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[Opinions] Conrad and Joseph.
My husband and I were talking about names last night. For a very long time I've wanted to use Joseph but I'm beginning to be wary. Two of my favorite names are Magdalene / Magdalena and Miriam, one of which I'm fairly sure I'll use. Since I equate Miriam with Mary I find it too odd to use with Joseph (Mary and Joseph - too religious for even me) and Eilis pointed out the Goebbels if I were to use Magdalena and Joseph.This leaves me in a bit of a predicament. I have always love Jo names for boys - Jonas, Joseph, Joshua - none of which are really usable at this point. (My husband hates Jonas and Joshua has been used by other family members.) Can you guys recommend any other names? My husband likes Catholic names, I prefer biblical. Other top names are Nathaniel and Ira.Now on to Conrad:
It's a good solid name, and it was nearly the name of my husband's uncle. I'm just not sure how I feel about it. I like my names to be approachable & familiar - Miriam, Joseph, Magda, Nathaniel - and this one isn't. It's fine for my list but I'm not sure if I could use it. However my husband came up with the combo Conrad Arthur last night and I think it's neat.Thoughts? And no, I wouldn't use Joseph and Conrad together. I know a woman who named her son Linkyn Douglas. I keep wanting to give her a copy of the Lincoln and Douglas debates.

This message was edited 7/15/2010, 4:24 PM

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Oh. Is "Magdalena and Joseph" definitely off the table for consideration? I love those two together. They make me want to sit in a cafe in Eastern Europe, and order goulash. There are violins palying softly in the background. I don't think anyone would know about the Goebbelses (pl?), or think there was any connection to them if they did. It seems hard luck on two terrific names that they happened to belong to two awful people.I know. Once the seed is planted it's hard to erase. Such a pity.
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For the time being.My husband actually came up with Mariana Cecilia and quickly discovered that both of them have seven letters, along with our last name. He is now determined to use it. :-D The problem with using Magdalena and Joseph together is that I suspect my side of the family would be familiar with the Goebbels. I'll run it by my family and see what they think.
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Joachim?Job
John
Jolyon
Josiah, Josias
Jotham's one you don't see everydayConrad Arthur is rad. I knew a Conrad, he was kinda inbred-looking; real pale and wiry and squinty too-pale eyes and really into autoshop stuff, y'know? But I also think of courderoy when I see the name conrad, so that makes me think of chubby, cute little boys in overalls, which is adorable.I don't see the Conrad-Joseph connection?
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Joseph Conrad is a famous author.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_ConradAnd yes, Conrad Arthur is pretty cool. I'm working on liking Conrad and he's working on liking Joachim. :-D
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I think Conrad is more familiar than Magdalena... I hear Magdalena a lot on the boards, but I've never, ever, ever heard it IRL. Conrad I've heard plenty around here!I prefer the spelling Konrad, but that's because it was my great grandfather's name, and it just looks so cool! It squashes all Jaedyns and Braydens in its path with pure awesome.Conrad Arthur is nice. Konrad Ulysses is my current favorite combo. Let's see... some more...
Conrad James
Conrad Amos
Conrad Jeffrey / Geoffrey
Conrad AaronSo really stupid question here: Catholic names vs. Biblical names. What's the difference? Do Catholics not use names from Scripture?
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Until very, very recently60 years ago, actually Catholics were not encouraged to read the bible, and Saints played a very large role in worship. On top of this some Churches did not let parents use names unless they were the name of a Saint or relative. This lead to Catholics using names that are significantly different from Protestants. For years my favorite name was Katherine. I told my brother this and he stated "That's too Catholic of a name." I've honestly seen this division between my family and X's. My family does not like names like Magdalene, Theresa, Catherine, Judith, etc and his family doesn't really like names like Abel, Josiah, Naomi, Miriam, etc. My family, on the other hand, does.
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Catholics do use Scripture names but traditionally they also use the names of Saints. For example, Catherine (this spelling) is traditionally a very common Irish Catholic name because it is after St Catherine (there are more than one actually). Other examples of quite 'Catholic' but not necessarily Biblical names are ones like Bernadette, Carmel, Theresa, Monica and Francis.
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Ah, okayThank you! :)
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Joel?
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I considered Conrad. My husband wasn't that into it.I knew a guy named Conrad in high school. He was quirky/geeky, smart, funny-looking, and cool, and the name suited him. So it has always seemed among the most usable un-usual names I know. I could totally, totally call a son Conrad.If you need to satisfy your Biblical thing, I think Ira is also cool, unusual these days, and usable. Better than Joseph IMO, which (maybe only to me) sounds sort of marshmallowy. Nathaniel is alright too, especially because of nn Nate.
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Thanks. :-DIt's not really a biblical thing. It's very odd considering that I was raised Baptist and am now Catholic but I have a thing for Jewish names and Jewish naming traditions. I have no idea why, although I suppose it's due to my dad and brother. They're both biblical scholars so when I bring up a old testament name they can give me the meaning and history behind it - and history is important to me in a name. I like names that have been used for thousands of years and have a weight to them. For every name on my list I can give you at least one historical and/or literary reference. I think that is why I liked Joseph for so long but I'm beginning to agree with you on it being marshmallowy. Thanks for your thoughts on Conrad. I'll do some research, see what I can bring up to make the name more "weighty" to me.
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Mirfak, I think you may have helped me solve the mysteryof my likes and dislikes.I have known a total of five people with my name, only come across it twice in books (and once it was used for a villian - a whiny, snivelling man with glasses- yet that book is still treasured) and I have no real namesakes. So I suppose I'm rebelling against my own name.:-D
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I find Conrad more approachable than Magda TBH...Magda has always seemed like a cold harsh name to me. Conrad is a strong, solid and honest sounding name to me. I dunno...maybe I'm being influenced because a good friend of mine is Konrad and he is an awesome person. I still love Joseph for you guys! It would be a shame not to use it. Have you thought about Abel? I think it has a similar vibe to Miriam, Joseph, Magda and Nathaniel. It also fits the Biblical criteria.
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One of my good school friends had a brother named Conrad. So, for me it's just an ordinary name. Our older son is named Joseph. Silas? (as in Paul and..)
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I loooove Silas.Xander is okay with it. My dad and uncle came up with silage right away. Living in farm country that is a bit of a worry - it's a common word. :-DI'm still going to add it to the list, though. That's all I'm really doing right now - just gathering up a list. I swear I must be one of the most anal retentive people ever. We've decided to wait two years to really try again for a baby, I need to have a list set aside. We're moving no sooner than September yet I'm already organzing our stuff and packing it. :-D
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I think personal influence has a lot to do with it, actually.I know a Magda and I love her, but I've never met any Conrads. I suspect if I had I'd like it more.And I love Abel. It's one of the names X comes and goes on. One minute he likes it, the next he doesn't. I need to find a book he'd read with an Abel as a main character, I think. :-D
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"I keep wanting to give her a copy of the Lincoln and Douglas debates."
I love this quote!!!
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What about Joachim? It's Catholic and fits in the Jo category you like You couuld use Jo/Joey or Jock as nicknames. I think it sounds great with Magdalena, Conrad, and Miriram.John
Josias
JocelynOddly enough, to me Ira and Nathaniel (or any other Old Testament names) sound very Protestant, I don't know if thants a problem for your husband!
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I never thought of Joachim.and I am Protestant. It's hard, actually - my husband has a slightly anti-Protestant name bend and I have a slightly anti-Catholic name (despite having converted.) But yes, I love Joachim. Thank you.
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My favorite J names are Jorah (a name from a book) and Jericho (which is technically biblical, but not a person...) Some others could be Ezra, Nathan, Luke, Francis, Adam, or Luther? Well, maybe not Luther if you're shooting for Catholic.
I love Conrad Arthur. I think Conrad is way more approachable/familiar than Magda, and just as approachable/familiar as Miriam. An alternative is Conri, which I think sounds a little more friendly. Conri could also be a nn.

This message was edited 7/15/2010, 5:10 PM

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LOL on Luther..My dad is actually a big fan of Luther. I'm iffy on the name and person. It's interesting that Conrad is more familiar to you - where are you from? I went to school with a LOT of people from Eastern Europe (mostly Bulgaria) and so I'm familiar with Magda and names like it. Not so much with Conrad, go figure.

As for the names you suggested:
Ezra: On my list but he doesn't like.
Nathan: Prefer Nathaniel.
Luke: I tried for this but my husband is too big of a fan of Star Wars for people to not mock him.
Francis: On the list.
Adam: I like it, he doesn't. Thanks. Honestly, none of the names really do much for me. There is a vibe that I want, these names don't give it. I'm not even sure what that vibe is or how to describe it - I just know when I find it. And actually...Ezra gives off the vibe of all the names. It's an old-testament, salt-of-the-earth, good name. I'm not sure why many non-Old testament or non-Jewish names don't give me that vibe.

This message was edited 7/15/2010, 6:22 PM

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Well, I don't actually know any Conrad's or Magda's. I guess I'd heard of Conrad before I ever heard of Magda. I live in the US, in Wyoming.
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Got it.So you live in a similar area - I am now in North Dakota. Before I lived in DC and went to a school with a lot of embassy kids. That said I'm surprised I haven't come across any Conrads - it's such a German name and this is an incredibly German area.
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Hmm...Jotham, Jovan, Joel?I like Conrad. It's not a completely unheard of name, but yeah - it doesn't exactly give off a comfy vibe. And while I think the nn Connie would be badass on a boy, I can see why you'd want to shy away from that. lol Linkyn Douglas

This message was edited 7/15/2010, 4:51 PM

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I love Connie on a boy!I'm not sure how well it would work in this area but yes, if we used Conrad he would be Connie. :-DI love Jovan but it won't get past my husband. Joel is the name of my cousin who I have ... less than a congenial relationship with. :-D Jovan, though - that is really cool. And yes, I couldn't help but laugh with Linkyn Douglas. Husband told me and I started laughing because of the the debates, then I got the spelling and I just stared.
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