Meghan writes:
My husband and I are expecting baby number one on 1/23/2011. We have a name that we love for a boy, Noah Daniel. We can’t seem to settle on a girl name. There are three that we really love, so possibly some combination of the following would be good, but we just can’t decide. Here are the names we do like: Skylar, Annaleigh, and Emilia. Your thoughts?
The first baby’s name sets the tone for future baby names. It also eliminates certain names from future consideration (e.g., if you name a baby Anna, you’re ruling out Hannah, Annabel, Liana, etc.). This makes the decision more difficult, but can also help you narrow your choices: imagine all your potential future children as a group, and think about what sorts of names you’d like them to have. If you use the name Noah, and then later on you have a daughter, will you want to use the name Skylar, or does that not seem quite right with Noah? Do “Annaleigh and Noah” sound like Your Children? “Emilia and Noah”? “Annaleigh and Skylar”? If not, which of the two names is the one that you’d eliminate? That sort of game can help you figure out which of your name candidates is most Your Style.
We’ve talked before about how names like Annaleigh make me nervous. (Your spelling is fine, but I’ve now considered the issue afresh for so many submitted questions, I don’t think I’ll ever see the name without thinking of it!) I’ll suggest to you the same name I’ve suggested before to avoid the situation entirely: Avaleigh.
As far as “matching” styles, I think Emilia goes best with Noah Daniel.
Oooh I like all 3 names!
I do think that Emilia was my favourite though.
Emilia Skylar
Emilia Annaleigh
Not sure which I like the most!
As for the Annaleigh post – I think you are definitely safe with this spelling. In fact – it didn’t cross my mind at all (about ‘anally’ as it might have if you spelled it with only one N)
So – if Annaleigh is your favourite (or Avaleigh or Evaleigh) then I say go for it!
If you are indeed keeping Noah for a future son if you have a daughter this time around, I think Emilia is best.
Emilia is my favorite of your three girl names regardless of a potential Noah. It’s literary, classic (without being conventional) and feminine, and also has very good nickname possibilities, if you are into nicknames at all… I love it.
Good luck!
Ooo! Avaleigh! I like it! Very nice.
I think that of all your names, Skylar is the one that matches Noah the least. Perhaps it would do well as a middle name?
What do you think of the spelling Emalia? Emalia Skylar? Emelia Annaleigh seems like a mouthful and I’m not in love with the matching “lee” sound in both names, but that’s just my opinion.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you choose! First babies are so exciting. Granted, I have a friend expecting her 7th, and I’m pretty excited about that one, too.
I would like to suggest a new name that I recently read in a book: Annali. Pronounced: Anna-Lie. I do think Emilia is cute, but she will have to constantly spell her name. Skylar is really fun, but doesn’t seem to match the same style as Noah, as I think it’s maybe a little on the young, hip side, whereas Noah is more classic and soft-sounding. Best of luck!
I know an Annalee and Noah! Good names!
Noah Daniel is a pretty traditional name, so I think Emilia would complement it best. Annaleigh would fit also. Skylar sounds much more modern and seems to clash with the style a bit.
Some similar options: Amelia, Susannah, Annabel, Anya, Emmeline
I like Emilia most of your list as I think it goes best with Daniel.
Names similar to Emilia that you may like: are Eliana, Emilie, Mila
Skylar: Kayla, Skye
Annaleigh: Annalise, Annabeth, Annika
What about Emilia Skye?
Is Emilia just Amelia spelled differently, or is it pronounced differently? If it’s the same except for the spelling, I think I’d spell it the regular way to save hassle but also because it goes better with Noah that way.
Penguin Reference Dictionary of First Names (UK): Emilia – English first name derived from Amelia. It emerged as a variant among English speakers during medieval times… Well-known bearers of the name have included three characters in the plays of William Shakespeare, notably Iago’s wife Emilia in ‘Othello’ (1602-4) and Hermione’s maid Emilia in ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (1610-11).
According to this source, the Roman Aemilia, from Latin for ‘striving’ or ‘eager’, is the source of Amelia, Emilia and Emily. Each of these names has long been regarded as a separate name.
Amelia and Emilia usually aren’t pronounced exactly the same:
Emilia: Pronounced: e-MEEL-yah
Amelia: Pronounced: ə-MEE-lee-ə (English), ə-MEEL-yə (English)
(behind the name.com)
I personally prefer Emilia because of the Shakespearean connection and because the name isn’t used as much as Amelia.
Of your three girls names, I like Emilia very much and and think it pairs best with Noah.
If I could tweak the spelling, I’d vote for Emelia or even Amelia, but I think Emilia is likely to be constantly misspelled.
My next choice would be Skylar.
Emilia is my favorite, spelled this way. I, too, love Skylar, but it doesn’t quite match with Noah. But if it’s a favorite, I say go for it.
Annaleigh is so pretty, but as Swistle pointed out, there are a lot of variations of “Anna” names these days (Annalise, Annabel, Anna, Hannah, etc.) that it seems almost too familiar.
I’m afraid Annaleigh makes me really nervous because of the “anal” reference. Evaleigh makes me think of evily when I say it.
Emilia is adorable. Or Anna Leigh / Eva Leigh (first, middle) works. Annabel is very charming in my opinion as well. All of those work with sibling Noah.
Good luck!!
I’m afraid Annaleigh makes me really nervous because of the “anal” reference. Evaleigh makes me think of evily when I say it.
Emilia is adorable. Or Anna Leigh / Eva Leigh (first, middle) works. Annabel is very charming in my opinion as well. All of those work with sibling Noah.
Good luck!!
Emilia Skylar and Noah Daniel would definitely work as a sibset.
What did you decide?