I am in love with two completely DIFFERENT names… [name]How[/name] can this be?
[name]Arabella[/name]: So sweet, lovely, and likeable. I love how romantic the name is and also how anyone would know this obviously belongs to a girl. HOWEVER, I worry. There are so many girls named “[name]Isabella[/name]” and “[name]Bella[/name]” in [name]America[/name]. It has been at spot #1 and #2 for over 5 years! [name]Will[/name] my [name]Bella[/name] just be another in the sea of cliché names that are so overdone that they lose their meaning? [name]Will[/name] people always ask “Is your name [name]Isabella[/name]?” and she will have to correct them with “[name]Ara[/name]bella?” Is this just a boring & safe name choice?
[name]Kensington[/name]: Preppy, unique, and lovely in its own way. This name is much more masculine than [name]Arabella[/name] and I don’t like the fact that a [name]Kensington[/name] is not at all an obvious girl name. It is ironic I even like this name considering how much I despise names like [name]Taylor[/name] on a girl. HOWEVER, [name]Kensington[/name] sounds so lovely and different than all the other names that seem to get used for every little one on the block. I love how it carries the traditional and girly nickname Kensie, but she still can have a more unique name without it being unapproachable or yew-neek. I also love how I can imagine this name on a professional resume or college application, and I while it is more unique I don’t think anyone would give a strange look or ask how to pronounce the name.
So what is a girl to do? I go back and forth and I may just have to decide when our little angel arrives.
If you would kindly oblige, I have two questions to help aid me in my decision:
Which name do you like the most & why? I do not mind harsh criticisms or wonderful reviews, as long as you give reasoning behind your opinions.
Also, do you think it is possible to have a sib set named [name]Arabella[/name] & [name]Kensington[/name]? Or are they just too different stylistically?
Thank you!
D.C.
(And thank you from my future little one: [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Rose[/name] [name]Cruise[/name] or [name]Kensington[/name] [name]Rose[/name] [name]Cruise[/name]).
When I first read the names I thought no way on [name]Kensington[/name] and yes please on [name]Arabella[/name], however after reading your explaination of your love for [name]Kensington[/name] I can see the appeal. That said, personally I still prefer [name]Arabella[/name], but [name]Kensington[/name] isn’t a bad choice. I just prefer obviosly girl names on girls. Also, [name]Just[/name] like [name]Arabella[/name] could get lost in the sea of Isabellas, [name]Kensington[/name] could get lost in the sea of Makenzies.
If I heard of a sibset comprised of [name]Arabella[/name] and [name]Kensington[/name] I would assume sister and brother, not sisters. I imagine a girl named [name]Arabella[/name] with sisters named just as girly names and a girl named [name]Kensington[/name] with sisters named more unisex or at least modern sounding names. [name]Kendra[/name] is somewhat similar to [name]Kensington[/name] but I can see it working better as a sister name for [name]Arabella[/name]. Same with [name]Addison[/name] instead of [name]Arabella[/name] as a sister name for [name]Kensington[/name]. However if these are your absolute favorite girl names and you can’t imagine useing any others, don’t worry about how they go togeather, just use them.
I would go with [name]Arabella[/name]. It is so pretty and still sounds fresh to me despite the -bella ending. I don’t like [name]Kensington[/name] for a first name, it sounds pretentious to me. Kensie is a down to earth nickname but I don’t think it ages well.
On the topic alone (not yet reading your post) I was like oooh, they do not go together! So I was relieved when you said how different they were. I much prefer [name]Arabella[/name], but that’s just because it’s more my style. [name]Kensington[/name] is so not my style, and [name]Kenzie[/name] which she would undoubtedly become is lost in a sea of [name]MaKenna[/name], [name]McKenzie[/name]'s etc (also names I do not like). I don’t find it all that preppy either.
Could you compromise and have [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Kensington[/name] (I actually really like this - and this DOES sound preppy) or [name]Kensington[/name] [name]Arabella[/name] - they fact that they ARE so different means they balance each other out well. And [name]Rose[/name] is so overdone (unless it’s a family name - you didnt say).
I agree a lot with the first answer. At first I thought defiantly [name]Arabella[/name]…and what the heck is that other name? But after I took a second to figure it out and read your opinion, you have also swayed my vote. I am a fan of different names and even boy names for girls and I agree with the appeal.
I’m pretty sure it’s obvious what I’d vote for since I’m biased towards [name]Arabella[/name], but just a couple thoughts on each name:
[name]Arabella[/name] - this name screams ballerina princess, but that’s part of the appeal for me. As for my experience having an [name]Arabella[/name], she is a ballerina princess just as much as she’s a rough and tumbling kid who likes to wear a crown while getting messy in the dirt, wrestling her brother. Might she get confused with [name]Isabella[/name] or just [name]Bella[/name]? Maybe, but I think [name]Arabella[/name] is familiar enough now that its not very likely to happen.
[name]Kensington[/name] - I think this name sounds very preppy but unusual at the same time. Like you, I rarely like a masculine name on a girl, however, I adore Kensi! That’s why I would consider this name.
I think the suggestion of combining the two is nice. They definitely offset each other in a complimentary way. As for a sibset, I think it can work, particularly if you’re using Kensi regularly for [name]Kensington[/name] because it gives [name]Kensington[/name] that girly quality that [name]Arabella[/name] inherently has. [name]Arabella[/name] feels like it has a preppier quality next to [name]Kensington[/name] and I think they’d blend better than I would have originally guessed.
And if you are worried about the [name]Bella[/name] trend I would nickname her [name]Arie[/name] and [name]Belle[/name]. This name is also on my short list. I think it’s gorgeous
When I saw the thread, I thought you had a daughter named [name]Arabella[/name] and a son named [name]Kensington[/name]. That being said, I like [name]Arabella[/name] a lot more. [name]Kensington[/name] seems so much more masculine. I don’t think [name]Arabella[/name] would necessarily get lost in a sea of [name]Isabella[/name]'s. I think [name]Arabella[/name] sounds so princessy and sweet.
[name]Kensington[/name] is a name for a manor, castle, wine, or luxury vehicle - not a little girl. [name]Arabella[/name] is incredibly gorgeous; it’s lush, romantic, feminine, not frilly, and with the spunky nickname option of [name]Ari[/name] if you want to avoid her being “just another [name]Bella[/name].”
Honestly, I will never not be able to think of [name]Arabella[/name] as knock-off-brand [name]Isabella[/name]. Sorry! Not a fan of [name]Kensington[/name], either, but I’ve met two Arabellas this year, and inwardly, I do recall rolling my eyes. Especially since they were [name]BOTH[/name] nicknamed [name]Bella[/name].
I think [name]Kensington[/name] ages better than [name]Arabella[/name]. I don’t know how much I would like being a new young professional trying to get people to take me seriously with a princess name like [name]Arabella[/name]. [name]Just[/name] my opinion of course.
Everyone has amazing arguments for both names! Most of the qualms I have about each name all of you Nameberries share as well, which makes this decision even harder. All I can say is that I think I need to give this decision some time to marinate until I am forced to make a decision. I would ask for some family opinions but I think it would just lead to unnecessary drama and stress. Thank you everyone for your help and honest opinions! :rolleyes:
I like [name]Arabella[/name], it has a fresher feel than most of the -bella names. But if you’re afraid of that what about something like [name]Ariella[/name]? Very similar feel without the bell. Though [name]Arabella[/name] has the more “Old-fashioned” trendiness to it. It makes me think of [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Fig[/name] from [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name].
[name]Kensington[/name] makes me think of [name]London[/name]–subways and gardens and posh teas. The “[name]Ken[/name]” bit definitely makes it feel masculine but it has a nice flow. If you’re not sure, what about something like Kerrington. Again, it has a similar preppy feel but the option of [name]Kerri[/name] feels more feminine.
Between the two I’d probably pick [name]Arabella[/name].
I feel like maybe [name]Rose[/name] is a family name but have you notice the sorta-rhyminess with [name]Rose[/name]-[name]Cruise[/name]? It’s got some flow issues. Have you thought of a 2nd middle to break that up if you require [name]Rose[/name] as a family name? [name]Rose[/name] [name]Grace[/name] [name]Cruise[/name] (just as a placeholder name) sounds better.
To me [name]Kensington[/name] is a geographic place, a last name or a bar and is more faux preppy than preppy. It might at some point be used in a [name]Saturday[/name] [name]Night[/name] Live skit to indicate a preppy girl, rather than actually be a preppy girl’s name. I sincerely feel the name may be satirized soon, the way [name]Tiffany[/name] is the quintessential [name]Valley[/name] Girl name now rather than a legit name choice.
[name]Arabella[/name] insists the girl be very girly, it might be a lot of name to carry if your child prefers soccer cleats or karate to ballet. Having said that…what about [name]Arabelle[/name]? Like [name]Annabelle[/name] but with an R? For a nickname she has [name]Belle[/name] which is more substantial, stylish and fresher than the constantly-in-our-face [name]Bella[/name]?