Eleni
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Congratulation to Elizabeth T, Lucubratrix and everyone expecting! As a long-time, part-time lurker I'm really excited for you all and wish you uneventful pregnancies and healthy babies! Fish: I love the suggestion of Louis to go with Jasper. Jasper was on my short list of names for my son, and I still really like it! I ended up with a little Theodore (Theo) James to go with sister C0rdelia Tams!n. I found choosing the second name sooo much harder! Some of my favorite boy names that, for one reason or another, we did not use, were: Malcolm (I mourn this one) Milo Frederick Ronan Lucian Auberon Arthur Alistair They are a bit eclectic and some are less obvious with Jasper than others . . . maybe not your style but thought I'd offer. I liked Leo quite a bit and Leander, for that matter. Have you considered Luca?
Eo, I have also always liked Aphra Behn's name, and I was surprised and delighted to meet a little girl named Aphra in our local park some weeks ago. A former colleague recently named her son Barnaby. Isn't it funny how an increase in use can change one's feeling about a name? It has been happening to me, lately, with Milo (a name I've long loved). Is Oscar considered to be hopelessly trendy or "hipnik," then?
Stephanie Y - your name selections are delightful! I think Penelope is your strongest choice, primarily because of lovely multiple nn options (I personally find Nell, Penn *and* Penny to be adorable, retro, spunky choices!) as well as the "familiar but not too common" status of the name. Isla is also a charming name, but I think has the greatest risk of spiking. I fell in love with Isla around three years ago, when pregnant with my first. It was a name that had only recently come to my attention, and I thought it would be somewhat rare. After running into two baby Islas in a short span of time I realized that the name had surfaced and was experiencing a surge of popularity. It was in the air. However small the surge, the impression that the name was suddenly emerging from obscurity gave it (for me) a *trendy* feel and (I feel a little silly admitting it) significantly lessened its appeal for me. Norah/Nora is lovely. I think of it as a classic name with a bohemian, artistic flavor. It might be the most popular of your choices but it does not feel trendy in the least. I too prefer it as a nickname for Honora or Eleanor (because I like options) but just Nora is simple and refined. Best of luck!
I have a friend with a daughter (age 5) named Ellanora. It is a mashup of her two grandmothers' names. She doesn't often go by simply "Ella," but it is the nickname of choice. Loved the name when I first heard it (although I prefer the spelling Eleanora) and thought it was so nice that they could use either Ella or Nora as nicknames! The name has definitely caught on in my neighborhood/demographic, and I would not be surprised if the nicknames Ella and Ellie are part of the charm. It is a still a lovely name. Jane, Mother of Five: Rosabel is my favorite "Belle" name after Amabel. It is lovely. And it's true, there is something Shakespearean about it. However, I understand and sympathize with your hesitation to use it and potentially be submerged in a strong trend. EVie's excellent number crunching and Laura's post together suggest that "Belle" names will have something of a date stamp about them . . . among my acquaintances under six, I know an Annabel, Isobel, and Mirabelle (who goes by Mira). As others have mentioned, the fact that you can use "Rose" or "Rosa" might mitigate the "Belle" effect. Congratulations, and best of luck with your decision.
Anne with and E: Yes, congratulations on the new family member! Welcome Ezra! I'm so disappointed, however, that we won't know the "O" name . . . I was hoping for Olwen but betting on Odet (also very cute). Neither of these guesses, however, sounds as though it would have a sibling called Ezra. Then again, many lists I've read are not stylistically coherent (my own included, sometimes). Due Within a Month: Brilliant! I'd forgotten it was April Fool's. Regarding pronunciation: I love this topic. I can vouch for the authenticity of the PO-lice pronunciation in some circles; did teach at a school in D.C where the community (all African American) mostly pronounced it this way and would also refer to a single police officer as "a police," rather than "police man/woman/officer." I rather liked that efficiency. I'm not often thrown by pronunciations; perhaps because I moved around quite a bit from an early age, I tend to accept any old pronunciation without batting an eye. Sometimes I even vary my own pronunciation depending on the flow of the sentence! Time in England taught me that many things can be pronounced in ways that have little or nothing to do with how they are spelled (Magdalen College, anyone? Leicester Square?) Of course there are many of those same oddities here in the US - I just found them more striking in the UK.
Zoerhenne, yes - what Miriam wrote! My father actually is Spanish speaking, and he pronounced the name Isis *Eye-sis,* but he pronounced Isa *Eee-sah.* In any case, I was happy to be Elena. But must have inherited the love of names that begin with the letter I. Some of my all-time favorites are Iris, Imogen and Iona and the aforementioned Isadora. In fact, if our last name did not begin with an S, Iris would be at the top of my list. It was on my *top five* several weeks ago . . . along with a couple of other names I love but can't use for one reason or another. Somewhat similar to the whole *name not taken* theme, come to think of it. Becky, I like that pronunciation of Anthea. Reminds me of Xanthia.
My own "name not taken" was Isa or Isis. My father was very set on using one or the other of these names. Apparently he even told his family that I was to be called Isis, and my mother received congratulations on her new daughter Isis' arrival. He had his way with my middle name Alicia, however, which is his mother's name. My own daughter was almost certainly going to be Cordelia, with Isadora the only contender for a brief while. Her middle name was more debated, and the names I flirted with still hold sentimental value. I tried not to become too fond or attached to any until I made my decision, because I didn't want any name I loved to be off limits in future because it was cast off the first round. Don't want #2's name to be composed of remainders. That is probably why, while I still recognize Isadora's charm, I don't feel that I would use it for a second daughter. I'm completely over it, and confident something else will feel right, exactly right, when the time comes.
Christiana, Hello there. Were you by chance a very regular poster some four years back? SarahC, Lovely list. I'll also mention favorites, keeping in mind a three-syllable Irish LN (so I didn't include Penelope or Georgina, even though I think they're both lovely) and the pairing with William, in case this will prove helpful . . . Juliet Iris Adele Frances Clare Lucy Jocelyn Georgina Josephine Desmond Calvin Edmund Edward Rhys Thomas Gordon Clive Dominic Particularly winning combinations, to my ear: Josephine Clare Frances Juliet Lucy Adele Jocelyn Iris (a bit different in style, but love it) Rhys Dominic (Love this) Desmond Gordon Edward Rhys Calvin Thomas Very curious to hear more of your thoughts, your own leanings, and some of the pairings you're considering.
Ack, I need to refresh before posting. I apologize for the repeats. Becky and I were on the same track . . .
SarahC, William is such a versatile name; I think you have many options. I am afraid that Evelyn is a quick riser, which may not be appealing to you if you're looking for something that has been in consistent use (without being overwhelmingly popular). For girls (oh, and I happen to really like both Juliet and Elizabeth) how about: Charlotte Eloise Frances Helena Anabelle Lydia Amelia Rosemary Cecelia For boys: Theodore Owen Joseph Henry I really like zoerhene's suggestion of Josephine, too. Josephine is beautiful and falls into that wonderful category of well-recognized but not too too common. Good luck!
I agree; great idea for a challenge Elizabeth T. I have met tons and tons of babies and young children what with music classes, Mommy and Me, gymnastics, preschool and countless birthday parties. I cannot imagine meeting a young Gail, Dawn, Brenda or Donald. Becky, Jemima has been discussed on this board before; many feel that the history of the name in the US is tainted by an ugly association with slavery: the slang term "Aunt Jemima" has been used colloquially to refer to a servile black woman who is perceived to be acting in the interests of whites. And then there's the syrup bottle . . . I actually do know a little Imogen about three. I love the name!
Hello Valerie! I know - I read comments without fail, rarely have the chance to post. Always nice to see the old-timers here! I agree with hyz about Beryl - I think it might be rediscovered by the parents who want a name fresher than Hazel and more obscure than Pearl. An anti-frilliana with a retro vibe.
Kit: I'll add that I like Elisabeth Maeve. While Mae is a nice name and clearly meaningful (though as a middle name I'll admit to finding it a bit "filler" in flavor), I think you have a more interesting option in Maeve. Maeve has a similar sound and flows just as nicely, with added "oomph." It's a strong name and, as hyz points out, much less expected. My favorite nickname for Elisabeth is Bess, but should you decide to do the double-barreled nn, Elsie Maeve and Libby Maeve are very appealing. One of the best things about a beautiful old name like Elisabeth is that you have so much flexibility built into the name. Guest: I'm also with the majority on the Merrit-Rhett issue. Given name takes priority, and nn takes any spelling you choose.
Oh no! This site has been my favorite online reading and I have always loved the format - I could read straight through and follow several threads of conversation as they progressed. It has gone horribly wrong. "Catching up" (as I actually sometimes read through several weeks at a time!) is going to be impossibly messy. Won't be able to do it anymore. Please, please change it back.
Olympia could be cute, although nms. Her parents could call her "Pia." I feel that Honoria is just a bit too much flourish ("not Honor, not Honora, but . . . Honoria!") for me; however, the nn "Nori" is pretty good. Mirnada, Jonah F0nt3n0t is pretty fabulous. You do have an excellent last name to work with.
LanaSimone: Of the proposed names, I like Aurelia, Magdalena (you could nickname "Lena" if you like), Paloma and Leonore (beautiful name). Other names that might "travel well" are: Gemma Delphina Estella Gisele/Gisela Evelina Chiara Any of these appeal?
Nerack, How funny, I asked the same question in the last thread, and got some ideas. I think Penelope is ultimately the best for me, but you might have some luck if you look back.
RobynT, yes! You're right, Gus was a chubby little mouse in Cinderella.
Mirnada, Thinking in terms of sibsets, pairing with Ursula, I like Adam and August. Gus is so cute, not fat and old . . . Soren sounds pretty, but I would have trouble actually using it for some reason. I like Nathaniel, too, just not so much with Ursula. Hmmm.
Empathy, congratulations to you! Congratulations to all who are expecting. To Jane: I love both Beatrice and Beatrix. I don't get "old lady" from Beatrice at all - I recently met the cutest little girl, complete with bobbed hair, named Beatrice. It sold me further on a name I adore (but can't use). There is nothing negative in the association with Beatrix Potter, I'll agree. But my impression of the lovely name Beatrix would, on hearing the full name "Beatrix P@lmer," be subsumed by the association with the author/illustrator. At least it would initially, I think, dull my impression. But again, that's not terrible. It's just not what I would want, even though I do love the name Beatrix. MN suggestions for Beatrice: Beatrice Dahlia Beatrice Camille Beatrice Helen/a Beatrice Isobel Beatrice Abigail Beatrice Jane (is Jane off-limits?) Re: Lauren It don't think it's terribly dated, and it's a pretty name. Maybe a new classic?