Kari writes:
We are trying to come up with a name for our 2nd daughter who is due on Thanksgiving! Our 1st daughter is Blakely Michelle and our last name rhymes with Hanson. Blakely was a family name from my husband’s side of the family that we both loved. I realize it is a unisex name and surname but now I am drawn to names such as Emma, Chloe, Daphne, Calista, Amelia, Aubrey, Evelyn, Lila and Clara. Which I don’t know if they flow nicely with Blakely or sound too different. Calista is at the top of our list right now but worry about the Flockhart association and if it goes with Blakely. We do tend to prefer names that are not too popular (like top 10- even though 2 of our favorites are there). Also, I don’t want another name that has the -ley or -son sound at the end. Also, Blakely is Old English I have been drawn to more English sounding names too. For the middle name we like Jane (after my mom’s middle name) or Kate (we just like it) or Renee (after my sister’s middle name). Another factor is that this baby has been really active and feisty so some of the softer, refined names don’t seem to “fit” her.
Names that we like but can’t use are: Avery, Lillian, Regan, Sadie, Elliot, Olivia, Ivy, Alexis, Addison, Madison.
Names that we talked about but have been ruled out either due to myself or my husband are: Piper, Tatum, Penelope, Phoebe, Kendall, Riley, Bailey, or Taylor.
We originally were told we were having a boy and had so many names options such as Parker, Garrett, Graham, Ethan, Brennan, Andrew, Noah that we LOVED.
I hope you can help us! I am desperate to have a name and get baby things monogrammed and ready for her!
and
Writing again…I think we have narrowed down our name search to two names, Amelia (nn Mia or Millie) and Chloe with Amelia being our #1. However, I am still concerned about it “going” with Blakely and don’t want the sibling names to sound mis-matched? Thoughts?!?!?
Please help!
One thing that makes things easier in this situation is that although Blakely has a unisex sound, it’s not particularly unisex in usage: it’s used for approximately ten times as many girls as boys, and similarly girl-heavy names such as Blakelyn and Berkeley make it seem even more on the girl side. If sibling-name coordination is important to you, this leaves you more free to choose from girlish names.
I think if I were you I would aim to match not so much the style (since your style has changed) as the uncommonness. Blakely and Chloe, for example, gives one girl a very unusual name (not even in the Top 1000) and the other girl a very common name (Top 10). Amelia is #41 and making a jump upward each year; I suspect it will soon also be Top 10, or very near it. Calista would be my top choice from your list: Blakely and Calista is a great popularity match: in 2010, 278 new baby girls were named Blakely/Blakely/Blakelee/Blakeleigh, and 412 were named Calista/Callista/Kalista/Kallista. The names are both uncommon but familiar, and I think the Calista Flockheart association, while still present, is significantly weakened. Plus, the name Calista sounds feisty to me.
However, if you do choose Chloe or Amelia, I think it’s common for a firstborn’s name to be a name of significance that doesn’t necessarily coordinate in style with the names of subsequent children. I think the main issue is to make sure that the names don’t seem to communicate different expectations, as if the parents have decided in advance the personality type they’d like each daughter to have (“One tomboy and one little lady, please!” or “One judge and one cheerleader!”). Of the two, I think Blakely and Chloe share more of the same spirit.
If Amelia is your frontrunner but you hesitate because it doesn’t meet some of the preferences you were hoping to meet, one possibility is to use Amelia as a starting point for looking for names that are similar but also feistier and less common. Cordelia. Aurelia. Delia. Amaya. Melina. Emery.
Let’s have a poll over to the right for Chloe and Amelia and “back to the drawing board.” [Poll closed; see results below.]
Of your top two names, I prefer Chloe far over Amelia. Blakely is not a unisex name to me at all; the -ly ending screams femininity, plus it reminds me of the actress Blake Lively. So “unisex” isn’t the issue, it’s the fact that Blakely seems so rough-and-tumble. Amelia is SO frilly, that for me, it just doesn’t work. Chloe, like Swistle said, is a better fit, but for me it is still lacking.
Here are some suggestions:
Meredith; Blakely and Meredith (all girl, but not princessy at ALL)
Lilith or Lilian; Blakely and Lilith; Blakely and Lilian (spunky, sassy, cute nn of Lily)
Avelyn; Blakely and Avelyn (pretty girly, but not “cutesy” or frilly; similar to Avery)
Of these, my favorite is Meredith, but I really like Avelyn a lot, too!
i’m stuck on calista. i really like the pairing of blakely michelle & calista jane!!
I think Chloe fits better with Blakely. I like the sound of Chloe Amelia Hanson, and then you get to use both names. Good luck!
I think Blakely and Amelia are a nice sibset. If the parents like it I don’t think they should worry too much about how the names stack up on paper, and they’re both totally distinct names with their own individual feel, yet both are trending these days.
I think Calista is your best choice. With Blakely as a big sister I like: Jillian? Layla? I love Meredith as another suggested.
I like Aubrey. It is unisex, goes well with Blakely without being too match-y and sounds good with all of your middle name options.
I like Amelia! Calista is pretty but somehow I think Blakely and Amelia make a better set. There’s something nice to me about the pairing of a modern name and a classic name, as long as they give a similar “impression” — i.e. I know sisters named Harper and Willa, which I adore. To my ears Amelia sounds more womanly than Chloe, which is almost saccharine cute. Amelia and Blakely are both names that would be delightful on little girls but also sound like smart competent women.
I really like Calista and think you should reconsider. It usual and would go well with Blakely. Calista Jane or Calista Renee.
I actually really like Amelia with Blakely. Yes, they are different styles, but they both sound strong and lovely. If you love the name, I think you should absolutely go for it!
I really love the name Amelia and think it goes very nicely with Blakely. They both sound feminine and strong. Especially if you and your husband are leaning toward it, I wouldn’t worry about how well it pairs with her sister’s name – I think it goes well. The only concern is how much more popular/common Amelia is, but unless that’s important to you, go with Amelia. I really Amelia Renee! Amelia Jane is pretty as well.
I prefer Chloe to Amelia with Blakely. From the original list I also like Calista and Daphne. How about Chelsea?
When I first read this, my first thought was that your daughter’s name, Blakely would make a good girl suggestion for the previous poster, Baby Boy or Girl Hainsworth. I wonder if that poster, Taylor, is reading this?
But on to you…
I don’t see Blakely as being usable on a boy at all. I see it as feminine but not girly-girl. I visualize Blakely as a pleated plaid skirt kind of name, whereas other more girly names, such as Isabella are pink lacy tutu names.
To me, Amelia is one of those pink lacy tutu names and wouldn’t work as well with Blakely. Originally I saw Calista the same way, as the pink lacy tutu. But as I say Blakely and Calista together, they seem to sound good. I think maybe because of the repeated L sound in the middle. Plus, they are similar in popularity, as Swistle pointed out, and I just feel Calista is a sadly underused name. I wouldn’t worry about Calista Flockheart – I don’t feel the association is that strong.
But if Aubrey is still in the running, I also feel Aubrey is a good fit, as I see that as another pleated plaid skirt kind of name.
I have friends who named their second daughter Aubrey. Some of the other names they were considering were Sadie and Madison so they might have tastes like yours. Their first daughter is named Autumn. That may be another name to consider. Good luck.
Good luck.
I was in a similar position about 5 years ago with a similar list of names. Someone suggested Camelia to me, combining Camille and Amelia which were both on my list, neither one “it”. We love it, nicknames include Cam, Cami, Mel, Melia, Lia, Elia. She does occasionally get called Camilla, but it’s pretty rare. I think most people know the flower so that’s their association. Amelia is so lovely I totally recommend it, we couldn’t use it because of the initials it would create.
I vote for Callista Jane (Callie) and think it works well with Blakely. It is slightly more feminine, but strong and not too girly. I am just finishing up the entire series of Brothers & Sisters, and don’t think that it will necessarily conjur up any weird associations with the actress. I mean, she’s not exactly a super-hot celeb right now ;-)
I didn’t mention it before, but I like the middle Jane best with all choices. Renee, too, but Jane better.
I like Callista Jane the best of the names you mention, and like many who have commented I like how it goes with Blakely. It jumped out at me from your list.
To me, Amelia is sweet and proper, and Chloe is sassy and energetic. So to me, Blakely and Amelia is an odd pair, but Blakely and Chloe goes really well, even though they’re so different in rank.
I voted for something else, because both names seem too common to me with Blakely, but I agree that because Blakely is the firstborn, it doesn’t matter so much.
I love Calista–by far my favorite for you. I also like Swistle’s suggestion of looking for other names similar to Amelia. Your list made me think of:
Marin
Felicity (very different feel, dont klnow why I thought of this!)
June (close to Jane, but more unusual/fun)
Hallie
Cassidy–oh THIS is my top pick for you!
When I read the first email, Chloe jumped out at me from all the names, and I was sad to see that Calista had been your #1 choice. But now that Chloe is the #1 choice, I’m really excited! Blakely and Chloe sync so nicely and are unique at the same time.
Calista!!!!!
Chloe and Blakely seem nicely balanced from your top two.
But if I may, I’d like to offer a few other options:
Cornelia (Nellie)
Maris (Missy)
Shelby
Melinda
Josephine (Josie)
Carys
Daphne
All of these have a sort of prep school refinement that still hold a stash of sass. Shelby stands out for some reason to me.
Blakely and Shelby.
Best wishes to you and your growing family! Please let us know what you and your husband choose!
Who is Calista Flockheart?
It seems that you have two choices: a name similar in style to Blakely or a name from the style you now prefer, which is very different from Blakely. I don’t think Amelia goes with Blakely at all. I would probably stick with my original style preference and choose a tomboyish name, something that works well for a girl but sounds boyish too — or a new name, like Blakely, rather than a traditional name like Amelia or even Chloe.
Something along the lines of:
Aubrey
Delaney
Lindsey
Mallory
Mckenna
Shelby
Marlowe
Cassidy
Cambria
Juniper
Murphy
Darcy
Payton
I have a four month old Calista and I’m constantly surprised at how many people have never heard of the name. We haven’t had anyone ask about the actress at all, but many ask if we made the name up or if it’s a family name. So I wouldn’t let the actress connection stop you from using it if you like it. I obviously like it best of your list. Amelia and Chloe are both fine, but very popular where I live (if that matters to you at all).
I like Aubrey, which is both a boy and a girl name and not too popular. BOY I know a lot of Amelias here lately, Swistle is right, it’s climbing. Aubrey Jane. Aubrey and Blakely. Super cute!