In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare writes, “What’s in a name?”
Well according to parenting.com, the answer is, everything! Your baby’s name affects a lot more than his monogram.
It is a big influencer on the way others see him, as well as how he perceives himself.
This is why so many people spend an overwhelming amount of time searching Google for the perfect first name. After hours of poring over endless search results, it’s no surprise that many parents give up and “settle” for an OK middle name.
That’s why I’ve been putting together my How To Pick A Middle Name series. So with a quick glance, you can find the perfect middle name for your son!
Without any further ado, here are the best middle names for a boy named Oliver.
I’ve compiled these from baby name databases, parent discussion forums, and other sources then whittled them down to the ones I personally think sound the best.
Hope it helps!
The importance of picking a good middle name for your son
Legally, there is no requirement to have a middle name.
A middle name is completely optional, but almost everyone has one, so it feels like something you ought to do!
If you are looking for the perfect name for your son, then you have probably already decided that including a middle name is a pretty good idea. He’ll thank you later for not being the only at school without one.
That’s also a good choice because that extra name between your first and last can have a lot of benefits!
Here are 3 big reasons you should think and research carefully about a good middle name that goes well with Oliver:
A middle name lets you preserve even more family or other important names
It’s natural that you would consider naming your child after a family member or loved one, but if you have more than one person you want to honor, then how do you choose between them?
A middle name gives you the opportunity to pay tribute to multiple special people in your life.
All you need to do is to make sure that the names flow together nicely!
Their middle name can, and might, become their nickname
You’ve probably told your kids on more than one occasion, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.”
Well, a middle name lets kids have a little bit of a choice, and it lets them have a nickname!
Many people opt to go by their middle names full-time.
If Oliver shares his first name with someone else in his class at school, then using his middle name can make things easier. (Or he might just switch because he likes it better.)
Keep this in mind when you make your choice, and stay away from names that could prove to be embarrassing!
The full name power play
Nothing beats the classic full-name warning delivered by parents everywhere, for example, “OLIVER MICHAEL WILLIAMS, HOW DID MUD GET ON THE CEILING?!”
Every child knows that when mom plays the FULL NAME card, it means BIG trouble.
So, parents, try out your child’s potential full name by practicing this tongue-lashing. Y
our future self will thank you because the easier it rolls off of your tongue, the more effective it will be.
Middle name ideas for a boy named Oliver
And now, the moment you all have been waiting for, the list!
Remember, these are some ideas to get your brain going. It’s a great starting point, and I am sure you will find some great middle names to go with Oliver!
Oliver Alexander
Oliver Ambrose
Oliver Anthony
Oliver Braxton
Oliver Bryson
Oliver Carson
Oliver Charles
Oliver Christopher
Oliver David
Oliver Edmund
Oliver Ethan
Oliver Evan
Oliver Finn
Oliver Francis
Oliver Frank
Oliver Gabriel
Oliver George
Oliver Gregory
Oliver Henry
Oliver Holden
Oliver Hugh
Oliver Jackson
Oliver James
Oliver Jason
Oliver Jeffrey
Oliver Joseph
Oliver Karl
Oliver Kyle
Oliver Lance
Oliver Louis
Oliver Lucas
Oliver Mason
Oliver Mattox
Oliver Michael
Oliver Noah
Oliver Paul
Oliver Peter
Oliver Philip
Oliver Russel
Oliver Samson
Oliver Stephen
Oliver Tate
Oliver Terrence
Oliver Theodore
Oliver Thomas
Oliver Tyson
Oliver Victor
Oliver William
Oliver Zachary
My favorite middle names for Oliver have to be Oliver Michael and Oliver Henry. They both have that classic masculine sound to them, but you should go with whatever sounds best to you!
Meaning of the name Oliver
According to BabyCenter, Oliver is a Latin name, meaning “peaceful,” or “olive tree.”
It came in at #3 in the popularity rankings for 2019.
Some famous Olivers are politician Oliver Cromwell and director Oliver Stone.
Many people might think of the famous character from literature, Oliver Twist.
Wrapping Up
Those are just a few of my favorite names that go well with Oliver, but by no means is it an exhaustive list.
Hopefully, you found a few you like as well. Tell me in the comments which ones you like, or just your favorite middle names for boys in general.
And if you found this helpful, scroll down and join my email list to keep up with all my best parenting tips and timesavers, or follow me over on Pinterest.
(You might also find my complete newborn baby shopping list (with pictures) for new parents helpful!)
Good luck, parents!