Hi Swistle
I’ve been an avid reader of your blog despite easily deciding on the names of our first two children. We’re pregnant with a surprise third- a girl due late February.
Both our first two children have two middle names- Eleanor Lucy Féy (nn Ellie) and Zachary Harold Logan (nn Zach). Their full names and nicknames are used interchangeably in our house. The middle names are honor names. Our surname is W00let (with two L’s and two T’s).
Sibsets are very important to me, hence lots of dilemmas with naming this third baby. We don’t have a lot of honor names left to choose from due to using up four already! Does this baby need two middle names like her siblings? And lastly does it need to have multiple syllables and a nickname like her siblings?
Top contender for a first name that meets the above criteria is Alexandra, nickname Alex. The other name we love is Maeve but it doesn’t really have a nickname (I hate Maevy/ie). Other names on our list include Chloe, Sophia, Sloane and Blair.
For a second name we think Toni as my deceased dad was Anthony, called Tony. We like Grace as a third name but it has no family ties and not sure if we’re using it just to have three names.
Any wisdom or advice you can share would be appreciated.
Thanks
Victoria (Tori)
Everyone will have their own answers to these questions, and mine are:
• she DOES need to have two middle names like her siblings,
• it would be NICE (though not necessary) for her name to have a nickname, and
• it is NOT necessary for her name to have multiple syllables
I would not have thought to call a Maeve “Maevy.” I suggest the nickname Mae. Eleanor, Zachary, and Maeve; Ellie, Zach, and Mae. A friend’s child has the nickname Mae-Mae, which I would not have thought of (or thought to choose ahead of time, as they did), but with time it seems completely natural. Everybody calls her Mae-Mae. I had to pause to remember her actual given name. Or would you like Maisy? It’s so similar to Maevy that I wouldn’t think you would—but I don’t like Maevy either, and I very much like Maisy, so maybe!
Another possibility for a nickname for Maeve is to see if it combines well with any of the middle names. And only you know if your family is like this, but in my family we have a tendency to take names like that and lengthen them with completely unrelated endings: a Maeve would be called Maeve-Ann, Maeva-Louise, Maeva-Maria, Maeve-abelle, etc.
The name Alexandra isn’t sitting right with me. I think part of it is that it doesn’t seem like the same era as Eleanor, while also seeming too similar to it in sound: similar beginnings Ele- and Ale-; both with an -an- in the middle. And potentially nicknames Ellie and Allie (I don’t fret much about similar nicknames, but I would generally prefer to avoid them).
None of the other names on the list are grabbing my attention. For a sister to an Eleanor I’d be looking for something a little more current than Chloe and Sophia, a little less preppy than Sloane and Blair. But Chloe is the only one that feels surprising to me with Eleanor. Sophia seems fine style-wise. Sloane and Blair tip Eleanor more to the trim/tailored kind of elegant, rather than to the vintage/Austen kind.
For a second middle name, I suggest your name: ______ Toni Victoria W00let. Or I think it could be sweet to repeat one of her sister’s middle names, so that they match: ______ Toni Féy W00let. Or I think any name with a story works well: a name you wished was yours when you were a child; a place name; a friend’s name; the name of a writer or poet or scientist or politician. Or something to indicate the happiness of a surprise bonus baby: Joy, Felicity/Felice/Felicia, Beatrix/Beatrice. Or Valentine, if she’s born in February. Or, I’m not usually very into name meanings, but I happened to notice that the name Tressa means “third.” That doesn’t seem fun enough to use if you don’t also like the name—but if you DO like the name, it’s at least a little fun! I’d prefer one of the joy/luck names, though, story-wise.
Let’s look for more first-name options.
Jane. This comes to mind because of the Austen novels, and also because it is not entirely unsimilar to Maeve and Sloane. Do you like the nickname Janie? Eleanor, Zachary, and Jane; Ellie, Zach, and Janie.
Lydia. Also Austen. Nickname Lyddie/Liddy. Eleanor, Zachary, and Lydia; Ellie, Zach, and Lyddie.
Margaret. Still Austen. Nicknames are abundant: Maggie, Meg, Daisy, Greta. Eleanor, Zachary, and Margaret; Ellie, Zach, and Maggie/Meg/Daisy/Greta. I’m not sure about the repeated -t ending with the surname.
Josephine. A veer from Austen to Alcott. Eleanor, Zachary, and Josephine; Ellie, Zach, and Josie/Posey.
Louisa. While we’re on Alcott. Eleanor, Zachary, and Louisa; Ellie, Zach, and Lulu.
Rose. (Posey made me think of it.) Eleanor, Zachary, and Rose; Ellie, Zach, and Rosie.
Georgia. Eleanor, Zachary, and Georgia; Ellie, Zach, and Georgie.
Florence. Eleanor, Zachary, and Florence; Ellie, Zach, and Flora. (Possibility of Nora and Flora if Eleanor changes her nickname later on.)
Cordelia. Eleanor, Zachary, and Cordelia; Ellie, Zach, and Delia.
Vivian. Eleanor, Zachary, and Vivian; Ellie, Zach, and Vivi.
Meredith. This has some of the tailored sound of Sloane/Blair, but increases the femininity to put it closer in style to Eleanor. Eleanor, Zachary, and Meredith; Ellie, Zach, and Merrie.
Name update:
Hi Swistle
Thank you for answering my questions so thoughtfully.
Maeve Antonia Grace was born a few weeks ago.
The answer that we didn’t need a multiple syllable first name was enough to confirm that it was ok to use the name we love. Lots of readers suggested Antonia and we felt the longer first middle name definitely complemented two short other names.
Her nickname is currently ‘baby Maeve’ and we are ok with seeing how her nickname evolves organically.
Thanks again
Tori
Maeve Antonia Grace nn Mae, Maggie (going with initials), Macey
Love Antonia as the middle too! That was my first thought upon reading. So beautiful and unexpected and a perfect honor name for Anthony.
I kind of love Antonia as a first name- Eleanor, Zachary and Antonia, Ellie, Zach and Toni or is that too close to Tori?
Annie could be a nickname, too: Ellie, Zach, and Annie.
Or Tia! Antonia is just perfect!
Was coming here to say EXACTLY THIS. Antonia as the first name is perfect.
Love this idea! I think Mae is a perfect nickname and with the initials, Maggie is great too.
Quick thought for Maeve…could Emmie satisfy the nickname requirement? Obviously very cutesy with Ellie, but the only time it would matter that she has a nickname is when you want to be cutesy and matchy, with Maeve being the perfect name for all the other times.
I can also confirm that my daughter May got nicknamed MayMay by a friend, and it works pretty naturally. I’d imagine Mimi could work too.
I’m another who came to suggest Antonia! Maeve Antonia ______ W00let (nicknamed Mae) is a fantastic name!
I have a Maeve! I thought I’d hate Maevey too, but her nicknames ended up being Maeve-a-Rooney (short for “Maeve a Rooney looney tuney”), Maevey Roo, and Maevey Bean. Her brothers call her “Baby Maeve”. Her nanny calls her May-May sometimes, but that one makes me cringe. One reason we picked it was because I was liking Maisie and Mae early on in my pregnancy, so I could see those being connected. Some friends call her by her middle name because it’s a significant saint’s name where I live. In any case, I love that we have her this name, and I recommend it! Maeve Antonia _________ would be fantastic! Grace works really well as the second middle, or another one-syllable name: Jane, Bette, Joy, repeat Fey, June, Laine…
I’m sure you have considered Antonia, but I’d also like to suggest it, albeit as a first name. Antonia Maeve Grace – I do think she needs two middle names, but the ratio/order of favorite and honor names doesn’t concern me. Antonia could be nicknamed Annie, which seems to dovetail nicely with Ellie, or perhaps Nina.
I love this suggestion! Eleanor, Zachary & Antonia is a little surprising, but quite stunning as a set. And Ellie, Zach & Annie ties them together beautifully.
Antonia Victoria Maeve is lovely and would give each child two honour names and one name loved and chosen for them. Perfect.
Thirded!
Love this!!
My opinion is yes to two middles, yes to honour middles if you can (or perhaps a famous namesake), yes to a nickname, no to multiple syllables.
Do you like Naomi? I think Eleanor and Naomi are a lovely pair.
For middles I prefer Antonia or Antoinette to Toni but that’s a style preference YMMV. I also love Victoria. The two ia’s together is probably too much but Antoinette Victoria flows nicely.
Maeve Antoinette Victoria is a lot of syllables but I like it.
Victoria is also a good first middle with a shorter second.
Sophie Victoria Mae for example. What’s your maiden name or your mother’s maiden name? Would they work with Victoria?
Meant to add Jane or Joan
Jane Antoinette Victoria (Janey)
Joan Antoinette Victoria (Jovie)
I love the Antonia suggestion as a combo of your name and your dads. If you wanted to use Victoria you could do Victoria Antoinette as a combo (lots of letters but pretty together.)
I love Swistle’s suggestion of using your name as part of your daughter’s double middle honor names. As mothers, we often don’t even think of using our own names as an honor name, but I think it is a great option.
If you love Maeve, then may I suggest: Maeve Toni Victoria W00let. Or even Maeve Antonia Tori W00let. With the nickname Mae.
Meredith was my first thought so glad to see Swistle covered it! I’d call her Red.
I wonder if you’d consider Mabel or Esme to get to a nickname of Maeve? Repeating an initial usually isn’t my preference but if she’ll go by Maeve or Mae, then Esme Antonia Grace is gorgeous.
Also wonder if you’d like Anthea as a tweak on Anthony? It works well with the sibset, with a nickname of Annie or Thea? Anthea Maeve Victoria.
Hm.. with a sister Eleanor I think Penelope (nn. Penny, Nell), Charlotte (nn. Charlie, Lottie), or Adelaide (nn. Addie).
I also like the idea of using your name as a middle – Toni Victoria? Tori Antonia?
Congrats! Let us know what you decide.
I always really liked the name Abigail as a sister name with Eleanor – Ellie, Zach and Abbie?
Also love the idea of your name as second middle, along with your dad’s name!
I want to get on the Antonia train– I thought of it before I read all the comments about it– but I’m not sure if I want to suggest it as a first or middle. Maeve was the only name you used the word “love” to describe, so that should be in there, too.
Antonia Maeve Blair
Antonia Maeve Chloe
Antonia Maeve Sophia
OR
Maeve Antonia Grace
Maeve Antonia Sloane
What about Grace, nicknamed Gracie, as a first name, since you like it as a middle. Grace Antoinette Victoria would be beautiful!
Go for Grace! That could be the verb, as in we were graced with our Grace
Meredith Antonia Grace- Ellie, Zach, and Merry/Maggie (from the initials)
Antonia Maeve Grace- Ellie, Zach, and Toni
Maeve Antonia Grace- Ellie, Zach, and Mae
Sophia Toni Grace- Ellie, Zach, and Sophie
Love Antonia. That was my first thought as well. Annie is an unexpected, fun nickname.
I think Maeve can just be Maeve. I don’t think she needs a nickname just because her siblings have one.
I also just want to say that using Grace just because you like it is as good of a reason as any. Grace is a lovely name.
I like the previously suggested Penelope, which fits in so well with Eleanor and Zachary. My favorite nickname for Penelope is Nella, but it might be too close to Ellie. Or just right?
My vote would be:
Maeve Antonia Grace
Or
Antonia Maeve Victoria, called either Annie or Maeve.
So glad people came to suggest Antonia. It seems perfect!!!
I honestly think Brielle would be a good choice – Brielle Toni Maeve nn Bri. Eleanor , Zachary and Brielle = Ellie , Zach and Bri. As for a second middle Maeve goes really with Toni so I’m going with that.
Other suggestions –
Lydia Toni Maeve nn Dia
Talitha Toni Maeve nn Tally
Nicolette Toni Maeve nn Nico
Dahlia Toni Maeve nn Lia
Coraline Toni Maeve nn Cori or Coco
Amalia Toni Maeve nn Ama
Cassandra Toni Maeve nn Cassie
I like Maeve Antonia Grace with no nn!
Beautiful name! I love it! Thanks for the update! <3
My name is Antonia and I hardly every hear or see it mentioned in any name blogs/sites and sometimes wonder: is my name really weird and unappealing? So I admit I got quite a little thrill reading these comments!
Thanks so much for this wonderful blog, Swistle!!