Tough time with girl's name

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Tough time with girl's name
13
Thu, 02-22-2007 - 11:13pm

I don't know what our issue is this time, but I'm pg with #2 and we just tcan't come up with a girl's name we like. We haven't found out the sex and we won't until birth so we need to have both options on hand. Here's our story - -

Our DD is 21 months and her name is Karoline Elizabeth. Karoline (with a K for the Danish spelling) is a name in each generation of my DH's family since the first generation of that family came to the US from Denmark. VERY FAMILY ORIENTED. Elizabeth is my middle name, and my mother's middle name (she dropped it when she got married; I kept it).

If this baby is a boy he will be William Phillip. One of DH's grandfathers and one of mine are both Williams. Phillip is DH's first name. That's a naming tradition in his family (1st son gets dad's first name as a middle name).

Basically we like "normal" or traditional names. I tend to like even older sounding ones than DH does; he vetos a lot of my choices because they sound "too old lady-ish". He doesn't come up with too many options for me to choose from though.

We both like Evelyn (his grandmother's name), but won't use it because we think his sister might want to use it. I like Helen and Margaret, but that's where I get the "old lady" comments; they couldn't be used as first names, but I might be able to win them over as middle names.

Some family names that could get used as first or middle names: Mary (not Marie), Ruth, Josephine, Helen, Abigail (I HAVE LOVED THIS NAME FOREVER, but am bummed it's becoming so so popular).

Things to avoid - Marie, Emma (my niece's name and too popular), Eva (a beloved grandmother, but too popular)

Things we like, for use in determining style, but that haven't stuck yet: Laura (fear of Little House on the Prairie theme even though I LOVE LHOTP), Lillian (on the too popular list)

The best thing, so far, that we have come up with is Lauren Mary; it just hasn't completely stuck yet. Lauren Margaret has a sound we like, but there are no family names in that. (Margaret is legal as a middle name, with DH, just not a first name. I LOVE it for a first name.) We like Allison, but our last name begins with A so we worry about the double As for initials. Abigail fits with this concern, too.

Anyway, there's some background info. I tried to give a lot so that you don't have to shoot in the dark. We like pretty traditional, normal spellings, and we're not really into "word" names like Grace and Faith and Hope - - especially since I'm a minister and we want to avoid things that are obviously religious. The poor children will have enough to deal with growing up so close in the church; we don't need to add to their "preacher kid" trouble. Bible names are OK, but definitely not a priority.

Any ideas?!?!?

Peace,
Stephanie
Karoline 5/12/05
EDD #2 6/12/07

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-13-2006
Sun, 02-25-2007 - 12:59pm

So sorry to hear about your cat! That's really tough.

From your original list, I love Josephine Margaret. You could even go with a more Scandinavian spelling (Josefine) to match your other daughter's name.

From your new list, I like Lauren Margaret best -- the 'e' middle names seem to run together with the first names a bit.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2007
Sun, 02-25-2007 - 3:33pm

LOL - I was going to suggest Grace!

I really like the names Lauren and Allison!

Other suggestions:

Charlotte
Savannah
Olivia
Lily
Kiresyn
Kiersten
Kendall
Camille
Kate
Clara
Jillian
Chelsey
Kelsey
Felicity
Emmeline
Kourtney
Madeline
Hayley
Anna
Helene
Megan
Bridet
Brooke
Ashlyn
Lindsay
Audrey
Sadie
Alexis
Bethany
Leah

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2003
Sun, 02-25-2007 - 8:51pm

Of the names you list as possibilities, I really like Laura or Mary best as first names. I much prefer Laura to Lauren, esp with sister Karoline. Laura is probably my favorite-- no one uses it these days and it's so pretty. How about:

Laura Josephine OR
Mary Abigail

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