Hello! I’m a long-time lurker, but thought it might be time to participate
I’m not a mum or planning to be one in the near future, but I do have a few names that have been rolling around my head for years, and I thought it would be fun to see what others think. Since these don’t belong to real little people (only barely hypothetical ones!) I’d be happy to hear your most honest opinions.
They are all family names, but I’m some one who’s flexible about the form of the name (so- [name]Ellen[/name] could be [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Nell[/name], or [name]Norah[/name]; [name]Margot[/name] could be [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Greta[/name], or heck even [name]Daisy[/name] or [name]Pearl[/name] and it would still ‘count’ in my family). The first two are my favourites, and the last two are ones that I like, but I seriously doubt I’d ever use. I just like the names and the stories that go with them.
I do like the fact that each of these names has five syllables total. The only major family name I’ve missed out is [name]Elizabeth[/name], but since almost half of my living female family members (on all sides…) have it or one of its versions as a first or middle…I think we’re covered. I’ve considered [name]Margaret[/name] Sunniva in the past, but something about it just doesn’t sit right in my head. From the ages of about 8 to 18, my favourites were [name]Norah[/name] [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Lucy[/name] [name]Kathleen[/name], and [name]Alys[/name] [name]Harriet[/name], but those seem a little blah to me now. I also have a beloved [name]Edna[/name] in my family, and secret love for that name, but I really think I’m alone on it (I’d use a nickname, probably [name]Teddie[/name], but [name]Neddie[/name] seems reasonable too).
I like [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Lucy[/name] the best. My second choice would be [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Ellen[/name].
The name [name]Margot[/name] always makes me think of the word maggot. I do like [name]Margaret[/name] though. I prefer [name]Carol[/name] spelled [name]Carole[/name].
[name]Margot[/name] [name]Roberta[/name] - I really like the name [name]Margot[/name] I think it’s underused, but I’m not a big fan of [name]Roberta[/name]
[name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Marion[/name] - I adore the name [name]Ingrid[/name], not so fond of [name]Marion[/name]
[name]Harriet[/name] [name]Alys[/name], [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Ellen[/name] - I love [name]Lucy[/name] (lol) and I like [name]Alys[/name] a lot as well, [name]Harriet[/name] just screams hairy to me, bleh
[name]Winifred[/name] [name]Ellen[/name], [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Alys[/name] - I love [name]Winnie[/name], but not [name]Winifred[/name], what about [name]Wynette[/name]? or just [name]Wynn[/name] or [name]Gwyn[/name] or [name]Gwyneth[/name] or [name]Guinevere[/name]?
Saphrona [name]Katherine[/name] - [name]Katherine[/name] is beautiful! Saphrona is one I’ve never heard, I think I’d like it better as mn.
[name]Carole[/name] Sunniva - I’m not sure how to pronounce Sunniva. Is it like [name]Sun[/name]-uv-uh or [name]Sun[/name]-ee-va? [name]Carole[/name] seems super dated to me.
[name]Winifred[/name] [name]Alys[/name] is my favourite of your combos, but if I could pick my own it would be [name]Margot[/name] [name]Alys[/name]. I love [name]Margot[/name]
I like [name]Edna[/name] too, but I like [name]Enid[/name] a little bit more, especially for the meaning. Have you heard sweet Edmée?
Sunniva [name]Margot[/name] and [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Alys[/name] would also be wonderful.
Seriously loving [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Marion[/name]! Two great, underused names that sound wonderful together. Also really liking [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Ellen[/name]. Great choices!
[name]Margot[/name] [name]Roberta[/name] - [name]Love[/name] the spunky [name]Margot[/name] but it doesn’t flow well with [name]Robert[/name] (GO and [name]RO[/name]). [name]Margot[/name] [name]Winifred[/name] perhaps?
[name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Marion[/name] - This is a fine combo but I think [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Maren[/name] would be softer.
[name]Harriet[/name] [name]Alys[/name], [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Ellen[/name] - [name]Harriet[/name] [name]Lucy[/name] nn [name]Hattie[/name] would be my fave here.
[name]Winifred[/name] [name]Ellen[/name], [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Alys[/name] (don’t like [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Lucy[/name]) - I like [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Alyse[/name] (can you add an “e” at the end?).
Saphrona [name]Katherine[/name] - I’m not crazy about Saphrona. [name]Sophronia[/name] maybe?
[name]Carole[/name] Sunniva - [name]Carole[/name] seems “dated” next to Sunniva. What about [name]Caroline[/name]?
[name]Margot[/name] and [name]Ingrid[/name] have been my top 2 for years! We may have matching sibsets. I love [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Marion[/name], but I don’t love [name]Margot[/name] [name]Roberta[/name]. What about [name]Margot[/name] [name]Ramona[/name]?
I agree that Saphrona is an odd name (and I assume that it’s a 19th century variant of [name]Sophronia[/name]), but it’s the one where I’m not as eager to switch it to a related name- partly because I like the personal history of Saphrona (she was one of my great-grandmothers, and a very neat lady), and partly because I find Saphrona more approachable than [name]Sophronia[/name]. Though I could use [name]Sophronia[/name] as a middle name, perhaps. Hmm.
[name]Margot[/name] [name]Winifred[/name] is one I haven’t considered, thanks!
[name]Margot[/name] [name]Ramona[/name] is pretty! I guess I’m fairly tied to the family-name thing. I’m not sure [name]Margot[/name] [name]Robina[/name] would be better than [name]Roberta[/name], but it’s the actual source (that, and all the [name]Roberts[/name]…)
Thanks! I think those are two of my favourites- both seem calm and serious (? maybe not the right word, precisely, but it’s an attribute I like in a girls’ name!), but could have funky nicknames if she liked ([name]Inga[/name], [name]May[/name]; [name]Hattie[/name], [name]Hetty[/name], [name]Nell[/name]).
Thanks for all the replies! Lots to consider, and thanks for all the changed-around combos. [name]Margot[/name] [name]Alys[/name] and [name]Margot[/name] [name]Winifred[/name] definitely need to go on the list.
dearest’s suggestion of Sunniva [name]Margot[/name] (maybe Sunniva [name]Margaret[/name]) is awesome, but what do people think about Sunniva as a first name in [name]North[/name] [name]America[/name]? (It’s a fairly common name in Norway and also found in northern [name]Scotland[/name].)
