Oh, dear.

I Love William, particularly the combo of William True. Despite its popularity, it never seems overdone to me, and there are so many good nns.

But, if it's a name associated with an unpleasant relative, then I really do think you must say goodbye to it. I wouldn't want to do anything to hurt my mil.

I like Edmund very much, especially with the nn Ned.

Arthur does seem old to me, but with a nn like Artie or Archie I could be sold on it. I don't know that it will stand out any more than Edmund.

Both Arthur and Edmund would be unusual/edgy choices where I live, in your basic 'burb. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find them at a hipster, Seattle party, especially in circles where folks are looking for the, "New," Henry or Charlie. So, I'd say both are likeable. How nuts they seem (if at all) will surely depend a great deal on where you live and the circles you run in.

As an aside, I Adore the name Verity. I think Verity Claire has the most pleasing sound, but I'm a little bothered by the VC combo-though, of course, those wouldn't be her full initials.

Best wishes!

I think I like the combination of William True the most of the three but I agree that if there is an unpleasant association it might be worth letting it go. Even though you wouldn't be naming after the grandfather it might not be a good reminder for other relatives. Only you can tell whether it would be a problem though.  My only other thought was modifying the name to Willem, but even that might be too close.

I'm not sure whether you care, but Honor seems to be mostly a female name at the moment. I don't think it matters, but you probably should be aware of it.  I like Edmund very much and it is a nice change from Edward.

Arthur I'm growing to like. There is a little boy in my daughters swimming class called Arthur (he sometimes goes by Artie) and he has made me see the name in a different light. 

Both Edmund and Arthur are far less popular than William. Edmund might get mixed in with the Edwards (most seem to go be Ed/Eddie)  but if you used the full Edmund or the nn Ned, he would stand out.

I think Arthur is very usable, and very likeable on a young boy. It has good nickname options and isn't too popular.

Verity Claire is lovely. Verity Katherine is very nice too, but I think I like Verity Claire better. I think either Edmund or Arthur are a slightly better match for Verity than William, if that is any consolation!

I love William, but I think your objections to it are sound, particularly the family connection.  I really like the name Charles, but would not really consider using it due to a non-beloved grandfather, regardless of the fact that I have 4 other uncles and cousins named Charles--the one negative association is too strong.  

I do think Edmund is sweet and handsome, though--Edmund Honor would be my pick.  I love the virtue names you've chosen, too, and I think that one day young Edmund Honor could make an awesome brother to Verity Claire, should the situation arise. ;)

Arthur definitely has supporters on this board, but I haven't yet gotten past thinking of it as an old/musty/nerdy name.  Honestly, it is not a name I would classify as "likeable" (meaning that the archetypal Arthur I picture isn't a sweet kid or a friendly boy, but maybe a cranky old professor with his pants hitched up too high, and maybe a bowtie), although of course that wouldn't stop me from liking a little boy or man with that name.  I have known Arthurs who were not old, but they were generally the children of Asian immigrants, who had something of a habit of picking outmoded names for their kids (likewise, I know 20 to 40 somethings named Edwin, Nelson, Carol, etc.).  Oh, and I just met a young, very hip-looking and friendly African American man this week named Arthur, but immediately after meeting him I wanted to call him either Albert or Alfred (which have the same musty old man feel to me), and had to ask again what his name was to be sure.

Sooo, I would go with Edmund.  I think it has a very crisp and regal sound for a man, and I think Teddy would be an adorable nn for a young Edmund.  I know one toddler named Eddie, but I never did get to figure out what that was short for.  I never really liked Eddie as a nn, but seeing it on him was surprising, and he was so cute that he made it work.

(oh, and for what it's worth, I am in an urban US area surrounded by lots of liberal yuppie/overeducated parents, and Arthur has not reappeared on the scene yet, despite fairly interesting and adventurous naming around here.)

I think the combo of William True flows the best, and I think if you both still love it, it would be a great option. The family history isn't so great, but maybe you should talk to you MIL and tell her that you have always loved the name and ask her if it would be okay for you to use it. That might be a difficult or awkward subject to talk about, especially if you are trying not to discuss names with family and friends, but William True is a great name and it would be worth it if it meant using a name you love! I think that with a name like William, popularity isn't as much of an issue as it would be with a trendier name.

Edmund is my second favorite. I think it's definitely useable. The only small detail I would consider negative is that the name Honor reads feminine to me. With a definitely masculine first name like Edmund, I don't think it's a problem, especially if virtue names are a family tradition. It's just something that came to mind.

Arthur Justice is definitely a "reasonable choice"! While the name Arthur isn't really my style, I do think it's useable and while many people still think of it as out of date, seeing it on a cute little baby would make it likeable. Arthur is, in my opinion, part of the group of "old people" names that is slowly but surely coming back into style. You're not nuts :)

I'm enjoying your responses! Thank you. It sounds like William True is a favorite. We surely like it and have had a hard time giving it up altogether, hence its appearance on our list now. The classic-ness of the name does seem to help compensate for its popularity. The family connection . . . I'll talk to my MIL and find out just how unpleasant it would be for her.

The Ed/Eddie nickname for Edmund drives me crazy. We'd probably just call him Edmund, though I know someone with the last name Mundy, and it occurred to me one day that Mundy could work as a nn for Edmund. Kinda cute, I thought. I, however, managed to go my whole life without getting nicknamed, despite a highly nicknameable name, just because my mother and I insisted on my being called my full name. So I know from personal experience that it's possible. I never considered Teddy before as a nickname. That's kind of fun because my grandfather, whom I do love very much, has the legal name Teddy.

For Arthur, I think I like Art best as a nn. We are also considering the middle name Blaise, so Arthur Blaise. That's not a virtue name but it would give him the option of A.J. if he hates his first name. I don't want my kids to hate me! My husband's parents gave them virtue first names but classic "normal" middle names that they could fall back on if they couldn't live with the first name. I like the back-up plan strategy.

I do love Edmund or Arthur with Verity, and I'm am VERY committed to using Verity if we ever have a girl (fingers crossed).

We live in a "hip" neighborhood in a non-hip city. I think that any of these choices (other than William, obviously!) would seem a tad out of place. On the other hand, we have a lot of academic friends who are profs or grad students at a nearby university, so it wouldn't be terrible. And besides, my husband's name is, well, unusual and a lot of name to live up to, and I think that gives us a bit more license. I can imagine people saying, "Arthur? Really? Well, his dad's name is Ju5t!ce." (crazy spelling to try to keep Google from finding me out)

I have a William and a George, and Edmund and Arthur were both names considered.  If I were to have a 3rd, Arthur would be in the running again (Edmund got the veto from dh).   William is much more common, but we've  only met a handful.  Though, in your case, I think the bad family connection is more of a problem than popularity.

George is a "weird" name for a little boy where we live, and we do sometimes get comments.  When he was first born, several people asked if we planned to have him go by his middle name.  We also get people asking if it is a family name, but only a small handful have actually been rude about it.  I would expect the same kind of response from Arthur.   I think Arthur Justice is lovely, especially with the connection to his father.  Arthur and Verity make a great sibset!

I also love Edmund, though I agree with other posters that Honor seems more girl to me.   Edmund Justice or Edmund True would be an easy fix if that concerns you.

I really love all three of your names. William is quite common, yes, but you have to consider that many of those Williams are really intended to be Liam or Will, so that makes it a bit less common.  That is it difficult to gauge though.

Edmund is cute. I'm not sure that I would ever be so bold myself, but I know a young Edmund, and I find it charming.  

I have a son named Arthur, so I'm pretty familiar with how that reads in society.  I wasn't thrilled with it initially for the same reasons discussed above, but it just seemed to fit the baby.  Also, we couldn't agree on anything else.  For the first several months I got some interesting reactions to the name, you know, that toungue-biting look where someone is trying to think of something nice to say.  Since then though, Arthur has grown into his name so completely and it suits him so very well, that now when I introduce him, people almost uniformly gush about it.  Well-educated people tend to like it better, but really, surprisingly, it gets very good reactions now.  And little Arthur LOVES his name.  He loves the association his name has with King Arthur and the knights of the round table, and he is forever asking me to tell him the stories.  If you want it, go for it.  

Oh, I adore William True! I like both of the others also, but William True just has an awesome ring to it that I like.

Arthur and Edmund/Edward are on my list of boys' names, but I have yet to convince my husband, so there I stand. ;-)

Ask around if your friends or family members remembers the cartoon King Arthur and the Knights of Justice.  It was a favorite of my husbands when he was growing up.  If they have no idea what you're talking about, I vote Arthur Justice.  If it causes lots of snickering, I vote for Arthur True.  

I think both Arthur and Edmund are useable, and go better with Verity.  The only assocation I have with Honor is as a boy's middle name, so it doesn't read particularly feminine to me.  Plus, matched with a clearly masculine name avoids confusion.

I, too, like those crotchity-professor names on baby and toddler boys.  I once heard of a toddler named Frank (not a professor name necessarily, but has that crotchity feel), and I thought it was inspired!

I think Arthur is very nice. Stately but cute? He can grow into it, which is better than having a name he grows out of.

Arthur is adorable :)

I love virtue names and think Verity is absolutely beautiful! 

I like all of your boy names, but Edmund is a favorite.  I also read Honor as feminine, but with a strong male first name, it really shouldn't be a problem.  Although you don't love Edmund nn's, I think Teddy or Ned are adorable options. 

All your chioces are classic and handsome, you can't really go wrong, but this is another vote for Edmund!

I love Edmund!  It makes me think of the Chronicles of Narnia, which is a wonderful association.  And the fact that your beloved grandfather is Teddy just nails it.

Isn't William True Kirstie Alley's son?

I vote for Edmund Honor simply because Edmund is one of my favorites, with a capital F, and I won't get to use it.

Elle

My pick is Arthur Justice.  Maybe it's that I only know 1 Arthur (in his 40s), or that i think the name has been used in children's books, but the name doesn't read old to me.  I could easily see it on a toddler, but the name in full rather than Art.  King Arthur is also a good association.

Edmund has the Chronicles of Narnia association, which is awesome.  But when I first read the books, I didn't care for the name Edmund, and never managed to change my mind.  The nickname Ned has some retro Nancy Drew charm though.

Oh, and Verity rocks!  I would use the name if I could. I met a Verity from New Zealand who was smart, witty, and really hot, and never forgot the name.