Hi Swistle,
Help us please! My husband and I are unable to choose a name for our second daughter who is due October 6, 2014! We had front runners but then they got excluded for one reason or another. Our last name is Salvati (sal_vati), very Italian. I am of Hispanic origin and he is Italian and we live the Southwest so we wanted something ending in a vowel sound and off the beaten path but not so much so that you look at it and wonder who this person is. Our first child is Aliyah Marie. We have chosen Rose for the middle name because all of the names we like so far are kinda a mouthful.
The liked but dismissed names are
Selena Rose( I like but two daughters after dead singers?)
Zarina Rose( but she is currently a Disney fairy)
Alexa Rose( but then he decided it was too much like Axel Rose)So we here we are with half a name and no place to go. Do you have any suggestions for our baby girl, sister to Aliyah? We may have another child but as of right now this one is most likely our last.
Thank you for considering our request
Monique
Alexa Rose has been eliminated for sounding like Axl Rose—but the name Rose seems to have been chosen only for its shortness/simplicity. Could Alexa be back on the list if you chose a different short/simple middle name? Alexa Joy, or Alexa Jane, or Alexa Kay, or Alexa Hope, or Alexa Grace? But Aliyah and Alexa are quite close in sound, so perhaps the name has too many strikes against it already to be salvaged through a changed middle name.
If you like Selena and Zarina, I wonder if you’d like Sabrina or Serena. They give a similar sound without the singer/fairy connections. Or perhaps Karina or Melina?
More possibilities:
Bianca (initials B.S.)
Briella (initials B.S.)
Callista
Chiara/Kiara
Clarissa
Mariella (a little difficult to say with the surname)
Mattea
Nadia
Oriana
Name update!
Hi Swistle,
I am so so so sorry it has taken me this long to send you a picture and update.
We choose Arya Rose Salvati, sister to Aliyah Marie Salvati. She was born Sept 26th ( my mom’s birthday) at 3:01am. She was 8lbs and 20 inches. Thank you so much for your help and your reader’s help. I very much appreciate it.
Thank you again.
Monique
Suggestions:
Eliza Rose
Nina Rose
Maya Rose
Nadia Rose
Sofia Rose
Sylvia Rose
Corina Rose
I actually have no idea who Selena “the dead singer” is? The only singer I know is Selena Gomez.. and she is well known among the younger generations I think (& yes, I did just google her to make sure she didn’t die tragically and I missed it).
So I really like Selena.
I agree if you picked Rose for the heck of it, it doesn’t make sense to rule out Alexa because of the middle name Rose. Just pick a different middle.
Other ideas: Estrella or Sienna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selena This is the Selena she’s talking about. There was a movie biopic starring Jennifer Lopez.
Oh man, people confusing Selena Gomez for Quintanilla. I’m officially “old” now. I didn’t even think of Gomez.
Thanks for the link! Sorry to say I’ve never even heard of her — was still in the single digits when she died : /
I like the suggestions of Serena or Sienna.
One name I’ve run across that I like a lot and seems to fit your style somewhat is Idonna…although it is very uncommon compared to Aliyah. Or maybe Irena?
If you are open to changing the middle name, I might also suggest Rosalie.
I’d offer Soraya–pronounced So-Rie-ya.
I will say I went to college with a girl named Soraya… it always made me think of psoriasis.
I always think of the NPR commentator Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson–her name has such great flow & intrigue.
ooh, I agree.
also like the way of describing something as having “great flow & intrigue” lol. very nice!
Here goes:
Samara
Naomi
Kalani
Makayla
Janaya
Maya
Jamila
Tamika
Yasmin
Eliana
Zahara
Keila
Meira
Rivka
Callista
Indigo
Jayda
Mayella
Good luck!
Love the suggestion of Samara!
I thought of Samara when I read this post too. It is great!
To mix things up, I suggest Carmen. My friends chose it for their second girl paired with their older daughter’s name Arianna. Something about the difference in styles works for me.
Aliyah Marie and Carmen Rose
Reading your post… the name Talia! Talia Rose.
Oooh! Good one! Could also be short for Natalia or Natalya
How about Sienna?
Vanessa Rose Salvati, Aaliyah and Vanessa
Marisa Rose Salvati, Aaliyah and Marisa
Zara Rose Salvati, Aaliyah and Zara (A to Z theme)
Ariana Rose Salvati, Aaliyah and Ariana
Lexi Rose Salvati, Aaliyah and Lexi
Monica Rose Salvati, Aaliya and Monica (also a bit of an honor for Monique)
I think Alexa Rose Salvati would be less “Axl Rose” than you would think. el-EX-uh seems removed from AX-uhl to me, but I know how it goes once you get an association in your head. Good luck and stay comfy!
A few other ideas:
Sierra
Antonia
Ariana
If you don’t like Selena due to the dead singer connection, maybe Serena?
Audra
Carina
Elisa
Johanna/Joanna
Lydia
Mariella
Nicola
Raina
Melinda
Marina
Victoria
I love the suggestion of Nina for you. I know a little Nina & it’s very cute, normal but unexpected.
My total favorite for you would be Nina. It’s got international flair, works with Italian and Hispanic Heritage. Plus it’s got the sounds of the other names you like, and sounds super cute with Aliyah. Aliyah Marie and Nina Rose.
Also:
Seraphina
Celia
Marina
Milena
Elena
I love the suggestions above for you, but your list also brought Veronica to mind. Veronica Rose Salvati. Aliyah and Veronica. Also I know a Ximena. It’s a little different – but it’s a nice nod to your Hispanic heritage since your husband’s name is so Italian.
OH or what about Paloma? I love it, but my husband vetoed it with his (and baby’s) long Cuban last name.
I love a lot of these suggestions. Since Aliyah is originally Arabic, I thought of other middle eastern-tinged crossover choices for a subtle tie-in (without seeming too inauthentic):
Amina
Zuleika/Suleika
Safiya
Nadia
Leila/Layla (probably too close to Aliyah…)
Daria
Khadijah
Farrah
Kalila
Naila/Nahla
Samira
Tara
Zahra/Zara
Other names that come to mind:
Gabriella
Daniella
Viviana
Marina
Miranda
Isabella
Zoe
Seraphina
Katarina
Or Camila/Kamila? I know it’s pretty popular right now in the Southwest but it’s really pretty with your surname.
Amaya? I know an Aaliyah/Amaya subset, it works! Or…
Amira
Amelia
Thalia
Tiana (also a princess, right?)
Mariela
Marisa
I like the idea of Zarina for you. If you are not happy with the spelling, what about Czarina, silent c like “czar”. I grew up with a girl with this name and always thought it was so pretty. Best of luck to you!
I like Corina and Zara for you. If both girls’ names have the same ending sound, I think it’s nice to have a different beginning sound.
Serafina? Alessia? Sabrina? Sabina (my aunt’s name)? Fabrizia? Anissa?
Araceli? Aliyah and Araceli. Araceli Rose. Unusual, but recognizably Hispanic.
Adding a vote for Zara (or Zarina). My 1.5 year old is named Zara, and I’ve never heard of Zarina, the Disney Fairy, though maybe I’m in the wrong kid age group). Occasionally I get “Did you know there’s a clothing store?” Or “Like the princess?” (Technically Zara Phillips isn’t a princess, but easy association to say yes to). Most Americans have no association other than Z-names are cool, which was surprising to me being a bit of a name nerd. On that note I love the idea of sibling initials A & Z.
My favorite thing about her name is that when we’ve travelled with her (a lot for 1.5 years), people across all nationalities think it is a name from their country. Makes her very worldly :)
Maybe you’d like Gianna or Gemma? I also love Sienna, Cecelia/Cecilia and Marina!
Love Arya! She’s beautiful. :)