Dear Ava to Zeke,
We are looking for a middle name for our future son. My husband is Thai, and I originally wanted to name our son (first name) SonChai (no middle name). We asked around and people had negative comments about it đ. So we both love Royce for the first name.
We have some middle name ideas (Asher, Kalino, Finley, Prim, Onyx, Kheo, Alexander) but none seem to sound smooth. We wanted a traditional Thai name originally but couldn’t find any decent sounding names via internet. We still want something that isn’t the same ole same ole. Could you help us out? Thanks!
Thanks, reader!
First, weâd urge you not to give up on SonChai if you love it. Without knowing what negative feedback you received about the name, we canât really weigh in on that. But we can tell you that we love the idea of using a Thai name, and itâs not easy to find a name both parents agree on.
That said, we adore Royce, too. (Weâve featured it on the blog before!). If you decide to go with Royce, we say go with a Thai name for the middle. This might allow you to avoid whatever negative feedback you got about using SonChai as a first name while still honoring your husbandâs Thai heritage.
What about using SonChai for the middle? Royce SonChai is great. And since middle names arenât said aloud too often, it can still be special and meaningful and part of your sonâs identity without having it at the forefront.
Thai Middle Names
If not, here are some of our favorite Thai names that we could verify from at least two sources. We arenât experts on Thai names or current trends in Thai naming, so you may be able to confirm with your husbandâs family. (They may also be able to provide some additional associations with these names that might tip it one way or another.) We think these would sound great with Royce:
- Aran
- Asnee
- Chaiyo
- Chakan
- Chet
- Kamnan
- Kasem
- Kiet
- Lek
- Niran
- Pravat
- Rama
- Satra
Names Like Asher, Finley, and Alexander
We also like several of the names on your current middle name list. Here are some alternative options that we think are similar in style to the names on your list and might give you more of that âsmoothâ sound youâre looking for:
- Alistair
- Anderson
- Archer
- Damien
- Eamon
- Emery
- Judah
- Levi
- Tate
They’re all a bit preppy, which is trending right now, yet not too common. Royce Anderson makes a nice alternative to Royce Alexander and, for us, Royce Archer is a bit easier to say than Royce Asher, which gets a little muddled (“Roy Sasher”).
Names Like Kalino, Prim, Onyx, and Kheo
Our favorites on your current list might be Kalino and Kheo, which are just unusual enough. Royce Kalino??? Yes, please! Here are some other middle name options that we find similarly intriguing and that balance out the strong, monosyllabic Royce:
- Azure
- Conan
- Cormac
- Dolan
- Donnick
- Ewan
- Ezra
- Gideon
- Kenyon
- Kai
- Kieran
- Micah
- Oslo
- Quinn
- Ruben
- Shem
- Soren
- Sterling
It’s a diverse list, to be sure. But there’s a method to our madness. We’ve got some alternatives for the names you’re considering: Kieran for Kalino, Quinn for Prim, Azure for Onyx, Oslo for Kheo. And the others just make us happy when paired with Royce. Royce Donnick and Royce Gideon just have a ring, and Royce Ruben gives you that snap of alliteration if that’s what you like.
So those are our suggestions for your new baby boy!
Congrats on your newest family member! We know youâll choose a great name.
đ Ava to Zeke
Readers, what are your favorites? What middle name would you pair with Royce?
If you want baby name advice or have baby-naming stories to share, we’re here to listen. Send us an email or DM us on Instagram, or check out our Consultation page.