Laura writes:
My husband and I are struggling to agree on a name for our first baby – a girl due on March 7th. Our last name is one syllable and rhymes with “toast.” I like feminine, melodic, classic names. I’d like to avoid top-ten names, but top-100 is ok, especially if they are timeless. Caroline, Natalie, Eliza and Madeline have been my top picks. My husband wants a one or two syllable name with a “hard” vowel sound and tends to be drawn to names that were popular for our generation – Amy, Lisa, Caitlin, etc. I think these names are boring and dated. He thinks my names are weird and complicated. To work with our last name, we’ve both agreed that anything that starts with “k”, ends in “y” or has a prominent “s” sound (like Alyssa) is out. But that’s about all we can agree on. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
This is tricky: based on what you and your husband each want, my plan would be to make a list of names that would be familiar to him, but that wouldn’t feel to you like they were already used up by our generation. But–that’s exactly what your list is! It seems like it would be perfect: familiar names that were used by people our age, but that still feel fresh enough to use now. So why doesn’t he like them? If he thinks a name like Caroline or Natalie is weird and complicated, I’m at a loss. Nevertheless, perhaps if we continue to throw similar names at him, he will find some he likes? But no -y endings, no prominent S sound, no K initial, not Top 10, two syllables with a long vowel—it’s a tough order. I won’t try to follow all of those, but will instead concentrate on the Y/S/K part and hope he will come around a bit on the syllables and vowels.
Anna
Bridget
Claire
Clara
Elizabeth
Eva
Jane
Jillian
June
Meredith
Miriam
Piper
Sabrina
Violet
(I had some -ia names on there—Claudia, Lia/Leah, Victoria—but I’m not sure the -ia sound works with the Y of your surname.)
I think I’d start by pointing out to him how similar some names are to ones he says he likes. There is very little difference between a name like Lisa and a name like Eliza. Same with Caitlin and Caroline: quite similar sounds.
Would he like the names better if you presented him with their nicknames also? (Gabrielle, Gaby, Julie, Jules) to show… versatility?
How about:
Gabrielle, Julie, Leslie, Lizbeth, Maya, Megan, Muriel?
Good luck!
Catherine might be a good compromise between Caitlin and Caroline.
Amelia might be a compromise between Amy and Eliza.
I also like Elise as a variation of Lisa but maybe the “s” is too prominent.
You have some beautiful names here already, I hope that some of them appeal to both of you!
Cadence
Cora
Moira
Samantha
Rebecca
Norah
Cassandra
Heather
Ashley
This is really hard because the names you picked aren’t weird or complicated at all. They’re lovely, traditional names.
How about (sorry for any repeats):
Amelia
Amaya/Maya
Ava
Anneliese
Camille
Cara
Cora
Elle
Greta
Lidia
Liliana
Olivia
Paige
Charlotte, Marie, Marin…a few I could think of that I think meet the requirements.
I’m having a hard time keeping track of the hard vowel vs. soft vowel, prominent s requirements – my head is spinning.
I’m thinking of names that were in the top 100 about 20-30 years ago and are still there:
Monica
Veronica
Allison
Megan
I also think these names are on the Baby Name Wizard’s “Timeless” section.
That’s off the top of my head. I hope to have time to actually research the Social Security list and Baby Name Wizard and come back to you.
Monica
/\ I wish I could edit these posts – I’m not sure how Monica got duplicated up there, but anyway,
I word on
Veronica
I think style wise this might be a good compromise name for the two of you.
It is classic, and has been consistently in the top 100 until about the early 90’s. I was mistaken as it is no longer in the top 100 today and has been trending down, but it still has the classic history, AND
It has the V which is fashionable today. Think of up-and-coming names like Vivian, Violet, and names with V in the middle, like Ava, Eva, Evelyn, Olivia.
Mara? I like it. It’s easy, but not complicated and not too popular.
Maybe names with nicknames are the way to go so you could have the longer, more old-fashioned sound you like and he could have the shorter, less formal version.
You could call her Margaret, for instance, and he could call her Maggie or Meg. You could call her Elizabeth and he could call her– well, Elizabeth has about 3,495 possible nicknames, but let’s say Liz, which sounds a bit like Lisa and Eliza. You see where I’m going.
I think Catherine and Amelia were good candidates for compromise as well. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Instead of Amy, what about Emmie?
Lisa could be changed to Lena or Lila, or even Lily.
Some other names from our generation that are still nice are:
Megan (nn Meg, Meggie)
Kate
Kara
Lauren (or Laurel)
Jenna
how about:
nora
noel
rebecca/becca
ruby
joy
beatrix/bea
colette
irene
sarah
catherine/kate
hazel
esme
greta
Yeah, I vote for Amelia or Emmeline, as well. Amelia gives way to nicknames Amy, Mel, Mellie/Millie, and Lia, which your husand may like, while Emmeline (or any of the variant spellings) harbours Emma, Emme/Emmie, and maybe Lina/Lena.
I’m around that generation, too, where Amy and Caitlin were popular. While I don’t HATE the names like that, I have too many name/people associations to ever consider one of them!
I wonder if you would be best off going with a name like Anne or Anna. It’s simple and common for him, it’s timeless for you.
And if you think it’s a little boring you could maybe do Annabel (and he could call her Anna), or Rose-Anne / Rosanne. Or have a middle name combo that you could call her by, Anne Marie, Anne Elise, etc
Oh, you poor dear. I have the same issue with my husband. I love fresh, spritely names that are established yet “new” sounding: Isla, Eliza, Madeline, etc. My husband likes Stephanie, Amy, Jennifer, etc. Names that were popular when we were born, and thus seem overused and unimaginative to me!
But my bitter is showing, and so I digress.
I like Annabel for you, as well as Miriam, but I fear they would both seem like a mouthful to your hubby. You could always shorten either name to Annie or Miri/Mimi, but then you’re violating the “no ending in a y sound” rule. How about Miriam, nn Mia?
I wonder if you would both like Jenna, as mentioned in the comments above. It sounds a bit like Jennifer, which would probably appeal to your husband’s Plain Jane naming style, but it’s surprisingly fresh sounding, which might appease you, too.
If Jenna isn’t quite right, how about Julia? Swistle expressed concern over the -ia ending cutting into your surname, but I don’t think it really would.
I also like Swistle’s suggestion of Clara. It’s recognizable, timeless, and uncomplicated.
My little girl is Ava so of course i love it! it is such a pretty simple name which will suit all ages of her life! it is very populiar though so it may not be for you!
some ideas for you that i hope you like!-
Mia
Eva
Sadie
Milla
Taylah
Tylah
Olivea
Penny (Penelope)
Dana
sasha
Ella
Sienna
Lucy
Lucia
Poppy
best of luck im sure you will find a perfect name for you little one x