I have long loved [name_f]Helena[/name_f], but she never makes an appearance on my list because I find her SO hard to pair up. She’s a variant of a family name, which I love, and I love the nn potential, as well as how timeless and almost regal [name_f]Helena[/name_f] feels.
Literally THE only [name_f]Helena[/name_f] combo I’ve ever liked is [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Juno[/name_f]. Which is fine. She’s lovely, and feels very beachy to me, thanks to a type of shell called “[name_f]Juno[/name_f]'s volute” (which I also rather like, because my mom loves shells, has at least one [name_f]Juno[/name_f]'s volute, and the beach has always been a very healing place for me–I know I can always go there on my worst days and find peace and release from everything going wrong), but as a [name_m]Christian[/name_m], I just… don’t feel comfortable naming my kid after a god/goddess that I don’t believe in. If that makes sense. I know not all Christians feel that way, but it kinda rubs me the wrong way–enough to feel like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Juno[/name_f] could never be a serious contender, anyway.
So I’m wondering about another name to replace [name_f]Juno[/name_f]. Any ideas? I tried something a bit beachy/watery, like [name_f]Maris[/name_f] and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f], but no luck there (although I AM wondering about something like [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f]?), and I don’t like any other [name_u]June[/name_u] names, really, so I’m not necessarily looking for something that’s a variant of [name_f]Juno[/name_f]. I thought about something short, sweet, and spunky, but though I find [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Iris[/name_f] nice for someone else’s kid, it lacks excitement for one who might one day be mine? I could use some help here!
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Coco[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Skye[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Shelby[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Myrtle[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Coral[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Tulip[/name_f] (flowery like [name_f]Iris[/name_f], but you can also get tulip shells?)
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Merry[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Olive[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Miriam[/name_f]
Not sure if this is helpful, but I looked up the names of other volute shells and that could give you
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] or [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Evelina[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Perry[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Gray[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Erica[/name_f] (not sure on the flow of this though)
[name_f]Kaia[/name_f] [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is nice btw
Thanks, everyone! What does everyone think of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]? [name_m]Just[/name_m] a cursory idea, but I love the punch of color, in my mind, that [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] brings? “M” names are bright pink and bold and brave in my mind, and [name_f]Helena[/name_f] is a bit of a pale sandy color. I have never been a MASSIVE [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] fan, although I do like it (just don’t [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it), so I’m wondering about other names that feel fiery and strong and European and sweet like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] does. (Which brings me back to [name_f]Maris[/name_f], but I like [name_f]Maris[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] [[name_f]Jane[/name_f]] much better than I like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Maris[/name_f]…)
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Aviva[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Harbor[/name_u] (although I have [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] [name_u]Harbor[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u], so I’m not sure I want [name_u]Harbor[/name_u] in both places?), and [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] have intrigued me, but mostly because I just really love [name_f]Esther[/name_f], [name_f]Aviva[/name_f], and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] and wish I could find a home for all three… I’m wondering if I might be able to include [name_f]Esther[/name_f] in with [name_f]Helena[/name_f] somewhere, though, because I remember seeing a birth announcement for a [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f], and thinking it was such a lovely choice. I don’t know about [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f], but I was thinking maybe something in between the two?
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is lovely! Maybe works really nicely here and I like the way it looks and feels between [name_f]Helena[/name_f] and [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]!
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] Océane, hands down. Océane sounds so beautiful in french and it brings all the imagery I think you want as well. So to me it’s purrfect.
Some other names that come into my mind:
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Marine[/name_f] - another obvious beachy name
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Corisande[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Odile[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Odette[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] - still sea-theme and also your sister’s birthstone
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Sabine[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Anjali[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Mathilde[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Aislinn[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Garnet[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Coral/name_f
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] is lovely. [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is a name I never thought I’ll ever like, but one day I just do, lol. It’s always purple in my mind though, instead of bright pink. Most likely because it’s spelled so close to the colour mauve, so my brain makes the obvious connection.
I second the suggestions of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Skye[/name_u], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Junia[/name_f], and [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Coralie[/name_f]!
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is pretty and classic, but it would be nice to find something that would keep the seaside imagery of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Juno[/name_f].
What about [name_f]Helena[/name_f] Sebry? Sebry is a later form of the Anglo-[name_m]Saxon[/name_m] girls’ name Sæburg, meaning “sea fortress”.
For something more tomboyish you might consider [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] - or perhaps [name_f]Helena[/name_f] Muirgel (“bright sea”) for a Gaelic twist. There’s also [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Margo[/name_f], which would have the “pearl” meaning and the bright M sound. (Interestingly, I see [name_f]Helena[/name_f] as a pale golden and M names as reddish-pink, too!)
You might also consider [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Tansy[/name_f] - perhaps it’s just me, but tansies always make me think of the briny air of the coast.
