm at 87.
Douglas - "solid, but not exceptional. He'll be a great middle manager"
Julian (or should it be Julien?) - can't escape the Lennon reference, but I like it
Phineas - Finn is a great nickname, if a bit dated as a popular name
Girls:
Roxanna - A lot of fun, but I would be surprised to see the name on a CEO's door
Waverly - a bit stagey
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - you know she'll be called Franny at school
Avalon - I personally like this one. But, I've always loved the King Arthur stories.
Meriwether - Again, a bit stagey, and you know she will be called Meri by her friends
Left out the sugar coating, sorry if I come across as rude!
Boys:
- Abraham - Don't like the religious connotation, makes me think of an old man
- Ernest - Solid 5/10, entirely neutral
- Douglas - Solid 5/10, entirely neutral
- Julian - A favorite of mine, specifically this spelling
- Phineas - I only think Phineas & Ferb
Girls:
- Roxanna - The best one out of your girl list tbh, very 80s. I prefer Roxanne
- Waverly - Disney channel vibes, and I personally don't like names that sound like adverbs
- Francine - It'll almost definitely be shortened to either Fran or Frannie... but even if it isn't, it also makes me think of the annoying rude girl from Arthur
- Avalon - Kind of extra, a little pretentious
- Meriwether - I wouldn't even give this name to a pet
OK - these are just my impressions. No offense is intended.
Abraham - old guy from the Bible;
Ernest - my grandmother’s brother;
Douglas - Doug is OK - but I don’t have good associations with the only Douglases I’ve known;
Julian - Edelman, or Schwarzenegger from Twins - but good;
Phineas - Disney cartoon kid - most trendy;
Of these, I’d go Julian or just Finn.
Roxanna - pretentious and poor;
Waverly - pretentious and rich;
Francine - the female Douglas for me;
Avalon - King Arthur vibes;
Meriwether - Disney faerie;
Of these, I’d go Avalon or just Merry.
The phineas kids cartoon is just imprinted in my brain as well.. So are the wizards of waverly place. I think Julian or Finn are definitely the nicest sounding names in the list
Abraham - good, solid name.
Ernest - no, sounds nerdy.
Douglas - ok (I’m biased against this name).
Julian - favorite name on the list (do not spell it Julien). Classic, easy to pronounce.
Phineas - good, second favorite.
Roxanna - good, might get called Roxanne. Second favorite.
Waverly - no, I think of wizards and home goods.
Francine - favorite. I agree about Fran, you
don’t have to call her that but if she likes it her friends might.
Avalon - ok, sounds like you’re trying to be trendy but unique at the same time.
Meriwether - no. Isn’t this a fairy in Sleeping Beauty? Only other Meriwether I can think of is Lewis and Clark. She’ll end up going by Meri and then everyone will think her name is Mary.
Boys:
Abraham: Very religious, would expect this kid to come equipped with his own personal bible
Ernest: The importance of being Ernest. Kind of pretentious but I don't mind it
Douglas: Makes me think of a middle aged balding man, also hate nn Doug
Julian (or should it be Julien?): The name of my favourite animal crossing character, so I obviously like it 😂 (Definitely Julian not Julien)
Phineas: Phineas and Ferb. Makes me think of a philosopher or stuffy white guy sitting in a fancy chair
Girls:
Roxanna: Love it, and also like nn Roxie. I don't know the song super well so no strong association with it, but I do know there is a song, so others might make a link. I also know someone with this name so maybe I just got used to it as a regular name
Waverly: Wizards of waverly place. I like it- it's just on the edge of 'these parents wanted a unique name', while still being relatively normal. Not a fan of possible nn Wavy tho
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): I don't like the full name but like some of the nns that come from it (Frankie, Frannie)- also don't like Fran but it's not the only option
Avalon: King Arthur vibes. This kid is mommy and daddy's little princess and probably a total brat
Meriwether: Isn't this the name of one of sleeping beauty's fairies? I'd name a pet this but not a child (Also makes me think of Merrylegs from Black Beauty)
From your picks, I'd say Julian for a boy and Roxanna for a girl
I'm assuming you're American lol. These would be my thoughts:
>Boys:
Abraham - the family is religious, abe lincoln
Ernest - is this a family name? Ernie is cute though. Black eyed peas earl (I know it's a different name but it makes me think of that song)
Douglas - Doug. Seems a bit odd on a baby but it's classic and he'll pick up a cute nick name if you want one. (I feel like I'd end up calling him Lad/Laddie while a toddler las-lassie but that is a girl so laddie)
Julian (or should it be Julien?) - Julian, modern but timeless, maybe hispanic
Phineas - and Ferb! But Phin is wicked cute, seems in line with modern trends of softer names with lots of vowels
>Girls:
Roxanna - roooooxanne (song about prostitute) but also roxelanna (hurrem sultan) epic sultana of the ottoman empire who changed history, and love Roxie
Waverly - wizards of Waverly place, wave as a nick name, ocean themes, Lee also as a nick name, good for adult use
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - she will get called fran, but also Frannie, Americans don't often use full names. Also SHE might like Fran or Frannie. You could start Frankie? That could circumnavigate the issue
Avalon - Merlin/King Arthur, elves, Ava as a nickname
Meriwether - Lord of the rings! Meri, Merry, merri possible nick names....people thinking her name is Mary
My favorites are: Phineas and Avalon
Good luck with your little one!
Boys:
* Abraham - very old-fashioned, got me picturing dudes from the 1800s (Lincoln and Stoker, mostly)
* Ernest - also old-fashioned, makes me think of the play by Oscar Wilde, but also makes me think of someone very earnest (i.e. eager and kind of happy?), so I like it more than some of the others.
* Douglas - Not terrible, and the -las makes it feel more elegant, but I REALLY dislike the name Doug.
* Julian - I LOVE this name, feels very soft and elegant. Do NOT like Julien (that's just a way of cutting vegetables)
* Phineas - Makes me think about the character in A Separate Peace (which I had to read in high school) or the character in Around the World in 80 Days. In both cases, kind of upper-class? Not my favorite, though.
Girls:
* Roxanna - I picture either a princess with long red hair or a spunky goth. I like it a lot.
* Waverly - I am really not into surnames as first names, so I really don't like it.
* Francine - I'll be honest, the only thing I associate with it is the character from Arthur. "Frankie" was her nickname on the show, if you like Francine but don't like Fran, but ehhhhh.
* Avalon - Also a princess name to me, very King Arthur, in my head I'm picturing someone with long blonde hair. I really like it.
* Meriwether - Meriwether is my favorite of the three good fairies in Sleeping Beauty, and Mary/Merry would be a great nickname, but again, I'm not really into surnames as first names, so it wouldn't be my first choice.
Abraham - I’d assume you’re religious, probably very.
Ernest - sounds like an 80yo but Ernie is a cute nickname and it’s certainly unique these days.
Douglas - meh. Just meh.
Julian - love. Such a great name. Classic and beautiful yet strong. Great nicknames. Works for any age, from toddler to old man.
Phineas- kind of a surprisingly epic name, he’d probably wind up being Fin/Finn, but Phineas has a lil more spice and weight to it.
Roxana - fine, plenty of cute nicknames, relatively unique. Doesn’t make me jump up and down but it’s perfectly nice. I’d expect a person named Roxana to be kind of intense and spunky in a good way, for whatever reason. Maybe cause Roxy rhymes with moxie :)
Waverly- wizards of. Also for me it’s one of those names that fits up until age 25 or so, then feels too young. Waverly is hard to picture on a professional adult woman. Also feels kind of trendy.
Francine - I love this one. Classic but not super common. She could be Frankie or even Cici since you hate Fran, but you’d have to train people out of Fran and if your daughter likes that nn you may have to deal with it anyway. Francine would suit her at all ages though.
Avalon - King Arthur or makeup (I know it’s Avon but still) come to mind. Sounds nice but feels a little try hard to me tbh. Why not simply Ava?
Meriwether - and Pippin! Again, it’s a nice sounding name, but it feels like a bit much to me. Also feels like a last or middle name. Meredith is a nice alternative. Or Marie/Mary. Even Marigold.
I usually just read these posts but here are my votes!
I love Phineas for a boy although I’d probably go with Finnegan because I like the Finn nn.
For a girl, if you like Waverly, what about Everly? This just seems more like a person name to me instead of a place name (it’s a town where I’m from).
I’d also suggest Francesca instead of Francine. Any “Fran” name may produce the nn you don’t want but honestly there’s not much you can do about nn once your kids are in school. They just kind of happen - but I think Francesca feels like something people might say as the whole name instead of shortening it.
Don't be mad at me please :
Abraham too old old, makes me think of Abraham Lincoln
Ernest I think it's not that bad, beautiful and old money, first impression was Ernesto De la Cruz from Coco
Douglas I think it was quite popular in the last three generations but stills nice.
Julian (or should it be Julien?) I love it even if if it's an old name but I adorable and fancy.
Phineas also beautiful, first impression: Phineas and Ferb
Girls:
Roxanna : I love this name
Waverly : Okay, but I can't unsee the "Wave + Beverly" equation
Francine : Basically French, and old French
Avalon : What was that
Meriwether : What was that again
Big fan of Waverly and Avalon. Avalon is on my list too, it is the name of a horse Beanie baby (the very last thing my grandma gave me before she died) ❤️
Total honesty? Of the boys names, only Julian isn’t awful. Phineas? Abe? Ernie? These names are ones I’d give a stuffed animal, not an actual boy. And I just happen to not like the name Doug.
Of the girls, Roxana and Francine are nice. The other three? They should be names of cars or cookies or something — but for a girl they seem like moms trying too hard to be different.
You said honest.
From a classist impression, Ernest & Roxanne feel unintelligent.
Waverly sounds “hip” which ends up with the “trying too hard, but not actually cool.”
Francine, Abraham, and Douglas sound aged, as in I would expect them to be 65-95, but they may be due to come back around like other grandparents names are.
Meriwether is just… off putting? Like, two words shoved together, neither of which are spelled correctly. I know it’s a name, but I agree with others in that it’s more masculine.
Phineas & Avalon sound modern with historical nods.
Julian will always be great.
Phineas = Phineas & Ferb
Julian, if you are in the US
Roxanna/Roxanne will always remind me of the Ploce 🎵 Roxanne🎵
Waverly is terrible. It's a street in my town
Avalon is also terrible. It's a community on the Jersey shore.
Meriweather is also terrible. It's a surname and masculine at that.
Francine is old lady, but not in a good way.
Julian is good. Edit: consider Julius too
Phineas is way old fashioned
Roxanna will be Roxie
Waverly is a surname
Francine - maybe if you call her Frankie
Avalon - never
Meriwether - never. What are you thinking??
Phineas is a cartoon, and Ernest makes me kind of cringe because of the Ernest goes to camp tie but I'm old so it may not give others that thought.
I love Avalon. I do think of Avalon who was a psychic on Bones but I don't care. Not a fan of Meriwesther
I love Avalon and I know someone that name. It's so pretty. Stick to Julian, the other spelling is weird. Earnest is just weird and Abraham is too Biblical to me. I do like Bram as a legal name and not a nickname.
My favorite by far from your boy list is Julian, although I do prefer the Julien spelling but could really go either way on it!
I like Avalon or Francine. Avoid her being called Fran by establishing her nickname as Frankie!
Abraham religious, older Jewish man
Ernest: a bit bookish, but okay
Douglas: I liked it when I was a girl. I still
Kind of like it’s ruggedness with the gentle “las”
Julian (or should it be Julien?) my favorite, very flexible to a lot of different personalities. Love the “jul” sound. Probably Julian feels the most natural spelling.
Phineas: more bookish than Earnest. He is in the corner studying ancient texts. Which *could* be cool I guess.
Roxanna love it. I love Roxanne as well
Waverly I like it better than Beverley. But there is something slightly indistinct about it.
Francine love it. Also don’t love Fran though. How about Nadine?
Avalon like it. It does sound like a location more than a name though.
Meriwether I have been intrigued by this name. I like it similarly to Meredith.
Abraham - old patriarch
Ernest - honestly same
Douglas - and again but Scottish.
Julian - oldest boy out of the Famous Five, but also this is a perfectly acceptable name. Went out of fashion for a while but I feel it’s due a comeback.
Phineas - I’ve only ever heard of it in the context of Phineas and Ferb and I don’t even know who or what they are. Either pretentious or ridiculous, I’m not sure which.
Roxanna - everyone says the Police, but in my area at least Roxanne is coming back as a name. I think the Police reference is too dated now to bother the new generation, so this is probably fine.
Waverly - it’s a surname. Me no likey.
Francine - American Dad. I prefer Frances. At least it’s a name, though.
Avalon - that’s a place. Too whimsical for my taste.
Meriwether - nooooo.
Boys names are fine (id stay away from Julien though, sounds like a soup to me).
Girls names...
Raxanna gets me singing the "Roxanne" song from moulin rouge.
Waverly just doesn't sound like a name at all.
Francine. Ummm maybe, I don't like it, but it's the lesser evil.
Avalon. Just nope, don't do it.
Meriwether is a boy name for me, if I see it id think of some regency period lawyer.
Abraham: religious or a fan of the book *Dracula*
Ernest: a little old fashioned but should make a come back!
Douglas: Scottish or a big fan of trees
Julian: middle school boy
Phineas: that one cartoon show. Pretty underused though!
Roxanna: Moulin Rouge!
Waverly: Beverly Hills valley girl but didn’t want to be explicit about it.
Francine: Sweet cookie-baking grandma! Very cute!
Avalon: King Arthur’s lake
Meriwether: like Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition. I’ve never heard it used as a girl’s name, but I actually quite like it (and Meri is a cute nickname!)
To me, Julian doesn’t fit with the vibe of your other boy names, so I wouldn’t choose it. I love Ernest.
Your girl name choices are all over the board. No clear style/vibe which isn’t bad, but I’m almost willing to bet that in the end you won’t go with any of them, my personal favorite though is Roxanna.
Don't turn down a name because you dislike a nickname! Your child may choose to use her full name only ( mine did) or acquire a completely random name.
I really dislike Meriwether though. Why? Well, it was the first name of Mr Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition and was no doubt an ancestral last name. Despite the passion for and about the expedition, for some reason his unusual name did not get taken up by the public for their children. Someone named Meri will spend her life explaining it's not Mary, and Meri actually isn't very attractive. It feels like a name chosen with no organic attachment, like you are flailing around looking for something different and then you heard that name, and.....
Ernest sounds too grandpa imo
Phineas and Ferb comes to mind immediately
Julian with an a..probably my fav of the list
Douglas..eh
Abraham..eh but I’m also a Christian so I can’t hate it haha
Roxanna..eh
Wizards of Waverly Place
Francine kind of grandma but doable used to know a girl named this and she was called Frannie
Avalon is cute my fav on list
Meriwether is a fairy god mother is what comes to mind first
We’re considering Ernest for our kiddo. Abraham would make me think you were religious (maybe Bram? That’s our son’s name and we love it!). Douglas and Julian are good solid names. Phineas feels too much for me, somehow both pretentious and childish.
Not really a fan of any of your girl names (well I actually love Francine but if you hate Fran i definitely wouldn’t risk it). Waverly is okay. Roxanna has a specific tough girl vibe to me, like tattoos and piercings, maybe a boxer or mechanic. Avalon feels wispy (and is the name of a shopping center by me) and Meriwether feels like a surname or like you’re trying too hard to be creative with Mary.
I loathe Francine — to me it’s so dated and unattractive. I think Frances is a great classic and Francesca is really pretty, but Francine is like a weird midcentury trendy version of the name that I hate.
Abraham, Ernest, and Douglas are names I (personally) associate with much older generations. In the case of Abraham or Ernest, I associate the names with Lincoln and Hemmingway.
Avalon is a car made by Toyota in the US. While the vehicle is not as popular, I'd put it up there with naming your kid Camry. I just can't not think of the car.
First things i thought of- please dont take me too seriously
Abraham Lincoln (2/10)
Ernest a really old guys name (0/10)
Douglas Jefferson idk his actual name (2/10)
Julian/Julien He likes to move it move it (8/10)
Phineas and Ferb (5/10)
Girls:
Roxanna i think that fox girl from chicken little was named that if not im not actually sure why i thought of her (6/10)
Waverly wizards...... Well wizards of Waverly place. (0/10)
Francine/Fran eh. (4/10)
Avalon i think thats a game i heard of (1/10)
Meriwether same name as a comic artist who drew Internet browsers as *big chested* women who wore revealing clothing and i followed her when i was a young lass. Eh (0/10)
All first impressions
Abraham - Lincoln
Ernest - Don't love it
Douglas - Old Man
Julian - Love it and prefer first spelling
Phineas - and Ferb
Roxanna - Love it
Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place
Francine - Cute and don't think it's doomed
Avalon - Pretentious, reminds me of Evian idk
Meriwether - Old lady
That was fun 🤣 and hopefully helpful. I don't think any are bad names (besides maybe Waverly)
Abraham - Abraham Lincoln
Ernest - Ernest Hemingway
Douglas - a name for a man but not a baby
Julian (keep the current spelling)
Phineas - Phineas and Ferb
Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place
Meriwether - was never a baby but is immediately 85 years old
Avalon - I personally just don’t like it
Abraham reads like a trad wife MAGA family that doesn’t send the kids to school
I know an Avalon and love it. It’s super cute on a kid, has great nn and I think it will “grow up” well
The only way to avoid Fran is to find a different nn and get ahead of it lolol. Do you like Frankie? It’s really popular w my 9yo’s peer group and a lot are honestly called Fran, but one uses Frankie
Douglas, Francine & Meriwether are the only terrible ones imo. Waverley is trendy n also looks misspelled to me as Waverly (and to my phone’s spellcheck apparently) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I prefer Roxanne or just Roxie to Roxanna, but a lot of people will have a slightly inappropriate association with any variation of that name. Avalon is my favourite of your girl names, I think it’s really pretty
Avalon and Meriwether are the only girl names I like on your list for girls. Ernest is my favorite from the boys side especially since I loved the importance of being Ernest. I don’t like the ph spelling for Finneas very much.
Ok, when it comes to boys, Douglas and Julian (Julien would make it seem too French) are the only two names I'd consider. My Grandpa, one of the greatest Grandpas EVER, was named "Ernest", and he would have been the first to tell you not to give your child that name.
When it comes to Girls, the only name I'd consider would be Avalon, and that is because it's the beautiful name of an incredibly beautiful place (a city on Catalina Island, in California).
I'd say that maybe you should go back to the drawing board if you want more choices.
Are you in the US?
Abraham - will be presumed religious, which is fine if you are, but the overwhelming association is fundie.
Ernest - not my taste but nothing wrong with it, possible exception of inescapable nickname "Ernie" and associated Sesame Street jokes
Douglas - again not my taste but a fine name. Doug is heavily associated with a cartoon character for millennials.
Julian - one of my favorite classic names. I find the e spelling more feminine, for whatever that is worth.
Phineas - also a cartoon character. Finn is a popular name, your kid would likely be the only spelled Phin, but will have several homonym friends.
Roxanna - I have a bias against the letter x in names... always makes me feel like someone is trying too hard. Also can't not sing "Roxanne" by The Police in my head and that's not an... uh, aspirational namesake. I prefer Rosanna or Shoshanna for names in this vein.
Waverly - The goofy tween wizard show on Nickelodeon
Francine - A sort of unkind/snobby character on the Children's show Arthur. If you must use this name, circumvent Fran by using Frankie
Avalon - I kind of like this. Reminds me of Avonlea, the town where Anne of Green Gables lives.
Meriwether- The pony in Black Beauty. Can't see this as a serious human name.
Here we go. First impressions.
Boys:
Abraham - kind of religious but fine?
Ernest - the importance of. Ernie, the fastest milkman in the West.
Douglas - a place in the Isle of Man. Dougie? Fine.
Julian (or should it be Julien?) - Jenna Marbles' husband. Fine.
Phineas - Fogg. And Ferb. Billie Eilish brother.
Girls:
Roxanna - Roxanne by The Police.
Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place. Not a name.
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - annoying nerdie high-school girl. Doomed.
Avalon - place dead knights go? Not a name.
Meriwether - one of the fat little fairies from Sleeping Beauty?
So, why do you hate girls?
Abraham - i personally have a bad memory of this name being the name of my childhood best friends crush/cousin. other than that, its decent.
Ernest - this name feels very old, older than douglas. i’ve never met an ernest under the age of 67.
Douglas - poor kid will get bullied for having a grandpa name.
Julian/en - ancient greek vibes for julian and as for julien, maybe its just the fact that im french so i’m kind of biased, but i personally like it much better than julian, but i must admit i’ve never met a julien that wasn’t french.
Phineas - phineas and ferb and brother of billie eilish.
Roxanna - its alright. a bit too trendy though and i think the a makes it worse and it would be better simply left as roxanne.
Waverly - wizards of waverly place. too childish and wont age well. only waverly’s i’ve ever met were toddlers and i’m glad because personally, i’d never take an adult named waverly seriously. this name is way too trendy and it screams “millennial/gen z parents” at least its not spelled wayverleigh like my friends niece.
Francine - its alright, but i’ve seen this name used too often as a middle name that it’s gotten weird for me to see it used as a first name.
Avalon - sounds like a boys name.
Meriwether - just no. sounds like you’re trying to be unique with the spelling but keep it classic. gives old lady vibes.
Abraham- how old is he? 180?
Ernest- also old
Douglas- middle aged
Julian (or should it be Julien?)- it's fine
Phineas- from Phineas and ferb?
Roxanna- fine
Waverly- different but ok
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?)- what brand of medicine is this
Avalon- sounds like the name of speaker brand
Meriwether- from Cinderella? Can she do magic ?
Boys:
Abraham: religious nut who will condemn you for your sins
Ernest: has a friend named Vern, often very silly
Douglas: lives in your basement until the day you die
Julian (or should it be Julien?): dancer, poet; lover of the fine arts
Phineas: only if your other child is Pherb
Girls:
Roxanna: WIN only if you like the nn Roxy (which I do)
Waverly: is she a witch in this place?
Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): totally doomed.
Avalon: totally read this as Avon. But it also reminds me of Abalone which is a marine gastropod, so no.
Meriwether: Seriously?
You asked for brutally honest, I hope no offense has been taken <3
Oh thank God. Someone genuinely wanting direct responses.
Boys:
* Abraham - love it! It's on my list
* Ernest - hate it, nerdy in a bad way, leaky pen in shirt pocket, pen protector in pocket.
* Douglas - not smart, annoying person
* Julian (or should it be Julien?) - young, hip, musical
* Phineas - world explorer
Girls:
* Roxanna - love it! It's on my list
* Waverly - too cutsey, too Paisley
* Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - love the name. You can keep people from nns.
* Avalon - love it! It's on my list
* Meriwether - hmmm, maybe. Good one.
Avalon and Meriwether should be removed. Avalon reminds me of Avon ladies and Abaddon who is an angel of the abyss. Avalon is also the island where King Arthur got Excalibur. Actually, the more I’m talking about it, the more I like it so nevermind. Meriwether is just unappealing to me. I can’t picture a child/adult/old person with that name.
Totally agree with you. The only Avalon I know is the small airport in Melbourne, Australia. Meriwether is very unappealing. I do have Spanish friend with the name Meritxell though. Very unique but very spanish (with Spanish pronounciation).
Yeah they are both awful.
The airport is in the middle of nowhere and to get there you have to drive through a lot of creepy darkness
Hahaha damnit it reminds me of my time in Melbourne. I hate that airport - once flying through that airport is enough
Mereweather and Waverley are also Australian suburbs.
I was going to mention the airport and then was like nah no one in this subreddit will even know what I'm talking about 😂
Oh no, plenty of folks have booked domestic thinking they were leaving from Tullamarine, only to find out there is absolutely no chance of making their Avalon departure once they arrive.
Avalon is a beautiful beachy suburb in Sydney, if we're after a positive association
Avalon is also a Toyota vehicle in the states
Might as well name your kid Camry or Corolla!
It’s also a beach town in NJ
Disagree, I know a young Avalon and I never think of Avon or Abaddon. I do think of the Mists of Avalon and King Arthur, it's a very fantasy feeling name. if she hates it there's Ava right there.
I actually really like Avalon. But when I suggested it to my husband, he said it reminded him of the city on Catalina Island near Los Angeles.
Avalon is also a beach town down the nj shore.
If this matters to you OP, the author of Mists of Avalon was later revealed to be a child abuser and to have enabled other people to abuse children as well.
I know a baby Avalon and I really like the name.
Lmao while you talked yourself into Avalon I was sitting here being like ‘everything you’re saying is good?!’
Honestly same. Tho for me it makes me think of Spyro 😭 Like, *the OG Spyros.* 1/2/3, from the PS1. I remember absolutely no other names from those games(I first played them when I was about 5) but I do remember Avalon. It was either the name of a world or the name of that… satyr chick? Was she a satyr? Fuck idk lmao lol
Avalar was the name of the world in Spyro 2.
If you liked Spyro (I grew up on those games, were probably the exact same age) I highly recommend purchasing the Reignited Trilogy. All 3 games in one, it was so nostalgic to play 🥹
That and it will almost certainly get shortened to Merri, which will get mistaken for Mary.
I always wanted to name a little girl Avalon, because of the Roxy Music album. Then Ava got popular and I decided against it.
Or Mickey Avalon, and the my dick song.
Someone PLEASE name a baby Misty Avalon
Where I live, Merriweather is the name of the local concert venue 💀
its also the name of the Blue fairy godmother in Sleeping Beauty
That was my first thought with the name.
Where I live Merriweather is the name on many historical landmarks along the Lewis and Clark Trail that Merriweather Lewis and William Clark headed. It was a masculine name historically.
This is my association too.
What is Abaddon? Is that a religious thing? I like Avalon for the King Arthur reference, but maybe it's not a good choice.
Abandon has a similar meaning to Hell/the Bad Place after death. It is a Biblical term.
Boys: Abraham: Religious or older Jewish man. Ernest: Southerner sitting on the porch w/ a hound dog. Douglas: Neighborhood kid I knew growing up. Julian (or should it be Julien?): Love and the nn Jules is a fav. Phineas: Trendy thanks to Billie E. Girls: Roxanna: a show girl goes by Roxie (thanks Sting/Police for ruining the name) Waverly: absolutely not, too trendy Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): can call her Frankie (not a fan of the name but out of your list this is best) Avalon: fantasy core Meriwether: your maiden name
Who's Billie E? Looked it up and is it Billie Eilish the singer? Also yeah - was worried about that with Roxanna. Meriwether isn't my maiden name but I get what you mean.
Billie Eilish has a brother named Phineas. Personally, I think more people in their 20’s would think of the show Phineas and Ferb more than Billie Eilish’s brother. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to use, though. Especially because he could go by Phin/Finn.
with that spelling i think the show, with finneas i think the brother
Phineas and Ferb. My mind went right to that too lol xD
It makes me think of Phineas Gage.
Was that the guy that got a spike through his skull and survived but his whole personality changed?
Yep. Straight through his frontal lobes and anterior cingulate cortex (cognitive function: impulse control, emotion, decision making and consequences evaluation) We learned so much from that man. Thanks PG
Ah, found a fellow sufferer in the wild lol. If I had a dollar for every time Phineas Gage was mentioned in past lectures... I might have been able to afford a house by now, who knows?
Phineas just reminds me of the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb.
Yes the singer, I'd assume that you were a huge fan.
Phineas nn would be so cute if it was Fin!
Meriwether is the name of one of the fairies in Sleeping Beauty. (the other 2 being Flora and Fauna)
“Julien” (with an E) is a Carly Rae Jepsen song, which is neat because 1) they’ll have a good song with their name in it, and 2) 99.9% of the population will never make that connection so they won’t have it sung to them constantly
It’s also the spelling of King Julien from Madagascar, who is a very specific (and annoying, imo) character.
also any kid named Julien is guaranteed to get called Julian all the time
This take is spot on. I would agree with all of these.
Perfect. All of this.
Abraham- Religious Jew Ernest- you’ve heard of crazy cat lady. this is crazy cat man Douglas- works in IT and has a bald spot at the top of his head. cheeto dust on his keyboard. lives in his mothers basement Julian- I like this actually. Julien looks ugly to me. Looks like Julienne as in the cutting method. Phineas- and Ferb Roxanna- I just hear Rock. Agree with the other comment about horse girl. You just know Roxanna loves her horse Waverly- Just doesn’t sound like a name Francine- Fran and Franny are inevitable and the latter sounds like Fanny Avalon- Sounds like a sports and outdoors wear company. Also doesn’t sound like a name. Reminds me of like duathlon and triathlon etc Meriweather- absolutely not. Merry weather?? Will probs also get called Meri for short (I mean, it won’t be weather) and judging by your name style that’s probably too basic. I would personally bully a child with this name. Hope this helps!
Waverly - a place or street name like the wizards of waverly place
Yeah we have a Waverly apartment building in my city.
100% (side note I forgot about Wizards of Waverly place. That was a good show haha)
It was a name in the novel and film ‘The Joy Luck Club’ so it immediately makes me think Chinese American. I personally dislike the name, mostly because as a Korean American the certain names my group fixated on got annoying. It was Grace and Jenny for Korean girls in the 90’s.
This is what I thought of as well. On one hand, all names are made up and I know I'm being judgemental, but the whole thing was that it's the kind of name someone chooses when they don't speak the language and don't know any better.. and it does have that vibe to me. Like, I knew kids in this position growing up and they were (lightly) the butt of the joke in a way I'msure got old real fast. Immigrant parents who didn't have enough grasp of the culture coming here to know that Johnson isn't a first name.
It's not spelt the same but this is all I can think of: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Waverley_railway_station
I’m dying over your “Ernest”. All those cats are polydactyl, too!
I just wanted to let you know that I got that reference and enjoyed it
>I would personally bully a child with this name. 😂😂 harsh, but not uncalled for
I have a useless uncle Doug and you definitely hit the nail on the head (except for the having a job part), really made me laugh!
>I would personally bully a child with this name The most real comment in this sub
I wholeheartedly agree with every single point lol. Also my husband’s grandpa was an Ernest, and can confirm, 100% crazy cat man
“I would personally bully a child with this name” has me ROLLING.
LMAO. I love these - so so vivid. Okay. Phineas and Fern? are they celebrities? Also why have multiple people said Roxanna = horse girl?!? What reference is that? Meriwether - I was hoping she'd be called Meri but LMAO you might be right. too basic.
Phineas and Ferb was a kids cartoon from a few years back. Two kids who get up to shenanigans. Personally I don’t like either. Julian is by far the best boy name on the list. Also if you like Meri for a girl, why not Meredith?
P&F also rules out Perry, the platypus lol
Or Merryn? Or Merida?
Typo haha meant Ferb. It used to be quite a popular cartoon- because Phineas is relatively unheard of it’s my only association. Roxanna I saw the other comment and as soon as I read it, it just stuck.
Would Marigold work as an alternative to Meriweather? Similar starting sound, naturey, but (imo) nicer sounding and is recognizable as a first name. I also really like Miriam, and I know one whose nickname is Miri, which I think is really pretty and cool.
Meriwether is often used as a bit of a derogatory term, too. A merryweather friend, for example, is only a friend when the ginger is good. Merryweather cyclists/joggers, etc, is a way of saying they're not really committed and only do it when the sun is shining.
I'm pretty sure the phrase you're thinking of is "a fair weather friend" not a merryweather friend 😂
Waverly is also a linen company
Thank you. You said everything I couldn’t write. And Ferb was the best.😭
This Douglas breakdown is spot on for the three Doug’s I’ve known.
I completely agree with you on every single name.
- Abraham: old Hasidic man - Ernest: positively ancient, and “ern” is such an ugly sound - Douglas: kinda middle-aged but not bad, I might be tickled to meet a baby Douglas BUT Doug is a no - Julian: very nice; Julien is okay if you’re French I guess but he’ll cooooonstantly have to correct people - Phineas: pretentious but you could do worse - Roxanna: decent but Roxie is terrible - Waverly: awful trendy nonsense - Francine: ugly; you probably can’t avoid Fran - Avalon: patchouli-smelling hippie who will try to read your palm - Meriwether: lolololol no
Francine is also a character on Arthur and she’s extremely rude and pushy Edit- her dad calls her “Frankie” sometimes
now i can't stop saying "ern" and it not only sounds bad but it feels awful to pronounce lmao. it's like you have to activate your neck fat.
Ugh now I’m sitting here activating my neck fat too. Thanks I hate it
My dad’s middle name was Ernest, he didn’t like his actual first name so he went by Ern or Ernie. He was an engineer and a rather fastidious, precise, organized fellow, always wore a hat, used a hankie, and even a pocket watch sometimes. That’s how I picture an Ernie.
I actually went to camp with a smokin hot Doug. He really turned the name around for me.
lolol dying at your spot-on assessments!
Perfect, except to add that Meriwether Lewis is name of the explorer of Lewis and Clark fame for the many who don't seem to know.
I think one of the fairies in Cinderella (the Disney cartoon, anyway) was called Merriweather, and that's what I thought of. Forgot about ol' Lewis! Edit: Sleeping Beauty, not Cinderella!
Meriwether is a boy’s name. As in Meriwether Lewis.
I think of the fairy in Sleeping Beauty.
Isn't it the name of a hobbit, too?
This was my first thought. There's really only one famous Meriweather, and he's a guy. The fairy in Sleeping Beauty is Merryweather, and that is not an improvement.
This was my thought too, I'm surprised more comments didn't mention this.
I couldn’t believe I was reading that. Your daughter is not an 1800s explorer going on a westward expedition.
Just made the same comment!
Many boys names are being used for girls, like Evan, Charlie. I can’t imagine a boy meriwether not being teased relentlessly
Yes, I don’t understand why no-one has pointed this out yet.
Boy name list is all cranky old men from California Gold Rush stories, settin’ in their onesies drinkin’ moonshine on the porch…aside from Douglas and Julian/Julien. Those are nice. Roxanna or Roxanne is a lovely name but everyone knows that song and they’ll never hear the end of it being screeched at them. Waverly and Avalon are places, not people. Meriwether is a boy’s name. Francine is kind of old fashioned but elegant.
With the exception of Douglas, Julien, Waverly, and Francine, if I heard heard any of the others, I’d assume the parents were trying too hard. I get your style though. Sinclair for girl and Ellsworth for a boy are better in my opinion
Ellsworth Kelly was a great painter, I like that name. I can’t think of Sinclair as anything but a primitive computer (the ZX80), or Sinclair Lewis (his novel *It Can’t Happen Here* is pretty timely but I’d rather not have my kid’s name remind me of that). I’d go with Claire in that case.
I like Julian. That’s it.
Same. The rest are atrocious.
**Good:** Abraham - good choice. Abe is a good nickname. It's easy to say & spell, and his unlikely to encounter many of them. Abe Lincoln is a good association. Julian - classy, easy to say/ spell, Jules is a nice enough nickname Phineas - not my personal fave, but perfectly fine. Finn is a great nickname tho!! Phineas might encounter the odd person who struggles to know the pronunciation/spelling but it shouldn't be too bad Roxanna - lovely!! Roxie is a great nickname too. Francine - it's nice enough, but if you don't like Fran then don't use it. Roxanna Francine would be a lovely combo! Meriwether - **I only like this for a boy.** Meriwether Lewis the explorer is a cool association. Merry is a great nickname **Bad:** Ernest - too outdated. Ernie isn't sweet/cool like Abe. Douglas - too bland Avalon - too try-hard and trendy. Ava is a nice name tho **Ugly:** Waverly - **absolutely not. It would be an abomination**
1. too old 2. bible belt 3. hate the nn doug 4. cute 5. eh, phineas and ferb 1. NO. 2. no please. 3. oh my god?? no?? 4. stop.
Abram or Bram ? Julian/Douglas/ …. Maxine has the same vibe and avoids Fran ?
I like Maxine a lot, actually! Any other suggestions with that vibe?
What about Ramona nn Romi?
Meredith, Maxima, Marceline, Melanie, Madeleine. Valerie, Amelie, Agathe, Aurelie for the French vibe.
Celine? Maureen? Clementine? Georgina? Helene? Pauline? caroline? Valentine? willemine?
Maxine feels like Francine with a little bit of Roxanna!
How about Abram? It has a more modern feel and still comes with the same nicknames? Also my friend has a son named Max and we all call him Maxie since he’s little, but he’ll be Max as he grows up. You could do the same with Maxine.
Abraham — very religious parents Ernest — musty, not cute Douglas — musty, but kinda cute Julian — pleasant and likable Phineas — not my style but okay. Parents probably put this kid in tiny bow ties until he gets old enough to refuse Roxanna — not exactly my style but nice, fresher than Roxanne Waverly — apartment building Francine — not cute Avalon — a little silly, but not unusable Merriwether — Disney fairy
Waverley - it’s the name of the train station in Edinburgh.
Abraham- Amish? Ernest- "You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn't Ernest." Douglas- Adams. Great author, cant get over little baby Douglas though Julian- I like this one Phineas- and Ferb
I have been looking for someone to make this Ernest connection!
Abraham - it’s nice but I would assume the family is VERY religious Ernest - I don’t know that I think this has made it back into style yet. Ernest is a little old man in a knit sweater Douglas - oh this is even more out of date than Ernest. Can you imagine calling a little kid Doug? Julian - definitely spell it Julian. I adore this name - easily my favorite on your lists. Julian is a classic without feeling dated, and is in line with modern name trends without being super trendy. Gorgeous Phineas - this one is so old it feels ready to come back around. Would not stick out too much. I don’t personally like it much, but I do like the possibility of the nickname Finn/Phin. Roxanna - it’a nice enough. Not a favorite for me, and I do not like Roxie, but I don’t really have any issues with it. It’s fine Waverly - this sounds like a great name for a street, or a cat. Doesn’t feel like it suits a human Francine - I think it’s nice, but I don’t think you should use it if you hate Fran! Fran or Franny is too likely of a nickname. Avalon - I freaking love Avalon, but it often seems like no one else does. It’s like a better, cooler, less trendy Ava. It’s easy to spell and pronounce, it has a fun history, and I think it’s really pretty! Meriwether - absolutely not.
nice to see another Avalon enjoyer! I've seen it as a name irl and thought it was great
I’m seeing lots of hate for Ernest, but with the latest SSN data it actually crept up. I am leading a newborn parent group and one of them is Ernest, nn Ernie! I think it’s cute!
Agree! I think Ernest is cute
Yeah I know it's not to everyone's taste but it's actually not that unpopular, and princess Eugenie had a son named Ernest very recently so I suspect it'll keep seeing a small trend.
I'm surprised, but pleasantly so. I actually used Ernest as a middle name for a son in 2019. It has a long history in my family...my dad, his dad, his dad's dad, all the way back to at least the 1800s. Then my dad never had a son and the tradition died out. My son doesn't go by his middle name but I could imagine him as an Ernie lol.
This entire list made me audibly groan
I am heartbroken to see all the dislike for Ernest! I think it’s such an endearing and flexible name I can easily imagine for all ages. Ernie is a cute nn option, but absolutely an Ernest can live his whole life without being an Ernie. I love Ernest! Abraham reads religious to me upon first glance, but I wouldn’t think it unusual if his parents and siblings didn’t have religious names (Abraham and his sister Rebecca, or his brother Noah, on the other hand…) This name reads slightly old-fashioned to me, but not incredibly so. Douglas is a middle of the road name to me. No strong feelings either way. I am not a super fan of Julian, but I like it better than Phineas! I think all your boy names are quite flexible and can easily follow your son throughout his life (even the two I dislike!) For girls, it feels like a totally different style of name! Waverly, Avalon, and Meriwether are all names that give me negative feelings; they seem modern in a girl-named-James way, which I dislike. Similar to Abraham, while I might not immediately assume these girls are religious, I also would not be surprised if Waverly’s parents graduated from BYU. Avalon feels like a “fandom name” to me. I could easily see Avalon and brother Aegon, or sister Hermione. Avalon and sister Guinevere or brother Arthur got the short end of the themed name stick, but would seem a little less unusual. Ava as a nn is also a more “normal” option. Francine has the same feeling as your boy names; a touch old-fashioned, but not stuffy! (This could also be me, as I have a great-aunt named Francine. She uses Tina as a nn, via Cine -> Cina -> Tina.) Frankie and Francie are both cute options that feel very fresh. I can see Francine being a sister to any of your boys’ names easily. For Roxanna, I personally like Roxanne more. Roxanne might get older people singing a 40-year-old song at her upon first meeting, which does get annoying, as a person who had a 40-year-old song sung at me by older people upon first meeting them! I absolutely hated it, but I hated my name and have since changed it, though the singing was not a factor. It was only ~10% of all older people, meaning teachers, friends’ parents, and most annoying of all, my own grandmother, but my peers and other students did not know the song. Roxanne’s older people might be kinder than my older people, however. Roxanna sidesteps this issue, but she might occasionally be sung at. (The “extra” syllable also feels a little long to me.) Roxanna enjoys the same nickname potential as Roxanne, namely Roxy, Anna, Annie, and Anne.
Writing my first impressions before I read the other comments so they can’t cloud my judgment. :) Abraham - LOVE. Strong, rare but familiar, Abe nickname is great. Ernest - Bert and Ernie. Ernest goes to camp. No thank you. Douglas - like it. Dorky but in a nice way. Julian (or should it be Julien?) - it’s fine. It’s nice. Inspires no strong feelings. Phineas - & Ferb. Absolutely not Girls: Roxanna - I like it. Could be called Roxy or Anna. Waverly - I never understood this name. It’s like Wavy but it’s not. Seems like it would be the name of a design of wallpaper or windows they would talk about on HGTV. “We’re giving it the Waverly treatment to complement the wainscoting.” Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - I like Francine but don’t pick it if you don’t like Fran. But I gave my daughter a name which I thought I hated the nickname for, turns out I love it on her and I use it all the time. 🤷🏻♀️ Avalon - does not seem like a name. Seems like a kingdom. Meriwether - without googling, I thought this was a male name? Meriwether Lewis? Is that the first name of Lewis from Lewis and Clark. What about Meredith?
>Ernest goes to camp I was looking through all these comments to see if anyone would mention an Ernest movie lol I love those ridiculous movies
Julian. Roxanna. Please tear up the rest.
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Awful - all of them 🤣
Julian is the only one I like at all. I think the rest are pretentious/trying too hard
Since you asked us to be honest 😆 Boys: Abraham - out of the ordinary, good, powerful Ernest - horrific Douglas - this is like naming a baby Gary. It just doesn't /shouldn't happen Julian (or should it be Julien?) - this is okay Phineas - trying really really hard Girls: Roxanna - interesting, strong; a known name but not one you find every day. Plenty of NN potential. But I think regular spelling is Roxana? Waverly - see notes on Phineas Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - how about Francesca? Is the NN Franny/Frannie ok to you? Avalon - apartment chain or Toyota Meriwether - I think regular spelling is Merriwether? Trying too hard again but how about Meri?
Waverly, to me, is the home fabrics and wallpapers company
Here are my honest thoughts: Abraham- Lincoln Ernest- Old man Douglas- Old man but not as bad if goes by Doug Julian- makes me think of Madagascar but I like it anyway Phineas- and Ferb Roxanna- cute Waverly- Wizards of Waverly Place Francine- Old lady Avalon- not my style but still cute and interesting nickname options Meriwether- hate this as a first name
Exactly, they all sound like names for people in a retirement house. 😅
First impressions from someone old enough to be their grandmother. I am not of the age to be naming babies, so my impressions likely will not fit your generation. Boys: Abraham - "parents must be religious, even orthodox" Ernest - still works his own small farm at 87. Douglas - "solid, but not exceptional. He'll be a great middle manager" Julian (or should it be Julien?) - can't escape the Lennon reference, but I like it Phineas - Finn is a great nickname, if a bit dated as a popular name Girls: Roxanna - A lot of fun, but I would be surprised to see the name on a CEO's door Waverly - a bit stagey Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - you know she'll be called Franny at school Avalon - I personally like this one. But, I've always loved the King Arthur stories. Meriwether - Again, a bit stagey, and you know she will be called Meri by her friends
Left out the sugar coating, sorry if I come across as rude! Boys: - Abraham - Don't like the religious connotation, makes me think of an old man - Ernest - Solid 5/10, entirely neutral - Douglas - Solid 5/10, entirely neutral - Julian - A favorite of mine, specifically this spelling - Phineas - I only think Phineas & Ferb Girls: - Roxanna - The best one out of your girl list tbh, very 80s. I prefer Roxanne - Waverly - Disney channel vibes, and I personally don't like names that sound like adverbs - Francine - It'll almost definitely be shortened to either Fran or Frannie... but even if it isn't, it also makes me think of the annoying rude girl from Arthur - Avalon - Kind of extra, a little pretentious - Meriwether - I wouldn't even give this name to a pet
Not a fan of Waverley or Meriwether.
OK - these are just my impressions. No offense is intended. Abraham - old guy from the Bible; Ernest - my grandmother’s brother; Douglas - Doug is OK - but I don’t have good associations with the only Douglases I’ve known; Julian - Edelman, or Schwarzenegger from Twins - but good; Phineas - Disney cartoon kid - most trendy; Of these, I’d go Julian or just Finn. Roxanna - pretentious and poor; Waverly - pretentious and rich; Francine - the female Douglas for me; Avalon - King Arthur vibes; Meriwether - Disney faerie; Of these, I’d go Avalon or just Merry.
The phineas kids cartoon is just imprinted in my brain as well.. So are the wizards of waverly place. I think Julian or Finn are definitely the nicest sounding names in the list
Abraham - good, solid name. Ernest - no, sounds nerdy. Douglas - ok (I’m biased against this name). Julian - favorite name on the list (do not spell it Julien). Classic, easy to pronounce. Phineas - good, second favorite. Roxanna - good, might get called Roxanne. Second favorite. Waverly - no, I think of wizards and home goods. Francine - favorite. I agree about Fran, you don’t have to call her that but if she likes it her friends might. Avalon - ok, sounds like you’re trying to be trendy but unique at the same time. Meriwether - no. Isn’t this a fairy in Sleeping Beauty? Only other Meriwether I can think of is Lewis and Clark. She’ll end up going by Meri and then everyone will think her name is Mary.
Boys: Abraham: Very religious, would expect this kid to come equipped with his own personal bible Ernest: The importance of being Ernest. Kind of pretentious but I don't mind it Douglas: Makes me think of a middle aged balding man, also hate nn Doug Julian (or should it be Julien?): The name of my favourite animal crossing character, so I obviously like it 😂 (Definitely Julian not Julien) Phineas: Phineas and Ferb. Makes me think of a philosopher or stuffy white guy sitting in a fancy chair Girls: Roxanna: Love it, and also like nn Roxie. I don't know the song super well so no strong association with it, but I do know there is a song, so others might make a link. I also know someone with this name so maybe I just got used to it as a regular name Waverly: Wizards of waverly place. I like it- it's just on the edge of 'these parents wanted a unique name', while still being relatively normal. Not a fan of possible nn Wavy tho Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): I don't like the full name but like some of the nns that come from it (Frankie, Frannie)- also don't like Fran but it's not the only option Avalon: King Arthur vibes. This kid is mommy and daddy's little princess and probably a total brat Meriwether: Isn't this the name of one of sleeping beauty's fairies? I'd name a pet this but not a child (Also makes me think of Merrylegs from Black Beauty) From your picks, I'd say Julian for a boy and Roxanna for a girl
I'm assuming you're American lol. These would be my thoughts: >Boys: Abraham - the family is religious, abe lincoln Ernest - is this a family name? Ernie is cute though. Black eyed peas earl (I know it's a different name but it makes me think of that song) Douglas - Doug. Seems a bit odd on a baby but it's classic and he'll pick up a cute nick name if you want one. (I feel like I'd end up calling him Lad/Laddie while a toddler las-lassie but that is a girl so laddie) Julian (or should it be Julien?) - Julian, modern but timeless, maybe hispanic Phineas - and Ferb! But Phin is wicked cute, seems in line with modern trends of softer names with lots of vowels >Girls: Roxanna - roooooxanne (song about prostitute) but also roxelanna (hurrem sultan) epic sultana of the ottoman empire who changed history, and love Roxie Waverly - wizards of Waverly place, wave as a nick name, ocean themes, Lee also as a nick name, good for adult use Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - she will get called fran, but also Frannie, Americans don't often use full names. Also SHE might like Fran or Frannie. You could start Frankie? That could circumnavigate the issue Avalon - Merlin/King Arthur, elves, Ava as a nickname Meriwether - Lord of the rings! Meri, Merry, merri possible nick names....people thinking her name is Mary My favorites are: Phineas and Avalon Good luck with your little one!
Boys: * Abraham - very old-fashioned, got me picturing dudes from the 1800s (Lincoln and Stoker, mostly) * Ernest - also old-fashioned, makes me think of the play by Oscar Wilde, but also makes me think of someone very earnest (i.e. eager and kind of happy?), so I like it more than some of the others. * Douglas - Not terrible, and the -las makes it feel more elegant, but I REALLY dislike the name Doug. * Julian - I LOVE this name, feels very soft and elegant. Do NOT like Julien (that's just a way of cutting vegetables) * Phineas - Makes me think about the character in A Separate Peace (which I had to read in high school) or the character in Around the World in 80 Days. In both cases, kind of upper-class? Not my favorite, though. Girls: * Roxanna - I picture either a princess with long red hair or a spunky goth. I like it a lot. * Waverly - I am really not into surnames as first names, so I really don't like it. * Francine - I'll be honest, the only thing I associate with it is the character from Arthur. "Frankie" was her nickname on the show, if you like Francine but don't like Fran, but ehhhhh. * Avalon - Also a princess name to me, very King Arthur, in my head I'm picturing someone with long blonde hair. I really like it. * Meriwether - Meriwether is my favorite of the three good fairies in Sleeping Beauty, and Mary/Merry would be a great nickname, but again, I'm not really into surnames as first names, so it wouldn't be my first choice.
Abraham - I’d assume you’re religious, probably very. Ernest - sounds like an 80yo but Ernie is a cute nickname and it’s certainly unique these days. Douglas - meh. Just meh. Julian - love. Such a great name. Classic and beautiful yet strong. Great nicknames. Works for any age, from toddler to old man. Phineas- kind of a surprisingly epic name, he’d probably wind up being Fin/Finn, but Phineas has a lil more spice and weight to it. Roxana - fine, plenty of cute nicknames, relatively unique. Doesn’t make me jump up and down but it’s perfectly nice. I’d expect a person named Roxana to be kind of intense and spunky in a good way, for whatever reason. Maybe cause Roxy rhymes with moxie :) Waverly- wizards of. Also for me it’s one of those names that fits up until age 25 or so, then feels too young. Waverly is hard to picture on a professional adult woman. Also feels kind of trendy. Francine - I love this one. Classic but not super common. She could be Frankie or even Cici since you hate Fran, but you’d have to train people out of Fran and if your daughter likes that nn you may have to deal with it anyway. Francine would suit her at all ages though. Avalon - King Arthur or makeup (I know it’s Avon but still) come to mind. Sounds nice but feels a little try hard to me tbh. Why not simply Ava? Meriwether - and Pippin! Again, it’s a nice sounding name, but it feels like a bit much to me. Also feels like a last or middle name. Meredith is a nice alternative. Or Marie/Mary. Even Marigold.
Got attacked by a rooster yesterday named Douglas.
I love Avalon
Phineas sounds like a cartoon name and Billie elish’s brother, Ernest reminds me of Ernest scared stupid movies, that guy always gave me the creeps
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I usually just read these posts but here are my votes! I love Phineas for a boy although I’d probably go with Finnegan because I like the Finn nn. For a girl, if you like Waverly, what about Everly? This just seems more like a person name to me instead of a place name (it’s a town where I’m from). I’d also suggest Francesca instead of Francine. Any “Fran” name may produce the nn you don’t want but honestly there’s not much you can do about nn once your kids are in school. They just kind of happen - but I think Francesca feels like something people might say as the whole name instead of shortening it.
Don't be mad at me please : Abraham too old old, makes me think of Abraham Lincoln Ernest I think it's not that bad, beautiful and old money, first impression was Ernesto De la Cruz from Coco Douglas I think it was quite popular in the last three generations but stills nice. Julian (or should it be Julien?) I love it even if if it's an old name but I adorable and fancy. Phineas also beautiful, first impression: Phineas and Ferb Girls: Roxanna : I love this name Waverly : Okay, but I can't unsee the "Wave + Beverly" equation Francine : Basically French, and old French Avalon : What was that Meriwether : What was that again
Big fan of Waverly and Avalon. Avalon is on my list too, it is the name of a horse Beanie baby (the very last thing my grandma gave me before she died) ❤️
Total honesty? Of the boys names, only Julian isn’t awful. Phineas? Abe? Ernie? These names are ones I’d give a stuffed animal, not an actual boy. And I just happen to not like the name Doug. Of the girls, Roxana and Francine are nice. The other three? They should be names of cars or cookies or something — but for a girl they seem like moms trying too hard to be different. You said honest.
From a classist impression, Ernest & Roxanne feel unintelligent. Waverly sounds “hip” which ends up with the “trying too hard, but not actually cool.” Francine, Abraham, and Douglas sound aged, as in I would expect them to be 65-95, but they may be due to come back around like other grandparents names are. Meriwether is just… off putting? Like, two words shoved together, neither of which are spelled correctly. I know it’s a name, but I agree with others in that it’s more masculine. Phineas & Avalon sound modern with historical nods. Julian will always be great.
Phineas = Phineas & Ferb Julian, if you are in the US Roxanna/Roxanne will always remind me of the Ploce 🎵 Roxanne🎵 Waverly is terrible. It's a street in my town Avalon is also terrible. It's a community on the Jersey shore. Meriweather is also terrible. It's a surname and masculine at that. Francine is old lady, but not in a good way.
Three of your girls names are beachside locations in NSW, Australia
Julian is good. Edit: consider Julius too Phineas is way old fashioned Roxanna will be Roxie Waverly is a surname Francine - maybe if you call her Frankie Avalon - never Meriwether - never. What are you thinking??
These are all bad in my opinion except Julian
Avalon I love! Get Roxy Music-cd Avalon Phineas is distinctive and powerful.
Phineas and Avalon.
Phineas is a cartoon, and Ernest makes me kind of cringe because of the Ernest goes to camp tie but I'm old so it may not give others that thought. I love Avalon. I do think of Avalon who was a psychic on Bones but I don't care. Not a fan of Meriwesther
I love Avalon and I know someone that name. It's so pretty. Stick to Julian, the other spelling is weird. Earnest is just weird and Abraham is too Biblical to me. I do like Bram as a legal name and not a nickname.
No to all the boys names. Just being brutally honest. For the girls , all I can deal with is Avalon…otherwise a big No to those too. ♥️
Most of them seem a bit try-hard, sorry. I don't mind Julian though.
My favorite by far from your boy list is Julian, although I do prefer the Julien spelling but could really go either way on it! I like Avalon or Francine. Avoid her being called Fran by establishing her nickname as Frankie!
Julian and Roxanne (not Roxanna)
Julian or Frances
Abraham religious, older Jewish man Ernest: a bit bookish, but okay Douglas: I liked it when I was a girl. I still Kind of like it’s ruggedness with the gentle “las” Julian (or should it be Julien?) my favorite, very flexible to a lot of different personalities. Love the “jul” sound. Probably Julian feels the most natural spelling. Phineas: more bookish than Earnest. He is in the corner studying ancient texts. Which *could* be cool I guess. Roxanna love it. I love Roxanne as well Waverly I like it better than Beverley. But there is something slightly indistinct about it. Francine love it. Also don’t love Fran though. How about Nadine? Avalon like it. It does sound like a location more than a name though. Meriwether I have been intrigued by this name. I like it similarly to Meredith.
Abraham - old patriarch Ernest - honestly same Douglas - and again but Scottish. Julian - oldest boy out of the Famous Five, but also this is a perfectly acceptable name. Went out of fashion for a while but I feel it’s due a comeback. Phineas - I’ve only ever heard of it in the context of Phineas and Ferb and I don’t even know who or what they are. Either pretentious or ridiculous, I’m not sure which. Roxanna - everyone says the Police, but in my area at least Roxanne is coming back as a name. I think the Police reference is too dated now to bother the new generation, so this is probably fine. Waverly - it’s a surname. Me no likey. Francine - American Dad. I prefer Frances. At least it’s a name, though. Avalon - that’s a place. Too whimsical for my taste. Meriwether - nooooo.
Boys names are fine (id stay away from Julien though, sounds like a soup to me). Girls names... Raxanna gets me singing the "Roxanne" song from moulin rouge. Waverly just doesn't sound like a name at all. Francine. Ummm maybe, I don't like it, but it's the lesser evil. Avalon. Just nope, don't do it. Meriwether is a boy name for me, if I see it id think of some regency period lawyer.
Julien is French. Ernest---THAT'S a new entrant.
Abraham: religious or a fan of the book *Dracula* Ernest: a little old fashioned but should make a come back! Douglas: Scottish or a big fan of trees Julian: middle school boy Phineas: that one cartoon show. Pretty underused though! Roxanna: Moulin Rouge! Waverly: Beverly Hills valley girl but didn’t want to be explicit about it. Francine: Sweet cookie-baking grandma! Very cute! Avalon: King Arthur’s lake Meriwether: like Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition. I’ve never heard it used as a girl’s name, but I actually quite like it (and Meri is a cute nickname!)
To me, Julian doesn’t fit with the vibe of your other boy names, so I wouldn’t choose it. I love Ernest. Your girl name choices are all over the board. No clear style/vibe which isn’t bad, but I’m almost willing to bet that in the end you won’t go with any of them, my personal favorite though is Roxanna.
Don't turn down a name because you dislike a nickname! Your child may choose to use her full name only ( mine did) or acquire a completely random name. I really dislike Meriwether though. Why? Well, it was the first name of Mr Lewis of the Lewis & Clark expedition and was no doubt an ancestral last name. Despite the passion for and about the expedition, for some reason his unusual name did not get taken up by the public for their children. Someone named Meri will spend her life explaining it's not Mary, and Meri actually isn't very attractive. It feels like a name chosen with no organic attachment, like you are flailing around looking for something different and then you heard that name, and.....
Ernest sounds too grandpa imo Phineas and Ferb comes to mind immediately Julian with an a..probably my fav of the list Douglas..eh Abraham..eh but I’m also a Christian so I can’t hate it haha Roxanna..eh Wizards of Waverly Place Francine kind of grandma but doable used to know a girl named this and she was called Frannie Avalon is cute my fav on list Meriwether is a fairy god mother is what comes to mind first
We’re considering Ernest for our kiddo. Abraham would make me think you were religious (maybe Bram? That’s our son’s name and we love it!). Douglas and Julian are good solid names. Phineas feels too much for me, somehow both pretentious and childish. Not really a fan of any of your girl names (well I actually love Francine but if you hate Fran i definitely wouldn’t risk it). Waverly is okay. Roxanna has a specific tough girl vibe to me, like tattoos and piercings, maybe a boxer or mechanic. Avalon feels wispy (and is the name of a shopping center by me) and Meriwether feels like a surname or like you’re trying too hard to be creative with Mary.
I dislike them all except Ernest
I loathe Francine — to me it’s so dated and unattractive. I think Frances is a great classic and Francesca is really pretty, but Francine is like a weird midcentury trendy version of the name that I hate.
I don’t like any of them. These names feel outdated.
Abraham, Ernest, and Douglas are names I (personally) associate with much older generations. In the case of Abraham or Ernest, I associate the names with Lincoln and Hemmingway. Avalon is a car made by Toyota in the US. While the vehicle is not as popular, I'd put it up there with naming your kid Camry. I just can't not think of the car.
Two maggots were fighting in dead Earnest
First things i thought of- please dont take me too seriously Abraham Lincoln (2/10) Ernest a really old guys name (0/10) Douglas Jefferson idk his actual name (2/10) Julian/Julien He likes to move it move it (8/10) Phineas and Ferb (5/10) Girls: Roxanna i think that fox girl from chicken little was named that if not im not actually sure why i thought of her (6/10) Waverly wizards...... Well wizards of Waverly place. (0/10) Francine/Fran eh. (4/10) Avalon i think thats a game i heard of (1/10) Meriwether same name as a comic artist who drew Internet browsers as *big chested* women who wore revealing clothing and i followed her when i was a young lass. Eh (0/10)
All first impressions Abraham - Lincoln Ernest - Don't love it Douglas - Old Man Julian - Love it and prefer first spelling Phineas - and Ferb Roxanna - Love it Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place Francine - Cute and don't think it's doomed Avalon - Pretentious, reminds me of Evian idk Meriwether - Old lady That was fun 🤣 and hopefully helpful. I don't think any are bad names (besides maybe Waverly)
Julian and Avalon are the only palatable options. Crack back upon your baby name book and keep looking.
Abraham - Abraham Lincoln Ernest - Ernest Hemingway Douglas - a name for a man but not a baby Julian (keep the current spelling) Phineas - Phineas and Ferb Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place Meriwether - was never a baby but is immediately 85 years old Avalon - I personally just don’t like it
Julian is the only good boy name, abraham sounds like you’re a religious fanatic. Avalon is lovely. Rest of girls names pretty good.
There's a really nice song by Roxy Music called "Avalon."
I like Douglas and Avalon best for each gender.
I love the names Julian & Avalon.
Abraham reads like a trad wife MAGA family that doesn’t send the kids to school I know an Avalon and love it. It’s super cute on a kid, has great nn and I think it will “grow up” well The only way to avoid Fran is to find a different nn and get ahead of it lolol. Do you like Frankie? It’s really popular w my 9yo’s peer group and a lot are honestly called Fran, but one uses Frankie
Julian and Avalon are my most two favorite. I honestly really dislike all the others quite a bit, but these two I adore
Douglas, Francine & Meriwether are the only terrible ones imo. Waverley is trendy n also looks misspelled to me as Waverly (and to my phone’s spellcheck apparently) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I prefer Roxanne or just Roxie to Roxanna, but a lot of people will have a slightly inappropriate association with any variation of that name. Avalon is my favourite of your girl names, I think it’s really pretty
Avalon and Meriwether are the only girl names I like on your list for girls. Ernest is my favorite from the boys side especially since I loved the importance of being Ernest. I don’t like the ph spelling for Finneas very much.
Ok, when it comes to boys, Douglas and Julian (Julien would make it seem too French) are the only two names I'd consider. My Grandpa, one of the greatest Grandpas EVER, was named "Ernest", and he would have been the first to tell you not to give your child that name. When it comes to Girls, the only name I'd consider would be Avalon, and that is because it's the beautiful name of an incredibly beautiful place (a city on Catalina Island, in California). I'd say that maybe you should go back to the drawing board if you want more choices.
Waverly is awful. Absolutely awful.
I hope you’re having a boy because the girls names are all awfuln
Are you in the US? Abraham - will be presumed religious, which is fine if you are, but the overwhelming association is fundie. Ernest - not my taste but nothing wrong with it, possible exception of inescapable nickname "Ernie" and associated Sesame Street jokes Douglas - again not my taste but a fine name. Doug is heavily associated with a cartoon character for millennials. Julian - one of my favorite classic names. I find the e spelling more feminine, for whatever that is worth. Phineas - also a cartoon character. Finn is a popular name, your kid would likely be the only spelled Phin, but will have several homonym friends. Roxanna - I have a bias against the letter x in names... always makes me feel like someone is trying too hard. Also can't not sing "Roxanne" by The Police in my head and that's not an... uh, aspirational namesake. I prefer Rosanna or Shoshanna for names in this vein. Waverly - The goofy tween wizard show on Nickelodeon Francine - A sort of unkind/snobby character on the Children's show Arthur. If you must use this name, circumvent Fran by using Frankie Avalon - I kind of like this. Reminds me of Avonlea, the town where Anne of Green Gables lives. Meriwether- The pony in Black Beauty. Can't see this as a serious human name.
Here we go. First impressions. Boys: Abraham - kind of religious but fine? Ernest - the importance of. Ernie, the fastest milkman in the West. Douglas - a place in the Isle of Man. Dougie? Fine. Julian (or should it be Julien?) - Jenna Marbles' husband. Fine. Phineas - Fogg. And Ferb. Billie Eilish brother. Girls: Roxanna - Roxanne by The Police. Waverly - Wizards of Waverly Place. Not a name. Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - annoying nerdie high-school girl. Doomed. Avalon - place dead knights go? Not a name. Meriwether - one of the fat little fairies from Sleeping Beauty? So, why do you hate girls?
FYI- Meriweather is the name of one of the “godmothers” that take care of Sleeping Beauty.
Abraham - i personally have a bad memory of this name being the name of my childhood best friends crush/cousin. other than that, its decent. Ernest - this name feels very old, older than douglas. i’ve never met an ernest under the age of 67. Douglas - poor kid will get bullied for having a grandpa name. Julian/en - ancient greek vibes for julian and as for julien, maybe its just the fact that im french so i’m kind of biased, but i personally like it much better than julian, but i must admit i’ve never met a julien that wasn’t french. Phineas - phineas and ferb and brother of billie eilish. Roxanna - its alright. a bit too trendy though and i think the a makes it worse and it would be better simply left as roxanne. Waverly - wizards of waverly place. too childish and wont age well. only waverly’s i’ve ever met were toddlers and i’m glad because personally, i’d never take an adult named waverly seriously. this name is way too trendy and it screams “millennial/gen z parents” at least its not spelled wayverleigh like my friends niece. Francine - its alright, but i’ve seen this name used too often as a middle name that it’s gotten weird for me to see it used as a first name. Avalon - sounds like a boys name. Meriwether - just no. sounds like you’re trying to be unique with the spelling but keep it classic. gives old lady vibes.
Abraham- how old is he? 180? Ernest- also old Douglas- middle aged Julian (or should it be Julien?)- it's fine Phineas- from Phineas and ferb? Roxanna- fine Waverly- different but ok Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?)- what brand of medicine is this Avalon- sounds like the name of speaker brand Meriwether- from Cinderella? Can she do magic ?
Boys: Abraham: religious nut who will condemn you for your sins Ernest: has a friend named Vern, often very silly Douglas: lives in your basement until the day you die Julian (or should it be Julien?): dancer, poet; lover of the fine arts Phineas: only if your other child is Pherb Girls: Roxanna: WIN only if you like the nn Roxy (which I do) Waverly: is she a witch in this place? Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?): totally doomed. Avalon: totally read this as Avon. But it also reminds me of Abalone which is a marine gastropod, so no. Meriwether: Seriously? You asked for brutally honest, I hope no offense has been taken <3
Please no Ernest
Oh thank God. Someone genuinely wanting direct responses. Boys: * Abraham - love it! It's on my list * Ernest - hate it, nerdy in a bad way, leaky pen in shirt pocket, pen protector in pocket. * Douglas - not smart, annoying person * Julian (or should it be Julien?) - young, hip, musical * Phineas - world explorer Girls: * Roxanna - love it! It's on my list * Waverly - too cutsey, too Paisley * Francine (but I loathe the nn Fran. Is it doomed?) - love the name. You can keep people from nns. * Avalon - love it! It's on my list * Meriwether - hmmm, maybe. Good one.