A name with meaning for adopted girl

Girl Names
1

We are starting the process of hopefully adopting a little girl. She will keep her first name. BUT I want to change her middle name to either a family name or a name with meaning (chosen, long awaited, prayed for…).

Here are some family name options:

mother: [name]Carolyn[/name] [name]Elaine[/name]
[name]MIL[/name]: [name]Karen[/name] [name]Sue[/name]
grandmother: [name]Winona[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Ann[/name]
[name]GIL[/name]: [name]Judy[/name] [name]Kay[/name]

Aunts: [name]Shonda[/name], [name]Beverly[/name], [name]Paige[/name], [name]Carla[/name]…I don’t know if I could do one aunt and not have a problem…
Cousins: [name]Mia[/name], [name]Julia[/name], [name]Carissa[/name]…same issue as the aunts.

I’m just not falling in love with any family names. So, I am open to names with a kick-hinney meaning. :slight_smile:

2

[name]Dolly[/name] - Gift of God
[name]Evelyn[/name] and [name]Miriam[/name] - Wished for Child
In the bible [name]Hannah[/name] desperately wasnted a child but couldn’t conceive. She prayed to God and when He gave her a child she named him [name]Samuel[/name]. Maybe [name]Hannah[/name] or the girl version of [name]Samuel[/name]: [name]Samantha[/name]?

Not many, I know. But hope it helps none the less!

3

I thought of [name]Hannah[/name] and the story of [name]Samuel[/name] too!

[name]Elianna[/name] is a beautiful name and means “G-d has answered”
[name]Dorothy[/name] and its friends ([name]Dorothea[/name], [name]Theodora[/name]) mean “gift of G-d”
[name]Dora[/name] means gift

I hope one of these helps.

4

I think a name related to family would be particularly meaningful for your adopted daughter-to-be. I’ve thought about what we might choose if we adopted a child, and I think I’d want to give them the name of my absolute most beloved relative, or one of the family names that have been passed down through many generations. To me, giving one of those names says “I’m all in” more than giving a name with a poignant etymology.
I’m assuming you’re adopting a child who’s grown up enough to have some attachment to her name. That’s really admirable. I would have to get over my control-freak tendencies to give up choosing the first name, but those older kids need homes.
We can zhuzh any family-name you want. Which relative would you most like to honor?

[name]Carolyn[/name]: [name]Coraline[/name] or [name]Caroline[/name] …[name]Carina[/name] (“beloved”) [name]Carys[/name], [name]Charis[/name]
[name]Elaine[/name] needs no fussing, but there’s [name]Elena[/name], [name]Helen[/name], [name]Helene[/name], or [name]Helena[/name] (either pronunciation)
[name]Karen[/name]: again, [name]Carina[/name], [name]Carys[/name], [name]Charis[/name] …or [name]Reine[/name], [name]Wren[/name] (pronounced the same)
[name]Winona[/name]: [name]Winifred[/name], [name]Winter[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]: Too many variations to list. I love [name]Bette[/name]. Also [name]Elspeth[/name], [name]Lilibet[/name] ([name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]'s nn) Elixabete (it’s Basque, and maybe too out-there for an adopted kid, but cool right?) [name]Isabel[/name] and her variants, [name]Lillian[/name], [name]Bettina[/name]…
[name]Ann[/name]: [name]Hannah[/name] as Alyssa428 suggested, [name]Annika[/name], [name]Annabel[/name], [name]Annick[/name]…
[name]Judy[/name]: [name]Judith[/name], [name]Junia[/name], [name]June[/name]
[name]Kay[/name]: I like [name]Kay[/name] a lot, but there’s also [name]Cay[/name], [name]Kit[/name], [name]Catherine[/name] and her variants, [name]Caitlin[/name], [name]Katya[/name]… do you have any idea of the child’s heritage?

Also, I think it could be lovely to use a middle name linked her to her brother’s middle name. [name]Milena[/name], [name]Millay[/name], [name]Camilla[/name], [name]Emily[/name], [name]Millie[/name], [name]Maya[/name], [name]Myla[/name], [name]Mya[/name] (whoops almost your cousin’s name) [name]Myriam[/name] (stealing from [name]Blade[/name]) or Mirth (which I think would be amazing.)

5

I agree with emmabobemma, except I think it doesn’t really work to honor the relative and use that name to tie the child to the family if you change it a lot. The child herself isn’t going to think through how [name]Caitlin[/name] the same as [name]Kay[/name], [name]Junia[/name] kind of like [name]Judy[/name], etc. And I also think you should choose the name according to the significance of the relative, not so much the name. The meaning won’t be the same if you choose the name of a third cousin you never see but whose name you like as of the grandma that will be spending time cuddling the child. You know best how it resonates, but if that means [name]Judy[/name] or [name]Carolyn[/name] is the mn to chose, then choose it even if it’s not the exact name that’s your favorite. It will also help form a bond between that relative and your adopted child, which will help her transition and feel part of your family. So again the person may be more important than the name.

On the other hand, there are lots of names that have nice meanings. [name]How[/name] about [name]Amy[/name] or [name]Amanda[/name], which just mean loved? [name]Renee[/name] or [name]Renata[/name], reborn? [name]Destiny[/name], meant to be ours? And then all those biblical names that mean gift of God in some form.

6

You could also go with names that mean adored or beloved, as that’s what she’ll be.

examples:
[name]Darla[/name]
[name]Adora[/name]
[name]Eudora[/name] (means excellent gift)
[name]Imogen[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Theadora[/name]

7

I am LOVING these suggestions!

We may even narrow it down to 2-3 and let the little girl have the final say.

She is Hispanic.

I was daydreaming today and thought of [name]Caryn[/name] (a mix between [name]Karen[/name], my [name]MIL[/name], and [name]Carolyn[/name], my mother). too trendy? I don’t know. Now that I see it written I’m not in love…

I haven’t thought of linking it with [name]Elijah[/name]'s mn. That’s a cute idea and gives them a unique bond.

My very favorite story in the Bible is [name]Hannah[/name]'s story. My husband and I have struggled with infertility for years, and we have read and prayed over II [name]Samuel[/name] countless times.

I like the idea of [name]Myriam[/name] because of the meaning and similarity with [name]Myles[/name]. but it doesn’t have a good flow with her fn.

When things get further along with the process, I can actually share her name. Thanks for helping me out so much, especially with little to go on. :slight_smile: Y’all are the best!

8

I think it’s so great that you’re adopting an older child! They often get left in foster care, which is really sad.

It would be very sweet to link her middle name with your son’s. I like the suggestion of [name]Myriam[/name], which also means wished-for-child. It’s a shame that it doesn’t flow well with her first name, but maybe you could use it anyway? Or have it be a second middle name, so the flow would be better?

I also like the idea of [name]Hannah[/name], because the story means so much to you and your husband. It would be a great thing to tell your daughter. [name]Rachel[/name] and [name]Sarah[/name] also struggled with infertility in the Bible, so those could work too.

I don’t really like [name]Caryn[/name]. It’s meaningful, but it looks trendy, and you hear [name]Karen[/name], without any apparent [name]Carolyn[/name].

Congratulations on your daughter and best of luck!

9

I just went through this whole process of chosing middles for our daughter we are adopting. I went back and forth forever on chosing a family name versus a name to link her to me or her brother. In the end I picked a double middle ( like her brother) [name]Belle[/name] ( she’s beautiful!) and [name]Violet[/name] as I have a color name too. From your names [name]Carolyn[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Ann[/name] are classics that you couldn’t go wrong with. Good luck!

10

We’re excited at the possibility of adopting an older child too, [name]Aster[/name]. Yeah, I’m over [name]Caryn[/name]. Too trendy and I have to explain that my mom’s name is mixed in there. Meh.

I do like the idea of [name]Myriam[/name] and adding another middle name to help it flow…

Congrats on adopting your daughter, goodkarmavt! What a blessing! I love the middle names you chose for your little girl :slight_smile: