The Name Game (for a girl)

[alleycat]

Just found out that DC3 is a girl. Hard part now is coming up with another girl name. I'd like to keep the criteria I used with my other two DDs. First name starts with a vowel, nothing too popular, preferable something different but not weird. Middle name starts with an 'A', and preferably short and feminine. And all names must be real names, not some made up name.

I don't want to use names that have been taken by other family members or friends so the following are out: Alicia, Allison, Ann, Annie, Amelia, Ashley, Ava, Ella, Emily, Emma, Esther, Isabella, Oliva, Irene.

Names I don't like are Andrea and Angelina. Names we've considered are Alexa, Arianna. and Elizabeth. Bonus if the first name starts with some aside from an A or E. Our last name is one syllable and rhymes with 'you'.

Hit me with your best shot and help me name my little girl. Thanks!

[BDKmom]

I will have to give this a little thought, but one name I liked for our DD that DH vetoed is Opal.

ETA: Also like Anabelle and Elyse. A good friend has a daughter Ellen and they call her Ellie, which I think is precious.

[wellyes]

Imogene
Ursula
Avery

[KpbS]

What about Evelyn? I love it.

Also Adele (DD mn), Annabel, Ariel, or Elise?

[crl]

Emmeline
Octavia
Adeline
Adele
Anais
Ainsley
Annabelle
Anastasia
Olive
Evangeline

[09Mom]

Ila
Ilana

[curiousgeorge]

Estelle
Olive

I'll keep thinking!

[infomama]

I think Isadore is a pretty name. You could call her Izzy. .so cute.

[AnnieW625]

A
Audrey (is my favorite girl name, but depending on your area it could be too trendy or popular; we knew two girls in our playgroup with that name so it was nixed for DD2)
Alexis
Alyssa
Abigail (again popular in my area)
Angela
Anita
Aubrey
Autumn
Avery

E
Elisa (this is DD1:))
Erica/Erika
Eleanor
Elizabeth
Ellie

I
Ivy
Imogene (although this is pretty old sounding)
Isla

O
Ottilie (no this is not made up, it's Austrian or Eastern European; my great grandma was Austrian of Jewish (we believe, her mom had a very Jewish maiden name, but we believe converted to Catholicism)/Catholic heritage)

U
Ursula (a friend in NC named her daughter this 9 yrs. ago and while I kind of thought about Ursula from The Little Mermaid, but the name totally fits her)

eta: can you give us the middle name? That might help (unless it is a maiden last name then I totally understand)

[TwinFoxes]

What about Evelyn? I love it.

That was going to be my suggestion.

Annika, Eden, Ileana, Isla, Ivy, India, Yvonne.

[DietCokeLover]

Abigail
Eva
Eliza
Elsa
Elenor
Aubry
Iris

[Ms B]

Names that meet these criteria that I was considering before we found out that DS would be a boy were Adele, Elyse, Alana (or Alanna, Alannah, and Ilanna (but not Ileanna because of the David Mamet play); Lana or Lani for short), Alexandra (Zandra or Zanna for short), Eleanor (or Elinor; Nora for short), Ilsa/Elsa, and Eloise.

Unfortunately, Denise Richards' youngest is an Eloise, and we wanted to avoid celebrity child names so we probably would not have gone that route, but ymmv.

I note that Evelyn is getting popular these days; there are two Evelyns in DS's class at daycare right now.

[sweet_pea]

Here are some "I" names:

Isla
Ilaria
Iliana
Ivy
Ina
Iona

Others:

Adele
Audrey
Anita
Alina
Anabelle
Antonia
April
Eileen
Emmeline
Eva
Una

[kdeunc]

Adare, Eden, Elleree

[artvandalay]

Anisa, Adele, Orla, Olive (I don't think Olive is anywhere near as popular is Olivia)

You can't go wrong with a classic like Elizabeth

[elliput]

A couple of unusual Norse names for you:

Yrsa
Ylva

[swissair81]

Alexis
Adele
Amelie
Anya
Eliana
Eden
Emme
Erin
Eva
Ivy
Isla
Odelia
Ora
Orly

[wendibird22]

Abigail
Erin
Oona
Orla
Alexa
Alexis
Eve
Eva
Ursala
Amy

[elektra]

My list (including some previously mentioned):
Audrey
Alina
Alyssa
Yvonne
Adele/Edell
Eve
Eva
Anisa
Alexandra
Isla
Elise/Elyse
Amaya
Alaina
Alana
Astrid
Anya

[lowrioh]

Esmé was one of my favorite names that DH vetoed.
I also like Alice and Iris.

[alleycat]

can you give us the middle name? That might help (unless it is a maiden last name then I totally understand)

Trying to come up with a middle name too. Starts with 'A', short and feminine.

[BabyBearsMom]

Trying to come up with a middle name too. Starts with 'A', short and feminine.

Ann/Anne
Ava
Aria
Alana
Abby
Agnes
Astor
Ari
Ada
Amy

[DietCokeLover]

Trying to come up with a middle name too. Starts with 'A', short and feminine.

Ada
Andi
Ainsley
Ashley

Evelyn Ashley would be pretty and feminine.

[Jai]

Two names that I have always loved are Elaine and Evangeline.

[kedss]

Amanda
April
Adeline
Emma

[Indianamom2]

One I don't think I've seen...Angellyn. It was my college roomate's name. different but pretty.

[american_mama]

Ava is the obvious fit for your criteria. It's very vowel-y, which are the sounds that are popular now, very feminine. It's just too popular for my taste. Ariel or Arielle would be another choice, although I think it sounds like a name from 15 or 20 years ago.

Other choices;
Eve or Eva (I like this more than Ava)
Elsa
Ellery
Elaine or Elaina
Evelyn (I hear this name more lately)
Edith (I don't like this, but knew a girl who went by Edie, which is cute)
Amber
Ayana or Amaya (both popular names at my DDs' school)
Audrey or Aubrey
Alyssa or Alicia
Arden
Arwyn
Alice (I heard of two babies named this in a short period of time and thought this was catching on, but that was years ago, so I guess it's not a trend)
Allison (again, sounds two decades out of date to me, but YMMC)
Amelia
Amelie (like Emily but starts with the AH sound... very French)
Amity (means frienship and is an old and uncommon trait name, like Faith and Hope)

Not a vowel beginning, but Layla is a lovely, feminine name with all those soft vowel sounds. It might suit your taste.

[AnnieW625]

Trying to come up with a middle name too. Starts with 'A', short and feminine.

What about A____ Elizabeth? Unless A really does have to be the middle name.

Ann/Anne always makes a nice middle name.

Add April to the A list.

[MSWR0319]

Alina
Avery
Aubrey
Elena

[ast96]

I love the names Eliza and Eloise. Both were on my list for this baby until my SIL named her baby an El name in January.

[anonomom]

My vote is for:

Eleanor Aisling.

The middle name is pronounced Ash-leen. I wanted that name desperately for DD2, but my niece's middle name is Ashlynn, and we thought it'd be too close.

[Tondi G]

My neighbors have a little one named

Amalie .... pronounced Ahh-ma-lee

[WitMom]

I love, love, love Arabella.

Has anyone mentioned Anika yet? What about Aine (pronounced An-ya)?

Ariadne?

[Jai]

The little girl across the street is named Aspen.

[Trigglet]

Some Celtic/Gaelic ones for you - they go in for lots of vowel names!

Iona
Ailsa
Elsa
Aiofe (pronounced eefa)
Aela (pronounced ale-a)
Aelwen (pronounced ale-wen)
Angharad (this was going to be my name, then they settled on Elizabeth!)
Anwen
Eilwen
Eirwen
Elinor
Elspeth
Enora
Enya
Imogen
Ishbel (also spelled Iseabeal in the Celtic form)
Ishy
Inira
Euphemia
Olwen
Oona
Orin
Ula
Yseult (depending on whether a 'y' counts as a vowel in your naming system!)

[MommytoEliana]

I haven't read through all the responses, so these may have been suggested, but...

Adria
Adeline
Adelina
Eliana
Emaline
Oriana

Good luck!

[mackmama]

Haven't gotten a chance to read the other responses-

Aspen
Arianne
Ariana
Arabella

[Uno-Mom]

My vote is for:

Eleanor Aisling.

The middle name is pronounced Ash-leen. I wanted that name desperately for DD2, but my niece's middle name is Ashlynn, and we thought it'd be too close.
I so would have loved to name Sprog Aisling but we knew it would always be either misspelled or mispronounced. We even tried to figure out a less traditional but more phonetic spelling. It didn't work out but I'm still a little wistful over it. Sigh.

My middle name is Evelyn. :). It's worked out nicely for me!

[citymama]

I love the name Iris. Also Esme, as in the JD Salinger story.

Congrats on DD3!

[ETA: no way, lowrioh: we're like, twins! I just read your response!]

[mskitty]

My vote would be for Audra. Different but very pretty.

Edna
Uma
Ingrid
Autumn
Olga


mskitty

[lalasmama]

One of my favorite names is Ysela (pronounced ee-Sella). I've met 2 Ysela's. One in middle school and one was an infant in one of my clinics that spelled it the traditional Hispanic way (Xisela I think it was).

Oh, and then there's my next baby girl's name, should I ever get to name a daughter: Acacia Annalene (uh-Kay-shuh ANN-uh-leen). We know 3 other Acacia's, however, they range from a teen to a toddler, so, around here, it's "known" but not likely to be Acacia D., Acacia R., and Acacia S. in one class :)

[klwa]

My first thought was Iris.

[hellbennt]

Odalys (ohdallas, ohdaleese)
Odaliz
Odalis

Ilka

Audrey
Alma

[lowrioh]

I love the name Iris. Also Esme, as in the JD Salinger story.

Congrats on DD3!

[ETA: no way, lowrioh: we're like, twins! I just read your response!]

Great minds clearly think alike :)

[alleycat]

Thank you for all the suggestions!

I think I've narrowed the middle name down to Adele, Audrey, or Alexa. Now just need to see which first names will flow with it.

[Ms B]

Odalys (ohdallas, ohdaleese)
Odaliz
Odalis

A caution on these: they all are derived from the French word "odalisque", which means, um . . . concubine. I know we have discussed teasing that could come out of a name on this baord before, and if your little girl decides to spend time in a Francophone area, these might be more difficult names to deal with.

[MommytoEliana]

Thank you for all the suggestions!

I think I've narrowed the middle name down to Adele, Audrey, or Alexa. Now just need to see which first names will flow with it.

Love the name Audrey! That was one of my contenders, too.

[hellbennt]

A caution on these: they all are derived from the French word "odalisque", which means, um . . . concubine. I know we have discussed teasing that could come out of a name on this baord before, and if your little girl decides to spend time in a Francophone area, these might be more difficult names to deal with.

:hug:I know it to be Spanish...I googled it and found:

"Odalys is a Spanish elaborated form of the Germanic Odilia"

and "Odalys is a Spanish girl name. The meaning of the name is `Wealthy`."

:shrug:

[MoJo]

Elizabeth Adele "You"

Isadore Alexa "You"

Olivia Adele "You" (I've heard Olivia is popular, but the last one I met was fifteen years ago. . . I actually know more Elizabeths!)

Evelyn Audrey "You" (but I tend to agree with the rising popularity of Evelyn)

Eleanor Adele "You"

A lot of the names I like start or end in "a" and I don't think that's the best choice with a middle name that starts with "A." But in case you disagree:
Iona
Ina
Ada
Adeline
Annabelle
Amanda
Anya
Aria
Annette
Eliana


I tend to think a longer first name goes better with the one syllable last name, and I tend to prefer a three-syllable first name if you use a two-syllable middle. But in case you disagree, I liked some previous suggestions:
Iris
Opal
Ilene
Yvonne

[amldaley]

What about Evelyn? I love it.

:yeahthat:

[crl]

Emmeline Adele "You"

Catherine

[alleycat]

Elizabeth Adele "You"

Isadore Alexa "You"

Olivia Adele "You" (I've heard Olivia is popular, but the last one I met was fifteen years ago. . . I actually know more Elizabeths!)

Evelyn Audrey "You" (but I tend to agree with the rising popularity of Evelyn)

Eleanor Adele "You"

A lot of the names I like start or end in "a" and I don't think that's the best choice with a middle name that starts with "A." But in case you disagree:
Iona
Ina
Ada
Adeline
Annabelle
Amanda
Anya
Aria
Annette
Eliana


Elisabeth Audrey and Elinor Adele is on my list.

DN is Isabella which is too similar to Isadore. Olivia is the name of a cousin.

I'm not totally in love with the name Evelyn tho I would love to call my little girl Evie b ut Idon't want to use a nickname as a given name. I saw Eveline once and thought that was nice but I'm sure it'll be mispronounced and not sure it's a real name.

Adeline is one of my favorite names, unfortunately DH nixed it.

[alleycat]

Emmeline Adele "You"

Catherine


I love Emmeline! When I suggested it to DH months ago, he made a face and asked if it was a real name. :(

[crl]

I love Emmeline! When I suggested it to DH months ago, he made a face and asked if it was a real name. :(

I hate that. My dh did that kind of thing too. But sometimes if I let some time go by and then suggested a name again he would have forgotten his previous reaction and like it. :ROTFLMAO: You could always give it a try. A beer ahead of time might help too. ;)

Catherine

[Babymakes3]

Some of these I like and some are people I know

Addison
Adelei
Adelina
Alyssa
Amaya
Avery
Elyse
Ellory
Illyana

[rlmomto5]

Avery
Atalie
Emory
Elle
Isabelle
Isabella
Annan
Olivia
Addison
Addy
Amelia
Abigail-Abbey
Allison-Ally
Anabelle
Alexandra-Alex
Ellison
Evie

[candaceb]

a neighbor just named her new baby Aurelia

[boltfam]

I don't think I saw Adrienne ( or Adrian) listed yet.

[AnnieW625]

Audrey is a pretty strong name for a middle name IMHO, but I really like it. I think you will need an equally strong name to tone down Audrey. Unfortunately the only vowel name I can think of that might work with Audrey would be Isabel Audrey; the others that might work do not start with a vowel, and the first two names that came to mind were Catherine, and Lauren. Charlotte, Johannah or Hannah might work too.

I loved baby name wizard, and nymbler when thinking of names for DD2.


I love Emmeline! When I suggested it to DH months ago, he made a face and asked if it was a real name. :(

My best friend named her eldest daughter Emmaline (after a road in Santa Cruz County, CA) and my first thought was WTH? is that kind of name. Of course I kept my thoughts to myself. They call her Emmy or Emma for short, so if you think that you might end up with nicknames think about that too as Emma and Emily were names on your original no list.

[Maggie'sMom]

How about Ophelia?