Hello!
I’m due this summer with my second child, a girl, and my husband and I are in the throws of the great name debate of 2020. Our first, named Madeline, nn Maddie, and a mutual decision and we both love her name. This time around, we have two different top choices, and very few names are jumping out at us. To complicate matters, we both love a good nickname, but I’m getting a little sick of the “ie” names, which is a little limiting.
My top choice:
Juliet (nn Jules or Jet (is this a stretch? I think its fun))His top choice:
Chloe
Virginia (nn Ginny)Other names we like:
Penelope (nn Penny/Poppy)
Gabrielle/Gabriella (nn Gabby)
SavannahWe do not want a name that starts with a B, E, or V (I feel more strongly on this than he does). Any other recs? Thank you so much!
The only name standing out to me as an odd choice with Madeline is Virginia—and I’m not sure I can even put a finger on why. Visually they’re so nice together: approximately the same length, a nice overlap/difference in letters. Part of it is the startling usage gap: Maddie/Addie names have enjoyed a surge of popularity in recent years, while the Ginny/Jenny names are having a well-earned rest. The name Virginia has been almost completely off of my own personal name radar (which may mean it is due for a big comeback soon), but I hear about Maddies all the time. It gives me a personal feeling of Name Difference that may have nothing to do with the actual compatibility of the names; these impressions are so dependent on the particular names in our particular social circles.
Still, from your husband’s list, Chloe makes a lot more sense to me: like Maddie/Addie names, it is enjoying some popularity right now. “Maddie and Chloe” seems right as a sister set. A downside of Chloe is that it doesn’t have a natural nickname; another downside is you mention being a little tired of -ie names, and it has that sound.
I like the way the name Juliet spins the name Madeline: from contemporary favorite to vintage charm. Madeline and Chloe are current sisters; Madeline and Juliet could be in a historical novel. They’re visually appealing to me together. There’s still a bit of a popularity gap. Hm. I’m aware of how very subjective all this is, but if you’re asking for our own personal opinions, and you are, I like Madeline/Maddie with Juliet/Jules best of the options discussed so far. I think Jet is one of those cool nicknames that depends on the child: on some kids it’s not going to sit comfortably, and on others it’ll be a natural fit.
I think your whole “other names we like” list is great. I don’t have a sense for how far down your preference list those are: is it that Juliet is by far your first choice and Virginia/Chloe are by far your husband’s first choices, and the other names are only technically in the running; or are you both pretty prepared to forsake your own favorites for the joint favorites? Madeline and Penelope, Madeline and Gabrielle, Madeline and Savannah—those all make sense to me as sisters. There are some nickname options if you want to avoid the -ie/-y sound: Nell for Penelope, Ella for Gabrielle/Gabriella, Vanna/Anna for Savannah.
More names to consider, if you haven’t already:
Abigail/Abby
Amelia/Mia
Annabel/Anna/Bella
Audrey
Charlotte/Charlie/Lottie
Clarissa
Eloise (I like the literary tie-in, but it starts with E)
Grace
Josephine/Josie/Posey
Katherine/Kate
Laurel
Lucy
Noelle/Ella
Nora
Rosalie/Rose/Rosie
Sabrina/Bri/Bree
I included a few that don’t have good nicknames. Part of the reason was that I wondered if a solution to “we love a good nickname”/”we’re tired of the -ie thing” might be a standalone name with a nicknamey quality: Lucy and Nora, for example, can be used as they are or can be used as nicknames, so maybe they satisfy the nickname urge as they are. (Though of course Lucy still ends in the -ie sound, so maybe that gets us nowhere.) And part of the reason was that sometimes even if a name isn’t Right, it can remind people of OTHER names that ARE right.
Name update: Juliet (Jet)
i’m really into Madeline and Chloe. What about Cici/Ceecee as a nickname for Chloe (if the lack f a nickname would otherwise be a dealbreaker)?
Juliet sounds like a natural pairing for Madeline. It sound like they’d be walking the street of Paris together in novel. I’ve heard Jet as a nickname for Juliet and don’t think it would be a stretch.
Some others to consider:
Louisa/Lou
Ruby/Rue
Samantha/Sam
Colete/Cole
Hazel/Hayes
I know a Virginia who goes by Ginna, which is lovely and doesn’t end in an “ie” sound. Your list is full of good choices!
I love the suggestion of Eloise as a sister for Madeline. I know sisters with the names and I think they go so well together. Annabella nn Bella also seems like a natural fit too and avoids the -ie nickname. A few other names that came to mind were Vivian, Natalie and Rosalie nn Rose.
I have a friend whose Chloe goes by Coco.
I have a close friend with the given name Virginia who goes exclusively by Gia. Gia and Maddie sound like sisters!
Jillian – nickname Jill
Chloe nn Coco!!
Love the idea of Jill too.
This might sound inconsequential but I would avoid Madeline and Louise/a or Eloise for the ditzy friends Madeline and Louise on Gilmore Girls. Might not be something other people would notice, though.
I like Jo for Josephine. And Clarissa.
I met a little girl Josephine nn Joey the other day – loved it as something a bit more fresh than Josie. Still ends in your ‘ie’ sound though…
Poster here! We already have an Anna and an Ella in the extended family, so that eliminates some of the contenders. Other names we’ve kicked around are Audrey, Arianna, Lydia, Camilla and Claire. My hubs has rejected Nora, Luna, Isla and Gemma. I don’t mind a difference in popularity as long as they feel like names that would go together, if that makes sense? So like, Sloane is a hawt name but I wouldn’t personally put Madeline and Sloane together. I do love Charlotte, Olivia and Sophia but if it’s in the top 10 it is totally out. Madeline/Maddie is toeing the line. Ugh this baby has been so hard to name!
My favorite of your options is Gabrielle/Gabriella. If you don’t want an “ie” nickname you could use Bree/Bri, Elle, or Ella. Other suggestions: Genevieve nn Eve, Viv, Gen, or Genna or Vivian/Vivienne nn Viv or Brigitte nn Bri, Bridie, Birdie.
I must live in a Virginia cluster. I typically teach one or two Virginias a year, so it seems on-trend to me. Possible nicknames include Ginger and Ginna.
Yes! This post above! I was going to suggest the same thing.
Madeline and Gabrielle
Maddie and Brie sound like two chic French sisters or two Aussie beach-loving sisters or two American sporty sisters… beautiful pairing.
Juliet could make a gorgeous middle, too.
Gabrielle Juliet
Best wishes!
A few more ideas:
Helena nn Nell
Therese or Teresa nn Tess
Susanne nn Zanna or Zuzu
Josephine nn Jo or Fi
Lucille nn Lulu
My first thought was Genevieve. Madeline and Genevieve. Maddie and Evie, Maddie and Geni or Maddie and Neve. So many options with Genevieve.
Also for Chloe, Cleo could be a nickname. Has a little more of the “Jet” style to it and maybe you could square you and your husband’s preferences? I do love Juliet. And my favorite nickname is Etta. Maddie and Etta. In case the nns Jules and Jet are the things keeping your husband from agreeing. Oh and Ina may be a nn for Virginia. I knew an Ina and she was a tough, smart, kind lady. Nobody’s fool, Ina kicked some a$$ but only when they’d earned it. One heck on a namesake in my mind.
Looks like you are trying to square a toyboy-esque nn with a feminine name. Alexandra to me is the epitome of this. Of course there is the gender bending Alex, but also Dre, Andrea, Xan, Lexie, Allie. And my favorite, Sasha. Maddie and Sasha. Madeline and Alexandra. Swoon.
I really love Virginia. I knew a Madeline and a Grace sibling set. You can do Gracie or Gray
How about Tessa? Could do a nn of Tess or Tessie. I also think Cora would ft perfectly! On trend but not too popular, and an vintage feel that Madeline has. Could do a nickname of Corey which is cute! I think Finley with a nn of Finn would be great too!
I like the previous suggestions of Genevieve with a nn of Evie or ViVi. You could also do Evangeline.
Love Juliet, nn Jules
I also quite like Virginia, nn Ginny or even Ginger. Also wanted to suggest Frances or Francesca, nn Frannie or Frankie. And Ruby, nn Ru/Rue, is lovely. Oh, and Gwendolyn, nn Gwen.
I love Madeleine and Virginia together. Maybe Ginger or Gigi as a more unusual nickname?
I also thought of Teresa/Theresa nickname Tess for you.
I like Juliet for you, Chloe best from his list, and Penelope best from the runners-up. I thought of Amelia before I read it on Swistle’s suggestions. Or how about Emily?
What about Ginevra to get to all those “Gin” nicknames if you don’t want a name starting with V? Madeline and Ginevra sound like characters in a European adventure series!
Fiona nickname Fee!
Or Natasha nickname Sasha or Tasha- when I read Becoming by Michelle Obama I was surprised to read that their Sasha is actually a Natasha!
From your list, I’m particularly drawn to Juliet (Jet). Madeline and Juliet… Maddie and Jet.
I’m not really feeling Chloe or Virginia (Ginny). Hmm. Maybe it is the Ginny nickname for Virginia that is not working for me. Other options include: Ginger, Gigi, Nia, Nina, Gina, Vina, Vee, Vera… Madeline and Virginia… Maddie and Nina. Maddie and Ginger. Maddie and Gigi. Hmm…
Other names that are similar:
Zoe
Phoebe (Fee or Fifi)
Claire
Cora / Coralie
Victoria (Tori)
Veronica (Vera or Roni)
Vivianne (Vivi or Anne)
What about Julianna? It will give you Jules as a nickname and doesn’t have the “ie” that you aren’t loving. I think Julianna and Madeline make a sweet sibling set.
Colette (Coco)
Frances or Francesca nickname Frannie, Frankie, or Francie
Just curious, are you pronouncing the last syllable of Madeline as line or lyn? I’ve heard it both ways with that spelling. I like Caroline, nn Caro, but only if Madeline is pronounced with the lyn ending. Maybe names with the endings spelled the same but pronounced differently would be confusing, but Maddie and Caro are cute together.
I like Juliet with nns Jules or Jet and also Chloe with nns Coco (love!) and Cleo.
Other possibilities:
Matilda — Tilda or Tilly
Tessa — Tess
I know you said no E names, but . . .
Elizabeth gives you lots and lots of nickname possibilities — Beth, Bette (as in Bette Midler), Eliza, Elle, Ella, Liz, Liza, Lizzy, and more
Evelyn — Eve or Evvie (EH vee)
My husband and I had all girls and choosing the name for our second daughter was the hardest out of all of them. Best of luck to you!