Naming a baby is not easy. There are so many things to consider: Is the name too common? Can it be shortened to a cute nickname? Does it have a “y” in it? Does it sound like a dog’s name? Is it too unique? Is it too hippy? Does it have a nice ring to it when combined with the other names?

But the most important consideration for us is: what kind of person will the name turn our boy into?

The conversation and theories on how someone’s name affects their personlity and life choices is known as “nominative determinism.” As the BBC explained well in 2021, a name changes “how others see their child and therefore ultimately the kind of person their child becomes.”

There is of course the age-old discussion of nature vs nurture, but outside influence impacts children and adults for their entire lives. Studies repeatedly show that names influence other people’s perceptions of us. If they like the name, they are more likely to hire or date us, and that is not even getting into aptronyms.

Taking these questions into consideration, we have created a list of our favorite names. Some are meant as middle names, and we are still taking suggestions, so let me know your favorites.

• Attikis
• Aubrey
• Briar
• Bryn
• Chezare
• Clover
• Emerys
• Evren
• Luca
• Micah
• River
• Shiloh
• Taryn
• Vesper