Just a comment about the name "Samuel". "Samuel Adams" is the name of a beer. A really good beer, but a beer nontheless. Just wanted you to know!

Angie, I am well aware of that. :)

But as I said in my disclaimer, not all of those names are actually under consideration.

I voted for Theodora for a few reasons. One of my work buddies, who goes by Teddie, is also a Theodora. Second, as a historian, there's something correct about Justin and Theodora (see here for more details: http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/justinian/).

Naturally, feel free to make up your own mind.:)

And, just to put the icing on the cake, the Catholic Encyclopedia reports Justinian's mother's name as "Vigilantia"

Doesn't get much better than that for me.

I voted for Meredith, because it and Gillian were the only ones I could accept as viable. Justin and yourself obviously have a penchant for antique and obsolete names. This is fine, as there are wonderful names of the past that have long ago fell out of favor, but should not have fallen so. However, the other girl names don't make that cut, sorry to say.

No wonder Theodore and Samuel seem to be high on the list so far; they have ready and acceptable nicknames built in: Teddy and Sam.

Since you desire a name of old, try these on for size. As you will see, they are kid-tested and mother-approved (as the cereal commercial used to say):

Caroline (one of my nieces);
Elise (middle name of two other nieces, though one is spelled Alyse);
Jacqueline (Another niece is named Jaclyn, but the other spelling is more antique);
Gregory (a nephew with the regal full name of "Gregory Frederick");
Richard (my brother, and a name that may not be all that uncommon, but it's not used for boy babies anymore);
Phillip (my confirmation name, and another name that, though common, is not given to babies anymore).

Of course, you can always use "Bertram" if it's a boy. Then you can call him "Bertie", as in Bertie Wooster of the Jeeves and Wooster stories by Wodehouse (just joking). BTW, even Wodehouse had an interesting antique name: Pelham.

Caroline is my middle name. My niece's middle name and the name of the daughter of more than one friend. I like it a lot, but I won't be using it.

I suppose I should add the FYI that The Boy is named George and The Girl is named Philippa (though also called Pippa).

And thus, Philip is also not a choice for us.