Jenna writes:
I know this is very late notice, but I’m hoping for some outside advice and suggestions.
I wish I had found your blog a couple months ago!
I am due with a baby girl in a couple days, but it looks like she will probably be late like her brother was.
My name is Jenna, my husband is Josh, and our son is Jacob Gavin (Gavin is a family name I’ve always loved).
We did not intentionally choose a “J” name for him and don’t want to continue with the “J” names.
I always said that it was a good thing he was a boy, because my husband and I could never agree on a girl name. Well, I was half joking, but now I’m due to have a girl and she still doesn’t have a definite name! I need help!
Some requirements are:
1. It sounds good with our names, even though it doesn’t start with a “J”. I especially want it to go well with Jacob/Jake.
2. It cannot end with an “S” or “S” sound because our last name starts with an “S”.
3. Nothing made up/no creative spelling
4. Not too popular, but not too weird. Jacob is so popular (which I don’t seem to mind with my son), but I would like something less popular for our daughter. Top 100 would be OK, but probably not top 10.Names that I have suggested:
Peyton (this has always been a favorite and is a family name)
Alexa
Lena
Lila
Kenley
Cara (my son suggested it and I love it, but hubby doesn’t)
Eva (I love it, but it does not go with our last name as it has an “eve” sound in it)
Brenna (I love this too, but it’s out because it rhymes with my name)
ElizabethOther names that I like, but are too popular right now
Grace
Kayla
EmmaNames my husband has suggested
Miriam (I really don’t like this)
Elise (which is nice, but runs together with our last name)
Braelyn
Ashley/Ashlyn
Morgan
Megan (I think it’s OK)Possibilities that we both like:
Rachel
Caroline
Addison (a little too popular right now for me)
Myla
CatherineWe are thinking of using Malia for a middle name since we recently moved to Hawaii and it is Hawaiian for Marie which is my middle name as well as my mother’s and my grandmother’s . However, I’m OK not using it if it doesn’t go with the first name.
I really would like to try and honor my grandmother with a middle name and her name was Anita Marie, so maybe another version of Ann or Marie (I’ve never cared for Marie, I think because every other girl I knew growing up had the same middle name!)I love the old classic names that don’t go out of style, but I also like names that you don’t hear all the time. I would love a name that is feminine, but still strong and not too cutesie, and it needs to go with Jacob. I just think there is a name or name combination that we haven’t thought of. Maybe we have thought of it, I just want to know which sounds best! With the move and everything I just feel like I haven’t been able to focus on names and now she’s going to be here! Please help!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
What about Brynn? It’s similar to Brenna and Braelyn and sounds good with Jake/Jacob.
For a middle name, what about Hannah or Marielle?
Elisa would be pretty and the “s” sound wouldn’t run into your last name.
In fact, for many of the names you love, I keep thinking of some cute alternatives. For example:
Cora instead of Cara
Evangeline instead of Eva
(or Evelyn); in both cases the nn could be Evvie (with a short E) so it wouldn’t run into the “eve” sound of your last name) Or you could pronounce Eva as “evva” with a short e.
Emmeline (or Emmaline) instead of Emma; the bonus is it’s kind of a combo of Caroline and Emma :)
Adeline/Adelaide for Addison
Good luck!
Those are two “v”s in my comment above, not “w”s…just noticed it looks like “ewie” :)
Why not Caroline Malia? You agree on the name, and while she’s gaining in popularity, she’s far from Jake.
Plus, you can always call her Cara. :)
You might find Alexa TOO popular. While the name itself doesn’t rank highly, add up all the girls called Alexis, Alexandra, etc, and it can feel overexposed. Ditto Lila – pretty name, but Lila, Lily, Lillian, etc., all makes it feel more common than you might think at first.
I really like Caroline and Rachel from your list. Can’t go wrong with those. But I do see you want something a little more interesting that your husband will be okay with. Violet comes to mind – classic but a little more unusual.
I would skip Rachel because of the Jacob & Rachel connection in the Bible, but I really like both Catherine and Caroline. Here ares some others you might like:
Lydia
Brynn
Rebecca
Amanda
Aurora
Caitlin
Helena
the list of names both you and your husband like make me think of:
Corinne
Iris
Leah
Naomi
Ramona
Rebecca
Iris Malia sounds beautiful. Or you could use your son’s favorite as a middle name: Naomi Cara has a nice ring to it. Oh, Jacob and Ramona, I love it!
Good luck!
Of the names that you and your husband both like, Caroline is my favorite. And I agree with Abby@AppMtn who suggested Cara as a nickname.
I also like Leah (my daughter’s name) but don’t think it would go well with Jacob (biblical connection).
I think Eleanor (nn Ellie or Ella) might also fit your style.
Best of luck to you!
I like the ‘e’ names: How about Eloise Annette, Eleanor, Elsa (although none would go very well with Malia).
I think Violet Malia sounds great with Jacob. It is becoming more popular but is not in the top 10.
How about Nora?
Go with Peyton Malia! You love the names and they sound great together.
Jacob and Peyton.
Jake and Peyton.
They definitely don’t clash!
Good luck!
How about Annabel or Annika as other versions of Ann?
Annabel Malia, Annabel and Jacob
Annika Malia, Annika and Jacob
I also like the suggestion of Caroline, nn Cara or Caro.
Caroline Malia, Caroline and Jacob
I love Caroline — and you could call her either Cara or Lena (Lena is a bit of a stretch but my daughter, Emily’s nickname is Belle.)
The nice thing (or bad thing depending on your view) is you can sing her ‘Sweet Caroline’ (or portions) and she’ll always remember mom/dad/brother singing to her. It’s nice to have a name song. I’m Kathleen/Katie and I remember my mom singing ‘I’ll take you home again Kathleen’ and ‘K-k-k-Katie, Beautiful Katie.’ Made me feel really special.
And please not Peyton! All the Peyton/Payton’s I know are really hyper, annoying little girls. Ugh!
Brenna! Brenna, Brenna, Brenna. That is all. :)
Well, I love, love, love the name Malia. I’d use it for the first name, if I were you. Jacob and Malia, Jake and Lia. How cute.
Other than Malia, my other girl name that I like is Caroline. So out of your choices, that’s what I like.
But go with Malia!!
Since you like Emma and Lena, why not Emmeline? There are countless nicknames, including Emma and Lena. (BTW I’m not sure how you pronounce the names, but I say ’emmaleen’ and ‘leena’ as a nickname, but have seen ‘lehna’ for Lena as well.)
I’m going straight the names you both already like, since time is short and there’s not much opportunity for changing anyone’s mind.
Caroline is my hands-down favorite from this list. Sounds good with Jacob, sounds good with Malia, even sounds a little like Cara, which might please your son.
I also like Rachel and Catherine. I’m not a big fan of Addison, but Ada is a nice name that’s similar. Ada Malia is pretty.
Good luck choosing!
I’m for Caroline, too. It’s classic, timeless, and you won’t find one under every rock. It has a lot of nice nicknames, too.
I also like Cora. It’s nice, old fashioned and I never hear it around. Grace would make a nice middle name, too.
My name is Eva! :)
I love the name Braelyn!!
Maybe Brianne ?
My favorite from your lists is Lila.
THANK YOU! Great suggestions! Keep them coming, baby girl hasn’t decided to make her appearance yet.
Just coming over to recommend you use Malia as a first name. (And now I see someone else likes that idea, too!) What about Malia Ann?
Marie is also a family name for me and we have ties to Hawaii — However, I didn’t realized the Malia/Marie connection and now have added it to my Future List! Thank you!
I meant to add that I love that Jake & Lia nn combo. Lia is adorable, and you could also use Mia, or Mal.
Oh! One more thought triggered by previous comment! What about Mallory as an homage to Malia/Marie? Mallory Peyton? Mallory is a great name, not too popular yet most people have heard of it. And Jacob & Mallory is adorable!
Here are a few more ideas:
– Lorna
– Vivian
– Ainsley
– Marietta
– Loreley (pronounce Laura-Lie)
These all seem to me to be feminine, classic, yet underused.
How about Kathleen? Then you could call her Lena, but still be close to Catherine and Caroline, which you both like.
I like Layla, Kailey, or Quinn
I love that name Arianna, i think it sounds good with Jacob and as a middle name i love Arianna Belle but it could be like Arianna Marie for Arianna Renee. How about Arianna Jane? Lilianna is also my name and i love it since Lily is popular right now how about Lilianna? Lilianna Jane, Lilianna Noelle, Lilianna Jennifer.
Good Luck!