Christina writes:
My husband Evan and I are due to have our second baby on May 6 (although the doctor has already suggested kicking out the baby as many as 3 weeks early, which would give us a mid-April baby). We have a son, Qui11@n Edw@rd Foster. This time, we are having a little girl. She will be definitely be our last child as I don’t think I can survive another first (two) trimesters of morning sickness.
We really struggled when naming our son, as we wanted something that was reasonably unique, without seeming weird or made up. A few weeks before he was born, we finally settled on Qui11@n (nn Qui11). His middle name, Edw@rd, is my husband’s father’s middle name.
With this baby girl, I’ve pretty much decided that her middle name will be Jane (it is my grandmother’s, my mother’s, my sister’s and my niece’s middle name) to honor my family this time. We are really stuck on a first name. My husband wants something that has about the same popularity as Qui11@n (about 20 in the U.S. a year), without seeming weird or made up. He actually downloaded all of the name data from the social security administration into a graphical plotting program (not just the top names, all the names) and graphs every name that I suggest and throws out anything “too popular”. What I am looking for in a name is something that goes nicely with Qui11@n, works with Jane as a middle name, and has some good nickname possibilities. I love nicknames and will likely come up with something regardless, but something that was more intuitive with the name would be nice. We both kind of like old fashioned and old lady names (me more than him), but I want to be sure that she is cute enough to carry one of these names off.
Names that are on our short list right now:
Linnea (husband’s favorite, but I’m ambivalent about, partly because it is a family name on his side and I feel like we already honored them with my son’s middle name, also because it seems like my husband always gets his way)
Ellery (or perhaps the welsh version Eleri)
Thora (no obvious nn, except Thor?)
Marlowe (maybe not feminine enough)
Rosalind (maybe too romantic for our tastes and I feel like I can’t pronounce this properly, but good nn)
Dahlia (I might call her dolly all the time, which husband doesn’t like)
Mabel (husband doesn’t particularly like, but I love nn possibilities)
Cordelia (probably too romantic for our tastes, but we both like possibility of delia as nn)Names I like, but have been dismissed by husband (or me) for various reasons:
Agatha (husband says ugh)
Ursula (bad disney villain, but I loved the character in the recent Kate Atkinson book)
Hannah (too popular)
Norah (too popular)
Anna (too popular)
Sabine (loved, until my husband told me that it is pronounced Sa-bean-ah, not Sa-bean)Another name that I like, but likely won’t use because it is my grandmother’s name, plus it is a bit too alliterative with Foster as a surname:
FloraNames we talked about using when we thought we might have another boy:
Graeme, Arlo, CormacThanks for your help.
I too would have expected Sabine to be prounced Sa-bean, so I looked it up: your husband is right than in German it is pronounced with an -ah on the end (as well as with more of a Z-sound than an S-sound); however, in English and French it is pronounced Sa-bean. References: The Baby Name Wizard, Inogolo, Forvo. If your family lives in the United States and speaks English, the primary pronunciation for your country/language is Sa-bean; if you were writing to say that you wanted it pronounced Za-bean-ah, I’d be saying that I think that would be a very hard sell here: Anne is not pronounced Anna, for example, and Sabrina is not spelled Sabrine.
I think it’s a mistake to veto names solely on the basis of their popularity. A usage of 20 babies per year goes beyond unusual and lands us in a realm heavily populated by names that are unheard of, or are respellings of more popular spellings. It also sounds to me, reading your letter, like your husband is using popularity to knock out names you like, but not names he likes: Linnea, his favorite, was given to 146 new baby girls in 2012; Lynnea to another 32; Lanaya to another 44.
I do love the name Linnea, and it seems like a great choice. I can’t tell from the letter how much you like it. If it weren’t for it being a family name on your husband’s side and for other husband-annoyance-related issues, how would you feel about the name? Even though I much prefer names to be more balanced family-name-wise (especially if the surname is ALSO coming from his side of the family), I might bend on that for a name you both love and agree on (but then FOR SURE use Jane as the middle, and maybe use your family name as a second middle name, just to drive it home a bit).
Ellery may feel too common to meet your preferences. The name itself is not so common (201 new baby girls named Ellery in 2012), but the El-/Ella- names are so in fashion right now, it makes all of them feel more common than they are.
Thora seems like a great choice: very unusual (21 new baby girls in 2012) and yet familiar and spelled traditionally. One possible nickname is T.J.
Thea would be nice, too.
Because you have Marlowe on your short list for a girl and Arlo on your boy list, I’d be inclined to look at other names with that sound. If Marlowe seems insufficiently feminine, perhaps the spelling Marlo would work better. Or these names come to mind:
Arden
Arwen
Cleo
Darla (similar to Dahlia, but no Dolly)
Garnet
Margo
Marlena
Meadow
If you like Dahlia, I wonder if you’d like Zinnia or Azalea? Both have a Z, which I think is nice with Qui11@n’s Q.
If Cordelia feels too romantic, Delia is also a stand-alone name. Delia Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Delia.
I came to like the name Ursula because of that same book! The Disney villain still ruins it for me, too. Maybe if I knew a little girl named Ursula—but those movies are so enduringly watched and re-watched, decade after decade.
If Norah is too popular, I wonder if you’d like:
Finola
Honora
Isadora
Lenora
Nola
Theodora
Zipporah
Zola
Zora
I think Flora is a wonderful choice. It’s quite alliterative with your surname, but that helps to increase its distinctive/unusual sound with Qui11@n. My main hesitation is that the first syllable of Foster sounds very similar to the first syllable of fauna; “flora and fauna” is a natural pairing and, although benign, it’s not an association I’d want springing automatically to people’s minds. Would Florence work better?
Do you have any family surnames that would work well as a girl’s first name? That’s a way to get a very distinctive name with an easy explanation.
I suggest Harriet. I think it’s the kind of name people can forget to consider. I would have completely neglected to consider it except that a former co-worker of Paul’s had a little girl named Harriet, and also we had a children’s book I liked called Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! Harriet Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Harriet. I like that they both have double letters. Nicknames Ettie and Hattie; I particularly like Hattie. Hattie Jane!
I also suggest Imogen. Imogen Foster; Qui11@n and Imogen. Imogen Jane has a repeating g/j sound that you may or may not like.
I suggest Persephone, because I wish so hard that would get more common (and it has the ers/urs sound of Ursula). Persephone Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Persephone. Nickname Persie/Percy.
I love Philomena. Why is it so uncommon? Philomena Foster has some alliteration, but just a little. Philomena Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Philomena. It seems like it needs a nickname, but I’m only partly inclined toward Phil (and that rhymes with Qui11), and I’m not sure Mena would feel natural. …Perhaps this is why it’s not more common.
Similar to Philomena is Willemina/Wilhelmina. This has the great nickname Willa, though again we’re stepping on the Qui11 nickname here. Qui11 and Willa is either the cutest thing ever or really too close—maybe both.
Another similar one is Philippa. Cute nicknames Pippa or Pip. Philippa Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Philippa; Qui11 and Pippa.
I suggest Minerva. Cute nickname Minnie. Minerva Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Minerva; Qui11 and Minnie.
There’s a Calista in one of my kids’ classrooms this year, and I’ve been surprised at how well it works. She goes by Callie as well as by Calista. Calista Foster has a repeating -st- sound that might or might not be to your tastes. Calista Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Calista; Qui11 and Callie.
A former classmate of mine has a daughter named Emerald, and that’s another one that surprised me with how well it works. She goes by Emmie or Em or Emers, as well as by Emerald. Emerald Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Emerald; Qui11 and Emmie.
Emerald makes me think of Marigold, a name I really love and wish had worked out for my daughter’s middle name. It’s flowery (of course), but seems stronger and less frilly than some of the other flower names—more in league with Dahlia, though with a slug of whimsy. Marigold Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Marigold.
Some of the virtue names are very underused:
Clarity
Constance
Honesty
Temperance
Verity
Paul read Anne of Green Gables to the kids recently, and I was struck by the name Marilla. Only 9 baby girls were given the name in 2012—probably all in tribute to Marilla of Green Gables. It’s a lovely and pleasing and highly unusual choice. Marilla Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Marilla.
I suggest Winifred. Underused despite the great nicknames Winnie and Freddie. Winifred Jane Foster; Qui11@n and Winifred; Qui11 and Winnie.
Louise is one of my favorites from the old-lady-name category, and I think Louise Foster sounds like someone who’s going places and getting things done. Louisa is a little better with Jane. Or would you consider using a double first name such as Jane Louise? Jane Louise [middle] Foster; perhaps your family name could be the second middle name. Qui11@n and Jane Louise.
Name update! Christina writes:
We very much appreciated all of the naming advice from both you and your readers. Leading up to her birth, we finally decided that if her hair was blonde, we would name her Linnea and if her hair was dark, we would name her Ellery/Eleri (we couldn’t initially decide on the spelling). She was born on May 6 with a head full of dark hair. When she was less than two hours old, she had an episode where she spit up, which caused her to stop breathing. This landed her a visit to the NICU, where she repeated the behavior at least a dozen times. After a couple days, she finally figured our how to keep breathing after spitting, and a week after her birth, we got to bring home Eleri Jane Foster. She is a sweet baby and her left dimple has us completely smitten.
What about Jane as a first? Jane Linnea Foster is quite charming, or Jane Cordelia Foster.
I rather like Thora, and it makes me think of Theodora and Thea.
Just a heads up– Jane Foster is the female lead in the Thor series. When paired with Thora (Thora Jane Foster), there may be an association. I don’t think it’s a bad one, but one to think about. Good choices, by both OP and Swistle. :)
Love Ellery!!
Augusta Jane
If I remember correctly, there were 20 baby girls named Augusta in 2012. Meets your husband’s criteria and its a beautiful old lady name (your criteria.)
I think Swistle hit every single option I was thinking as I read the letter: Verity, Wilhelmina, and Florence. I also love Imogen.
I’m not sure where they would fall popularity wise but what about Maeve, Astrid, or Esme?
Sabine Jane is my favorite from your list (I am assuming you’d still like it if you can convince your husband of the rarity of it being pronounced sa-bean-ah). But if it is truly out of the running, then Ellery Jane. I love, love, love the name Jane.
I saw Rosalind on your list–what about Rosalie? I think it would be really cute with your son’s name.
Zora Jane Foster sounds great because it echoes Zora Neal Hurston. I have a preschool age cousin named Zana (Zay-nuh) and it’s cute and has been well received. Also Nessa goes well with Qui!!.
If you still aren’t convinced on Sabine, what about Sandrine? It’s French and the E on the end is definitely silent. Good nickname potential, too.
I’d suggest Saskia. It’s usually pronounced with a soft “a” as in “sauce”. If Americans can learn to pronounce Imogen, we could probably manage Saskia. And to work in the alternate pronunciation, you could call her Sassy.
Of Swistle’s ideas, my favorite is Minerva, nn’d Minnie.
I think Zinnia could be beautiful, too.
I’m not sure Linnea is all that unusual. I know of two little girls with the name, and my circle of acquaintances is actually quite modest.
FWIW, there is a Sabine in my son’s preschool class and she pronounces it Sa-bean. I wouldn’t have thought to pronounce it Sa-bean-ah.
From your list, I like Ellery, and maybe even like the Eleri spelling better. My niece is named Elspeth, which is uncommon, but she goes by Ellie and there are lots of other little Ellies around…
I like the suggestions of Zora and would also add Zara.
I like Holland and Hollis which give you the nn Holly. Also you might like Halsey.
Good luck!
My current imaginary baby name is Iris. Iris Foster has a nice sound to it, I think.
My first thought of a suggestion was Delilah, lots of nn possibilities, not very popular, and is similar to some of your picks. Delilah Jane Foster, Quillan and Delilah , Quill and Lilah, Quill and Dell, Quill and Lyle, I think Dolly would be cute for Delilah too
Linnea doesn’t seem as uncommon as your husband would like. I’m surprised by how few babies received the name in 2012, it feels much more common for some reason. I also don’t love the nn Linn.
I love Sabine, I think its perfect and I think 99% of Americans will pronounce it without an -ah. I don’t love it with Jane though.
I’d also add another vote for Thea, Flora, and Verity. All are lovely names!
I really like Swistle’s suggestion of Finola with the nickname Nola or Fin. It’s uncommon and Gaelic like your son’s name.
I agree it makes no sense to veto a name you like because of popularity. You’re losing a lot of great names that way.
Linnea – in some instances I like this name, but I don’t like it for you.
Ellery – my favorite
Thora – can only picture Thora Birch. Ugh.
Marlowe – too andro for me.
Sabine – if you’re in an English speaking country you’re right & husband is wrong.
I know a girl named Sabra – similar to Sabine?
TBH I don’t really like any of the suggestions that have been given (unusual). I would suggest
Aria
Amalia – uh-mal-ee-ah; nn Mali
Claudia
Lucia – loo-see-uh
Instead of Ursula – Ursa, Ursel, Ula, Ursus.
Oh wow…. Swistle gave you a TON of great suggestions:
I love Harriet! I love the double -rr that matches up nicely with the double -ll in your sons name. Plus, Hattie is sooooo sweet and feminine but funky and fresh.
Harriet makes me think of Henrietta. I think this sounds great with Jane Foster. Plus, Henri and Etta are SOO cute as well.
I immediately thought of Rowan for you. I think this fits perfectly and stylistically with his brother’s name!
I also LOVE Finola. Two great nn, Fin or Nola. Sooo sweet.
Theodora F0ster sounds great together. I LOVE the nn Thea. What about Theona? Or Fiona? Or Isadora?
Iris is cute. Iris makes me think of Eve. Eve F0ster sounds like a famous jazz singer or something! I love this combination. Evie is a great nn
What about Pearl? Or Ruby?
I LOVE Margo, Marlow, and Philippa as well. Qui11 and Pippa. SOOO cute!
Good luck and keep us posted!
oops… when I was mentioning Rowan, I wrote “his” brother… obviously meant hers. Sorry!
Was also going to suggest Henrietta when I read Harriet .. Henrietta Jane Foster .. “Etta Jane” is such a cute nickname!
I am going to feel badly about being so negative here, but I’m going to be anyway because I would want someone to say these things to me if I were picking a name (and then I might promptly discard them, which you are welcome to do):
Sabine makes me think of the “Rape of the Sabine Women” – a bit of Roman history that has been oft-painted and oft-sculpted. If your daughter or your daughter’s friends ever take an art history class, they will run into that, and that would be weird. Do you want her associated with mass rape and plunder?
Also, a friend of mine recently named her daughter Dahlia. I told my mother and she audibly gasped and said that NO ONE from her generation would ever name a daughter Dahlia because of the association with the Black Dahlia murders. Today, that might not be relevant. But if it were me, I wouldn’t want all the sixty-somethings of my acquaintance to gasp whenever they heard my daughter’s name.
My daughter is one of those 146 Linnea’s in 2012. In terms of its perceived popularity, I’ve found it is so dependent on region— for example, in Minnesota/Wisconsin it is very “normal” (lots of Scandinavian descent), but where I live, many people have never heard of the name (which surprised me)! Anyway, obviously I love Linnea. Otherwise, how about Tamsin or Alberta? Marilla would be sweet too — I do like the matching double L’s for your kids!
LOVE Tamsin! Qui11@n and Tamsin. Qui11 & Tamsy.
I’m probably alone in loving Thora, but I wanted to throw my two cents out there. Tori and Rory could work as nicknames, and not being a fangirl, the Thor movie character is a non issue for me. Alternately, Thea or Thalia would be lovely.
I think you’ve gotten some great suggestions and I hope that your husband will be a bit more flexible on the popularity issue, especially since the names from his family tree seem to be getting a pass!
A friend named their baby girl Sovay. I had never heard of the name, but it is the name of a traditional English folk song. Sovay Jane would be cute and unique.
I would never in a million years have thought of Marilla but I think it’s perfect!
If you’re meh about Linnea because of the family honor thing, perhaps Lorelai?
I’m really in love with Phillipa nn Pippa for you, though OR Callista nn Callie <3
No nickname, but what about Oona/Una?
Flip is also a nickname for Philippa. Love!
Flip is my favorite nickname for Phillipa. I learned it from a L’Engle novel and it has stuck with me ever since. Love that Quill and Flip are both word names…really adorable. Flip Foster! OMG.
Hattie Jane is also amazing.
An unusual, captivating name I heard on a young girl recently: Fenna.
Or, more established: Ignatia.
Out of your choices I love Rosalind, Dahlia, Sabine, and Flora. I also love Swistle’s suggestions of Cleo, Minerva, and Persephone. For Persephone you could also use the nickname Sephie, which I like because it sounds familiar like Sophie without being too popular. It’s also a bit more feminine than Percy.
Other choices:
Sapphire
Seraphina (guess I’m a little stuck on “s” names with a “ph” in them…
Vivianna
Florence (similar to Flora)
Josephina
Magdalene
Gloria (love love love Gloria Jane)
I also agree that it doesn’t make sense to veto a name just because it’s too popular. Since your son has a not-so-popular name I’d be inclined to lean toward names with similar popularity, but if you like a name in all other aspects I say go for it.
Unless there are more cons to using it than are mentioned in your letter, I think you should give Dahlia a little more consideration. Dahlia Jane Foster is gorgeous, and the reason you say you’re not on board with it is just that you might end up using a particular nickname for it that your husband doesn’t like. Dia and Lia would also be workable nicknames for Dahlia and they sound nothing like “Dolly”. (I also think Dahl/Doll would be an adorable nickname but I’m biased because my grandmother used to call me “doll” when I was little and I loved it.) Different nicknames that people in a child’s life may not like can always pop up, whether based on their name or not. You can control what you officially name your child and what you call him or her, but you can’t control if in second grade Dahlia’s best friend starts calling her “Dolly” and it sticks. (Alternatively, Dahlia could have blonde hair and her best friend could start calling her “Blondie”, which of course has nothing to do with her name at all.) I would encourage you not to write off any name just because somebody might one day use an inoffensive nickname for it. It’s different if your intention is to use Dolly as a nickname for Dahlia but the way I read it it’s just a possibility.
Finally: I really like many of Swistle’s suggestions but Cleo really stands out for me! Cleo Jane Foster is fantastic.
Best of luck!
Sabine made me think of Cybil. Cybil Jane would be lovely! Possible nicknames: Cyb/CJ/Billie. Or Sybil, w/ nicknames Sy, Sib, Sybbie.
Of your list, I like Sabine! Just beautiful.
Love Swistle’s suggestion of Winifred nn Winnie. Quill & Winnie.
Other suggestions:
Tilda (10). Quill & Tilly
Perrin (10). Quill & Perry
Fable (15). Quill & Fabe/Fay
Cicely (8). Quill & CeCe
How about Daphne or Elora?
I LOVE Zinnia. That is the name I would choose for myself, if I had to change mine. My ultimate favourite girl’s name is Felicity. No idea how common it is, though, or if you like the alliteration with your last name.
Swistle gave you a masterful and rich reply, and I’m not sure there’s much to add.
I have a few thoughts. Linnea, I think, needs to be axed– there seems to be quite a bit of resentment attached to it at this point. Sabine, if you truly love it, should come back into the list unless your husband can come up with a better reason to nix it. His problems with the pronunciation are baffling– Sabine is pronounced sa-BEAN in English and that’s that. (I’ve also heard SAY-bine, about the Rape of the Sabine Women painting, but that pronunciation seems fusty and academic and incorrect and irrelevant). I do know a sa-BEAN-ah, but she spells it Sabina. And that’s that!
I recently heard that name Annina/Anina– it’s a variant of Anna, and it’s rare and pretty. Some of your other names seemed similar in vibe. Or Anouk,
Or Sibyl/Sybil?
I also think Fl0ra Foster is a nice name, alliterative in a good way.
Good luck!
Just a note on Ursula…I grew up as an Ursula in the era of the movie (it came out when I was a kid), and the connection ne Eric caused problems for me. I always loved my name and encountered very little teasing because of it.
This is reassuring. I love the name but my SO can’t get over the Mermaid character.
Love so many of the suggestions Swistle made. Also, Sabine is a river that borders TX and LA and it is pronounced Sa-bean.
Throwing a few more names into the mix:
Talia
Aleta
Sidonia
Octavia
Coretta
Twyla
Olympia
Oooh, Talia!
Or Twyla! (Or Twila.)
Love these.
Coretta! I’d never heard of this name ..but the nickname Corey is so cute with it ..and lets you go either tomboyish or girly. Love it! Also, love the poster’s name: Myra. How would you feel about Myra? Myra Jane. So sweet, familiar, but unique.
A friend of mine just named her baby Fable. Don’t kniw the exact popularity, but it cant be that high. Reminds me of the “old lady name” Mable but with a new/fresh twist. Also, the stories are a positive association because of the strong morals.
What about Saffron nn Saffy , Cecelia nn CeeCee or Mabel nn Maby or Mae? Love all these names!
I’d also like to suggest Delphine nn Della.
Susanna is one of my all time favorites and, even though it seems very familiar, is not very common at all. The nickname Zanna is gorgeous too! Susanna Jane.
If you have a problem pronouncing Rosalind, what about Rosamund nn Rosie? Helena nn Nell would be nice too.
Sabine is a lovely name, pronounced Sah-been in English and French, so I don’t see a problem there.
All the best!
OOh… I love Saffron. So amazing with your sons’ name. Totally loving this.
Your son’s name happens to be the same as a local artist where I live who happens to have two daughters with unusual names.
Elspeth and Onnee
Perhaps they feel like potential sibling names?
FWIW, Linnea is oddly popular where I live, but we have a larger than perhaps average population with ties to Sweden. I wonder if it is likely to rise in overall popularity as people look for names similar to Elsa, thanks to Frozen.
The first thing I noticed is how many of the names on your shortlist, and even your son’s name, have an L in them. I wonder if that is a sound you are drawn to??
I would like to suggest my favourite name of the moment, Selene. It’s just like Sabine but with an L instead of a B and none of the pronunciation issues.
All the best.
What about Wellesley? That’s the name of the oldest daughter of this blogger: http://www.71toes.com.
I’m getting on the Jane as a first name bandwagon. My daughter’s first name is a traditional middle from my wife’s family. Everyone was so pleased when we thought to use it as a first name.
I would say which suggestions from Swistle and commenters I particularly liked but they are legion, so I’ll be short and sweet, and only add one. If Rosalind is close but not quite what you want, how about Rosemary?
I loved every name Swistle suggested, but once I got to Emerald I was sold. It sounds so cute with both her brothers name and the last name, and I love that it is unusual as a name, but totally a word that everyone can spell and pronounce!
Do you like Ingrid? Ingrid Jean? Inge would be an easy nickname.
Or if you like Linnea (but want an everyday nickname), you could call her Layla.
If Rosalind doesn’t quite work, how about Romilly? Romy and Millie are cute nicknames.
If Sabine feels so wonderful, do you care for Sabrina? Or Sable? Or Selina?
Best wishes to you as you welcome your new little bundle of joy!
Just yesterday I came across a new name I love (what a nice thing when it happens!)
Sirkka. It’s a Finnish name that’s also the word for “cricket”. If you have any Nordic or Finnish heritage (sadly, neither my partner nor I do– but Linnea being a family name for you makes me think you might), it might be a nice addition to the list. It’s pronounced SEER-ka. I think it sounds great with your son’s name and with Foster.
Some other rare Nordic possibilities:
Embla (the Nordic equivalent to Eve)
Dagmar
Marta
Katla
Sunniva
Tova
Just to clarify– in Nordic mythology, Embla was the first woman, along with Ask (the first man). But the story is different from Adam/Eve.
How about Nyssa? Ok, it’s my cat’s name , but it comes from the name of a character on doctor who (although not recently so there won’t be a strong association for many people), so it’s not really a name for pets only. I think it goes well with Jane and with Foster. It doesn’t have a lot of nickname potential, but Nyss and Nyssie are very pleasing to say. I think it matches your son’s name well in being unique but not made up.
When I think of Agatha, I automatically think of the mystery writer, so here are some of her contemporaries:
Ngaio (Nigh-oh) Marsh
Georgette Heyer
Josephine Tey
Noel Streatfeild
Agatha is like Augusta.
What about Sylvia?
I love Ellery Jane Foster. Beautiful flow and it matches Quillan well I think!
Just saw this now… But if you liked the name Arlo if this had been a boy, what about Orla. Orla J@ne F0ster. That’s sounds great! Plus it has the same uniqueness as her brothers name. I love this!
Might I suggest Susanna? (Our daughter is Susanna Jane, so I’m biased, but love the way the name flows together!) It’s not as popular as you’d think (~120 in the US last year), but instantly recognizable. Quill and Susie go nicely, too!
Wow, there have been so many wonderful suggestions made by Swistle and commenters. My favorites are Philippa (Pippa = LOVE!), Iris, Augusta, Persephone (also love) and Flora. I love the alliteration of Flora Foster. I think it is an outstanding name.
Juno is one of my name crushes, and ends in an ‘o’ sound like Marlowe. I also love Cleo or Klio, suggested above. Would you like Priscilla instead of Ursula? Elowen is a beautiful, nature inspired name.
I didn’t look up the rankings of these names, but might you like some of these word names? Not terribly popular but familiar.
Aspen
Astoria
Evening
Holiday
Honor
Ivy
Juniper
Magnolia (lots of great nickname potential!)
Petra
Story
Sunday
I fantasize almost daily about having twins and what I would name them ; ) If I were handed twin girls today, I’m leaning towards Juno and Philippa, nn Pippa. Or Juno and Daphne (perhaps too popular for your tastes – it’s in the 400’s). Or then I swing to names like Sunday and Juniper. Agonizing decisions to make : ) Good luck!
If you like Linnea, what about Leilani? or Leila?
Pascaline is a name I recently heard, and it’s so pretty and refreshing. I think Lina could be a cute nn.
Nadia is another favorite that I don’t hear very much. I knew a German foreign exchange student named Nadine (pronounced nah-deen, and we called her Nadi, pronounced “noddy”)
Finally, I love Flora Foster. It sounds like the Hollywood glam everyone tries to achieve.
These are some girl names I had picked out for our recently-arrived second child (who turned out to be a boy, Calloway), that I am still mourning not getting to use:
Thea (or Theodora)
Mercy
Thea
Verity
Blythe
Selby
Aveline
Elodie
Elspeth
Imogen
Tamsin
Orla
Juno
Skye
Meredith
Hope
Lennox
Corliss
Lyric
Rowan
Linnea
Sonnet
Avalon
Hope
… And our first child is a daughter named Kivrin, a name I love madly and about which I have never had regrets.
…but of course Kivrin would be too close in sound to Qui11@n. I personally feel Marilla has the same problem.
Marilla Jane is beautiful. Quillan & Marilla.
Quillan & Matilda Jane Foster.
Quillan & Millicent Jane Foster.
Instead of Thora why not Theodora Jane?
Hannelore Jane is sweet as well, but I’m a sucker for Hannelore. ;)
I also like Marigold (I have a daughter named Marigold) but to me it doesn’t fit with Quillan. Neither does Dahlia. Maybe Quillan & Amaryllis Jane Foster?
Congrats on sweet Eleri Jane!
I knew an Ursula who went by Ursi and have always loved it. The Disney villain doesn’t bother me a bit.
Catching up on my name updates this afternoon and just have to say I love this list of options you came up with, Swistle!