I too am having a dilemma with choosing a name for our soon-to-be son. We are adopting a toddler boy from China, hoping to have him home early summer.
We already have three bio children, twin girls, Audrey Elizabeth and Layla Marie, and a son, Julian Oliver. When we decided to adopt we immediately knew we loved the name Roman (it was a runner up with Julian). But once we decided to adopt from China, my husband sort of backed away from it because by definition the name means "From Rome". He didn't see it fair to bring a Chinese boy to America and name him a name meaning from Italy. Plus then we found out several people in our family don't really like it either--which isn't a deal breaker as no one really liked Julian and we love it. Also, we probably won't use a Chinese name for various reasons, especially since we feel his Chinese name will always be his to have, just not what we and everyone calls him. So, after sort of pushing Roman to the side, (though we still love it) we've made a short list of:
Nolan
Jeremiah
Malachi (nn Chi {pronounced Kai})--Nice, subtle Chinese feel
Beckett
Easton
Wesley
Roman--still had to include it
The first/middle name combos we like the best are (probably in order of favorite to least favorite):
Nolan Beckett
Jeremiah James
Roman Beckett
Roman Wesley
Wesley Easton--Love that this means from the West to the East (and back again)
Easton Beckett
Malachi James
Trouble with Easton is that it sounds so much like Ethan (our neighbor boy). I like classic yet modern names, not too trendy, not too unusual.
Also, the "B-rated" list, mostly that I liked but husband did not so much:
Emmett
Griffin (love nn Finn)
Hayden
Jonas
And names that I cannot use: Noah, Micah, Nathan, Owen, Joseph, Ethan, Benjamin
So do you think Roman would be a deal breaker for our little Chinese boy? Does the name really evoke a certain feeling or geography that won't match our son? Any other suggestions? Oh, and our last name is Six.
Thanks!!
Hm. This is a tough one, and I suspect answers will be all over the spectrum. To me, the name Roman definitely does bring to mind Rome and the Romans---but on the other hand it's sounding more namey all the time. I have similar (though opposite, because it's connected rather than clashing) qualms about the name Easton, what with references to Eastern medicine and Eastern religions and so forth: it's not like it's a flagrant connection, but it comes to mind. It does seem better in adoption situations to avoid names that deal with geography, but if I met a boy from China named Roman I would maybe blink once---it's not like I'd think "WHAT WERE HIS PARENTS THINKING??"
For a name that's similar to Roman but doesn't have a geographical connection, I think Nolan from your list is the best. My favorite with the other siblings' names is Wesley.
I don't feel any need to add to your list at all: those names look like really good candidates. Let's have a poll instead (over to the right). [Poll closed; see results below.]
