Erica writes:
My husband and I are expecting our first baby in May 2009, a girl. Though we are not firmly settled on a name, we have settled on a style, which I define as”beautiful, feminine, dignified” names (if that is a category!). I would love to find a name that conveys beauty but is relatively easy to pronounce and easy for the child to have in a practical sense. I am half-Mexican-half White and my husband is Taiwanese-American. The last name will be Hwang. (pronounced Hwong, with a soft “ahhhh” for the a). One thought is to have a Spanish first name to go with the Chinese last name. I love names like Olivia, Sophia, etc, but I worry they are too popular and would love to find a name that is just as sweet but perhaps not the same as several of her classmates. I could also go for a non-Spanish first name. I know that with our one syllable last name it might be nice to have a more complex (3 or 4 syllable) first name and perhaps a two syllable middle name, to end it off with the brief “Hwang”. We are somewhat partial to names that have the opportunity for sweet nicknames (love Lucy, Lily, Sophie for example) – – but this is not a firm requirement.
Here are some ideas …… an assorted bunch.
Lucia Hwang
Elise Hwang
Emilia Hwang (I love this spelling)
Madeline Hwang
Sophia Hwang (we love the nickname Sophie)
Nuria Hwang (just came across this one and I find it beautiful)
Aurelia Hwang
Annelise Hwang (I have been in love with this name for a while, though wondering if it is difficult??)
Clara Hwang (a true favorite for my husband, though my cousin’s baby is named Clare, is that off-limits then?? or perhaps a middle name?)
Lucienne Hwang
Liliana Hwang
I also found the name Solia in a book recently, evidently of Sephardic origin — it seems quite rare, but I find it beautiful.I think we need global help with further suggestions and ideas for names that work well with our last name!
And middle names!Names that are indeed taken in our family are Allison and Isabella, our nieces.
Oh, I like Clara too! That’s my favorite on your list. Whether using it will cause trouble with your cousin depends on your cousin.
I wonder if you’d like the name Silvia, nickname Silvie? That seems similar to Sophia/Sophie, while being less common. Silvia Hwang.
Elena is another favorite of mine. Elena Hwang. Or the slightly fancier Eliana. Eliana Hwang.
I love the name Bianca. Bianca Hwang. I like how the A sounds are coordinated.
More suggestions for Erica?
Name update 06-05-2009! Erica writes:
Thanks to everyone for their baby name suggestions. Emilia Corinne Hwang was born 5/22. 8 lbs 13 ounces, and beautiful. Thanks everyone, we’re so happy with the name Emilia and everyone loves it along with the ring of Emilia Corinne.
I see on your list Lucia, Lucienne, and Liliana… what about Luciana? I love Luciana, I just think it’s beautiful. With of course a nickname of Luci/Lucy. Luciana Clara is sweet, as well as Luciana Solia. Very unique. Or there’s always something simple like Luciana Joy.
Another favorite of mine that your list reminds me of, although not technically of Spanish origin…
Eliana. With a simple nickname of Ellie. Love it!
Good luck!
Juliana? Definitely feminine and dignified, as well as latin flavor.
My favorites are Sylvia/Sylvie and Eliana. I’ve always loved Eliana/Elliana. That gives you nn Ellie/Eli as an option. The Spanish pronunciation of Eeee-liana and American Ellie-Ana are both beautiful and interchangeable.
What about Cecilia or Amelia?
I love love love Sylvia/Silvia. It’s my vote for sure!
What about Sasha? It’s been growing on me lately.
I love the name Genevieve, with possible nn’s Gen or Genna/Jenna
I like Juliana, Liliana, and Emilia from your list as well.
To me, my all time favorite name fits your requirements well. Clarissa, nn Clara. Clarissa is a Latin name with a sweet nick name. Bonus is the historic namesack Clara Barton.
Good luck!
I think it would be nice to give a Spanish first or middle name.
Out of those you list, I like Emilia Clara Hwang.
Other Spanish names that might work: Beatriz, Calista, Carolina (w/ that long e sound), Liliana, and Paloma.
Emilia Hwang is gorgeous! Maybe Emilia Sophie Hwang?
Other names you might like:
Clarissa
Antonia
Marina
Virginia
Rosalie
Marcella
Daniella / Daniela
Victoria
Camilla
Daria
Adela
Lydia
Chiara
Marisa / Marisol
Any you like? I think Marina Hwang and Daria Hwang sound darling. :)
I LOVE Solia! Very different and feminine. Also, could have some cute nicknames. Sol is Spanish for sun, so you could call her Sunny. I like Soli even better!
Given that the first two names you mention that you love are Sophia and Olivia, but you are worried about their popularity, what about Ophelia/Ofelia? It has similar characteristics but doesn’t seem at all as frequently used. I’ve heard people using “Effie” as a nickname for it, which I find really cute. Just a thought – best of luck!
(From the rest of your list, I also love Aurelia – beautiful and not used often enough!)
I love the idea of honoring her Mexican heritage with a Spanish name.
What about Jacinta? It’s such a beautiful name that’s certainly unique.
Elana, nn Laney would be cute too.
Thanks everyone! These are great suggestions. So far, we have thought about going with Emilia – – we both love that name. I also love Hannah’s suggestion of Luciana. I will sleep on your suggestions and I appreciate all of your help!!!
We are among the most indecisive of couples – – 9 months later we are still at square one. Maybe we need to see her first – – have a few names in the bag and then pull out the right one based on seeing her. Thanks a ton!
I’ve never heard Solia, but it is really beautiful. I love Brandy’s idea of calling her Sunny. Too cute!
I think Sylvia/Sylvie is my favorite.
Liliana is my absolute favorite, and Lily is such a great nickname, plus I love the ah sound with Hwang. Emilia is really nice too though, but I like the nickname potential with Liliana more – if I could pull off that first name with my last name (I can’t, lots of l’s) I would definitely go for it. Luciana is a great suggestion too – would the c be a ch sound or a sh sound though? The ch sound would make it Italian, I would think.
Good luck, great choices!
Also, if you were looking for another, one I think fits in the same vein as Clara that I love is Eliza, Eliza Hwang sounds great, a dignified feminine name, in the same vein as Eliana…
I love Solia (prounced So-lee-uh, correct?). It’s beautiful and unique.
i love lucienne, and lucy is a sweet nickname… this one is def on my list
I love Bianca and Silvia / Silvie. While I was reading this part of your letter to Swistle, I had an idea:
“I know that with our one syllable last name it might be nice to have a more complex (3 or 4 syllable) first name…snip… We are somewhat partial to names that have the opportunity for sweet nicknames…”
At that point, I immediately thought of Penelope.
I think it’s Greek but know of a few Spanish heritage people with the name. It is 4 syllables and there are some really sweet nickname options: Penny, Nelly, Nell, Polly, Poppy. It is almost as versatile as Elizabeth but somewhat more exotic and less common.
I can see Penelope catching on a little, but with good reason. Nevertheless, I think it will be a few years, if ever, before Penelope is as popular as Sophia or Olivia.
Solia is a really neat find too. I like how it’s rare but still not so complex that it would seem bizarre or be difficult to bear.
Some more to chew on! Good luck with the choice. You have great names up for contention.
Abrianna nn Abbie
Adria nn Addie
Camilla nn Cammie
Elenora nn Ellie
Elina nn Ellie
Flora nn Flo/Flor
Isadora nn Issie
Lianna nn Lia
Lillia nn Lily
Mariella nn Mari/Ellie
Mathea nn Mattie
Natalia nn Nattie/Tallie
Orianna nn Ori
Thalia nn Tallie
Adella nn Addie
Alessia nn Ali
Melina nn Mel/Mellie
I stopped hearing any other names after the Solia suggestion. (:-D Beautiful!
I too like Solia. It seems easy to pronounce but at the same time unique without being “out there.”
Thought of one more…
Livia nn Liv
Livia Hwang
Love emilia…have you thought of using millie as a nn?
I saw this suggestion above and just had to tell you that one of my daughter’s best friends is named Paloma, and I just love it. Means “lovely” in Spanish I think, and I’ve known this little girl since she was five and the name has always been perfect for her–beautiful and very feminine, but not too sickly sweet. Also love Liliana. Good luck to you!
Wow, you guys are amazing! Such great suggestions.
My favorites are
Emilia (nn Mia or Millie)
Luciana (nn Lucie)
Lucienne (nn Lucie)
Solia (nn Soli).
For those who liked Solia – – are you envisioning pronounced SOL-ia or so-LIA? Somehow I senses it was SOL-ia, but curious how you would read it off the page.
I read about Solia in the book by Sandy Tolman, “The Lemon Tree”, for those who were curious about the name. I actually wrote him about the name, and he kindly, and most expediently wrote back to me, saying that the name had Judaic roots in Spain. Fun learning about new names.
Thanks for all of your help!!
Maybe I will have to decide between contractions??? :)
I like Lucia, Emilia and Clara. Solia is pretty, too.
I’d ask the cousin and see what he or she thinks.