Ashley writes:
I am due with our second baby girl in a month and we still don’t have a middle name picked out. Our first daughter is named Bexley Grace. We chose Bexley from a list of British surnames we saw. I like British, preppy sounding names that are not common but still sound like a name. We have chosen the name Palmer for this baby girl. Because we choose uncommon first names I think I’d like to stick with common middle names but not set on that. Names we have considered are Palmer Kate, Palmer Joy, and Palmer Faith. I don’t love any of those. Joy and Faith are only there bc our first daughters middle name is Grace. Other first names we love and considered were Emerson and Sloan. Sloan is too popular and my husband changed his mind on Emerson so that was a no go (still my number one choice though). But it doesn’t flow with Palmer as a middle name I don’t think. I also love the name Elle but our last name is Ellis so that’s a no go. I also love names like Isabella and Sophia but they don’t really fit with what we’ve got going so far I don’t think. Emma is another favorite. We also considered Hadley for our first daughter but don’t love that one this time.
I think it needs to either be 1 or 3 syllables in order to flow well.
My name is Ashley and my husbands name is John. I don’t care if the names flow with ours though. Any ideas on a good middle name for Palmer???
Thanks!
I like what you’ve set up with your first daughter: the unusual-surname first name with the familiar-and-feminine middle name. I would avoid a middle name starting with E, because of the initials PEE; I’d probably also prefer to avoid PIE, but less vigorously.
Palmer Kate/Faith/Joy all sound great to me, but if those aren’t quite right:
Palmer Anne Ellis
Palmer Beth Ellis
Palmer Brooke Ellis
Palmer Claire Ellis
Palmer Faye Ellis
Palmer Jade Ellis
Palmer Jane Ellis
Palmer Jean Ellis
Palmer Jo Ellis
Palmer Joan Ellis
Palmer June Ellis
Palmer Kay Ellis
Palmer Raine Ellis
Palmer Rose Ellis
Palmer Ruth Ellis
Palmer Skye Ellis
Palmer Sue Ellis
My favorites are Palmer Jane, Palmer Kay, and Palmer Rose.
I agree with you that longer names sound nice too. I’d like Palmer Elizabeth if it weren’t for the PEE initials.
Palmer Cassandra Ellis
Palmer Clarissa Ellis
Palmer Cordelia Ellis
Palmer Delaney Ellis
Palmer Jillian Ellis
Palmer Katherine Ellis
Palmer Lillian Ellis
Palmer Mackenzie Ellis
Palmer Madelyn Ellis
Palmer Michaela Ellis
Palmer Olivia Ellis (POE)
Palmer Sabrina Ellis
Palmer Savannah Ellis
Palmer Serenity Ellis
Palmer Sophia Ellis
Palmer Victoria Ellis
Palmer Vivian Ellis
I like Joy best of your options. I was going to suggest Charlotte before I got to the part about 1 or 3 syllable names. If you want another virtue name, maybe Hope or Charity.
I love the ideas you have come up with for your daughter.
My first born daughter is EMERSON CLARE, like you I loved the name Emerson and luckily my husband did too! We are now pregnant with our second child, haven’t found out the sex this time so we’ll have to wait and see. We haven’t agreed on a first name yet if this bub is a girl, but ALICE will be the middle name as its a family name that will hopefully go well with most names!
I think PALMER CLARE or PALMER ALICE would both sound really lovely for your gorgeous girl.
Also, we live in the South West of Western Australia, not sure where you are but I’m guessing its no where near us, so it won’t matter if our little ones have similar names :)
Good luck with whats to come.
Palmer Joy reminded my brain of dish soap. Palmer Rose & Palmer Elizabeth are my favorites. Congratulations!
Whoops. Except that Elizabeth makes PEE initials. Palmer Rose it is!
Yes, I also thought of dish soap with Palmer Joy! Palmer Dawn would have the same problem.
Palmer Ivy (PIE does’t bother me, though I would avoid PEE)
Palmer Natalie
Palmer Annabel
Palmer Miranda
Palmer Vanessa
Palmer Lily or Lillian
I think the name should be particularly feminine to go with Palmer. Even though I know you’re having a daughter, I find the name hard to picture on a girl until I pair it with an ultra-feminine middle name. So Jean, Kay, Jo, Faye, Skye, Joan, Brooke, Mackenzie don’t do it for me. Even though I know they’re girl names, they have enough masculine sounds to make Palmer sound like a boy name to me.
I like Palmer with Rose, Sophia, and Olivia.
Like Nedra, I find “Palmer” really hard to parse as a female name, so I think that if it’s important to you that your daughter’s name read very definitely as feminine, it’s good to go with a very obviously female middle name.
I like Palmer Rose fine in print, but have a hard time with it out loud. “Palmer Ose”. Same with Palmer Anne, it turns into “Palmaran”. Because of the strong sounds in Palmer, I’d be sure I said my list of options out loud a number of times to make sure it didn’t run together in an odd way.
I know a baby Palmer who has her mother’s name as her middle name, Palmer Paige.
I think Palmer Ashley would also sound nice.
good luck!
I’m a fan of Palmer Anne!
I love Palmer Anne, too! Some of the middle names run into Ellis when I say them outloud; so Palmer Rose Ellis sounds like Palmer Rosellis. Palmer Sue Ellis, Palmer Suellis. It might be a byproduct of having a last name that begins with a vowel. Anne sounds more distinct to me, though, as do the names that end in -a and -ia, like Olivia and Victoria. I think Palmer Anne is still my favorite of the bunch!
Palmer is such a lovely and unique name. Good luck!
I like the options that get you the initials PJ, I always thought those initials sounded cute on a girl. Palmer June is my preference over Jane. Anything with the -ane or -anne sounds makes me think of pomeranians. But that’s probably just me! Palmer June Ellis sounds lovely, and both sisters would have names that were also “things”.
Since you like preppy surname names, I’m inclined to lean toward Swistle’s suggestion of Delaney as the middle name. Palmer Delaney Ellis–cute!
I like Kathryn as a middle name too. Palmer Kathryn Ellis
What about Palmer Kathleen? For some reason I like it more than Palmer Katherine. From your list my favorite is either Palmer Kate or Palmer Faith, but I’m not crazy about either. If you want another virtue name how about Palmer Mercy or Palmer Felicity?
I think Palmer Marie Ellis would be beautiful. Marie is a simple feminine name similar in style to Grace. I also think that Palmer Penelope is cute and Palmer Anne is beautiful. Even something like Palmer Louise or Palmer Diane sounds really nice together. So many great choices!
Go with something classic, elegant, and feminine to balance Palmer (much like you did with your older daughter’s names):
* Palmer Sophia Ellis
Palmer Rose Ellis
* Palmer Charlotte Ellis
* Palmer Lucy Ellis
* Palmer Emmeline Ellis
Palmer Katherine Ellis
Palmer Arabella Ellis
Palmer Claire Ellis
Palmer Amelia Ellis
Another virtue name would be lovely, too:
* Palmer Hope
Palmer Victoria
Palmer Felicity
* Palmer Clemency
Palmer Constance
Palmer Serena
Palmer Verity
I think a 2 syllable name would work fine. What ab using Hadley as palmer’s middle name or using your middle name or using jean or Joann as a tribute to your husband John
I agree that Palmer Joy gets a little dish soap-y and that it seems wise to say the name aloud to make sure there are no funky run-togethers.
If you wanted another virtue middle, I like Palmer Love. Maybe a little “out there,” but I think it might suit your tastes. Palmer Felicity was another nice suggestion. Palmer Beatrix would give you a tie-in to Bexley, if you’re looking for it.
Happy naming!
I’m tending toward Palmer Lucia.
Palmer Jane
Palmer Juliet
Palmer Iris
Palmer Violet
Palmer Sage
Palmer Elise
Palmer Claire
Palmer Mireille
Palmer Caroline
Palmer Amelia
I especially like Palmer Jane, Palmer Juliet and Palmer Violet
I love Palmer!
Here are some combinations that you might like:
Palmer Luna Ellis
Palmer Lydia Ellis
Palmer Juliet Ellis
Palmer Leanna Ellis
Palmer Vivian Ellis
Palmer Helena Ellis
Palmer Aurora Ellis
Palmer Susanna Ellis
Palmer Matilda Ellis
Palmer Beatrice Ellis
Palmer Virginia Ellis
Palmer Adelaide Ellis
Palmer Josephine Ellis
Palmer Clementine Ellis
Palmer Juliet is just lovely! Palmer Hope is pretty too.
Good luck!
I like Palmer Katherine Ellis, nn Palmer Kate. (I pronounce Katherine KATH-er-in, so it’s 3 syllables to my ear.)
What about an honor name for the middle slot? You didn’t mention using honor names so I assume they’re not important/not on the table, but they can be a good way to break the impasse if you are really stuck.
Just an FYI, I very distinctly hear Palmer Ann as Paul Moran.
Oh no– me too, now! It looks cute on paper but I think it doesn’t work too well when said out loud repeatedly.
Same for Palmer Joy– I thought of soap/vague general branding right away.
I really like the idea of keeping a middle name based off of a virtue, as with your first daughter. I agree with others that Palmer Joy does bring dish soap to mind, but I do like the way it sounds. Others I would consider are:
Palmer Harmony Ellis
Palmer Charity Ellis
Palmer Patience Ellis
Palmer Felicity Ellis
Palmer Serendipity Ellis
Good luck – Palmer is a beautiful name!
I love Palmer!!
I especially like Palmer Jane, but I also think Palmer Hadley was a good suggestion.
I have to ask, am I the only one who has the Beach Boys’ song “Barbara Ann” running through my mind after reading the name Palmer Anne? Probably just me and not a big deal either way; Palmer Anne Ellis does sound really pretty!
I would avoid E and P middle names, for PEE or PP (E)
I love the sound of Palmer Josephine El(l)is – PJ is also cute. It could be an indirect connection to her father’s name.
Do you know the band Emerson, Lake and Palmer? :)
Just out of curiosity, I remember in previous posts about the name Palmer, people mentioned that it is a name that has some meaning in certain slang? I don’t recall what for or how common it is.
Verity, Honor and Hope are my favourites is you pair it with a virtue name
If you are going for a virtue name I do like Palmer Faith, Palmer Truth and Palmer Hope
I think the slang you are referring to Mary is the Australian slang “Mrs Palmer and her five daughters” or “Mrs Palmer and her five sisters.”
This reference isn’t commonly known outside of Australia so I don’t think it’s really much of a problem.
I’ll let you google it!
I know this is old, but I was just googling “Palmer” for fun! Our baby girl is almost 3 and her name is Palmer Lorraine. But I also love Palmer Delaney from the list above. I think Palmer for a little girl is a GREAT name!!
I know this is an old thread but I was googling the name Palmer because we are expecting a baby girl in October and we love the name Palmer! We are getting such mixed opionons on it, some love it and some say it’s too masculine or she could be teased. We have a son named Cooper Michael and we are thinking Palmer Joy for his sister. (Funny bc that was an idea for a middle for u, that was my grandmas name) wondering if you used the name, or any that replied on here that named their daughter that still love it?!
Wondering what name you ended up picking. I love the name Palmer for a girl, but I get mixed opinions on it as well.