baby sister for Agatha
We don't know the sex yet but we settled on a boy's name and are totally stuck on a girls name. My husband has vetoed all names, here's the running list of names he's vetoed:
Josephine, Beatrice, Freya, Sybil, Letty, Millie, Lydia, Cora, Sadie.
I vetoed Greta and Frances (only because I don't like gender neutral since ppl still think our daughter is a boy at 3) and Evelyn (because of popularity.)
He may be swayed towards Ada but then 3/4 of our family would be A mange. We both like Jane (nn Janie) but I don't love it and not sure if it goes with dd.
Any other suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
By alexisk
Fri, 12/29/2017 - 11:02pm
Fri, 12/29/2017 - 11:02pm
Replies
1. Don't veto anything because of popularity. Nothing actually qualifies as "popular" nowadays, and nationwide frequency of use does not predict anything whatsoever about which names will be repeated in your environment. (The most common name in the local elementary school's student directory is Ryan, which has never ranked in the top 10 and has been falling steeply in frequency since 1980.)
2. Unless you're having twins, don't worry about repeating initials. It took my sister and me 40 years to realize that she's the odd one out on family initials. (Twins are a special case because they share a birthdate, which is often used as an identifier.)
3. For some reason, I automatically think of Esther as a sibling for Agatha.
Esther is a pretty name, thanks!
I only consider Evelyn popular because it's the #1 name for our state and we know several. Im still not completely writing it off and i see your point! Thanks for your response!
what about
Esme Ida Estelle Ursula
Beatrix Sylvie Lieselotte
Lotte Mildred Millicent
Coralie Delphine Gretel
Francine Eveline Francesca
Eleanor Elsa Edith Edna Enid
Jean June Daphne Evangeline
Irene Eileen Dorothy Constance
Margo Prudcence Gwendoline
Clementine Cecilia Mavis Mabel
Bridget Bernadette Maude
Myrtle Celia Cordelia Cornelia
Hilda Ethel Thelma Helga
Jane doesnt really go - ok as a mn
Greta isnt a gender neutral name
I probably wouldnt do another A name
Great suggestions, Thanks! I plumped Greta in there but no I don't think it's gender neutral. Im not thrilled with how it sounds with our lady name and also it seems popular where we live. Esme is so pretty and will likely be a cousin to my kids as my SIL is 6 weeks behind me! I really like Lotte, Ida, Dorothy, Mabel, Maude, and Cordelia!
We did think of Dorothy but we didn't like each others nn for it: I like Thea, he likes Dotty.
The only person I know with that name (a six-month-old baby) has a big sister named Helen.
Greta doesn't strike me as being even remotely gender neutral. If Frances is out, do you like Francine or Francesca?
Funny because we were talking about Helen as a middle name after my husband's grandma. I don't really like it particularly though.
Francine is pretty! No i don't think Greta is gender neutral but it looks like I did based on my writing. It seems popular in my area and also i don't love it with our last name but still it's an option.
Thanks for your response!
Agatha was number one on my girls list. Sadly, only boys for me. Other girl names we considered include Margaret, Helen, Inez, Martha, Matilda, Cordelia, Harriet, Isadora, Eleanor & Claire/Clara.
I do like Jane, and think it works with Agatha. I know sisters called Jane & Dorothy, so maybe you'd also like Dorothy?
Shame Beatrice and Cora were vetoed. Evelyn too.
Agatha and...
Wilhemina Lucille Penelope Bridget Juliet Elizabeth
I really do like Martha as a sibling name for Agatha, and I'm not saying that just because my name is Martha. :)
If you both like Dorothy there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't each have your own nickname for her. In fact I think it would be quite special for her to have a nickname from each parent. The only way I can see it being problematic is if you planned on having the nickname be her call name pretty much all the time (effectively a 'the nickname is her name and the full version is just on her birth certificate to give her options as an adult' situation); if you would be introducing her to people as Dorothy then I think it would be completely fine, I've known many children with multiple nicknames and nobody ever found it confusing. Unless you each hate the other's nickname so much that you couldn't stand to hear it used it seems a shame to throw out a name you agree on.
Thanks for that point! I never really considered this idea. We do mostly refer to our daughter by her nickname. I have to consider if I like Dorothy on it's on... but i appreciate the perspective!
The suggestions of Esther and Martha to go with Agatha led me to explore 'th'-names on Name Voyager.
Feminine names containing 'th' anywhere, Name Voyager stripe wide enough to be labeled (roughly in chronological order of peak popularity):
Bertha
Edith
Elizabeth
Ethel
Martha
Esther
Catherine
Dorothy
Ruth
Thelma
Cynthia
Judith
Kathleen
Kathy
Theresa
Heather
Katherine
Samantha
Ditto, but with current popularity set to rare to occasional:
Bertha
Ethel
Martha
Dorothy
Thelma
Cathy
Cynthia
Judith
Kathleen
Kathy
Theresa
Beth
Heather
Current popularity rare to occasional, era of peak popularity 1900s:
Agatha
Albertha
Birtha
Catharine
Leatha
Letha
Theo
With the current popularity sliders all the way apart, it's interesting to note which names were popular enough in each decade to get a label:
1880s: Bertha, Edith, Elizabeth, Martha
1890s: Ethel
1900s: Catharine, Esther, Letha
1910s: Catherine, Ruth, Thelma
1920s: Dorothy
1930s: Ardith, Doretha, Dorthy, Retha, Ruthie
1940s: Judith
1950s: Cathy, Cynthia, Kathleen, Kathryn, Kathy
1960s: Beth, Theresa
1970s: Heather
1980s: Bethany, Katherine, Meredith, Tabitha
1990s: Samantha
2000s: Athena, Faith, Lizbeth, Nathalie, Thalia
(That's why I automatically think of Esther to go with Agatha: they were both at their peak of popularity right around 110 years ago. The difference is that Agatha fell off the chart in 1940 and hasn't come back [yet], whereas Esther never left the chart and is starting to climb again.)
EDITH! I haven't given that name a moment's thought in years, but reading this list it really struck me as beautiful, elegant, and a great match for sister Agatha.
It's a pity your husband vetoed Sybil, which I think would go really nicely with Agatha (I could just be biased, they are two favourite names). I do like Ada as well although they almost seem to similar...perhaps because I know a few women named Aga.
Other suggestions: Margery, Marjorie or Margot, Daphne, Zelda, Matilda, Eloise, Ida,... I feel like Agatha is very old-fashioned, in a charming way, but that the other names on your list are more up-and-coming. Or perhaps Cordelia instead of Cora?
I also agree with the poster who says that different nicknames might be okay for Dorothy, although I do think you and your partner need to be equally determined or one will dominate. Theodora might be an alternative, though it clearly prioritizes the Thea that you like.
Sylvia
Eleanor, Esther, Maisie.