Alright, we are adopting a 4 year old girl from [name]Russia[/name]. Her given Russian name is [name]Anastasia[/name]. We will keep that as her middle name. She’s currently being called [name]Nastia[/name] so perhaps an N first name to help the transition would be nice. We have 15 month old twin girls [name]Audrey[/name] [name]Lillian[/name] ([name]Lillian[/name] is family) and [name]Harper[/name] [name]Grace[/name].
We need suggestions for our sweet Russian princess. We like out of the top 500 names but still pronouncable ([name]Harper[/name] was an accidental surge in popularity). I’ve suggested no less than 200 names in the last day alone and Hubby only gave me a maybe on one - [name]Elise[/name].
Any other ideas? Oh and last name is a “G” and and sounds similar to Boil.
Um, I’m sorry, but I think a 4yr old would have a very hard time with a name change. Unless she really hates her name. I have an almost 6yr old that absolutley loves her name & I think she’d be very confused if her name was changed.
I would advise you to keep her name as [name]Anastasia[/name]. A four-year-old will have a lot of adjusting to do with her new life so I don’t think it would be wise to change her name at this late stage. She most probably identifies herself as [name]Anastasia[/name] already and the name is very pretty.
[name]How[/name] exciting to be adding to your family! Congratulations. I hope you don’t take offense to this, but I really think it would be nice to keep her given name in the first name place. She has identified with her name as part of her who she is as a person being four years old at this point in time. Adapting to a new family, new country, new langauge and culture is bound to be difficult. Why should she have to change her name as well? [name]Anastasia[/name] is a lovely name. [name]Anna[/name] is a nice nicname that goes well with her sister’s names as well.
I think it would be more detrimental to a 4 year old go to school in [name]America[/name] being called [name]Nastia[/name]. Before we considered changing her name, we researched this thoroughly and consulted school psychologists who have agreed with us. We will keep [name]Anastasia[/name] should she ever wish to use it and we will call her [name]Nastia[/name] + new name to help her transition. Also keep in mind that an American 4 year old who has had all the opportunities in the world will be far more advanced than a 4 year old who has been neglected in a poor russian orphanage for 4 years.
I tend to agree with pp, at 4, changing her name may be a pretty big upset, especially with all the changes moving to a new country and having a new family, etc. Plus, I think [name]Anastasia[/name] is a lovely name–could you maybe just change a bit to call her [name]Ana[/name] instead? I knew an Anstasia who went by that…or maybe even [name]Stace[/name]/[name]Stacey[/name]?
If not, and you’re set on changing it to something with an ‘n’, what about…
There is no qestion that [name]Nastia[/name] is a no-go here in the US, but adapting a new nicname from [name]Anastasia[/name] could work, don’t you think?
Hmmm. I am seeing your delima better now. But the fact remains that she has a name already and changing it is certianly not something to be done lightly in my opinion.
Congratulations on your adoption! I plan on adopting as well and I completely agree regarding the nn [name]Nastia[/name]. I love it, but I just don’t think it works in American culture, and poor little [name]Nastia[/name] has enough adjusting to do on her own without dealing with the teasing that other children could give. It sounds like you haven’t taken this decision lightly at all and have agonized over it, which shows how complicated the situation of changing names can be! I don’t think most adoptive families change their children’s names vindictively, just out of spite since they don’t like the name, but it seems like a lot of people on name boards assume it is that way.
If you like [name]Anastasia[/name] I agree that there are other nns you could use ([name]Anna[/name], [name]Annie[/name], [name]Anya[/name], [name]Stasia[/name], [name]Asia[/name], etc.), but it could very well be that she would love having a new name! I know a lot of adopted children who have begged for a clean break from their history before their adoption, and fully embrace their new names (and often are the ones who ask if they can have a new name!), so I don’t know that it’s all as bad as many people on name forums usually make it out to be (although I’m not a parent yet, so what do I know? :))
I just want to make sure I understand–you want your daughter’s name to be within the top 500 of the SSA list, or outside of it? [name]Both[/name] [name]Audrey[/name] and [name]Harper[/name] are within it, I believe, so that is what I figured you wanted, and then I looked at your post again and I’m not so sure anymore!
I think [name]Penelope[/name] would be really nice with [name]Audrey[/name] and [name]Harper[/name], although I think [name]Penelope[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name] would be a bit much. You could use the nn [name]Nell[/name], though, which would have the “N” connection. [name]Eleanor[/name] nn [name]Nell[/name]/[name]Norah[/name] or [name]Nadia[/name] might be nice, as well.
Is [name]Anna[/name] really off the table or is there room for continued consideration? I get that it is a form of the [name]MIL[/name]'s name -but it is also part of this child’s own name as well.
Does the decision need to be made quickly? Maybe a new name or nicname will happen organically. Perhaps as [name]Ashley[/name] mentioned she will be more than happy to take on something new.
[name]Natalie[/name] was what first occured to me when I heard [name]Nastia[/name]. I also think [name]Stasia[/name] is nice.
[name]Anna[/name]/[name]Ana[/name] is definately out. Not only because of [name]Anne[/name], but the grandkids call her [name]Annie[/name], it’s way too close for us. And to clarify on the 500 thing. Out of 100 is a requirement and I’d prefer it to be out of 500.
I like [name]Nell[/name] and [name]Norah[/name]. Hubby just said “no”. He has also said no to [name]Estelle[/name], [name]Estella[/name], [name]Willow[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Imogen[/name], [name]Violet[/name], [name]Seraphina[/name], [name]Selah[/name], [name]Beatrice[/name], [name]Prudence[/name], [name]Hope[/name], [name]Cadence[/name], [name]Esther[/name] and on and on.
I’m not 100% opposed to [name]Anastasia[/name] having to be the middle name, but even if it were the first name it’s way too much name for me and I’d likely call her by her middle name.
You could try [name]Natasha[/name], similar to [name]Nastia[/name] but more acceptable. But that might be more confusing. I’d second using [name]Ana[/name] or [name]Anya[/name] as another nickname variation from [name]Anastasia[/name], but if you don’t want to, I like a lot of the N names that have already been mentioned:
[name]Nora[/name]/[name]Norah[/name]
[name]Nellie[/name]/[name]Nell[/name] (possibly short for [name]Eleanor[/name] or [name]Penelope[/name])
I do agree that it would be hard to be a little girl named [name]Nastia[/name] in the United States, most likely. I really like the suggestion of [name]Nadia[/name] because it has a very similar feel without the nastiness. Maybe you could also try just shortening [name]Nastia[/name] further to [name]Tia[/name]. [name]Tia[/name] is simple and sweet and would sound familiar because of the popularity of [name]Mia[/name] but isn’t likely to be anywhere on the top 500.
Other pretty N names I haven’t seen people list yet:
[name]Norabel[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name]
[name]Noelle[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name]
[name]Nellie[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name]
Lynae - I love [name]Natalie[/name] - DH said no [name]Stasia[/name] reminds me of [name]Stacey[/name] which has some negative connotations.
And to make it more complicated, we have to have the name decided on within a few days of meeting her and well before we’d know her personality… They require it on the paperwork you have to submit to officially “accept” the child. So we’ve got about 6-8 weeks to pick one.
It took us until we were on the way to the hospital to decide on the twins names and even then I think DH would have waited longer if he could have. I keep trying to have him come up with the lists since he’s so good at saying no but that hasn’t happened yet.
I like [name]Tia[/name] as well. I don’t like the spelling though. Is Taea too weird? Or [name]Teah[/name]? Any other possibilities using some silent characters? I normally hate names i can’t spell by hearing, but she’s worth an exception
[name]Stasia[/name] reminds me of [name]Stacey[/name] which has some negative connotations.