I am pregnant with baby 2 and I need some girl names (gender is unknown at the moment). Big sister is [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] [name_f]Milena[/name_f]. Here are my rules:
Needs to be easily said in Spanish and English, but not necessarily a Spanish name. My surname is VERY Hispanic, and I prefer names that don’t scream I’m HISPANIC! (It’s a fitting in issue for me… hard to explain). So, names like [name_f]Marisol[/name_f], while lovely, scream Latina baby to me (not to mention it’s kinda a Latina Mom name right now).
My surname begins and ends with A, so I’m trying to avoid names that end in A. This rule is not as unbreakable as the above rule, as finding bilingual names that [name_m]DON[/name_m]'T end in A is almost impossible. This rule IS breakable for middle names.
Needs to seem like a sibling to a [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]. What did I love about [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]? The meaning, it’s short, sweet, zippy but still feminine, didn’t end in A, and works well in both languages. I am not opposed to a more frilly name for baby 2 if it fits. If it helps, if baby is a boy, he will most likely be [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] (see… short, sweet, zippy, doesn’t end in A, works in both languages… boys’ names are easier!)
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwen[/name_f]
[name_u]Halle[/name_u]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucia[/name_f] (I know it ends in an a, but couldn’t resist!)
[name_f]Eve[/name_f] (Also means life, which coincides with [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] in some languages)
[name_f]Adrienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Gemma[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Gwen[/name_f], [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Adrienne[/name_f], and [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] don’t work in Spanish. [name_f]Adrienne[/name_f] and [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] especially sound cut off… they are missing their A ([name_f]Adriana[/name_f] and [name_f]Viviana[/name_f]). [name_f]Eva[/name_f] is in use in the family so [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is out.
[name_f]Margot[/name_f] isn’t really my style, but I’m willing to run it by the husband.
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] will definitely work! let’s see if I can convince the husband.
[name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is actually a boy’s name for most Spanish speakers… I’d have to use [name_f]Ariella[/name_f]
[name_f]Celia[/name_f], [name_f]Maya[/name_f], [name_f]Kira[/name_f], and [name_u]Eden[/name_u]. might work. I’ll add it to the list.
[name_f]Mina[/name_f] rhymes with my first name (it’s only off by a letter) and I feel weird using -ina names.
[name_f]Leona[/name_f] literally means lioness in Spanish and it’s sometimes used in a derogatory fashion when referring to women.
[name_f]Sarai[/name_f] ( I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] IT) is in use in the family. I’d use [name_f]Noemi[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] and it’s the only name on our list right now.
I don’t know how well these work in Spanish but here is a list of names for you.
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Alice[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Olive[/name_f]
[name_f]Corinne[/name_f]
[name_f]Marin[/name_f]/[name_f]Maren[/name_f] (mare-in or Mah-rin)
[name_f]Elin[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Liv[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
I think [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] and [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] sound like sisters. Both are pretty, yet spunky! Could do [name_f]Tess[/name_f] too if the a is truly off limits. [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] doesn’t feel like a Hispanic name to me and I would use it with my Hispanic last name.
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f] [name_f]Milena[/name_f] and [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f] [name_f]Milena[/name_f] and [name_f]Tess[/name_f] [name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
Some short, sweet, non-“a” ending bilingual girl names that I like with [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] are:
[name_f]Luz[/name_f]
[name_m]Sol[/name_m]
[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] (pronounced differently in English and Spanish but spelled the same)
[name_f]Irene[/name_f] (pronounced differently in English and Spanish but spelled the same)
[name_f]Milagros[/name_f] (Super Spanishy but [name_f]Mila[/name_f] or [name_f]Millie[/name_f] are such adorable nicknames and the meaning is so lovely)
Or, what about a longer, ends-in-a Spanish name with an English nickname, such as [name_f]Daniela[/name_f] “[name_f]Nell[/name_f]”, [name_f]Graciela[/name_f] “[name_f]Gracie[/name_f]”, that sort of thing?
Oh this is a challenge! I think [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] would by lovely. Here are a few more ideas. Sorry if they’re not your style- I was focusing ease of pronounciation in both English/Spanish.
I don’t speak Spanish but here are some names that go well with [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] &don’t end in A (I never realized how many girl names end in A!!)
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f]
Some of the kids I know with Spanish speaking parents, whose names that don’t sound Spanish to me:
[name_f]Esther[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Nia[/name_f] (nee-ah. I like this with [name_f]Zoe[/name_f])
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]