So we are pretty set on Oscar as a first name.....now for the middle name!


My dad's brother died when they were late teenagers (before my arrival), and had struggled with heart problems all his life. According to my grandparents I am the 'female version' of said past uncle.
My DH's uncle also died young (his mum's brother), when DH was in primary school. They were pretty close by the sound of things....he was the cool, world traveller uncle.

As it turns out we don't really like either of the names as such, my uncle was Gary and DH's uncle was Ray. We never really planned to use those names as sentiments etc and also know that if we used only one it would upset the other family.

We were talking about it the other night (a friend is using a version of a family members name etc) and DH randomly said what about "Gray".....it has Ray in it, and just a few letters of Gary turned around.

TBH, I don't really know what I think about it.....I like the sentiment, but I think it still needs to sound right and be practical (which I'm not sure it is). The other thing I worry about is that future DS may need to spend his life explaining that his MN is a combo of his 2 dead great-uncles. DH is just as unsure as me....he is actually most impressed that he came up with a naming suggestion that wasn't completely ridiculous!

Outside perspective.....is it a nice thought but going to far?

I love it!

I love the name and the sentiment behind it. I don't think your son will need to explain it to anyone, unless he chooses.

I'm not into name smooshing. My opinion is if you're naming after someone you should pick one name and use it as is, I feel like smooshing names together or altering them kind of defeats the purpose. But I know a lot of others disagree with me.

Actually, a guy I worked with had Gray as his son's middle name too (apparently it was an old family name). I like it, it is kind of strong.

love it, i wanted it for a first name but was knocked down.

I just look at it and think it's Gary with a typo anyway. I would use just Gary or just Ray, not Gray.

Love the name Gray, my friend is David Gray.

I actually love Gray as a middle name - I know a Thomas Gray (first and middle) and I think it sounds great. I say go for it.

I think its great! It would be a great middle name even if it wasn't a family name. Very strong for a boy.

Love it!

love it too!

I think that Gray is a perfectly acceptable name.

It just another one of those surnames that has made its way in to being a first name.

i like it, and especially with the story behind it. As a middle name it is perfect

I usually roll my eyes at uneek names smooshed together, but I don't think it applies in your situation. I think that Gray is a perfectly legitimate middle name.

My DS has an uncommon middle name that goes back several generations and I'll be proud explaining that to him when he asks. I don't think your DS will need to explain Ray/Gary with the letters rearranged to people. He can just say it's after his great uncles.

Totally agree, a boy I went to school with had the first name Gray and back then it was quite strange (not in these days though) but it gave him an edge - we all thought he was a bit mysterious - we were only 9 though!

I think it is a perfectly normally and strong middle name, and love the family sentiment... I dont think it matters that your not just using Ray or Gary - It is not for anyone else's purpose - it is for you and your family.

My father was Grahame and got Gray as a nn. He passed away 8 weeks into this pregnancy. If we have a DD her middle name will be Grace or Grae. Even though im not using his whole name it will still be very special to me.

We also considered Grayson as a first name if we have a DS.

I really like Gray. Oscar Gray would be perfect.

I would usually say no, but I really like it! Oscar Gray sounds great!

I like it.

If he or you as parents don't want to go into the full story to non-family members, just say it's a family name and leave it at that.

I also like it, its nice and strong!

I really like it!

I really like it - Oscar Gray sounds great.

love this name! would have it on my list for a first name, except i know someone with it as a first name already, rules it out for me! sounds great with oscar too

Love it! The story behind it is a bonus.

I really like it (the name) and the sentiment. He won't have to explain it at all if he doesn't choose to - it's just a middle name.

P.S. My Dad's middle name is Grey (that spelling) but I think Gray is more usual.

Do it.