Katherine writes:
I never thought I’d have trouble with baby names, but we’re due with my second child on April 24 and there’s no clear front-runner yet! Our three-year-old daughter is named Gloria Charlotte. We like the slightly old-fashioned vibe of her name, and would like to use that same style with our second child. We’d like to stay away from very popular names. The last name is Carmody. (CAR-muh-dee.)
For boys, we like Theo, Harrison, Leo, William, Oliver, Owen. None of those stick out as “the one” yet, although we’ve been toying with the idea of Theo Harrison or Harrison Theo. We’re open to the idea of using Robert as a middle name to honor my father, but it’s not necessary. While I’d like our second child’s name to match Gloria’s stylistically, we don’t care for many 1930’s/40’s boys’ names, when Gloria peaked in popularity. What would you suggest to match Gloria?
For girls, we have a much longer list. We each have several favorites – it’s been difficult to whittle the list down! Margaret “Maggie”, Juliana, Madeline, Nora, Vivian, Cecilia, Georgina “Georgie”, Marilyn, and Belle have made the list. At this point, we like Juliana Belle as a combo and we’ve agreed that we’d only consider Madeline and Vivian as middle names – other than that, we’re stuck! Any suggestions or ideas?
To wrap this up, we’re looking for boy suggestions, opinions on Theo Harrison / Harrison Theo, and suggestions or combos for girls names. Let us know what you think!
I think Harrison is wonderful with Gloria. Theo too. Those are my favorite two from your list, and I like them in either order: Harrison Theo Carmody or Theo Harrison Carmody. A few more possibilities:
August (Gus)
Charles (Charlie)
Edmund
Everett
Frederick
George (Georgie, Geordie)
Harris
Simon
Truman
Wilson
You have such a great surname. I like so many names with it. I think my favorite from my list is Simon: Simon Robert Carmody, Gloria and Simon. But I’m also very drawn to Everett: Everett Harrison Carmody, Gloria and Everett. And Charlie and Georgie both have a warm energy that goes so well with Gloria: Charles Harrison Carmody, Gloria and Charlie; George Theodore Carmody, Gloria and Georgie. And Frederick is a name I wish more people would use: Frederick Robert Carmody, Gloria and Freddy.
For a girl, I love all your choices. I get a little tongue-tied with Nora—saying, for example, Gloria and Noria, or Glora and Nora, or Glora and Noria. I like Georgia and Georgiana in addition to Georgina, and in fact maybe Georgiana would be a good tie-breaker between Juliana and Georgina? I like Cecily in addition to Cecilia. For combinations, I like:
Cecilia Madeline Carmody
Cecilia Margaret Carmody
Cecilia Vivian Carmody
Cecily Margaret Carmody
Georgia Vivian Carmody
Georgiana Margaret Carmody
Georgina Cecile Carmody
Georgina Madeline Carmody
Georgina Margaret Carmody
Margaret Cecile Carmody
Margaret Cecilia Carmody
Margaret Eleanor Carmody
Margaret Georgina Carmody
Margaret Juliana Carmody
Margaret Nora Carmody
Marilyn Cecile Carmody
Marilyn Margaret Carmody
Nora Madeline Carmody
Nora Margaret Carmody
Nora Marilyn Carmody
I think Eleanor, Jean, Louise, Lucille, and Mae would be other good middle-name choices. Margaret Eleanor Carmody. Cecelia Jean Carmody. Georgina Louise Carmody. Georgina Lucille Carmody. Nora Mae Carmody.
Oh dear, there are so many good ones. I like Georgiana Margaret Carmody, Marilyn Cecile Carmody, Margaret Eleanor Carmody, Cecily Margaret Carmody, and Cecelia Jean Carmody.
[Edit: I had another idea for a sister name: Frances. I was reading to the kids, and I came upon one of the Frances books, in which Frances’s little sister’s name is Gloria.]
Help! Too many possibilities! What would you guys choose?
Name update 04-29-2010! Katherine writes:
Harrison Theo Carmody was born on April 16, 2010! Reading through the comments definitely reassured me that Harrison Theo was “the one.” If Harrison had been a girl, we would have gone with Juliana Belle. (But we loved your suggestion of Marilyn Margaret!)
Thank you so much for all your help. You are fabulous!
Edith and Oscar are my most favorite “old fashioned” names, which I will sadly never get to use because my husband leans toward more modern names. *Sigh*
I personally like Margaret or Cecily best with Gloria. And on the boy side Harrison or Everett. Really, all great options though.
I love every name here, I really do. I especially like Swistle’s suggestion of George for a boy – since you do like Georgina maybe you’ll consider it. For girls I’m conflicted between Cecilia, Georgina and Margaret. I would skip Nora due to the issue that swistle mentioned. Good luck!
I like William and Owen best from your boy list and I think they both go well with Robert as a middle. I like Theo, too, but better when it’s a nickname for Theodore. Theodore Harrison Carmody would be nice, very distinguished sounding.
Here are some boy suggestions:
Alexander
Anil
Asher
Benjamin
David
Elias
Elijah
Elliott
Ezekiel
Gabriel
Jacob
Joseph
Lucas
Luke
Matthew
Matthias
Maxwell
Nathaniel
Nicholas
Noah
Raymond
Samuel
Schuyler
Zane
As for girl names, I like the combination Juliana Belle a lot. You could stop right there. But I also like Margaret and Cecilia quite a bit, too. I’m not coming up with as many girl suggestions right now. Maybe later.
I absolutely love Theo Harrison!
I also suggest: Andrew, Gabriel, Leonard, Sebastian, and Quentin. Gabriel Oliver Carmody. Gloria and Sebastian. Quentin Robert Carmody. Gloria and Andrew.
For a girl, I really like your combo of Juliana Belle. I also think Margaret would be wonderful. Gloria and Margaret. Margaret Vivian Carmody.
Or perhaps: Beatrice, Helen, Joyce, Myra, Viola. Margaret Joyce Carmody. Gloria and Beatrice. Juliana Helen Carmody.
Good luck!
I absolutely love Theo Harrison!
I also suggest: Andrew, Gabriel, Leonard, Sebastian, and Quentin. Gabriel Oliver Carmody. Gloria and Sebastian. Quentin Robert Carmody. Gloria and Andrew.
For a girl, I really like your combo of Juliana Belle. I also think Margaret would be wonderful. Gloria and Margaret. Margaret Vivian Carmody.
Or perhaps: Beatrice, Helen, Joyce, Myra, Viola. Margaret Joyce Carmody. Gloria and Beatrice. Juliana Helen Carmody.
Good luck!
I thought of some more boy names while I was trying to brainstorm girl names:
Anthony
Cedric
And here are the girls:
Ainsley
Alice
Anna
April
Audrey
Ava
Carmen
Catherine
Daphne
Eleanor
Ellen
Gabrielle
Grace
Helen
Jane
Jasmine
Josephine
Leah
Lucy
Mary
May
Natalie
Rachel
Samantha
Tatiana
Zoe
I absolutely love Simon Robert Carmody.
It sounds very sophisticated and “vintage” and Simon fits for a child as well as an adult. I think it would age well.
For the girls, again, I like Swistle’s suggestions.
Eleanor or Lucille would get my vote.
Gloria and Eleanor
-or-
Gloria and Ellie
Gloria and Lucille
-or-
Gloria and Lucy (or Lucie)
Gloria and Simon
Good luck!
I thought of a couple more, Ada for a girl or Henry for a boy.
I love Harrison Carmody! Sounds so nice together, almost musical.
I love Georgia and Georgina, and was very excited to see it up there, but don’t like it with Gloria. Boo.
Therefore for girl I vote Cecelia (Madeline, Vivian, etc). Or Celia? Or Margaret? Or how about Eleanor. Too many great names!
For a boy I really like Theo Harrison, but more than that, I like Harrison Robert. So very sweet.
Good luck!
I’m drawn to Simon and Everett, but I could be biased since ours would have been Simon Everett if he’d been a boy. :D. I do love Harrison, but not a fan of Theo. Girls I love Juliana Belle. I say go for it.
Juliana Belle is very sweet.
I like Harrison for a FN better the MN. NN Harry is very cute. I also love the name Owen from your list.
Other girls name I like: Myra, Josephine, Emily and Audrey. I think Olivia and Gloria would be so lovely together.
Boys: Thomas Jude, Henry Robert and Charles Joseph or Oliver James.
I admit I really don’t like the Georgia/Georgiana/Georgina’s for a girl. Not in my taste at all.
I really like some of the other names you chose!
What about Judith for a girl? Little bit old fashioned and yet still current. Judith and Gloria?
From your list I like Harrison for a boy and Juliana or Cecelia for a girl.
From Swistle I like Everette – nn Rhett, – Gloria and Rhett?
I’ll add Anabelle as a suggestion for a girl and Willem for a boy.
I love, love, love the name Theo, but if you want to stay away from very popular names, think about it carefully and do your research in your area. I live in the upper Midwest, and I was shocked when I recently realized that I know 3 little boys, all 6 and under, named Theo or Theodore. I like August and Edmund as less common alternatives (again, I’m thinking about my area of reference – the upper Midwest).
Of your girl names, I really love Cecilia best, especially matched with Margaret as a middle name. It combines pretty and strong elements, in my opinion, which I like girls’ names to do.
Cedric! So cute!!! Cedric Harrison is really darling and a great vintage name imo.
Theo doesn’t really do it for me as a first name, perhaps the Cosby show wrecked it. Purely a personal preference. I do think Harrison Theo is very dashing though. I do feel like I’ve heard the name Harrison quite a bit lately – I don’t know that is very popular but I would expect a Harrison or two among your son’s future peers.
For girls, I’ve always liked Margaret and find it to be a very dependable choice – and it pairs well with Gloria. Maggie or Meg are great nns.
Evelyn! I just think Gloria and Evelyn sound so nice together.
Oooh I really like Evelyn too ~ Evie for short !~
Here are a few more: Ada and Frances for girls, Henry for a boy.