Thoughts on names?

[Edensmum]

I am pregnant with what we believe is a little boy. I have always planned to name a son Hayden, which I fear is a little too similar to Eden, dd's name. It's a family name and paired with the Irish family name gives us the option of Mac as a nickname.
I have never before considered, and a bit concerned about the popularity of Elijah, but for months now, I just sort of feel like that is his name. It's weird, I don't know where is came from, and I like it, but it doesn't have the significance of the family names. Friends say it's too biblical, not sure I care about that, we all have Hebrew names so it would go.

What do you think?
If we use both which order do they sound best in?

[wellyes]

A generation ago I would have thought of Elijah as a Jewish name. Not that there's anything wrong with that LOL. But now I think of it as a classic, if slightly trendy name that is absolutely lovely. Here is the Namepedia entry on it, if you're interested: http://www.babynamewizard.com/namipedia/boy/elijah?results=sound

[kedss]

I like Elijah Hayden :)

[Tondi G]

I like both names. I like Hayden better but I do agree that Eden and Hayden are similar in sound.

Would you call him Eli for short with Elijah. I have a fondness for Eli since the 2 Eli's I know are adorable boys... each from a set of twins in fact.

Elijah Hayden sounds nice.

One thing I noticed but don't know if it bothers you at all. Both your kids would have the initial E.

[pinkmomagain]

I like Elijah Hayden. I think of Hayden as a feminine name (as in Hayden Panittiere - sp?) but maybe because that's the only Hayden I know.

[kedss]

When I chose Hannah for my DD's name, it seemed it was her name too, and when she arrived, she definitely was a Hannah, so I know what you mean, I think sometimes we just know who they are. :)

[ciw]

I have never before considered, and a bit concerned about the popularity of Elijah, but for months now, I just sort of feel like that is his name.

In this area, Hayden is much more popular than Elijah. It seems like everyone is giving their kids an -ayden ending name. I think they're going to sound really dated in a few years.

I like Elijah better, particularly since you already feel like that's his name. I didn't know DS was a boy until he was born but I knew it. We ended up with a name that was more popular than I would like but for months before he was born, I just felt like the baby was a boy and that was his name......Not that we didn't continue to second-guess ourselves on the name (because of it's popularity)...but that's another story....

[JustMe]

Another vote for Elijah Hayden. Mostly because I would feel that Hayden and Eden are too similar for me...some people like doing that with their kids though.

[KpbS]

Similar to Elijah I like Elliott. Hayden is just ok for me. I think Hayden is too similar sounding to Eden. If you love it and really want to use it, then I vote use it as a middle name.

[shawnandangel]

I agree with PP's. I think that Elijah Hayden is lovely.

It's too biblical? Well then, we better tell all the Mary's, Michaels, and Luke's that their names are too biblical too. Dont' forget Peter and John. Those are pretty popular "biblical" names as well. Oh! Joseph, Rachael, Ruth. The list goes on.

We didn't tell friends or relatives because people are just too darn opinionated. There were so many names we took off the table before we decided not to discuss anymore with friends and family because of comments such as "That's a hooker's name!" "Oh no, that's too cutsie" "Really! HAHA! Oh. You're serious?"
We decided it was a personal decision between the three of us. What we felt from her and what WE liked. NOT what our family liked, and not what our friends liked. Don't let your friends and family bully you out of a name you feel is right for your son.

[blisstwins]

Love Elijah, plus there was a heroic abolitionist by that name so good feelings associated with it:

Lovejoy’s printing press was stolen three times in Alton by states-rights/pro-slavery groups, and was thrown into the river. He was given another printing press from the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. Once he had received his new printing press, word went out and pro-slavery mobs decided to destroy it. In October 1837, Lovejoy was asked to leave Alton by many leaders. He rejected this threat, however, and angrily argued that he has as much right to be here than anyone else.

[edit] Death
On November 7, 1837, pro-slavery partisans congregated and approached Gilman's warehouse, where the printing press had been hidden.[13][14] According to the Alton Observer, shots were then fired by the pro-slavery advocates, and balls from muskets whizzed through the windows of the warehouse, narrowly missing the defenders inside. Lovejoy and his men returned fire. Several people in the crowd were hit, and one was killed.

As some began to demand the warehouse be set on fire, leaders of the mob called for a ladder, which was put up on the side of the warehouse. A boy with a torch was sent up to set fire to the wooden roof. Lovejoy and one of his supporters, Royal Weller, volunteered to stop the boy. The two men crept outside, hiding in the shadows of the building. Surprising the pro-slavery partisans, Lovejoy and Weller rushed to the ladder, pushed it over and quickly retreated inside.

Once again a ladder was put in place. As Lovejoy and Weller made another attempt to overturn the ladder, they were spotted. Lovejoy was shot with a shotgun loaded with slugs and was hit five times; Weller was also wounded. Suffering the same fate as its predecessors, the new printing press was destroyed; it was carried to a window and thrown out onto the riverbank. The printing press was then broken into pieces that were scattered in the river.

Afterwards, Lovejoy was considered a martyr by the abolition movement, and in his name, his brother Owen Lovejoy became the leader of the Illinois abolitionists. His murder was a sign of the increasing tension within the country leading up to the Civil War, and it is for this reason that he is considered to be the "first casualty of the Civil War."

[american_mama]

Definitely prefer Hayden Elijah. A similar name is Elias, if you like that better for whatever reason.

[Nooknookmom]

I like Elijah Hayden. I think of Hayden as a feminine name (as in Hayden Panittiere - sp?) but maybe because that's the only Hayden I know.

Me too, DH's neice is named Hayden. Since she was the only one I knew for years, I never pictured it as a boys name.

I really like Elijah though!

[HIU8]

I love Elijah. Elijah Hayden is such a nice name. I'm partial of course b/c DS's middle name is Elias. I wanted Elijah and DH wanted Eli, so we met in the middle so to say.

[AnnieW625]

I like Hayden as first name (that was the name of Craig T. Nelson's character on Coach!), and if you like it then don't let it bother you that it sounds like Eden. I also like Elijah. Hayden Panettaire is the only female Hayden I have ever heard of and it might be a tad trendy for a girl, but honestly I still like it and think of it as a boy's name first.

[jk3]

I really like the name Elijah. We almost used it for our 3rd DS's middle name. I love the name Eden. I think Hayden is too similar and it's overly popular as well.