J. writes:
We’re having a girl, due March 29, though we’re anxious to pin down a name soon. My husband and I seem to agree on our top three first names, though, not in the same order. And we’re having trouble with the first name/middle name combinations. Our three first names that are in the running right now are Rose, Scarlett and Evelyn.
We love Rose as a first name, but are having a really hard time finding a middle name that sounds good with it. And I’m worried that she’ll constantly hear “oh, Rose is my [sister’s, friend’s, etc]. middle name” because Rose is so popular these days as a middle name. Which, brings up another issue. Rose is traditionally used as a middle name in my husband’s family and so we like that as a middle name possibility, too, but I’m not that thrilled with her having the same middle name as most of the girls her age.
We also love the name Scarlett, and Scarlett Rose Livingston is one of my top choices right now, except the middle name issue. I also wonder if the name Scarlett will become too popular in the next few years? I also love Evelyn Rose Livingston, though I wonder about the repetition of the L and N sounds in Evelyn Livingston.
So I guess what I’d like to know is, do you have suggestions for good middle names for Rose, Scarlett and Evelyn? And any thoughts/suggestion about using these names or the combinations I’ve listed above.
Thanks so much for any feedback!
I love Evelyn Rose Livingston, and to me the repeating L/N sounds are a pleasing tie-in.
I too love Rose as a first name. And I agree: it’s very hard to find a middle name for it. Some possibilities:
Rose Alice Livingston
Rose Cordelia Livingston
Rose Eliza Livingston
Rose Elizabeth Livingston
Rose Ella Livingston
Rose Ellen Livingston
Rose Esther Livingston
Rose Frances Livingston
Rose Helena Livingston
Rose Louise Livingston
Rose Margaret Livingston
Rose Marilena Livingston
Rose Marie Livingston
Rose Mary Livingston
Rose Melina Livingston
Rose Minerva Livingston
Rose Noelle Livingston
Rose Priscilla Livingston
Rose Victoria Livingston
Rose Virginia Livingston
I think my favorites are Rose Alice, Rose Eliza, Rose Frances, and Rose Noelle.
I don’t think I would pair Scarlett with Rose, since it emphasizes the wordness of both names: suddenly it’s an adjective and a noun instead of a first name and a middle name. Some possibilities to consider:
Scarlett Adele Livingston
Scarlett Anne Livingston
Scarlett Cecile Livingston
Scarlett Claire Livingston
Scarlett Elise Livingston
Scarlett Faye Livingston
Scarlett Ida Livingston
Scarlett Jane Livingston
Scarlett Jo Livingston
Scarlett Kate Livingston
Scarlett Kay Livingston
Scarlett Leigh Livingston
Scarlett Louise Livingston
Scarlett Lucy Livingston
Scarlett Mae Livingston
Scarlett Mia Livingston
Scarlett Rae Livingston
Scarlett Ruth Livingston
Scarlett Sue Livingston
You know, I’m finding Scarlett just as challenging as Rose. Anyone who knows a Scarlett or a Rose, what’s her middle name? And can you think of more suggestions? And what do you think of Evelyn Rose?
Name update 04-06-2010! J. writes:
Thanks so much for your post! Rose Amelia Livingston was born on March 20, 2010. Her dad and I are both super happy with her name. I think we knew she was Rose all along. :)
I have an aunt and a cousin who are both Rose Eleanor.
What about using Rose Evelyn Livingston?
Scarlet Grace Livingston would be beautiful! I think Rose Evelyn also sounds great.
Personally, a girl named Scarlett Rose wouldn’t bother me. I didn’t think of the adjective-noun association at all until Swistle pointed it out (good catch, by the way). To me, I think of Scarlett as a name before a color – at least nowadays. It’s not a deal breaker, in my opinion.
I gave my daughter a name that’s very popular as a middle name (Grace). Her middle name is Lydia, which would also be nice with Rose, but more importantly is my grandmother’s name. Is there a two or three syllable family name you like?
Incidentally, I know a Scarlett Rose and it’s a lovely name but I do think it sounds an awful lot like two shades of red.
Wow, I didn’t pick up on the Scarlett Rose thing when I read it in the askers email, and liked it, but once Swistle pointed it out it does kind of bother me. Weird!
Anyway, I love Evelyn with Livingston the most (don’t forget the V tie-in too) and Evelyn Rose is so perfect. Just because its a common middle (and its probably not as common as you fear) doesn’t make it less awesome, and the fact that you have a family tie-in for it as a middle makes me love the combo. Evelyn Scarlett would work too, but I like Evelyn Rose better.
Scarlett Claire or Scarlett Olivia (Livingston) would get my votes. For a Scarlett first. with Rose, I love Elizabeth (or Eliza) because of the Z sound tie in.
But, I don’t think you can go wrong with your top 3, so whatever feels right!
I think Evelyn is fine – sounds super classy with your last name – and what about the name ROSALIE? My daughter has a friend named Rosalie, and it is so pretty and original, as is the girl, and as a 17-year-old teen, some kids call her Rose and some call her Rosalie, which Rosalie loves! Just a thought, but you could still have your ROSE with a totally beautiful but not too out-there longer name.
Best of luck!
I think Rose Evelyn and Evelyn Rose both work. I’d steer clear of Scartlett Rose. I thought adjective-noun as soon as I read it. I like Rose Elizabeth, Rose Ellen and Rose Margaret from Swistle’s list.
Here are a few more middles for Rose:
Rose Alexandra
Rose Amelia
Rose Caroline
Rose Suzanne
I would say if you love the name Rose as a first name then go with it.
I named my daughter Jane, and we had many of the same concerns regarding it often being a middle name. I am glad we chose Jane. Rose is a sweet sounding, familiar name but she is not likely to be sharing her first name with anyone in her class.
I do sometimes have people tell me that my daughters first name is so and so’s middle name, but not nearly as often as people tell me about friend’s they have named Violet (my other daughters name).
Anyway, I like Swistle’s suggestion of Rose Alice, Rose Louise.
Best of luck!
My niece’s name is Rose Caryl (the middle name after one of her grandmothers). She’s now 2 and a half, and I don’t think I’ve once heard someone say about her name, “But that’s a middle name!” It’s a precious and very sweet name for a little girl. She goes by either Rose or Rosie.
rose and evelyn immediately made me think of ‘roselyn’ or ‘roslyn’. a beautiful combo name.
once again, not a lot of folks are fans of the combination names, but i think they are a beautiful way to honor those we love.
just a thought! all three name choices are wonderful!
*
The Scarlett I know, age 34, has the middle name Erica.
I have a Rose! My 6-year-old daughter is Rose Madison. I have had a few people over the years tell me, “Rose is so-and-so’s middle name”. But, really, it’s not been mentioned often enough to bother me. Rose is always getting compliments on her name and has never had another first-name Rose in her class.
I think all your name choices are beautiful. My vote would be for Rose Evelyn.
I really like Rose as a first name. Rose Evelyn Livingston is a beautiful name. If Rose is your first choice you shouldn’t hesitate putting it in the first name position. My second choice would be Evelyn Rose. I like many possible middle names for Rose that have been mentioned, like Alice, Eleonor, and Helena. Here are a few more:
Irene
Isabelle/a
Josephine
Lillian
Rose Josephine is my favorite here.
I think all three names are great but I’d make a case for Rose as a first name. And actually, I don’t think it makes it harder to find a middle name, I think it makes it easier in a way. There’ve been lots of great suggestions already. I just think you need a slightly longer more “interesting” name than most middle names. Rose really lets you think outside the box for a middle name because it’s so classic and simple but clearly pretty and feminine. So you can use a name that you just happen to love for its sound, meaning, or honouring even though without Rose it would be too feminine/androgynous/kre8v/unusual/over-used/foreign/plain/surname/”much” …. E.g., For me, Julietta is just too feminine but Rose Julietta is not. But I’d still skip most word-names and definitely botanicals. Some unexpected possibilities:
Rose Persephone
Rose Elliot
Rose Jennifer
Rose Bernice
Rose Anastasia
Rose Palmer (surname honouring?)
Rose Hemingway (shared favourite author?)
Rose Florida (where you met her father?)
I know a Scarlett Belle.
I don’t think Evelyn sounds bad with your last name, especially if you are planning to use Ev or Evie as a nickname.
I think Evelyn is my favorite of your choices, but I also like the previous commenter’s suggestion of Rosalie.
Rosalie Scarlett sounds nice.
I like Rose Evelyn and Evelyn Rose. Evelyn is one of my personal favorites.
Good luck and congratulations!
I feel you on using Rose as a middle name. A little too overdone. It’s a family name for me, but I’m thinking that I’d rather do a variation, like Rosemary, Rosamund, or Roisin.
I like Rose as a first name. As much as I love Evelyn, saying Evelyn Livingston aloud became a bit of a tongue twister for me. However, Rose Evelyn is lovely. Considering how infrequently a middle name is used, it shouldn’t be a problem.
As I wrote that last sentence, I thought of how many people just use the middle initial, so Rose Evelyn could say “My name is Rose E. Livingston,” and it would sound like “Rosie Livingston.” It’s something to think about if that kind of thing would bother you.
Truthfully, you picked three great names and I don’t think you can go wrong with any combination.
I have an Aunt named Rosalyn.(Rose-a-lynn) I guess you could consider it a “combining” of Rose and Evelyn!
When I started reading your post and saw the three names you had for your top pick as first names, I immediately put Evelyn Rose togehter. I think it sounds sweet. I will be thinking of you on my birthday (the 29th).;)
Best wishes to your and your family.
Katrina
Another solution would be to use a different form of Rose – I just love the name Rosalie. I think it’s uber feminine and beautiful.
Evelyn Rose Livingston is a beautiful name!
I know a Rose. Her full name is Rose Michelle Baker. I think Rose Michelle flows nicely. I love Evelyn Rose a lot! :D
Also, I like your suggestion of Scarlett Kate Livingston.