A middle name for Lily that works for everyone?

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] has been our favorite, favorite name for ages and ages-- we get tired of it, sure, but we always come back to it, and so I think that’s a good sign, yes? I think [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is soft and feminine, yet spunky and with tons of professional appeal. Finding a middle name that appeases all ends, however, is a little more difficult. We needed a middle name that a) means something to us, b) doesn’t create unnecessary tension amongst my mother and his parents, c) sounds alright with [name_f]Lily[/name_f], and d) stands well as a respectable first name in case she decides she’s not a [name_f]Lily[/name_f]! We narrowed down our list of about 25 to just five but we are open to options!!

These are our “final” five for right now:
• [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
• [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
• [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
• [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f]
• [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]

[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f] are our attempts to honor my very close friend [name_m]Corrado[/name_m] (they’re the closest feminizations of [name_m]Conrad[/name_m]). Our other option had been to go with [name_f]Justine[/name_f] or [name_f]Justina[/name_f] as his middle name is [name_m]Justin[/name_m], but we’re not big on either.

[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Frances[/name_f] are forever favorites, but with [name_f]Lily[/name_f] I think I like [name_f]Frances[/name_f] better-- he likes [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]. [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] means “she who brings happiness,” which we adore and “bringing happiness” has special connections to us. [name_f]Frances[/name_f] ([name_f]Franny[/name_f] Glass) is the name of one of our favorite [name_m]Salinger[/name_m] characters-- we actually bonded over our love of J.D. [name_m]Salinger[/name_m] and have a son who is also named after another [name_m]Salinger[/name_m] character! [name_u]James[/name_u] is our newest guilty pleasure middle name, and possibly a nod at [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] (we are a book-loving, [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] obsessed little family). I think it sounds beyond amazing with [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and I really love it, although I am usually on the fence about using popular boys’ names for girls.

Which do you like best? Any suggestions? Thanks lovelies!

I’ve seen Conradina as a feminisation of [name_m]Conrad[/name_m] (and a genus of plant.) [name_f]Lily[/name_f] Conradina could work.

My favourite of your list is [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f].

I might suggest [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], as [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] is somewhere in the middle of [name_f]Frances[/name_f] and [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]. Factoring in [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m], perhaps you’d like [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Bellatrix[/name_f].

Other suggestions:
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_m]Salinger[/name_m]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Francine[/name_f]

Since you guys like books, [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Novella[/name_f] just popped into my head, not for everyone but I’ll throw that out there.

I love [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] from your short list! If you’re still looking for more options though I also like…

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Honora[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Mireille[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Ramona[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Temperance[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Sandrine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Amarantha[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]Adair[/name_u]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Aurora[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cosette[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Georgiana[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Astoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Kate[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Coraline[/name_f]

I think [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] are perfect. I also second [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Bellatrix[/name_f] if you’re big fans of [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m]. [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] is also really cute, although not to everyone’s taste.

I suggest
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] or [name_f]Jamesina[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cecile[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f] or [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
I also prefer [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] to [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f].
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] I helped!

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] is my favorite from your list! It honors your friend and it also has a great [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] reference (from [name_m]King[/name_m] Lear). [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] is also great!

I’m a little bit confused about the friend’s name. For [name_m]Corrado[/name_m], I would suggest [name_f]Cora[/name_f], and that’s short enough that you could squeeze in another, like [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] (I really like this one!). [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] would also work too. For [name_m]Conrad[/name_m], perhaps [name_f]Constance[/name_f] or [name_f]Constantia[/name_f], keeping the beginning syllable and also being a bit reminiscent of [name_m]Justin[/name_m]. [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Constance[/name_f] or [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Constantia[/name_f] would be gorgeous names.

Personally, I think that you don’t need both HP names.

Of your finalists, I like [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] best. Final choice would depend on which sounds best with the surname.

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] are lovely.
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] definitely made me think of HP. I like a pp suggestion of [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Hermione[/name_f]. [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] to me sounded like the couple and not one persons name.

I love [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]. I think I like [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] slightly more. Both are excellent choices though.

[name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] is utterly gorgeous!

I think all your choices are great. [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Esme[/name_f] is really pretty and also a [name_m]Salinger[/name_m] name.

I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]! I think [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f] is my favorite.

I’m not a fan of [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]. It does sound lovely, but I adore [name_u]James[/name_u] as a boy name, and it will always be masculine to me. Also, there is an actress that goes by [name_f]Lily[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] who was in Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] and [name_f]Cinderella[/name_f]. She’s absolutely gorgeous, but people might ask if your daughter is being named for her.

I like [name_f]Francine[/name_f] or [name_f]Francesca[/name_f] as alternatives to [name_f]Frances[/name_f]. As a “J” alternative, some possibilities are [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Janice[/name_f], [name_f]Julia[/name_f], or [name_f]Jetta[/name_f].