7 replies to this topic

[kivagurl]

I *think* we have decided on the name Berkeley for our first little boy. I love the name, but am worried about how it will be received? Berkeley? Like the school?

What do you think of this name?

We are also having a really difficult time coming up with a middle name that we like. I think I want something a little more edgy to contrast with the first name, but haven't been able to come up with anything. Please help!

[Katie-Nana]

I think Berkeley is a nice name. Yes, I think of the school but there are a lot of kids receiving surnames for first names these days. I think Berkeley (nn Berk ?) should fit right in, yet still stand out. As for middle names...MORE EDGY? Okay...

Berkeley Axel
Berkeley Cruz
Berkeley Diesel
Berkeley Jax
Berkeley Kane
Berkeley Thorn/Torn
Berkeley Phoenix
Berkeley River
Berkeley Sawyer
Berkeley Xander
Berkeley Castor
Berkeley Zane
Berkeley Pierce
Berkeley Oisin
Berkeley Valen
Berkeley Hendrix
Berkeley Quade


...like any?

[ashooles]

Berkeley Hayden
Berkeley Noah
Berkeley Lawrence
Berkeley Zeus
Berkeley Donald
Berkeley Quinton
Berkeley Ross
Berkeley Owen
Berkeley Everett
Berkeley Sanders

[PaperHeart]

I think Berkeley is a nice name. Yes, I think of the school but there are a lot of kids receiving surnames for first names these days. I think Berkeley (nn Berk ?) should fit right in, yet still stand out. As for middle names...MORE EDGY? Okay...

Berkeley Axel
Berkeley Cruz
Berkeley Diesel
Berkeley Jax
Berkeley Kane
Berkeley Thorn/Torn
Berkeley Phoenix
Berkeley River
Berkeley Sawyer
Berkeley Xander
Berkeley Castor
Berkeley Zane
Berkeley Pierce
Berkeley Oisin
Berkeley Valen
Berkeley Hendrix
Berkeley Quade


...like any?

Ditto!

I loved Katie's suggestion of Berkeley Pierce.
Personally, I'd pair it with something a little more traditional, but you could go either way really!

[kivagurl]

I really like Berkeley Zane and Berkeley Phoenix, as well as several others. However, I am also getting feedback on another forum that Berkeley is a girl's name. I haver never personally met anybody named Berkeley, which was my initial hesitation on using it. I definitely don't want to use a girl's name for my boy! Does it sound girly?

[Katie-Nana]

Considering it is a surname...it really could go either way. But I wouldn't necessarily think 'girl' when I hear Berkeley. The only thing that I would consider feminine would be the -ley ending, but their are plenty of boys names that have the -ley ending as well (Wiley being one of my personal favorites). The Berke (Burk) sound is very masculine to me. Plus I think of Charles Barkley when I hear it so I think of it as being a masculine/sporty name.

[PaperHeart]

Considering it is a surname...it really could go either way. But I wouldn't necessarily think 'girl' when I hear Berkeley. The only thing that I would consider feminine would be the -ley ending, but their are plenty of boys names that have the -ley ending as well (Wiley being one of my personal favorites). The Berke (Burk) sound is very masculine to me. Plus I think of Charles Barkley when I hear it so I think of it as being a masculine/sporty name.

I was just going to say that "Berke/Burke" sounds very masculine to me.
I think it could work on both sexes {I could imagine a girl named Berkeley, kind of like I could see a girl named Sawyer or Rowan.. just a bit more of a tomboy name than anything}. I personally like the idea of it on a little boy and it's also a name that I see ageing well!

It's a little like the Mackenzie, Addison, Delaney, Harper, Riley, Taylor, Preston, Carter, Kelly, Lane, Jordan, Ellis, Blaire, Reese and Tate's of the world. All surnames, all now considered unisex.

But I have a thing for surnames as 'first names'. I'm a fan of the likes of Warren, Gray, Broderick, Perry, Anderson, Dawson, Warner, Pierce and Brennan for little boys.

[xxThePumpkinQueenxx]

I personally think it sounds fine for a little boy, and I like it much better for one that a girl.