I have to say [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] would be my choice for a girl, but although I’m not a fan of [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Hattie[/name_f]!
As for the boy name, I think I would chose [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] [name_m]Edwin[/name_m].
I voted for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_m]Clemens[/name_m]. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is one of the most versatile girl’s names out there, and I just love the sound of [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f]. [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] just doesn’t appeal to me at all. [name_f]Hermine[/name_f] is very clunky, and not quite on the cool side of clunky, so this is strictly middle name material imo. Not to mention [name_f]Hermine[/name_f] will usually get “her-mine” from English speakers. I’m not sure [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] [name_m]Granger[/name_m] could help [name_f]Hermine[/name_f].
As for the boys, I voted for [name_m]Clemens[/name_m]. I love the name. I don’t like [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] because of the [name_m]Fred[/name_m]/[name_m]Ed[/name_m] thing, and [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] sounds like an old man. There’s nothing edgy or cool about it like some of the popular “old people names;” it just sounds old.
I voted for [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] and [name_m]Clemens[/name_m].
I agree with you on [name_m]Richard[/name_m] having no good nickname options–better as a middle name. [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] and [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] I view as two [name_m]Ed[/name_m] names, so that’s a no-go for me. [name_m]Clemens[/name_m] is handsome and romantic and has the family connection.
For girls, all 3 are nice. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is classic, and though popular, has tons of nicknames options which gives it potential to be a bit less common. [name_f]Hermine[/name_f] is pretty the way you say it, but I see it being butchered a lot. I though [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] sounds nice with [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f] and also has good nicknames options, so that’s my vote!
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f] and [name_m]Clemens[/name_m] [name_m]Edwin[/name_m].
I think [name_m]Clemens[/name_m] sounds better with [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] than [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] does (you have two “ed” names in one combination that way). I also think [name_m]Clemens[/name_m] is just a really cool name.
As for the girls, I think it could be husband’s pick, since the middle name honors your family (and it was reversed on the boy choice). [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f] sounds lovely, and I kind of like the heavy, repetitive “b” sounds with a “B” surname.
[name_f]My[/name_f] second choice for girls would be [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f]. It sounds wonderful, too, and you’ve already agreed on it. For boys, I guess [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] would be my second pick. I really don’t care for [name_m]Richard[/name_m] at all (like you said, the nicknames aren’t that great, and it’s the kind of name people like to shorten for whatever reason).
Thank you all for voting and thanks especially to those who commented!
@southernmaple The problem with pronunciation is actually one that I have been mulling over a lot. I love the name [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] but I am worried that many Germans will not be able to pronounce it or think it’s a boy’s name or surname. Likewise with [name_f]Hermine[/name_f], I think it would get mispronounced a lot in England. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is good in that way be cause it’s a name existing in Germany and England although pronounced a bit differently. So are [name_m]Richard[/name_m] and [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] by the way.
@emsky I never noticed the Fred-Ed thing before. I asked my husband about it and he thinks it’s something only nameberries would pick up on. But still, it has me thinking now.
@dovah I think [name_m]Clemens[/name_m] is an awesome name too. Myhusband is not convinced. He thinks it sounds too feminine. But he also pronounces it as [name_f]Clemence[/name_f] - with a short Clem rather than Clay. By the way, there was a funny incident yesterday where my husband and I were looking at the picture of what the embryo would look like now and he said “It looks like a clam!” And I was like “A-ha!! A Clem!” lol… I guess you had to be there.
There is also a fourth girl’s name I am totally in love with: [name_f]Leonore[/name_f]. It goes well in German (LAY-o-NOR-ruh) and English (LEE-o-nor) and it would honour my best friend and sister who are both called [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. It is probably my favourite girl’s name ever BUT I am worried it is too close to [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. Already there is heaps of confusion with my sister and friend both being called that… I thought maybe the baby could go by the nickname [name_f]Nora[/name_f] or [name_f]Noor[/name_f] or something like that, while my sister is [name_f]Leo[/name_f], but I’m not sure. What do you think? I have also considered [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] but I love [name_f]Leonore[/name_f] just a bit more…
I voted for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] but I much prefer [name_f]Leonore[/name_f]!
I love the [name_m]German[/name_m] pronunciation of [name_f]Leonore[/name_f] and Nore (pronounced the [name_m]German[/name_m] way) is an awesome nickname.
It’s a great way to honour your friend and sister and once you start calling her By her nickname most people will just follow.
I say go for [name_f]Leonore[/name_f]!
Thanks cheshirekat! I do really love the name. I like Nore as a nickname. Also [name_f]Lore[/name_f] and [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] are nice - though [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] may be too much of a stratch.
One other reservation I have is that two colleagues at work in my department have sons called [name_m]Leonardo[/name_m]. I know this may be silly but I feel like jumping in the [name_m]Leo[/name_m]-boat a bit…