M. writes:
I am hoping that you can help me with our baby girl name conundrum. My husband and I have two little girls and are due to expect our third (and final) child in January. Since all reports seem to show that this child is a girl, we are looking at the girl name list for a third time! Our other daughters are Natalie Sage and Noelle Juniper. While Natalie and Noelle both are Christmas names, we named them those names because we liked the sound of the names and not because they had to do with Christmas. We are not looking for another N name, nor are we particularly interested in continuing the Christmas trend, although it would have been Nicholas if the child was a boy. We also are fond of nature middle names since we love hiking and the great outdoors. Our last name is very similar to Wice (rhymes with mice). Our short list for first names includes Alaina (Lainey), Victoria (Tori), Amelia, Avery, and Rachel. Our short list for middle names includes Wren and Acacia. I am a little concerned about some of these names becoming too popular. I don’t mind a trendy name but don’t want my daughter being one of three with the same name in kindergarten! We are not necessarily locked into our short lists and are open to new ideas. What name do you think we should choose for our last little girl?
Popularity is such a tricky thing. Going by statistics alone (which is dicey, since the statistics are national and might not be played out in as small a sample as a classroom), Amelia is #41 and rising. Alaina is #207, but combining it with spellings Alayna, Elena, Elayna, Alena, and Elaina (most of which are rising, but not rapidly) brings it to #36—and adding in Lainey and Laney (which I wouldn’t normally recommend because it’s misleading, but just to give the idea for classroom-duplication-likelihood purposes) would bring it to #23. Victoria is #32 and gradually falling in popularity. Avery is #23 for girls and rising rapidly, but it’s also used for boys, which increases even further the likelihood of another Avery in a classroom. Rachel is least common at #100 and falling briskly—though my mother taught in Christian schools and it’s much more popular there, so it depends on your own circle. For comparison, Natalie is #14 and Noelle is #366.
With Natalie and Noelle, my favorite is Alaina (visually I think I like it even better as Elena, but that does make the nickname harder to spell; Elaina, maybe? but then the initials are EW, so never mind this whole parenthetical). But neither middle name seems quite right with it (I like it with Wren, but then Wren Wice seems choppy and difficult to say—although middle/last flow is not typically a big deal).
I think Ivy and Holly would both be sweet nature-theme middle names: not TOO Christmassy, more like “botanical names that just happen to be cool with the Christmas theme in case that appeals to anyone to keep that going.” Alaina Ivy Wice, or Alaina Holly Wice.
I also think the name Laurel works beautifully: Alaina Laurel Wice. Or Hazel: Alaina Hazel Wice. For something more whimsical, I have a soft spot for the name Clover: Alaina Clover Wice. For the sweet birdness of Wren without the choppiness with the surname, I like Starling: Alaina Starling Wice. (And the “star” part makes it just a little Christmassy. I know you said you’re not looking for that, but I’m finding it such an appealing theme!)
I thought I might look for a few more first name candidates, and I started by looking up Natalie in The Baby Name Wizard to see what categories she put it in—and she has Noelle for a suggested sister name! Since she seems to have your number, I wonder if you’d like any of the other suggested sister names: Gabrielle, Brooke, Jacqueline, Bethany. Or for Noelle: Simone, Lea, Eden, and Giselle. I like Bethany and Simone best. Bethany Acacia Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Bethany. Simone Acacia Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Simone.
I love Clara with the sister names and with your surname, and the very subtle Christmas tie-in (I can’t stop!) is that that’s the name of the little girl in The Nutcracker. Clara Starling Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Clara.
Or Eva (slight Christmas Eve tie-in, if you want it). Eva Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Eva.
If you decided to go with a third N name after all, I think both Naomi and Nora are wonderful. Naomi Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Naomi. Nora Wice; Natalie, Noelle, and Nora.
Please email me! I have a question about your blog! :)
HeatherVonsj@gmail.com
Laurel and Simone go wonderfully with Natalie and Noelle!
But, if this is your last, I’d be tempted by Naomi. Such a lovely name and they go so well!
Laurel Wren
Simone Acacia
Naomi Wren
Heather- My email address is swistle at gmail dot com.
Well I love all of Swistle’s suggestions, especially Holly and Ivy for a middle name. I like Eve or Eden too. Wow, there is so many great selections. I would try to go with a subtle Christmas or N name though. It’s unique that her siblings have that theme and you wouldn’t want to make her feel left out! :) Plus, her birthday is close to the holidays. I really hope you do one or both themes again.
IF you were to continue the slight Christmas/N-name theme, would you consider Nicola or Nicolette?
I especially love Nicola Wren Wice!
From your short list, I like Victoria best with the sibling names.
I did like an awful lot of Swistle’s subversive Christmassy suggestions: Holly, Ivy (I would like these as first names, too), Clara, Eva. Along the same lines I would like Estelle, or Stella for the star meaning.
Naomi and Nora are appealing, too.
Of the options I like Alaina Ivy Wice best. If you choose another N name I LOVE Naomi but I think Nicole would fit so well with the slightly Christmas theme. If you like Nicole but don’t like Nikki as a nickname I know a little girl who goes by Colee, which I think is super cute.
If you’re worried about being too matchy-matchy with the N names why not pick a name that doesn’t start with an N but has a really prominent N sound that she could share with her sisters. The name that comes to mind is Annabelle. I like that. Natalie, Noelle, & Annabelle. A little Christmasy too.
I usually dislike names too themey. But I really love your daughters names. It’s not very obvious with the Christmas theme at all. You have some really good options too.
I also like Nicole or Nichola. How about Lark for a middle name?
As a complete outsider, I must say, the subtle seasonal theme is really wonderful. Really, really charming.
IF you decided to keep the theme, would you consider the name Amaryllis (Amy as a nickname)? Or perhaps Felicity (Liss or Fliss or Flossy)? Perhaps Neige (it’s French for ‘snow’)? Natasha (Russian for Christmas Day)? Carole (nickname of Cari)? Angelina?
For some reason, the middle name of Wren with your last name is tricky for me to say correctly out loud.
I know a woman born on Christmas, and her parents named her ‘Kristie Carol’. It’s too much, but she does love it. Another woman I knew was named ‘Decembre’ (Deh-SAHM-brah) who went by ‘Amber’.
From your list, Victoria is my favorite. Like Natalie and Noelle, it is classic.
But Natasha Starling ‘Wice’ is my favorite.
Best wishes to you and your growing family. Please let us know what you and your husband decide! You two have an excellent naming style!
I agree with swistle that I like Alaina best from you list.
If you were to continue N names I love Naomi and Neve.
My biggest suggestions are to go with the holiday nature name with the middle name like your other two, not Wren or Acacia. I would go for Holly, Ivy, Winter, Verbena
I much prefer
Alaina Holly
Alaina Ivy
Alaina Winter
Alaina Verbena.. ok maybe not this one so much
I also love the last suggestion from swistle.. Clara! as a first name
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I had a friend in grade school name Nina (sounds like) Wice. So I vote for that. Perhaps as a nn for Christina Acacia Wice?
Love the idea of a subtle Christmas theme. I think you should go for it do she doesn’t feel left out. Love Eva
As an Alaina let me whole-heartedly recommend the name. I didn’t know any other Alainas until I was in HS (and then it was a much younger child) and since then have known a few with other spellings but not with my own. I now work in labor and delivery and have yet to see the name at my hospital in the past 3 years. It’s been a wonderful name and I’m often told how beautiful it is.
Leonie Wren
Liadan Wren
Liana Wren
Lila Wren
Avery Mesa
Avery Sienna
I think you should go with an N name since this is your last child! I’d worry this baby would feel left out without one. In which case I LOVE
Natasha Wren
Natasha Starling
Nora Holly (OMG LOVE PICK THIS)
Nora Larkin
Nell (I know a Nell and it is really lovely on her) Ivy
Alaina is very nice but I find Laney to be a little close to Natalie when saying them aloud.
I love the Christmas theme. Clara is my favorite!
From your short list I love Victoria. Natalie, Noelle and Victoria. Lovely! Naomi is nice, too.
I like Wren better as a mn than Acacia with Victoria, but I really like some of Swistle’s suggestions. Victoria Ivy Wice is my favorite.
Good luck!
I love Natalie, Noelle and Eva.
If I could pick any name for you, I’d go with Nicola Robin. Love!
Nicole feels dated to me, while Nicola is more classic and timeless. And Robin! Subtly nature-like, with a bit of a Christmas feel.
From your list, though, I really love Amelia Wren.
Keep the theme and use Holly, it goes so perfectly with Natalie and Noelle!
Aw I hope you go for another N name, it would leave out your third daughter from a theme you already established. I personally love Nieve (snow) Acacia for your family. Or nadine?
Or what about a longer name that can give a N nickname, like Eleanor or Penelope Wren, nn Nellie, or Catriona or Valentina, nn Nina?
Of your list I really like Alaina. What about Alaina Winter?
For some reason when you suggested that you wanted Nicole for a boy, I can’t stop thinking of how lovely Nicola would be with your current girls. Nicola Elaine is great. Also like Swistle’s Eva suggestion a whole lot.
I also think Nella or Nellie would be cute. They could be short for Cornelia.
Someone above suggested Winter for a middle name and I LOVE that! It has a romantic feel.
I’m with Swistle… the subtle Christmas theme is really nice! I like Holly, Ivy, Clara for those reasons!
I usually think that after just two sibling names that are similar (Max and Mia, or Emily and Wesley, or Rose and Violet), it’s okay to break pattern and go with something that doesn’t fit the same theme.
However, the fact that your daughters’ names are so obviously similar in TWO respects (both start with “N” and have a Christmas theme) makes me feel a third daughter would be bound to stick out uncomfortably if her name didn’t match in at least one of those respects. The only Christmas name that starts with N is Nicole/Nicola, and that would be a pretty option for you. However, if you don’t like that, I strongly suggest that you pick a name that EITHER starts with an N or has a vaguely Christmassy feel:
Natalie, Noelle, and Nora
Natalie, Noelle, and Naomi
Natalie, Noelle, and Holly
Natalie, Noelle, and Ivy
Natalie, Noelle, and Gabrielle
Natalie, Noelle, and Caroline
Natalie, Noelle, and Mary
Natalie, Noelle, and Christiana
Natalie, Noelle, and Eve
Natalie, Noelle, and Angeline
Natalie, Noelle, and Evangeline
Just a thought: If you decide to pick one of the Christmas botanicals for your third daughter, perhaps her middle name could start with N. That way her name would be the same, just mixed up. Examples:
Holly Naomi Wice
Holly Nadine Wice
Ivy Nora Wice
Ivy Nicola Wice
Also, I love the name Clara Estelle — in addition to Clara being the girl from the Nutcracker, her full name would be “bright star”!
Good luck! I do really like the Christmas theme!
I would definitely stick with one of the themes you have (which I absolutely love your naming style!). One very pretty nature middle name is Snow, in addition to the above suggestion of Winter. I think it’s so pretty and makes me think of a lovely fresh blanket of snow. Eva Snow…makes me swoon!!
Surprised that Evelyn was not a shoo in with Natalie and Noelle… Christmas tie in PLUS keeping the N, only in a different, less noticeable/annoying way… I also think 3syllables always goes well with a single syllable surname…
I love Nora Holly Wice. I’m sorry but i’m with others and love the theme and would definitely not leave my third child out. Love your other names together, such a good sibling set.