[name]Anna[/name] is great, not boring. And it’s classic, like [name]Louis[/name] and [name]Edouard[/name]. I know a 9-year-old [name]Anna[/name], and she’s gorgeous and sweet and very smart and talented.
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No, I would not choose a family name that I “kind of” liked over a name that I loved. Naming a child is such an honor and a privilege, and I would hate to see the opportunity “wasted” (for lack of a better term) on a name that you felt obligated to use. I think your daughter will want to know that you gave her a name that you LOVED, regardless of whether it is a family name.
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I don’t think it’s important at all that your third child has a family name even though her siblings do. I’m a huge proponent of naming each child as an individual and not as part of a matching crew. There will be other ways that she can form special family connections that don’t have to be name-related. I am the only one of four daughters to have a family name in the middle (my dad gave me my mom’s first name as my middle name). There has never been any jealousy over it or even any thought given to it! Kids don’t over-think things like that. [name]Even[/name] in adulthood, my sisters, I’m sure, have never thought of it as any sort of unfairness. Their names are their names, and they never questioned whether they “should have” had something different, apart from that occasional longing to have one of the “cool names” that their peers had (and all children feel that, I think). I think that when you name this child, you should name her as though she’s the only child you have; a name is an amazing gift, and you want to give her the best you’ve got. If you didn’t have two children already, what would you name this one? That, in my opinion, is what her name should be, because it’s obviously the name you love most.
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The answer to this is mostly included in my above paragraph, but if you would feel more comfortable giving her two middle names to fulfill the family-name tradition yet still give her a first name that you [name]LOVE[/name], then I’d say go for it.
In response to one of your questions:
I absolutely would go for a family name (or a name with some type of special meaning to me) over a name I just really loved. A family name will always, always have that significance, and it will be objectively significant. If I really love the name [name]Kate[/name], I may not feel that way in 5 years. My daughter [name]Kate[/name] may not share that love of the name. But if [name]Kate[/name] is my grandmother’s name, or if [name]Kate[/name] is otherwise significant to me, that will never go away. Grandma [name]Kate[/name] will always be related to little [name]Kate[/name], and always an important person.
That said, I think you should love the name. Maybe use [name]Anna[/name] as a middle and use a first you really like, possibly with two middles as you said, or play with how to incorporate [name]Anna[/name]. It means “[name]Grace[/name],” and there are tons of international variants (like [name]Anouk[/name], [name]Anya[/name], and [name]Annika[/name]) so perhaps you’ll still find something you love.
I really love the name [name]Anna[/name], it is absolutely gorgeous and I like how “classic” it is. It is a strong, feminine choice and I don’t think it’s boring at all. Also, you won’t have to worry about it going out of style!! If you still think it isn’t special or different enough, have you considered using two middle names instead of one? I like:
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Judith[/name]
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Kimberly[/name] [name]Judith[/name]
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Isabella[/name] [name]Judith[/name]
Good [name]Luck[/name]!!!I think [name]Anna[/name] is okay…how about [name]Hannah[/name]? I absolutely [name]ADORE[/name] [name]Hannah[/name]!
[name]Anna[/name] is not boring- it’s amazing! It’s perfect with your sons names.
[name]Anna[/name] is so beautiful. Perfect especially if you need it to work in two languages. [name]Anna[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] is a spectacular name!
[name]Anna[/name] is a wonderful name (at least if you ask me, the [name]Anna[/name] lover :D).
I think it’s a strong and beautiful name, and it goes well with [name]Louis[/name] and [name]Eddie[/name].
Hmm…
Personally [name]Anna[/name] [name]Judith[/name] is stunning. [name]Anna[/name] is a gorgeous classic, very light and airy. I love her understated feel. She’s refreshing like my favourite girl’s name at the moment - [name]Jane[/name]. [name]Anna[/name] has this really lovely feel and actually works with your son’s names rather well as they’re all bilingual classics. [name]Anna[/name] [name]Judith[/name] sounds so understated and graceful. J’adore this combination.
xxx
I don’t think [name]Anna[/name] is boring. I think it is pretty on it’s own but if you feel like it, you could go with [name]Annabel[/name], [name]Annalise[/name], [name]Annabeth[/name], etc.
[name]Anna[/name] is beautiful! It’s one of my very favorite names! (And I’m picky so that’s saying a lot :).
[name]Anna[/name] is a great name. My cousin recently named her little girl [name]Anna[/name]. I think it’s lovely and goes well with your boys’ names.
[name]Anna[/name] is lovely and classic, but terribly overused. I’d go with [name]Anais[/name].
I didn’t see anyone suggest this name but if you are looking for [name]Anna[/name] in a longer form I’d choose [name]Annaliese[/name]. I think it is GORGEOUS! I love how it rolls off the tongue, it’s classy, feminine and sophisticated.
Here are a few more I thought of:
[name]Analeigh[/name]
[name]Anya[/name]
[name]Annabeth[/name]
Annalyn
[name]Anais[/name]
[name]Analee[/name] (ah-nuh-lee)
[name]Annamarie[/name]
Annajoy
Annasty
I have always loved the name [name]Anna[/name] and wanted to use it for my DD - She is [name]Johanna[/name] since DH vetoed [name]Anna[/name].
That said - go with a name you love, like [name]Josephine[/name], especially since it is on husband’s short list too!
I think [name]Anna[/name] is a beautiful name, that (like [name]Jane[/name]) could fit any girl. However, if it’s not a name you really love I think you should let it go or possibly use it as a middle. I’ve never personally loved my own name, but I know how much my mother does and that’s always been its saving grace.
I adore [name]Anna[/name] and would name a baby girl [name]Anna[/name] no problem ( except DH has a bad image of the name due to a snobby girl he knew… oh well)
But I think it is classic but unexpected! I don’t know ANY little [name]Anna[/name]'s!
I like [name]Anna[/name]. I like how it translates across so many cultures.
[name]How[/name] do you (and husband) feel about [name]Anouk[/name]?
I agree with your husband about [name]Anais[/name]. I really loved it for years, but ultimately can’t get over the anus sound.
To answer your question: I would definitely choose the name you love best for the first name. Then use the family name(s) in the middle. [name]Josephine[/name] [name]Mary[/name] is perfect on its own. Adding another middle name could work, but risks detracting from it by making it too long and/or making it sound like a list of names.
I think that your best choice is [name]Josephine[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Anna[/name]. All three are beautiful classic names, and include the element of honouring family, which I do think is important but does not have to be in the first name spot. Plus it works well with your boys names.
Good luck!