Name advice desperately need Please!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2006
Name advice desperately need Please!!
7
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 8:56am

We are having our baby in little over 2 weeks and I'm still tossing names around. There are 2 names for this little guy I'm in love with, but I can see some potential problems with them. I would like to know honest opinions on whether or not I'm over-thinking or if I should look for another name to get the desired result that I'm looking for.

The names are Maxwell and Samuel...My preferences are in that order. Our last name end is -steen. I'm German-Amercian, dh's heritage is Hebrew-american. My concern is that I don't want the baby's name to sound like the name of an immigrant. I just don't want the baby to have a "stigma's" growing up. I read in a baby name book that the name Max has been traded in for less "ethnic" names such as Jack and Henry, and obviously the name Samuel is hebrew. Another concern with Samuel is that we would use the nn of Sam, and I don't want him confused for a girl (Samantha nn Sam).

Max _____steen
Sam _____steen

I do have a few other names like Grant and Mason that are in the pot to use if this is a real problem.

I'll also post this on the other baby name board just so I can have all the opinions that I can get.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Lisa




Edited 6/7/2006 11:10 pm ET by kosherkraut1992
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-20-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 9:53am

I think Max is a great name. I do think combined with your last name it is a strongly Jewish name. If you are not planning on raising your child in the Jewish faith, then he might be mistaken for one quite a bit, but then again, I think he'd get that no matter what his first name is, just because of the last name. Regardless, it is his heritage and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. For Max, if I saw it with a Jewish last name, I'd assume the family was fairly into the Jewish culture/religion, but with a more neutral last name, I would not make that connection at all. And I don't get immigrant at all, or anything negative from the name, just strong heritage. Not that I see immigrant as negative anyway, I'm just trying to address your fears :)

I think you can't go wrong with Max or Sam. I would not worry too much about The boy/girl thing with Sam. When people see Samuel on paper, they will know it is a boy name (so for instance the first day of school etc.) and beyond that, people will see your child is a boy. If you happen to have a pretty boy child, like my first son, lol, then you'll probably just get used to using his whole name to introduce him, then use Sam after that. I remember one time someone asked what my son's name was, and I said Griffin, and the woman says, 'Oh, is Griffin a boy or a girl?".

I really like both names, good choices!

-Sarah #4 EDD 12-19-06

Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker target="_blank">
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2005
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 9:55am

I LOVE both Maxwell and Samuel. I think they are great, classic names. (Timeless in a way Grant and Mason are not, even though I think those are nice names.)



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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-29-2005
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 11:04am

Hi Lisa,


I don't think Max and Sam are the Max and Sam of 1900 ykwim? You are trying to avoid an overly sounding Germanic-Jewish sounding name, right? These are ethnic neutral names now, even with a last name like Rosensteen. Rosensteen is not as "ethnic" sounding as you may believe, of course this may have regional implications. I don't know how many Rosensteens there are in Montana for example. Regardless, I think Max and Sam are really neutral. Mason is a terrific alternative if you are really worried about it. I have a German last name and I never thought twice about trying to unkraut it with first names. I may be off the mark, but most Americans don't concern themselves with ethnic last names (any more). Could be the West Coast in me talking though. Good luck! Betty

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 11:26am
In my personal opinion you have nothing to worry about. Both Max and Sam are used so much by American parents. I just might make your decision harder because I LOVE both Mason and Grant. Good luck with your decision, and I don't think any of these four names will sound like what you think!

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:28pm
Lisa/ I have long supported the use of Sam. To me, both Max and Sam are equally "ethnic" and both go well with Rosenstein. To me, they fit worlds better with Rosenstein than Mason or Grant. I think Sam is more refined than Max which has always seemed a bit harsh to me (and, I have to admit, it seems like a cat's name to me...I've known 3!) So, I hope you will choose Sam...and I don't think he would ever be confused for a Samantha...more boys are named Sam than girls. It's very "boyish".
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-13-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 6:06pm
I love all four of your choices. I especially liked Grant and Mason. Max and Sam are greeat two. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Thu, 06-08-2006 - 12:02am
I'm very picky and very harsh about naming techniques, and I don't see a problem at all.
I think you should pick the name that is your very favorite of the four. That is the best way to honor your child! Best wishes, Ginger

Ginger