Hi Swistle,
I would love to have you weigh in on our second daughter’s name. Our first daugher is Rylan, and the longer she’s around, the more I love her name. I tend to like more unique names (nothing in the top 200) and my husband seems to offer up more traditional names, although he really likes our daughter’s name.
Our last name is typically a first name, and rhymes with Cannon. Therein lies a big problem. Many of the names on my list are surnames, and I feel like we can’t use them because I worry our child will have people calling her by her last name forever.
Some names that I love and think would work, that my husband has ruled out: Elliott, Ellis, Reese, Brynn, Finley, Hollis, Lane, Margot, and Rowan.
One other point to make is that our extended family is really big on nicknames – it’s one reason we rule some names out – for instance, I liked Rowan, but I’m not a huge fan of “Ro.”
Can you and your readers help us come up with some suggestions we haven’t thought of yet?
Thanks!!!
J.
I do think you’re wise to take your surname into account. On the other hand, I wouldn’t suggest choosing names you like less, just to avoid the swapping: even if you choose a commonly-first-name first name, some swapping is likely to occur from time to time.
It helps that your surname was a very popular first name awhile back (Top 100 from 1968 until 1997), and has plummeted in popularity since then: #922 in 2013, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it out of the Top 1000 when the 2014 data is released any day now. It won’t be an expected name on someone her age—though unfortunately, its recent popularity is what will make it a familiar name to the people handling paperwork. But if someone does switch the first and last names in the paperwork, it seems like a fairly quick and easy fix. And most people will be introduced to your daughter in person, and/or by first name.
It would help to know some of the names your husband has suggested. If, for example, he’s suggested Margaret and Elizabeth and Katherine, that would lead me in a different direction than if he’s suggested Jessica and Ashley and Samantha.
Working with your list of rejected favorites, I see a lot of modern unisex names; those seem like a very good fit with Rylan. Yesterday’s post had a similar style, so I wonder if any of those names from the post and comments would be useful.
For more possibilities to consider, I looked in The Baby Name Wizard, especially in the Androgynous and Celtic categories. I didn’t look up each one’s ranking in the Social Security Administration, partly because of the hassle but also because even a too-popular name might lead you to a less-popular version: for example, if you notice you like Emerson but it’s too popular, it might make you feel more warmly toward Emeran or Emery. I also left in names that had nicknames: I wasn’t sure if you were avoiding nicknames, or just avoiding unliked nicknames.
Brennan (maybe too rhymey with surname)
Camden
Campbell
Casey
Darcy
Delaney
Ellery
Ellison
Emeran
Emerson
Emery
Everly
Greer
Holland
Keegan
Kellen
Kieran
Lennox
Locklyn
Logan
Madigan
Quinn
Rory
Tamsin
Teagan
Teague
Wynn
I also have this concern with having a girl’s first name for a last name. I also will not use common surnames as first names because of the switching issue. Some of these feel more like first names now: Sawyer, Reese …
I’m going to disagree with Swistle on this one. I would suggest choosing a name you like less, just to avoid the swapping problem. My husband grew up with a similar situation (e.g. Levi Jacob) and all of his awards were addressed to Jacob Levi, and because of that he didn’t have much pride in his childhood accomplishments. What name would your child like more: a problematic name that you love best but they have to live with, or a very good but less problematic name?
Since our children bear the family name, I have your same problem, but for boys. I try to only look at names that are easily recognizable as first name by (1) a biblical bearer (2) a historical figure or (3) old man names.
Much as I love the name Wesley, I’ll probably pass on Wesley Jacob. The stress that that name will give him isn’t worth the amount of love I have for the name. Perhaps you’ll decide differently.
As an aside, my brother-in-law with a much more common first name did experience mix-ups, but his name was never “corrected” to a mix-up by unhelpful-helpful people as far as I know.
I don’t think you should choose a name you don’t love just because people can’t read a piece of paper properly. I completely understand that you would be concerned by it, but honestly surnames-as-first-names are becoming so popular that I don’t think anyone would bat an eye at a Campbell Cannon (for example). Plus, I think mixups can happen regardless of first and last names; I would routinely get things addressed to me using just my first and middle name (a more common surname) with my last name left off entirely. People can be careless and lazy, and unfortunately that will happen regardless of what you name your daughter.
I really like Swistle’s suggestions of Darcy, Delaney, and Rory. I’m was going to suggest Brynn or Reese, but your husband already vetoed them. Any chance he’ll come around? =)
Those three are my favorites too! Darcy and Rory have the benefit of being more nickname-resistant, but Delaney calls Laney is so cute!
Briar was the first name I thought of. Rylan and Briar.
I think the suggestion of Darcy and Wynn are fantastic too.
I’m trying to think of traditional girls’ names that have a more modern feel, without being too surnamey. Hmm… What about:
Bryony
Averil
Bronwyn
Ooh! Prisca! It’s the more formal Roman version of Priscilla, but much fresher IMO.
LInnea
Miriam (nn Miri or Mim, if you are into nicknames)
Tatum
I was going to suggest Tatum!
I think you are wise to avoid all surname-names as first names. I have a once-popular but trending downward) girl name for a first name and a unisex/surname name for my last name — and it is causing me grief to this day. When I got married, my husband wanted to take my last name, but I didn’t want to burden our children with it and so we hyphenated. Still didn’t solve the problem and there are countless paperwork errors despite the fact that we are careful about how we say it. It’s literally an EVERY DAY hassle, but one that I have refused to put on my children. We only consider first names that would sound surprising and even weird as last names. So far, my daughter (Margaret) hasn’t had the same problems that I’ve had.
Argh! I meant that I have a “once-popular-but-trending-downward” first name for a LAST name and a surname for a FIRST name. Sorry. My toddler was crawling on me at the time of my post.
That is a tricky situation with your naming style! I agree with trying to find a name that is less “surname-y” to avoid confusion. I remember hearing somewhere about the issues this can create (especially as it relates to medical records/procedures). A name that is less like a surname is also one that your husband may be more likely to love…so moving in that direction would serve dual purpose. I’ll throw some names out there that I think have that kind of feel:
Tierney
Lilah
Maisie
Adeline
Sienna
Kiera
Brielle
Everly
Selah
Cora
Liv
Kaia
Finally, I’d avoid names that end in “s” – they would blend into (what I’m guessing is) your surname. [Hollis “Surname” becomes Holly “surname” etc]
I figured out what your last name is based on hints in the blog post. :) I had 2 girlfriends (who were sisters) growing up who have your exact same last name. I never heard anyone call them by their last name. And I was with them a lot! I don’t think it will be that big of a problem and if it happens, it won’t be very often.
Pick a name you love! Always, always pick a name you love.
By the way, I LOVE the name Campbell with your last name. :) I also am a fan of Margot although I know you said your husband nixed it.
Cami could be the nickname. :)
Another thing you might consider is to pick a first name that is not a surname. That way people are less inclined to switch her first/last name. Laurel, Margot, Wren/Wrenley, Brielle could be possibilities.