They’ve named four boys together – and they love every choice so far! Now it’s time for boy number five, and they’re out of ideas.

　　Kate writes:

　　My husband and I are expecting our fifth boy in a few months.

　　After naming four boys, it’s hard to find a name we both love! Our sons’ names are Max, Cooper, Jack, and Judson.

　　We like:

　　Theo – We have a nephew named Ted, but we never see him – so I think we could still use it.

　　Duke – I’m not sure I can picture this name for an adult.

　　Dash/Dashiell – My husband only likes the short form Dash, and I don’t know if that name would age well on its own either.

　　Do you have any name suggestions for our fifth boy that go well with our other four boys’ names? I want to find a name I will love just as much as the previous four. His middle name will be Christopher.

　　The Name Sage replies:

　　It does sound like you’ve used up your favorite names – but there are plenty of great possibilities to explore!

　　I think many parents worry that names won’t age well. With the exception of the cutesiest and most unusual of names – Cookie, maybe, or Peanut – I would counter that most names will age just fine. Thirty years ago, Jennifer and Brandon sounded like nursery schoolers. Today, those are the names of my children’s dentists. Names grow up along with the generation that bears them.

　　Let’s take a closer look at Duke and Dash.

　　Both names are rising quickly in use in the US. They fit nicely with the shorter, punchy names you seem to like, like Max and Jack. And both names fit right in with Max, Cooper, Jack, and Judson.

　　But they are different in one important respect: they lack the long history of use associated with your older sons’ names. Still, over 300 boys were named Dash last year, along with 450 newborn Dukes. The names feel a little bold and maybe even novel, but they wouldn’t be out of place among children born in 2017.

　　I’d favor Dash over Duke, if only because Dash has a different ending sound than Jack and company.

　　With that in mind, let’s look at some more names that might work beautifully as a brother for Max, Cooper, Jack, and Judson.

　　Leo – I love the sound of Theo with your older boys’ names. But if you have any hesitation about the similarity between Theo and Ted, opting for Leo instead of Theo might work. Same upbeat ending, but no etymological overlap.

　　Camden – Judson ends in an ‘n’ sound, and Cooper starts with a C, but I feel like Camden fits right in between the two names, completing the set.

　　Emmett – There are so many appealing ends with –ett names for boys, including Bennett, Beckett, and Everett. Emmett is my favorite with your boys’ names.

　　Charlie – I wonder if you would like Charlie? It has the same friendly, upbeat appeal as Theo and Dash, but gives you a slightly different option.

　　Miles – Miles seems like a natural brother name with your older boys. It has a long history of use, but isn’t quite as traditional as Jack.

　　Asher – I wonder if Asher might serve as an alternative to Dash? Asher is more popular than Dash or Duke, but comparable to Theo and Max.

　　Overall, I quite like the sound of Theo Christopher. It’s a great name combination, and Theo’s bright ‘o’ ending stands out from his older brothers’ names. If not Theo, I’m quite drawn to the sound of Camden. Camden feels almost as current and cool as Dash and Duke, but maybe addresses your concerns about a name that will age well.

　　What would you suggest as a brother name for Max, Cooper, Jack, and Judson?