Dear Swistle,
I’m Krista and my husband is Jordan, and we have a two-and-a-half year old daughter named Fiona Maisie. Our last name is H0lmes. I’m currently 30 weeks pregnant with our second baby girl (due May 7). We absolutely love Fiona’s name and feel like it is pretty perfect…but now we’re totally stuck. I feel like because we like Fiona Maisie so much, we’re paralyzed by the pressure if coming up with something “as good” for baby girl #2.
Fiona’s name was almost Elise; Adelaide was also a contender. Maisie is an honor name, after my great-great aunt who was an awesome lady. If this baby was a boy, he would have been Nial James (yes, only one L). My husband has always liked Nial – since he was a kid – and I like it too, so that was that. James is an honor name, after my late father-in-law. For what it’s worth, I’m not a fan of Niala/Nialla.
This baby will be our last and we are seriously considering using James as her middle name, but whether we do or not will depend on what we decide on for her first name. Fiona has adamantly declared that her sister’s name is Lula. That’s what we refer to her as right now and the nickname will likely stick, but we’re not fans of any of the obvious names for which Lula could work as a nickname (Tallulah, Lucy, Luana, etc.). We’re not concerned about this – Fiona’s nickname has emerged as Bo, so having another kid with a nickname that’s totally random and not associated with her real name isn’t a problem.
We would like to find a name that is familiar but not common, easy to pronounce, and goes well with Fiona. I would like to try to stay away from names ending in –h or another name ending in –a, and if possible would like one that starts with its own unique letter (not K, J or F). The currently names that we’re considering are all over the map:
Margot – if this name could stand alone it would probably be the winner, but we’re not huge fans of the double “o” sounds in Margot H0lmes
Sibyl
Reverie
Ainslie
Maeve
Imogen
Carys – starts with C, which sounds like K
Aila – ends with a
Meredith – ends with h
Eisley – too hipster? Also, I’m not sure it goes well with FionaMy husband also likes Leighton and Avery, but I’m not a fan.
Names that we like but can’t/won’t use: Eilidh (ay-lee) – love how this sounds, but the fact that it is hard to spell makes it a deal breaker; Elodie; Louise/Louisa.
Please help! The more we talk about names, the farther away from a decision we seem get. We would love to hear what you and your readers think!
xo Krista
I have the perfect name: Eloise. It is SO PERFECT, there is almost certainly a reason you have had to rule it out. But just look at this QUALITY LOGIC supporting it:
1. Fiona and Eloise both have three syllables, are similar in style/whimsy/awesomeness, and have the shared long-O sound. You say you don’t like the double-long-O of Margot H0lmes, but Fiona H0lmes has the same double-long-O thing, so my guess is that what you don’t like is the two-syllable/second-syllable-long-O situation, or maybe it’s the “go home” sound that is formed by Margot+H0lmes specifically.
2. Eloise is basically Elodie + Louise, both on your like-but-can’t-use list. It’s also similar to Elise, one of your frontrunners last time.
3. Lula would not be a crazy nickname for it.
4. It starts with its own unique initial and doesn’t end in -a.
5. I think you like the S-pronounced-Z sound: Maisie, Ainslie, Eisley.
The sister pairing of “Fiona and Eloise” just THRILLS me. I am feeling almost physical pain at the idea of you not using it. But because your lists circle SO CLOSELY to Eloise without mentioning it, my guess is that you HAVE thought of it and can’t or don’t want to use it.
In that case, let’s look at the other options. My top favorite from your list is Imogen. I love it. Fiona and Imogen. I could almost get over the pain of losing the name Eloise.
My second favorite from your list is Meredith. I know you said you don’t want a name ending in -H, but I’m wondering if you’re thinking of the rule of thumb that suggests not ending a first name with the first letter of the surname—an overly sweeping rule meant to avoid an unpleasant clash/blend of sounds. In the case of -h/H-, and particularly when it’s -th/H- I don’t see any clashes or blends.
More ideas:
Annabel
Audrey
Beatrix
Bianca
Cecily
Clarissa
Claudia
Eliza
Genevieve
Lorelei
Lydia
Matilda
Minerva
Nadia
Ruby
Sabrina
Twyla
Winifred
You will notice I’m leaving in names that end in -a. I’m keeping that preference in mind, but so MANY great girl names end in -a, and it doesn’t bother my ear at all to think of two sisters with -a names.
Name update!
Hi Swistle,
Eloise James was born on May 19. My husband likes to make fun of me about the fact that after months and months of agonizing over this decision I ended up blissfully following the advice of a bunch of strangers on the internet – and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Imogen and Margot remained contenders right up until the end, but ultimately she is definitely Eloise. Her sister still almost exclusively calls her Lula, so it looks like that nickname will stick around for a while yet.
Thanks so much for your response, and to your readers for all of their thoughtful comments!
xo Krista
Meredith is amazingly perfect. Meredith James H0lmes; Meredith and Fiona.
If you liked Elise and Adelaide, have you thought about Elsa or Adele?
Once again Swistle nailed Eloise! I have a friend whose little girl is named Eloise and she’s just precious- she’s getting ready to turn one! I think that goes SO well with Fiona!
If you aren’t a fan of Eloise or Swistle’s suggestions I am going to throw out Natalia.
Fiona and Natalia
Fiona and Caroline
Fiona and Annaliese
Fiona and Sophie
Fiona and Lucy (Love the name Lucy James H0lmes)!!
Fiona and Isla
Fiona and Amelia
Fiona and Giselle
Fiona and Cadia
Fiona and Camille
I love hearing about other little ones with the same name who are awesome. Thanks, Ash! And, agreed – it does go well with Fiona.
It’s so funny, because my husband’s name is Jordan, and our last name is a one syllable one that also starts with H. Fiona is one of my all time favorite names. So reading this post kind of felt like a weird Freaky Friday meets Twilight Zone occurrence!
I agree with Swistle about Eloise and Imogen, names I’ve also considered. I also LOVE Clarissa, and Sabrina, Lorelei, Ruby, Matilda, and Minerva (for the whole Minnie nickname). Basically, this post reaffirms my naming style! But since I’m not actually having a baby right now, I say you could not go wrong with a single name on this list, but if you want to use James as a middle name, I’d lean towards a much more feminine first name, like Eloise or Clarissa, both of which you could get Lula from.
Totally freaky Friday! :-)
Absolutely! Great naming preferences. I’d also veto Eisley and Reverie as being too different from Fiona and not working with James. If you are open to other middle names, then you could choose a first name with no L (like Meredith) and have a middle name with an L for Lula, though like you said, nicknames can come from anywhere!
I 100% agree with Eloise. That’s what I was coming to suggest before I read Swistle’s response! I think it’s getting more familiar without being overused. I also know a 7 month old Eloise who goes by Lulu. Her parents are complimented all the time. Fiona and Eloise are swoon-worthy and Eloise James is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy. Please use it!
Eloise would be great. Swistle’s right it checks a lot of your boxes.
But I also like nearly your whole list. Reverie stick out as being a different style both from Fiona and the rest of your list. It might be an outlier name for you. I think I like Maeve best from the list, but Imogen, Carys, and Meredith are lovely, too.
Eloise is wonderful! I have a Fiona and her older sister’s name is Claire. Other names that were sibling possibilities (If her brothers hadn’t been boys!) were Violet, Rosalie, Amelia and Meredith. I think all of those would be wonderful! :)
Lucy James Holmes is about perfect to me; Fiona and Lucy; love it.
Wow…this seems like a slam dunk. Eloise and Fiona totally sound like sisters. And agree…Eloise is familiar and beautiful without being overused! I hope you go for it!
First, I think Eloise is a perfect match! I also love Imogen.
Another suggestion:
Your note made me think of Lilou, a French pet name for Liliana.
Lillian James (nn: Lula)
Paisley James H0lmes
Fiona and Paisley
I really love the middle name James for a girl especially because of the namesake behind it. I hope you use it.
I second swistle with Eloise. It would be a great fit!
I think Eloise is perfection. And Meredith, too. Meredith wouldn’t be half bad.
Or Madison?
What about Aileen? Very close to Eilidh, and Ailee could be a nickname, but easier to spell.
I don’t want to be Debby Downer, but Aileen has a pretty strong association with Aileen Wuornos for me.
I just looked up that name. I had never heard of her or the case before. I went to college with an Aileen, so my association is with a clean cut, friendly young woman. However, now that I now about Aileen W., I would definitely reconsider but would probably still use it.
Pros: a quick poll at work says no one else remembers that name (in California… Could be regional), the case was a long time ago, Aileen is easily pronounced and pleasing to my ear but not very popular. Cons: serial killer. But people still use Timothy (McVay) , Theodore/Ted (Bundy), and David (Berkowitz).
And that exhausts my knowledge of serial killer names off the top of my head (I had to look up Son of Sam’s actual name).
*I took another moment to consider, and I would like to thank you for bringing an important point up in my mind. GOOGLE NAMES BEFORE YOU SETTLE ON THEM. I don’t like surprises, and this would have been a not-great surprise if I named a baby and there was some cultural reference or notorious person I wasn’t aware of.
I was too young to watch the news when this person was arrested, and too young to watch R rated movies when the movie about her came out.
Interestingly, even in the years when you’d expect associations between her and the name to be at their highest, Aileen was still growing in popularity. I would think that this is a sign that the association was never particularly universal to begin with.
I think googling is only particularly useful if you’re considering an option that isn’t typically used as a name and you need to make sure it’s not a rare form of cancer or something. The internet is not a place that skews towards happy stories. (But, as a bit of a counterbalance, here’s a list of people named Aileen, many of whom sound delightful: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileen)
I’ve seen the movie about Aileen Wuornos and am familiar with the case but wouldn’t make the association unless the OP’s last name were also similar to Wuornos and here it isn’t.
That said, I prefer some of the other names mentioned – Imogen Holmes especially
I like Eloise, but the French pronounciation is very different from the English El-oo-eeze. If you live anywhere the two syllable French pronounciation (El-whaz) can occur, you might want to consider that…
All the other name suggestions above are lovely!
Eloise seems pretty perfect, and Imogen was the name the initially caught my eye off your list, so I’d say Swistle nailed it. ;) Go with one of those two names!! :)
Love your naming style. Fiona was our first-runner up name (and dh’s first choice!) for our second child. Love, love it. Eloise James is gorgeous, and Imogen James sounds nice, too. Don’t like it quite as much with your last name, but not a deal-breaker. Good luck!!
I was going to suggest Louisa until I got to the end and saw you can’t use it. I know a sweet little girl named Louisa who goes by Lulu so obviously Lula could work too. But Eloise is so close and would also work the same.
Aside from Eloise, I wonder if you’d like Eliza or Azlee? I also know an Avee who is adorable, and I think it goes w/your style. I also suggest Jolie or Jovie, Avilee and, I once read a book with a character named this: Annali (ANN-UH-LIE).
Oh and outlier name…Yardley!
Imogen is a fantastic name and the one I like the most from your list. Meredith would be a close second.
The first name that came to my mind was Orla. I know it ends in “a”, but Fiona and Orla sound so great together, and is so similar to Lula. Orla James!
Ainsley is a good one too! Fiona and Ainsley.
I agree, Eloise is a sweet, underused name. You can’t really go wrong there!
All the best.
More love for Eloise
Followed by Merideth
Maeve
Claire
James for middle works no matter which.
I really can’t help but think you’ve created too many “rules” for yourself. 2 girl names ending in A is not a big deal, especially when so many girl names do end that way. I agree with Swistle about the H ending. I think the issue is really when one name ends in the same *sound* which doesn’t happen with something like Meredith Holmes (or Norah Holmes or somesuch). I can see the initial thing for practical matters, but really only no matching initials for siblings (to make it easier to initial their things). I think it’s less important about parent/child initials because you won’t really need to initial things to tell adult stuff from child stuff. Even if you want to avoid this, a C with a K sound is really taking it too far, as the practical issue of initialing things won’t be affected.
So, I would look more at the style of the names and less at the minutiae of the “rules” you’ve set for yourself. If you want something similar to Fiona, I think Meredith, Carys & Maeve are the best matches from your list. I’m particularly in love with the pairings Fiona & Carys and Fiona & Maeve.
If the spelling of Eilidh is the only thing holding you back, perhaps a similar name like Haley or Elly instead?
FWIW, Eloise is inspired. I love the suggestion for you and it has the benefit of meeting all of your preferences.
Thanks, TheFirstA! My nitpicky preferences definitely aren’t rules or deal breakers – just preferences. All of your points are good ones to consider!
What about Esther??? Fiona and Esther. Sigh. totally love this. It is uncommon, just like Fiona, but isn’t unheard of or made up. In my mind they both have the same feeling/vibe as one another.
Esther makes me think of Estelle. Fiona and Estelle.
Off you list, I have to say that I still love Margot, even with your last name.
Other names I like:
Willow
Louisa
For the record, I think as long as the first name is feminine, James could be a super cute middle name, especially since it is an honour name.
What about Simone?? I LOVE Simone. Fiona and Simone. (hmmm… might be too many of the same sounds…)
Or some variation of Rose? Rosamund or Rosalind or Rosalie, Fiona and Rosamund. Fiona and Rosie. OOOHHH… This might be my favourite :)
From a Fiona , great name choice! I think Eloise is delightful. If you want to keep the Irish theme then Maeve would be lovely. Also love Siobhan and Eilis !
I wonder why no one’s encouraging you to use Margot, since it seems to be your front runner. I don’t find the repeated O sound to be too much, and it’s no more present in Margot than it is in Fiona. Go for it!
I’m expecting my second son any day now, and can empathize with wanting to come up with something “as good” as the name of your older child of the same sex. Here’s what I’ve learned: you won’t, at least not right away. You’ve already used your favorite girl name AND now it’s associated with a living, breathing human being whom you love and adore. You’ll find another name you love – maybe not as much – but soon that name will be associated with a living, breathing human being whom you love and adore, too! Just as you’ll love both kids in equal, albeit different, ways, so too you’ll grow to love their names.
Or at least… This is what I’m telling myself as we prepare to bestow our “not favorite” name on our second child :)
Hahaha – I totally agree, S! It’s hard to separate Fiona the name from Fiona the person, since it’s now the name of my favorite person! I also keep reminding myself that we hadn’t decided on Fiona’s name before she was born, so it’s not like it was a for sure thing. Good luck with labor and delivery!
Some ideas-
Eden (Edie)
Iris
Eve
Claire/ Clara
Mari
Poppy
Ruby
I do love Margot, Maeve, Sibyl, Imogen & Eloise… So many great choices! (Lucy is also super cute! Lucy James is great)
First thought before I read your letter was Isla. And you have Aila and Eilidh on your list. If you really don’t want a name ending in A there’s always Eileen. Or Irene. But I think two names ending in A could work if there is a different number of syllables such as with Fiona and Isla.
From your list I like Imogen and Ainslie.
Sybil and Reverie make me think of Sylvie.
I like the idea of keeping an Irish/UK vibe so from your list Maeve and Imogen fit and there is also Poppy, Isla, Matilda or Thea (names more popular over there). I also love Eloise James. Finally, it doesn’t meet your criteria, but I love it with Fiona – Sophia or Sophie.
Thanks, everyone, for the great comments! Funny thing about Eloise – there is an Eloise at my workplace who people don’t like (I work in a large organization – I have never personally worked with her and don’t actually know her). I feel like the name always got overlooked by me because of that, but now it’s definitely on the list as a top contender!
Too funny! Knowing of other people with certain names definitely can sway you one way or the other!
My oldest child is Eloise Anne and our last name is very similar to yours. I know I’m biased but she’s the cutest and sweetest little girl I know :) and she gets MANY compliments on her name. And as others have mentioned, it’s a name people have heard but it’s not over-used. We call her Elle for short … sometimes Elle Belle. :) Good luck with making a decision!
I’m partial to Meredith for obvious reasons, and I don’t see why the last name should rule it out. No matter how fast I say Meredith H0lmes, it still sounds like Meredith H0lmes to me. In fact, if your last name were Olmes, I would advise against Meredith because people would think her last name was H0lmes.
I didn’t realize this before and it is not a deal breaker I am sure, especially as James is middle name, but I wanted to point out that James Holmes is a known name around where I live as he committed a mass shooting in a Colorado movie theater.
I have a 2 1/2 year old Meredith James myself and we get compliments on her name all the time. I think it sounds beautiful with your last name. Good luck!
Definitely seeing James Holmes in the name gave me a shock. I’d think twice about that! Gives me the willies.
Hooray! I don’t know if I can describe how great this name is, and how perfect it is with the sister’s name. It is just excellent. I am THRILLED with the choice!! (Like my opinion counts…) Way to go!
Swistle, you must feel something like a godparent! TOTAL GRATIFICATION! Congrats, Krista, on your beautiful little girl.
This was a THRILLING update. Fiona and Eloise!!
Ooh, I LOVE a good update! Welcome to Eloise James!
What a lovely girl! Congratulations to your family and Swistle :)
Congratulations! The name is perfect!