Kylene writes:
We’re having a girl, due mid August. Our last name sounds like Ball and starts with an H. Our first daughter is Mara Kathryn (4) and our second daughter is Audra Neel (2). Both middle names are family names. Mara’s name was found on a biblical name list by my husband and it took me a day or so to warm up to it but then I quickly fell for it. Audra’s name was a challenge. My husband wanted Lucy, I was stuck on a friends name, Audra, not necessarily after her I just liked the name. After trying out Lucy for a few weeks and even telling friends that would be her name we decided it didn’t feel right and went with Audra. We’ve had a boy name picked out since Mara, Henry James, both family names that we would still likely use when/if we have a boy. We don’t have a final number of children decided upon.
We would like to use the middle name Marguerite after a dear family friend.
My husband suggested the family name Irene as a first name, which prompted me to find Irena. I think it sounds fresher than Irene, beautiful, feminine, flows well with our daughters’ names and the middle name. I am head over heels over this name but I don’t think I am going to be able to sell him on this unless he decides to let me use it as a gift. He thinks it sounds made up, isn’t wild about another ‘a’ ending name especially ones he thinks of as a name that you tag an ‘a’ onto.
I also love that our daughters names are pretty unusual. I love that people ask where/how we came up with them and am struggling with our current list not really fitting that.
Names I threw out but wasn’t sold on that he has nixed: Carys, Thea, Selah, Sadie, Louisa. Names he threw out that I nixed: Veronica, Louise. And I’m sure there were more in each direction those were just the most significant.
Still considering:
Elizabeth (nickname Eliza or Liza), how popular is Eliza getting?
Jane (seems plain especially with our common last name)
Irene (him)
Irena (me)
Brigid (front runner right now)
Simone
And open to more suggestions, we tend to like older, uncommon names. Biblical, saint, or family names a plus. I don’t like anything I associate as being common in my generation.
One more issue with our current front runner Brigid, how terrible are the initials BMH. We think it’s okay since you never really use your first and middle initials alone, but would like to sanity check that.
It’s interesting how you and your husband are so close on some names (Irene/Irena, Louise/Louisa) but still disagree. Paul and I found that same thing, when we were naming our babies. An example: I liked Elliot and he liked Eliot, and we couldn’t use the name because neither of us was willing to consider any other spelling.
With sisters Mara (#758 in 2009) and Audra (#984 in 2009), I think I’d go straight to the stand-alone name Eliza (#278 in 2009), rather than trying to get it from the significantly more common name Elizabeth (#11 in 2009). Here’s what the popularity of the name Eliza has been doing:
(screenshot from SSA.gov)
Rising, as you can see, but not fast—especially not in the last seven years or so, when it doesn’t even seem sure it IS rising.
I do like to avoid the initials such as B.M. or I.P. at all costs, but I am further along the spectrum for that than most (I even like to avoid non-negative ones such as I.Q.). I agree that when it’s a first and middle it’s not as big a deal as first and last (though I would still avoid it: I’m picturing it on a form as “B.M. H___”). How would you be pronouncing Brigid? To rhyme with rigid, or like the Irish pronunciation (more like “breed”), or a mixture such as brih-ZHEED? (Boy, that last one is hard to type out what I mean. By “zh” I mean the sound like in the middle of the word “measure.”) I wonder if you’d like Bridget instead: still uncommon (#424 in 2009), but significantly easier for others to spell and pronounce.
From your list, my favorite is Simone. I like how well it goes with Mara and Audra, but changes the end sound. Mara, Audra, and Simone. Simone was #620 in 2009, and its popularity is falling.
If Lucy was very close but not quite, I wonder if you would like the saint name Lucia. It can be pronounced several ways, but the one I’m picturing here is loo-SEE-ah. Mara, Audra, and Lucia: still the -a ending, but with a new sound and a new number of syllables. I am slightly worried about Lucia H___ being too similar to Lucille Ball, but since you considered Lucy I’m assuming you’ve thought of that and dismissed it—and I think I would dismiss it, too. I’m not sure it would even have come to my mind if “Ball” wasn’t the stand-in name we were using.
I just heard a name recently I wonder if you might like: Vayla. Vayla Marguerite H__; Mara, Audra, and Vayla.
But your husband would rather not add another -a ending. Your idea of Carys makes me think of Iris. Iris Marguerite H___; Mara, Audra, and Iris.
If you like Jane but it feels too plain (or you want to avoid the associations with either the actress or the journalist), perhaps June? June Marguerite H____; Mara, Audra, and June.
Oh, or Imogen? Imogen Marguerite H___; Mara, Audra, and Imogen.
Esmé Marguerite H___; Mara, Audra, and Esmé.
Some unusual biblical options: Zorah, Zilla, Shiloh, Bethel, Dinah, Tabitha, Cana. My top biblical choice for you is Junia: it does add another -a ending (so many girl names end in A!), but it’s two degrees of plainness away from Jane. Junia Marguerite H____; Mara, Audra, and Junia.
A saint name similar to Simone is Colette: Colette Marguerite H___; Mara, Audra, and Colette.
Another saint name that seems like a good fit (except for the -a ending) is Gemma: Gemma Marguerite H____; Mara, Audra, and Gemma.
Or Elodie, which I hadn’t realized was a saint name until this very moment: Elodie Marguerite H____; Mara, Audra, and Elodie.
Name update! Kylie writes:
Thanks so much for addressing our baby name issues. Your analysis and similar story really helped me move on from MY perfect name. In the end we couldn’t resist the classic, timeless Elizabeth that has always been my husband’s favorite. So Elizabeth Marguerite arrived August 15th. We call her Eliza.
I really like Brigid. The initials wouldn’t bother me. I was in my late twenties (now 31) before I ever noticed that function referred to as BM. However, as a girl with the first and middle initials of AS, every time I present official paperwork, I do wonder if the clerk is thinking, “Heh, if she’d married a guy with an S name….”
Iris is also a great suggestion. But if you really like Irena, it isn’t a made-up name, though it’s much more common in eastern European countries.
I was going to suggest Iris, too- or Irie. It means “peace.”
Other Biblical names that may fit your style:
Chloe
Eden
Jemima
Tamar (or Tamara)
Phoebe
Some Saint names that may work:
Beatrice
Gabrielle/Gabriella (after Gabriel)
Honora (after Honoratus)
Isidore
Rose
Zita
I love Iris from the suggestions and from your list Simone and Eliza.
Also, if you’re open to it, I love Marguerite as a first name.
Maybe you’d like Clare? (After the Saint.)
Good luck!
I suggest: Perri, Sloane, Madigan, & Camilla. Most people don’t relaize Cana and Kanah are Biblical names, also. Good luck!
My question is how would you pronounce Irena? I-REE-na, or the French/European way: ee-REN-a? The second way wouldn’t sound made up to me, as I’ve heard of actresses with this name.
What about:
Jacinta
Genevieve
Celia
Florence
Erin
Eleni
I think something with an “ia” ending would go great with your girls’ names- it does have the same “a” ending, but it sounds a little different. Of the names suggested already, I love Junia, Celia, and Lucia. Some others:
Acacia
Adalia/Adelia
Amelia
Cassia
Cordelia
Delia
Elia
Magnolia
Mia
Sylvia
I like Irena too. It doesn’t sound made up at all- it just sounds European. I think it’s a nice update of Irene.
Maybe it’s just me, but Brigid seems so different than Mara and Audra. Audra and Mara are so soft and feminine.
Your older daughters’ names make me think of Veda, Selma and Lena.
I like Eliza the best from the suggestions.
How about Ingrid, nn Inga? (#545 in the US)
Would you like Katarina? It’s not in the top 1000, but it seems familiar yet exotic, right? It still has the REE sound that Irene/a has. In Eastern Europe, an acceptable nn for this name is Eka.
Teresa is a great saint’s name! I prefer the teh-RAY-sa pronounciation and think that that fits well with your other daughters’ names.
This may be too uncommon for you, but what about Edith? It’s 806 in the US. There is a Saint Edith Stein. There is also the great history of first ladies with this name.
The first name I thought of when you mentioned ‘Irene’ and ‘Irena’ was Iris. Obviously, I wasn’t the only one!
Iris is undeniably feminine without the usual ‘a’ ending that most ultra feminine names have. I like that it has two syllables like ‘Mara’ and ‘Audra’, too. Mara, Audra, and Iris.
The other name that popped to mind was Lydia. It’s biblical, feminine, and not especially common. Mara, Audra, and Lydia.
Eliza is a great option as well!
Ooh! Have you considered Deirdre? It ends with the same sound as your other girls’ names, but it doesn’t have the ‘a’ at the end. It’s no where near being common, and it’s Irish like Brigid. Deirdre Marguerite H___ sounds so sophisticated! Mara, Audra, and Deirdre.
Whatever you pick for your newest addition, it’ll be perfect. You’ve done well with the first two, and your boy name is also a winner. All the best as you welcome your baby!
What about Irina? Same sound as Irena but maybe more familiar.
I loooove Simone! Simone Marguerite H___. What a lovely name. I’m with Swistle, too, in that I think it fits perfectly with your sibling set yet still changes the ending, which it sounds like your husband would like.
I also like Iris Marguerite a LOT.
Eliza Marguerite is lovely, but I don’t know… there’s something about it I don’t love with your girls’ names.
I like both Irene and Irena, which I realize doesn’t help with the how to choose one between the two problem, and also Brigid/Bridget.
You’ve had some really good suggestions from Swistle and the commenters. Here are some that stand out for me:
Beatrice
Cordelia
Deirdre
Ingrid
Iris
Rose
Tamar(a)
Zorah
How about Ruth? Ruth Marguerite is lovely and I think it works with Mara and Audra, too.
Marina is another pretty option. I also like Nadia with your girls’ names.
I’m more familiar with the Irina spelling (pronounced Eye-REEN-a), which I think is very common in Russia. For me, that looks less made-up than Irena (if that’s the pronunciation you’re going for).
What about Leah, Amalia, Freya, Juliet or Julia, Ellen, or Susannah.
I think I would still use an A ending. That makes them seem like more a group somehow. I’d just use a different consonant.
Junia is pretty. Also:
Lena
Leta
Nora(h) (probably too close to Mara)
Calla
Geneva
Willa
LOVE Brigid! And I wouldn’t give a second thought to the initials. I couldn’t figure out what you were referring to for a minute! I think it’s a very minor issue in comparison with the GORGEOUS full name! I also wouldn’t change the spelling — makes it more unique than Bridget (which seems to be what you’re going for).
Irena/Irina is not made up and is lovely. I really like it with your other girls names and I would personally continue the -a trend rather than trying to avoid it.
However, if you can’t agree on it I’m another vote for Iris – it popped into my head as soon as I read Irene/Irena.
I also like Simone from your list.
Oh, if your hubby is willing to go with -a ending a biblical name I love is Delilah.
When I saw Brigid (and Louisa) I immediately thought of the Sound of Music (which I love) and the name Brigitta which would have the “a” ending.
I have a friend from Germany with the name Irena (ee-rena) and I think it is such a pretty name and definitely not made up. Just not common here.
Favorite Swistle name is Esme. So feminine and a lovely name and seems to fit well with your other girls.
Swistle’s suggestion of Vayla made me think of Vanya or Vania – just a thought. Good luck!
Iris! Iris! Iris! So perfect for you!