Alright, berries, time to put on your lawyer hats!
I love doing these threads from time to time because I enjoy hearing thoughts on names I love and also because they really allow me to sort through how I truly feel about each!
Some of the names on this list will jump from my long list to my short list. Pick a couple names that you feel passionately aboutāeither because of how much you love them or how much you hate themāand convince me that I should love or hate the name as much as you do.
(You may pick as many names as youād like but I would rather hear a couple that you feel strongly about than vague feedback on all of the names).
Here is the list:
Wilder
Finley
Blake
Aspyn / Aspen (Iām leaning Aspyn but if you feel strongly one way or the other, convince me!)
Briar
Schuyler / Skyler (you can convince me on spelling, if youād like)
Ember
Winter
Poesie (POE-ess-ee)
Zelda
Maika / Myka (no strong leanings on spelling)
Zenith
Willow
[name_u]Ember[/name_u] - this is such a warm, bright name. It brings to mind campfires and fireworks, fireflies and starry nights. Itās soft but sparky, familiar in sound but distinct
[name_u]Wilder[/name_u] - this is such a fun name. Itās so full of life and vibrancy, itās outdoorsy and modern. Still, I feel like it has a quieter side too. Thereās something literary and gentle about it that you donāt quite expect when you first think about it
Zenith-I really love names ending in -ith. I just find them interesting, fun to say and beautiful in appearance. Itās such a powerful and bold name but the sounds have a sort of warm gentleness too.
Some I donāt like so much
[name_f]Myka[/name_f] (this doesnāt really apply to [name_f]Maika[/name_f], since I like the sounds): this reminds me a lot of YouTuber [name_f]Myka[/name_f] Stauffer (kind of controversial and I donāt know all the details but they adopted a baby with disabilties and then gave him up because they found it too hard to look after him, after theyād used his story, struggles and adoption essentially to make money and content. As i say, itās controversial and nuanced but it does remind me of that)
[name_u]Schuyler[/name_u] -I know this gives you the [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] association (not sure if thatās important to you) and I do really like the sounds, but every time I look at it, my head immediately pronounces it kind of like a retching sound -sorry
what a cool idea haha - i am here to convince you why aspen, zelda and ember deserve a permanent spot in your list
Summary
aspen / aspyn - i love seeing people love this name, it was one of my top ten favorites and it still stays firmly in my thoughts. it has a nature related meaning, which is always a plus - those beautiful and tall golden trees , as well as being soft yet gender neutral, and therefore make for a versatile name. nickname penny is adorable to see on a little baby or adult for that matter. even more exciting for you is how simple and intuitive the spelling is for most.
zelda - another old love of mine ! this name conjures up princess zelda from the video game franchise, which is, depending on your outlook could be a retro spin on a one of a kind name. z initials themselves are rare to come by, only adding to the quirkiness of this little name. like aspen, it shares the easy spelling and sound. iād love to meet a zelda ! also, āgray fighting maidā for a meaning has a very intruiging imagery
ember - i really like this more modern take on amber. it has a warm, friendly vibe, especially paired with nickname emi. it feels humble yet it has a fiery kick to it with its meaning, it could also be interpreted as the small hint of fire leftover, sort of like light at the end of the tunnel or remaining hope despite all the suffering in life, which could make for a lovely hidden meaning. it is certainly full of personality, and if not a childās name i could definitely see this on a character !
[name_u]Winter[/name_u] - This is my favourite name from your list! Itās a gp of mine and, although Iām not brave enough to name an actual child [name_u]Winter[/name_u], I would love to hear of/meet a little girl with this name . And as an added bonus, you have the option of using the nickname [name_f]Winnie[/name_f], which is adorable.
Name(s) I like:
[name_u]Willow[/name_u] - This was on my list to use in future but my cousin ended up naming her daughter [name_u]Willow[/name_u], and it saddened me to have to take it off my list (since I fee it would be odd to have 2 Willowās in the same family so closely related). So, instead, I recommend this name wherever I can to others because I still adore it. Itās such a soft, gentle name for a sweet little girl.
[name_u]Ember[/name_u] - I like the imagery of a nice warm campfire in a woodland area under the stars whenever I see/hear this name. It seems so precious and heart-warming, and also makes me smile.
Name(s) I like the least:
[name_u]Schuyler[/name_u] - Whenever I see this spelling, my brain always tries to pronounce it shoo-ler, even though I know itās pronounced skyler. And then it gives me imagery of an old brown boot, similar to the one in The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. I like the name, Iām just not a fan of this spelling, sorry!
[name_u]Schuyler[/name_u]
Iāve talked about this name in relation to you in the past. [name_f]My[/name_f] main reason I love it for you is the scholarly meaning. It feels like it fits in so well with your life philosophy (what I know of you from nameberry) of always learning and being open minded. I think the sound is also incredible, I love all the [name_u]Sky[/name_u] names.
[name_u]Ember[/name_u]
I know a girl by this name, and it feels like the perfect name. It is a widely recognized word, while not being frequently used as a word or a name. So simple to pronounce and spell. The perfect blend of modern, but has been recognized (as a word) for a long time. Plus the imagery! Fires, glowing coals, smoldering ashes. So gorgeous and strong. It also isnāt an extremely gendered name, which I would see as a pro for you.
[name_u]Zenith[/name_u]
This is literally my number one boyās name, so obviously I love it. It is such a large name, not in a bad way, but in the way that the universe is such a large place. [name_u]Zenith[/name_u] feels like endless possibilities. Itās abstract, even in meaning. I think the origin of the word zenith, meaning path, is very pleasant as well. I like that [name_u]Zenith[/name_u] is so obscure as a name, but yet it still is relatively well recognized as a word. I also love the unusual sounds, the Z and the -th ending. Such a great sound in a short name. I feel like this name has no gender association either, which is great for you.
The ones I think you can do without
[name_f]Maika[/name_f]
I actually really enjoy [name_f]Myka[/name_f] | [name_u]Mika[/name_u] | [name_u]Micah[/name_u] as a name, but I just canāt get on board with [name_f]Maika[/name_f]. The main reason I donāt think [name_f]Maika[/name_f] is the name for you is spelling vs pronunciation. If I would see [name_f]Maika[/name_f] written down, my initial attempt at pronouncing it would be mae kah. In fact, I keep saying that in my head as I write [name_f]Maika[/name_f] even though I know better. Thatās my only argument against [name_f]Maika[/name_f]. Again, I do love the sound of [name_f]Myka[/name_f], and would dissuade against that one!
[name_u]Blake[/name_u]
[name_f]My[/name_f] reason for disadvising you of this name is the sheer plainness of [name_u]Blake[/name_u]. It is missing the sparkle and wow that all your other favourites have. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if [name_u]Ridley[/name_u] and [name_f]Cosima[/name_f] are not my style, they have a flair and culture that is consistent throughout your name style. I feel like [name_u]Blake[/name_u] is missing that factor. I hope this isnāt too controversial of an opinion.
[name_u]Winter[/name_u] is a gorgeous name that feels like magical snowflakes and ice skating on a frozen pond and drinking hot chocolate!
[name_u]Ember[/name_u] is like [name_f]Amber[/name_f] but darker, rarer, prettier, and awesomer.
Poesie isnāt a bad name, but I instinctively would pronounce it like [name_f]Posey[/name_f] and I feel like a lot of other people would as well.
[name_u]Aspen[/name_u] is a name I used to love until I saw a BtN comment about how the user hated her name and got called ass-pen. That kind of ruined it for me.
Responding to a couple of things! Thank you for the lovely responses so far
@Greyblue the [name_m]Hamilton[/name_m] reference with [name_u]Schuyler[/name_u] is neither here nor there for me. If anything, I appreciate it for making the [name_u]Schuyler[/name_u] spelling more usable but I liked that spelling long before it became popular. Something about the tall ākā, low āyā, and tall ālā in Skylar/Skyler has always seemed jarring to me, and has given me pause about those spellings. But I did add [name_u]Skyler[/name_u] as an alternative if people feel strongly about it!
Also, [name_f]Myka[/name_f] would be my favorite āeasyā spelling if not for [name_f]Myka[/name_f] Stauffer as Iām way too familiar with the situation there. Itās really a shame but Iām trying to see if I can get over that because I love how the name sounds.
@eattacosforbreakfast to add to that, I seem to find a flaw for every spelling of the name. All of the ones I prefer would be difficult for spelling and pronunciation (my favorite is actually Micha!)
@Miss_Mayhem this is also why [name_u]Aspen[/name_u] give me pause, especially because another name site I used to use had super strict censorship, which meant that āAspen isā became āAs[ removed ]ā and that put me off the name. Thatās why I prefer the [name_u]Aspyn[/name_u] spelling, because it fixes that for me!
, as well as being soft yet gender neutral, and therefore make for a versatile name. nickname penny is adorable to see on a little baby or adult for that matter. even more exciting for you is how simple and intuitive the spelling is for most.
. And as an added bonus, you have the option of using the nickname [name_f]Winnie[/name_f], which is adorable.