All over the place! (long)

Girl Names
1

So, [name_u]Baby[/name_u] Number One is on the way, and we are at a standstill in terms of naming him/her. I love names, have always loved names, and thought this would be easy! Ha. I think it’s actually making it harder.
Some background, baby will be 1/4 Vietnamese and a Cherokee tribal member, so honoring his/her heritage in some way would be nice. Last name is two syllables and isn’t spelled phonetically in English, and rules out names with a lot of “f” or “ph” sounds. Absolutely nothing too common.
If it’s a boy, his name will be either Whittier [name_u]Jude[/name_u], called [name_u]Whit[/name_u], or [name_u]Winslow[/name_u] [name_u]Jude[/name_u], called [name_u]Win[/name_u]. We also considered [name_m]Archer[/name_m], [name_u]Arlo[/name_u], [name_m]Leo[/name_m], [name_m]Penn[/name_m], and [name_m]Wilson[/name_m] for first names and [name_m]Warren[/name_m], Thai, and [name_m]Kaspar[/name_m] for middles.
Girls names are so much harder, I think because I’m so much more opinionated about them. My wife isn’t, but she does have some opinions: no hard d’s, and she likes simple and sweet names. I like frilly, slightly exotic, uncommon names, usually ones that end in “a.” Neither of us like creatively spelled names, made up names, or the names from our generation ([name_u]Ashley[/name_u], [name_f]Lauren[/name_f], [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], [name_f]Jessica[/name_f], [name_u]Kelsey[/name_u], etc)
The one name we can agree on most is [name_f]Liliya[/name_f]. She really, really likes [name_f]Lily[/name_f], and I fell in love with [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] when I first heard it years ago. [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] is how I first saw it spelled, and is the Slavic spelling. Would it be weird to have a Slavic name next to non-Slavic names of future children? The easy answer is spell it [name_f]Lilia[/name_f], but I’m not sure I like that as much, and am concerned about how people would pronounce it at first glance.
Other names we’re considering:
[name_u]November[/name_u], called [name_f]Nova[/name_f] or [name_f]Emme[/name_f]
[name_f]Nova[/name_f]
[name_f]Zahra[/name_f]
[name_f]Ramona[/name_f], called [name_u]Romy[/name_u]
[name_f]Persephone[/name_f], called [name_u]Peri[/name_u]
[name_u]August[/name_u], called [name_m]Augie[/name_m]
Zohra or [name_f]Zora[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f], called [name_f]Lia[/name_f] or [name_u]Rae[/name_u]
[name_f]Ama[/name_f]
[name_u]Elia[/name_u]

In terms of middle names, we’re stuck. Names that honor my side of the family that are usable are [name_m]Wil[/name_m], Storey, and [name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]. I’m also liking the idea of using the middle to honor the birthplace of the baby (and my birthplace), [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], with either [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], Alyeska, or Soldotna. I’m unsure, though, if that’s a bit too much to put on a kid, even in the middle spot.
I also wouldn’t mind giving the child her Vietnamese name as the middle. Some Vietnamese names we like are [name_m]Thao[/name_m] (pr. like the greek letter Tau), Hop, Minh, or Trinh.
For various reasons, these names are names I love but can’t use:
[name_f]India[/name_f]
Talulah
[name_f]Petra[/name_f]
[name_f]Priya[/name_f]
[name_f]Asha[/name_f]
[name_f]Allegra[/name_f]
[name_f]Atlanta[/name_f]
[name_f]Delfina[/name_f]
[name_f]Soraya[/name_f]
Nayira
[name_f]Nayeli[/name_f]
[name_u]True[/name_u]
[name_f]Ro[/name_f]

And these are names she likes but can’t use:
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Molly[/name_f]

Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions? Advice? Please help us!!

2

I actually prefer the [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] spelling to the [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] one. It looks lovelier visually to me.

I like [name_f]Alaska[/name_f] and [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] off of your list. [name_u]November[/name_u] is interesting, but is a little silly if she’s not born on that month.

3

I think [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] is lovely, and I don’t think the Slavic spelling would be an issue, since most people probably wouldn’t know the difference. I also like [name_u]November[/name_u], [name_f]Ramona[/name_f] and [name_u]Elia[/name_u] off your first names list, but I favor [name_f]Liliya[/name_f]. I think [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], Alyeska and Soldotna are totally usable as middles or [name_f]Alaska[/name_f] as a first, but I also like Storey, [name_m]Peregrine[/name_m], and [name_m]Thao[/name_m]. [name_m]How[/name_m] are Minh and Trinh pronounced? That might make a difference in the name a whole. Have you considered Thien? I don’t know much about Vietnamese names, but the site I found it on says it means [name_f]Heavenly[/name_f], and there’s no hard d, it’s short and sweet, and its exotic, something you both might like?

4

I really like…

[name_f]Alaska[/name_f] [name_m]Thao[/name_m]
[name_f]Nova[/name_f] [name_m]Thao[/name_m]
[name_f]Zora[/name_f] [name_f]Alaska[/name_f]

[name_f]May[/name_f] I suggest…
[name_f]Amara[/name_f]
[name_f]Aveline[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_f]Lelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Nola[/name_f]
[name_f]Pandora[/name_f]
[name_f]Thalia[/name_f]

5

[name_f]Selah[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Amaya[/name_f]
[name_f]Anya[/name_f]
[name_f]Brisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Layla[/name_f]
[name_f]Sanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Senna[/name_f]
[name_f]Caia[/name_f]
[name_f]Zilla[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalina[/name_f]

6

I think [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] is better, aesthetically. In theory, [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] would help ensure you had three clear syllables (Li-lee-ya) instead of a more smushed version ([name_f]Lil[/name_f]-ya). But, in these days of people adding extraneous Ys to names like they are competing for a prize, who knows. I honestly think it might confuse people even further. But, either way, [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]/[name_f]Liliya[/name_f] is by far my favorite off your girl’s list.

7

I like [name_f]Liliya[/name_f], and I don’t think spelling will be an issue as both [name_f]Liliya[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] look lovely in my opinion.

Your List:
[name_u]November[/name_u], called [name_f]Nova[/name_f] or [name_f]Emme[/name_f]- Unless she is born in [name_u]November[/name_u] this is a big no-no. Also a no-no if she IS born in [name_u]November[/name_u].
[name_f]Nova[/name_f]-Always loved this.
[name_f]Zahra[/name_f]- [name_f]Love[/name_f]!
[name_f]Ramona[/name_f], called [name_u]Romy[/name_u]- [name_f]Adore[/name_f] the nickname but I don’t really like [name_f]Ramona[/name_f]
[name_f]Persephone[/name_f], called [name_u]Peri[/name_u]-[name_m]Both[/name_m] nickname and full name are gorgeous. Doesn’t look like it will fit with the middles you’ve mentioned.
[name_u]August[/name_u], called [name_m]Augie[/name_m]- Again, if she isn’t born in [name_u]August[/name_u]-NOPE!
Zohra or [name_f]Zora[/name_f]-I like [name_f]Zora[/name_f] better, very pretty.
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f], called [name_f]Lia[/name_f] or [name_u]Rae[/name_u]- Beautiful full name, but not too fond of [name_f]Lia[/name_f]. [name_u]Rae[/name_u] is okay, I guess. Doesn’t seem to fit with the middles youv’e mentioned.
[name_f]Ama[/name_f]-Seems to short, and appears more of a nickname.
[name_u]Elia[/name_u]-It’s alright…

I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], it’s great as a middle but have you thought of using it as a first? It’s fab in either position.

Have you thought about:
[name_f]Thea[/name_f]
[name_f]Thalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f]
[name_f]Cilka[/name_f]
[name_f]Naretha[/name_f]

[name_f]Lovely[/name_f] names :slight_smile:

8

Thanks for the feedback!!
Minh and Trinh are pronounced somewhere between Meen and [name_u]Min[/name_u] and Treen and Trin. We originally really liked [name_f]Ama[/name_f] because it means water in Tsalagi (the Cherokee language—it also means salt, but I digress). I mentioned to my partner that I liked [name_f]Amabel[/name_f] because [name_f]Ama[/name_f] does seem too short, but she didn’t like it. Any other suggestions for longer versions of [name_f]Ama[/name_f]?
We’re also considering [name_f]Mayim[/name_f], nickname [name_f]May[/name_f], and [name_u]Tora[/name_u].

9

I have a cousin named [name_f]Amalee[/name_f] (pronounced [name_f]Ama[/name_f]-lee). I love [name_f]Zahra[/name_f] from your list. If you like [name_u]November[/name_u], perhaps you will like [name_u]Ember[/name_u]? [name_f]Alaska[/name_f] feels very usable to me.

10

I also like [name_f]Mayim[/name_f], nn [name_f]May[/name_f]. [name_u]Tora[/name_u] is close to [name_f]Tori[/name_f], and I don’t much care for that name, but if you do, go for it! What about [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] or [name_f]Amalia[/name_f] with the nn [name_f]Ama[/name_f]?