Hi Swistle,
We could do with your help naming baby girl due at the end of September. Surname (Fox) so we have to be a little careful with first names but I haven’t found this to be a problem. Baby girl has an older sister (2.5 yrs) Corinna Everly (nn Cory, Cor, Rina).
We have ties to Cyprus, Italy (particularly Rome) and Singapore. We found Corinna on a Greek baby name list and fell in love. It isn’t a name we hear often, is feminine but not overly so, feels strong and isn’t too out there.
Our boy name at the time was Caspian Everett. Our boy name this time was Ethan Everett. We also considered Logan Percival.
Girls names we have considered:
Arabella Wren – I’m worried that Arabella is too posh and would she be just another Bella? My husband loves it.Morgan Rose – Rose is a family name so despite its popularity we are happy with it as a middle name. I also think it gives some feminine balance to Morgan which is a concern of mine and in reality she would go by her first name. Having said that it is nice to be able to use a more out there middle name. Also not sure I like “morg” (morgue!) as a natural shortening.
Kaia – name I love, Singapore links but not sure about another c or k name.
Sylvie – a name I have recently come across. It feels strong and feminine with out being overly so. Haven’t found a middle name that convinces us this is the one yet.
Erin – We love this name but haven’t found a middle name combination that convinces us yet. It was a contender for Corinna’s middle name.
Thalia – we both love the name. Greek links. I’m worried about spelling variations. I don’t love Natalia. I have the same problem with Lorelai (nn Rory!) – not the easiest to spell. Same with Vivian/Vivienne. Too many spelling options (a problem we have had with Corinna).
Emerson – feels too masculine against Corinna.
Hazel – vetoed by husband based on someone he knew by the same name.
Elowen – sounds lovely but we have no Welsh links and will she be another Elle? A friend has a baby Elodie which I think is beautiful.
Other names I/we like but don’t love: Maeve, Iris, Claudia, Ottilie, Sienna.
We would love to hear your suggests for completely new names or middle names for some of the names on our list that aren’t quite doing it for us.
Thanks!
Joanna
First, a few comments on the current list. Sylvie Fox makes me think of the expression “silver fox”; it’s not a negative association, just a little odd. Kaia and Erin both seem like they have too many sounds in common with Corinna: Kaia shares beginning and ending sounds, and so feels it falls short on sounds in the middle; Erin repeats the -rin entirely and has only the E- to herself. I do think Arabella/Elowen would neatly join the Bella/Ellie groups, though the long forms are still refreshing (and I don’t think Arabella is too posh). I would never have thought to shorten the name Morgan to Morg.
The name that jumps out to me based on the name itself but also your description of the name: Thalia. You both love it. You mention it has Greek links. It has some spelling issues, but so do so many names; I wouldn’t rule out a name for that. For a middle name, I would be inclined to choose a name similar in style to Everly, so I would choose Emerson or Morgan: Thalia Emerson Fox, Thalia Morgan Fox. Or Erin would be nice: Thalia Erin Fox. Or, I wish I’d at least CONSIDERED using my own first name as my daughter’s middle name (there’s a tradition in my family of using the father’s first name as the son’s middle name, so you’d think it would LEAP to mind): Thalia Joanna Fox.
From my list of names I am sad I couldn’t use: Anastasia. Corinna and Anastasia. Anastasia Fox.
Browsing through Nameberry’s list of Greek girl names:
Delia; Delia Fox; Corinna and Delia
Isadora; Isadora Fox; Corinna and Isadora
Lydia; Lydia Fox; Corinna and Lydia
Penelope; Penelope Fox; Corinna and Penelope
Persephone; Persephone Fox; Corinna and Persephone
Philomena; Philomena Fox; Corinna and Philomena
Veronica; Veronica Fox; Corinna and Veronica
From this list I would pick Lydia for you: it’s similar to Sylvie; it’s feminine but not frilly; I find it pleasing with your surname; and it’s great with Corinna.
I am also keen on Veronica, for the same reasons as Lydia but also I like the crackle with Fox.
Name update:
Thank you to you and your readers for your thoughts. We ran through your name suggestions over the first 24 hours with our little one and settled on Thalia Rose. We agreed with your readers that Corinna and Thalia was one of the more natural name combinations giving the girls a connection without being too similar. We also like that both girls have nature middle names. I doubt we would have used Thalia without your reassurance around spelling issues – I expect like a lot of your readers we would rather have a name that may raise a few questions than a top 10 name that everyone immediately recognises.
I like Thalia best for you too. Corinna is one of those names that could fit in a lot of sibling sets, but pairing it with Thalia takes it in the direction that I think you want…acknowledging your heritage. (Arabella is not too posh & Emerson is not too masculine, but they are both pretty British in a way I think might clash with your intentions).
It’s so funny how names read so differently to different people – as a Brit, I would say Arabella is very British but Emerson would be categorised over here as *very* American, in fact I’ve yet to meet an English Emerson. Totally agree Thalia is perfect.
What about Thea? It’s streamlined and feminine, is similar to Thalia, and I think it would go nicely with a longer middle name from your list -Thea Emerson, Thea Arabella, or Swistle’s suggestion of your name, Thea Joanna. Or throw in a nod to Rome and use Aurelia.
I love this suggestion! Or use it as a nn for Dorothy/Dorothea, Theadora, Theodosia, Alethea, Cynthia, Anthea… I’m pretty sure all of the Thea-/-thea names are of Greek origin, so you have a whole field to choose from here!
I stopped at Thalia and screamed. Yes a thousand times! I actually know a little Thalia and the name has been charming and joyous and unproblematic to say and and and and….
I agree with Swistle that Erin is very similar (maybe too similar) to Corrina, but if you love it, that’s all that matters.
Middle names that might work with Erin: Erin Elizabeth, Erin Elise, Erin Athena, Erin Antigone — I really like Greek names!
Kaia Antigone.
I actually love Antigone as a first name and I think Tiggy is a great nickname (Ani works also). With a short last name, you can really go big with the first name
Thalia Rose. Possible nicknames could be Tali or Lia.
Morgan Gianna, Morgan Eleni, Morgan Elise. Mora or Mori for nicknames, but maybe too close to Cor and Cory?
Sylvie Irene. Paired together these have the lovely meaning of peaceful forest.
Another Greek name to consider: Cassandra, with possible nicknames Cass, Cassie, or Andra.
Sophia / Sofia is a beautiful name that works well in the middle with almost all of the names you’re considering.
Best wishes to you!
I know an Antigone who goes by Tig – it’s a great name.
LOVE Thalia for this family! God, Swistle, you are always dead on!! My only question would be: is the Th pronounced? Or is it TALL-ee-uh? If so, I might go with Talia. This is not a deal breaker for me, just a clarifying question. :)
Lydia is also excellent, it is my sister’s name. Can confirm it wears very well, easy to spell, femme without being frilly.
My other suggestion is one from my own list that I worry is too Greek for me. Cassandra! I love the nn Cass.
My baby niece is Sylvie and it is misheard for Sophie almost every time people hear her name for the first time. Might depend on where you live and accents and whatever, but it was completely unexpected for her parents and is something to be aware of.
I love Lydia and Thalia for you!
I love that Thalia is on your list. A dear friend from uni is Thalia – she pronounces it THA-lia, not Ta-lia, just to be clear, as I’m not sure what you’ll do. (Another friend is Thea but pronounced Taya – and they both have Greek roots, so I’m not sure what is original pronunciation of the TH.)
Just wanted to chime in on Morgan nicknames, because my friend with a little Morgan calls her Momo or Mo, never Morg. However, M0rgan F0x does make me think of Megan Fox!
I don’t think you need to look further than Thalia, paired with many of the other names on your list – love Thalia Rose or Thalia Wren. Sylvie is also so darling, and with the sister name, so that’s a close second for me! I don’t get any awkwardness with the surname.
Thalia is not uncommon where I live in Australia. There are two (equally used?) pronunciations. TAR-lee-uh and Tuh-lia. The first ending sounds like Leah an the second more like it rhymes with Mia. Hard to explain but the second is shorter and quickly spoken, the first more drawn out. I’ve never heard it with a ‘th’ sound.
I love the name.
Would you consider Sylvia? I think it sidesteps the silver fox issue entirely, and you can use Sylvie as a nickname (I know they are separate names in their own right, but I think Sylvie works as a nickname, too). Sylvia Rose, Sylvia Joanna, Sylvia Wren.
Thalia is also beautiful, and seems like it hits a lot of notes you’d like. With Arabella, would Ara or Ari as nicknames work?
Lots of lovely choices! Let us know what you pick. :)
You have some good options already! Thalia seems good, though I confess I would not know how to pronounce it exactly. Love Swistle’s suggestion of Lydia!
Another idea: STELLA! Awesome name. Familiar in Italy, Greece, and the anglophone world. Goes well with Fox. Could be a contender!
Lydia with a different pronunciation was a region in the classical Greek sphere.
Thalia, Thea, Morgan (which I’ve never heard shortened to Morg), Arabella, & Elowen (who you could nn Wennie or Elo) are all lovely.
I’m not entirely sure whether Thalia is a silent H or a “th” sound. If it’s silent, Talea is another possible spelling option.
You’ve got lots of lovely suggestions on your list but Elowen stood out to me, so I wanted to suggest Elora as an alternative if you weren’t keen on the Welsh background. Elora Fox flows smoothly and would suit a range of middle names.
I like almost all the names on your list, but Arabella, Thalia, Claudia, and Sienna in particular seem like good fits for you. How about Georgia?
I don’t know how to pronounce Thalía. Is it like Talia (Tahl-ya) or is it different?
Chloe and Zoey are Greek names and sound nice with Corinna! Chloe Rose and Zoey Rose make excellent choices, I like the long O sound in both first and middle names. Emerson is also great for the middle name as Swistle suggested.
Veronica as Swistle suggested is also a great choice with a few nickname options (Vera, Ronnie, Nika)
Victoria could be another option, again with several nicknames (Vic, Vicky, Tori) . Victoria Elowen Fox sounds like a total movie star name.
Thalia is beautiful, Lydia is one of my favorite names – Lydia Rose.
I also love Althea. Althea Rose.
I think you have a lot of good options! If you like Kaia but want to avoid repeating the K/C sounds, what about Maya or Gaia? Maya is a very global name and one of my favorites!
You are great namers!
What about:
Callista Rose Fox
Corinna and Callista are a lovely Greek pairing.
Nicknames are Callie and Lissy.
Best wishes!
going to throw into the mix:
Lyra
Thessaly
Ivy
Althea
Leona/Leonie
Linnea
Romilly
Saskia
Nadia
Aria
Estelle
Alma
Maren
Rowan
Arden
Laurel
My immediate thought was Cynthia. It is Greek and means moon goddess and used to be a nickname for Queen Elizabeth I. You can use Thea as a nickname if you dont like Cindy. (Kind of like using Rina for Corrina.). Corrina and Cynthia.
I’m kind of crushing on Corrina Every and Cynthia Erin. The repeat initials might not be your thing, but if it is, your boy name was Caspian Everett, so you’d have a good number 3!
Ooh and on Morgan, I too went straight to Megan Fox. Something to keep in mind. We are all 1 Disney character/actor/politician/influencer away from infamy so not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind.
I have only ever heard Thalia pronounced with the Th- sound and the first syllable rhyming with “pale.” THAYL-ia. I think it’s really pretty and sounds amazing with the surname and big sister’s name. If you prefer the name with a silent h — your mention of the name Natalia makes me think that’s how you’re hearing it — I definitely recommend spelling it Talia. Also a beautiful name, and spelling / mispronouncing won’t be a big issue.
Wow did not realize that I might be pronouncing Thalia incorrectly? There is a famous Mexican singer, Thalia, and that was the pronunciation I had in my mind (sort of like Tuh-leah). I otherwise may have consider TAHL-ee-uh (sort of rhymes with Polly-uh). Anyway I think it’s a great name regardless of pronunciation, but I guess I could see having to clarify the pronunciation if people have only read the name on paper.
I wonder if you would consider Penelope? Penelope and Corinna sound like sisters to me.
I’d like to suggest Morgana, since you like Morgan.
Morgana and Corinna.
I think it’s interesting how your last name makes some names sound like a comic book hero and others like a Beatrix Potter character.
Athena Fox – comic book
Flora Fox – Beatrix Potter
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Maybe Morrigan instead of Morgan? Morrigan Fox sounds less like Megan Fox and more feminine than Morgan.
Morrigan Fox. Morrigan Rose Fox. Corinna and Morrigan.
Another vote in strong support of Thalia!! It’s perfect with Corinna and you both love it. Lots of names have spelling variations that require people to spell out their first name. I think this would become an automatic thing to do when talking to anyone who needs to look up / spell her name. Please don’t rule it out!
I agree that Corinna and Thalia are fabulous together, but I have a name that I always have to spell (like Thalia, I have a less common spelling) and I definitely understand the desire for an easy spelling My personal line is that it’s okay if some people just aren’t familiar with the name (that will hapen with all but the most common names), but I will go with the most common spelling of any given name unless I have a strong reason not to. Thalia would fall in the latter category for me – but I can see how there’s a certain charm that changes when you shift to Talia.
Emerson and Morgan do feel a bit odd with Corinna to me, because they’re both pretty unisex. Not absolute no gos, but I do think I’d assume sister and brother, not sisters. I’ve never heard Morgan shortened to Morg, though, nor have I made the “morgue” connection. I think it’s a familiar enough name that it’s not a big deal if the sounds are a little weird.
I don’t think Arabella or Elowen have to be Bella or Elle (although Elle strikes me as a nice *underused* alternative to Ella or Ellie) – I would actually argue that having a familiar nickname is a nice pro for unusual names like that, because it gives her the option to blend in if she ever gets tired of having such an uncommon name. My son has a similar situation where he has an unusual name with an obvious and very common nickname (think Samson). He does get “Sam” occasionally, but we steadfastly call him “Samson” and if people ask, we say that we don’t really use “Sam.” After about 6 months, he mostly gets “Samson” – and I’m sure it would be higher if we were actively correcting people. If you actively dislike Bella/Elle and would be upset if your daughter chose to go by that, it may be worth avoiding, but I don’t think they’re inevitable.
I LOVE Anastasia and Lydia for you.
Thank you all for your help. Alternative nicknames for Morgan were very appreciated!
I think we’re going to be heading to the hospital with two names:
Thalia Rose
Morgan Rose
We’ll let you know!
I have to suggest Teresa or Theresa!
Swooning over Thalia Rose! Congratulation on your new baby whatever beautiful names you chose.
Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but the wildly popular Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan has a character named Thalia. I bring this up because the books are being made into a TV show right now, and I have a feeing it will popularize many unusual Greek names. I wouldn’t worry about people pronouncing it correctly in the future. Teachers and kids will know this middle-grade series, for sure.
Thanks for the intel, Jenny.
Lydia, Althea, Anastasia, Estelle and Callista have all continued to be talking points.
So much fun yet so much pressure to name a new human!
My name is Morgan. I must warn you that I do get called Morg but only by very close family.. I have a different nickname based on my initials that is more commonly used in the family. In middle school and high school my friends called me Morgie. I do think that the “morg” diminutives are likely to surface based on my experience with the name. It’s more of a question of how much it will bother you.
Nicknames my parents tried (but didn’t stick): Mimi, Morrie, Mo, Ginnie (hard G)
Up until I was about 10 (currently in my 20s) most people would think Morgan = male. Now everyone thinks Morgan = female. I don’t think you’ll have issues with people thinking Morgan is a boy name.
You may have already considered but there is also Morwenna for a more feminine option. Perhaps too similar to Corinna but I think it’s a sweet sister pair.
From your list, Thalia is absolutely perfect! Such a nice pair with Corinna. Thalia Emerson or Thalia Erin are both nice combos.
I also like Anastasia from Swistle’s suggestions. I think Anastasia would have less spelling confusion, since you mentioned it and doesn’t blend in as much as Arabella.
I also like the suggestion someone made of Thea. Or Theodora (which offers a bunch of nicknames, Dorothea works too). Corinna & Theodora are really pretty together.