Respondents: 120 (This poll is closed)
Well, [name]Rosalind[/name] has amazing literary connections (As You Like It by [name]Shakespeare[/name] and This Side of Paradise by [name]Fitzgerald[/name]). Rosamind was the mistress of [name]Henry[/name] II, she was called “[name]Rose[/name] of the World”, a medieval beauty. [name]John[/name] [name]William[/name] Waterhouse has an amazing painting of her called The Fair [name]Rosamund[/name]. [name]Just[/name] two little things there…
I love [name]Rosamund[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] and [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name]. [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name] White sounds like a fairyale. They are both great with [name]Ulysses[/name] and [name]Bishop[/name].
I love [name]Winifred[/name] [name]Calla[/name], but if you hate [name]Winnie[/name], this might be a tough one. I think it would be a natural inclination of her friends and other family members to call her this. She might even prefer it at some point in her life. I think if you love [name]Mae[/name] [name]Beth[/name], your best option would be [name]Magdelene[/name] [name]Elspeth[/name].
I’m taking these as meant to be head-to-head comparisons, not a best of all 9.
[name]Magdalene[/name]: Beautiful but slightly clunky. Therefore I think it pairs with the sleek Everild better than spitty [name]Elspeth[/name] (I like [name]Elspeth[/name] in theory, but I have difficulty pronouncing it without spraying saliva). I would pronounce Everild in the elided, almost-2-syllable way you noted (“EV-rild”) for optimal flow.
[name]Winnifred[/name] [name]Calla[/name] beats [name]Frances[/name] [name]Calla[/name] hands down. The cadence of the first is excellent; light and lovely [name]Calla[/name] balances the stately image of [name]Winnifred[/name]. 3/2 meter versus a choppy 2/2. Plus, by your own admission, you adore [name]Winnifred[/name] and are lukewarm on [name]Frances[/name].
[name]Beatrix[/name] [name]ALYS[/name]. Use medieval, lovely [name]ALYS[/name] rather than Aleeeez. It’s pronounced identically to modern [name]Alice[/name], but has that gorgeous, otherworldly, medieval feel you’re after. [name]Celestine[/name] does’t work; 3/3 meter and the -x and C run into each other. [name]Celestine[/name] is also a male name in [name]Christian[/name] history, born by several popes.
[name]Rosamund[/name] is so wonderful. You have the real etymology, ‘horse protector,’ and the false etymology, ‘rose of the world,’ which was applied to the Virgin [name]Mary[/name]. You have all the regal medieval majesty of [name]Rosamund[/name] balanced by sweet, feminine, angelic [name]Seraphine[/name]. Excellent balance.
Oh wow. Beautiful names.
With [name]Ulysses[/name] and [name]Bishop[/name], I think I would nix [name]Beatrix[/name]… although your [name]Bea[/name] combos are unbelievable! Your boys’ names have such gravity, and [name]Beatrix[/name] isn’t quite in line with them, imo.
I prefer [name]Rosamund[/name] to [name]Rosalind[/name]… though with [name]Seraphine[/name] I really like the “lind” and [name]Rosalind[/name] from As You Like It is so awesome… so I will nix [name]Rosamund[/name].
[name]Frances[/name] is not exotic enough with [name]Ulysses[/name] and [name]Bishop[/name], imo. And though she’s sweet and old-fashioned, I think you have better names.
[name]Magdalene[/name] is one of my favorites. I prefer the sound of [name]Magdalene[/name] [name]Elspeth[/name] - so whispery… the GD and the SPETH are divine.
On the other hand, [name]Magdalene[/name] Everild is really wonderful imagery… I think of the beautiful [name]Donatello[/name] sculpture of [name]Mary[/name] [name]Magdalene[/name], with her hair winding down her body like wild vines, and Everild seems perfect. It’s hard to choose.
[name]Winifred[/name] is a little horsey-sounding to me, though I think she’d be great in your sibset. [name]Calla[/name] lightens her beautifully.
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name] is magical, and with White, it’s a slinky marvel.
Here are my votes, in order of preference:
[name]Magdalene[/name] [name]Elspeth[/name] White / [name]Magdalene[/name] Everild White tied (sorry!)
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name] White
[name]Winifred[/name] [name]Calla[/name] White
[name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] White
oh. I went for [name]Winifred[/name], but was banking of the NN [name]Winnie[/name]. I loooove [name]Calla[/name]. and WW has magical connotation too I think.
I want [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name] to be my favourite, but something about it just isn’t right.
@ottilie: I think [name]Rosalind[/name] is one of those names I love the sound of, but the meaning isn’t quite there for me, and the literary connections aren’t quite there either. Maybe if it’d been [name]Romeo[/name] and [name]Rosalind[/name]? It seems like I’ve read or seen every [name]Shakespeare[/name] play BUT As You Like It. I should get on that. Maybe that will pop it for me? That painting, though…I kind of love that. [name]Rich[/name] and helps me fall in love with the name more. [name]ODELIA[/name] [name]EVE[/name], WAT WAT! I’m glad I’m not the only one who loves the imagery of that name. And nick names [name]Odette[/name]/[name]Odetta[/name] are wondrous.
@rosemaam: I knooowww. But [name]Winifred[/name] is so gorgeous and old and clunky-funky! With [name]Winnie[/name], I just think of Pooh [name]Bear[/name]. [name]Winnie[/name] [name]Cooper[/name] was lovely, but I remember as a kid watching the Wonder Years, I thought, “She is named after Pooh [name]Bear[/name]!” You’re right that it’s probably inevitable. There are some names that just beg to be shortened/nicknamed, and [name]Winifred[/name] is probably one of them.
@blade: [name]Magdalene[/name] is clunky! I was wondering what was holding me up with that name, and that’s just it; it’s slightly difficult to say, like [name]Elspeth[/name]. [name]Magdalene[/name] Everild is just the name I’m looking for, but it’s sad to think my ideal name doesn’t honour any family. Maybe [name]Magdalene[/name] [name]Eliza[/name]? Doesn’t have the right feel. LOL, not an [name]Aliz[/name] fan, are we? I think with [name]Beatrix[/name], I was looking for something to give me that second-syllable emphasis. Thank you for keying me into [name]Rosamund[/name] = [name]Mary[/name], because that definitely pops the name up to the next level for me. [name]Rosamund[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] makes me swoon.
@emmaboo: I kept wondering why even though [name]Beatrix[/name] is objectively my favourite girl name, it keeps ranking really lowly in my various Top Five combination scenarios, and you’ve kind of nailed why; something about it doesn’t quite jive with the boy names, though I can’t figure out what. Maybe it’s more witchy chic than stately mythos? Who knows. I wish I were having triplets! If I were, they’d be [name]Magdalene[/name] [name]Elspeth[/name]/Everild, [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name], and and and…okay, I actually wish I were have sextuplets! I’m so glad that I’m finally at this point where I love enough names that it’s getting hard to choose! I thought I’d never get there with girl names, yay!
@emelis: I think there’s something slightly off about the flow of [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name], probably the fact that [name]Odelia[/name] ends in a vowel, and [name]Eve[/name] starts with one. Decisions, decisions.
I wish I liked [name]Winnie[/name]! I’d even prefer Winna or [name]Winn[/name]. Or [name]Frida[/name], maybe. If I spelled it [name]Winefride[/name], I could def get away with that. I could maybe, MAYBE pull of nickname [name]Gwen[/name], because of St. [name]Winefride[/name] (Gwenffrewi). I do love [name]Gwen[/name].
I agree with emms-- rule out [name]Beatrix[/name] as it’s close to [name]Bishop[/name], and leaves [name]Ulysses[/name] as the odd man out.
[name]Rosamund[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] seems fixed, and it’s really wonderful, as is [name]Winnifred[/name] [name]Calla[/name]. [name]Both[/name] are subtly [name]Christian[/name].
It seems then you have a few names left to potentially play with: [name]Magdalene[/name], [name]Elspeth[/name], and Everild. Honestly, [name]Magdalene[/name] [name]Elyse[/name] works best from a flow perspective, if you wish to honor your grandmother. Everild could pair with something fabulously medieval (i.e. Everild Clarissant, Everild [name]Melisande[/name], Everild [name]Benedicta[/name], Everild Scholastica, Everild Aethelwyn, Everild Eanswythe) and [name]Elspeth[/name] goes best with something that accents the second syllable: [name]Elspeth[/name] [name]Allaire[/name], [name]Elspeth[/name] [name]Perrine[/name] [medieval diminutive of [name]Petronilla[/name]], [name]Elspeth[/name] St [name]Clare[/name]…
I agree with your phonetic analysis. I think [name]Odelia[/name] needs something consonant-heavy:
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Blythe[/name] (as in blythe spirits, frolicking fairies, and a nice uplifting meaning)
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Blaise[/name] (as in [name]Pascal[/name], and St [name]Blaise[/name])
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Clare[/name] (prefer medieval spelling versus French, as in the Poor Clares)
I like [name]Magdelene[/name]- I prefer Magdelena, though. If you want to honor an [name]Elizabeth[/name], you can do [name]Magdelene[/name] [name]Eliza[/name] or [name]Magdelene[/name] [name]Elsa[/name]- which has a better flow in my mind. [name]Magdelene[/name] [name]Bethany[/name] is okay if you want [name]Mae[/name] [name]Beth[/name], but Magdelena [name]Beth[/name]/[name]Bethan[/name] is gorgeous [name]IMO[/name].
[name]Winnifred[/name] is NMS at all. And if you don’t like [name]Winnie[/name], you need to stay away. I am best friends with a girl named [name]Evelyn[/name], and we all call her [name]Evie[/name], a name her parents strongly disliked. In fact, they didn’t like [name]Eve[/name] or [name]Eva[/name], either. I guess you might be able to pull of [name]Wendy[/name] as a nickname, but I think [name]Gwen[/name] is a bit of a stretch.
WInifred caLLA… NN [name]Willa[/name]? too much of a stretch?
LOL, probably, but I absolutely adore it, so I might go for it anyway. Thank you so much for the suggestion. If I occasionally call her [name]Willa[/name], maybe it’ll catch faster than [name]Winnie[/name].
I like Magdelene- I prefer Magdelena, though. If you want to honor an Elizabeth, you can do Magdelene Eliza or Magdelene Elsa- which has a better flow in my mind. Magdelene Bethany is okay if you want Mae Beth, but Magdelena Beth/Bethan is gorgeous IMO.
Winnifred is NMS at all. And if you don’t like Winnie, you need to stay away. I am best friends with a girl named Evelyn, and we all call her Evie, a name her parents strongly disliked. In fact, they didn’t like Eve or Eva, either. I guess you might be able to pull of Wendy as a nickname, but I think Gwen is a bit of a stretch.
And see, I’m not a fan of [name]Magdalena[/name]. I’m not partial to names that end an A. That said, it is less clunky. Thank you for the tip about nicknames and [name]Winifred[/name]. I know it’s bound to happen. Why oh why? Nobody automatically calls people named [name]Margaret[/name]…[name]Margy[/name] or [name]Mari[/name]. It’s just certain names. [name]Do[/name] you think if I said [name]Willa[/name] enough as a nickname, it would catch, and people would use it over [name]Winnie[/name]? I like [name]Wendy[/name], too.
It seems then you have a few names left to potentially play with: Magdalene, Elspeth, and Everild. Honestly, Magdalene Elyse works best from a flow perspective, if you wish to honor your grandmother. Everild could pair with something fabulously medieval (i.e. Everild Clarissant, Everild Melisande, Everild Benedicta, Everild Scholastica, Everild Aethelwyn, Everild Eanswythe) and Elspeth goes best with something that accents the second syllable: Elspeth Allaire, Elspeth Perrine [medieval diminutive of [name]Petronilla[/name]], [name]Elspeth[/name] St [name]Clare[/name]…
Those Everild combos are making me giddy. At any rate, I think saving it as a first is a good instinct on your part. It’s just so wonderfully medieval. RE: St [name]Clare[/name] – can you do that? S.O. wanted the boys to be St. [name]James[/name] and St. [name]George[/name] for middles, but I was like, “Ehhhh, you can’t do that!” [name]How[/name] does it even work from a paper perspective, would you write it on forms as, Everild [name]Saint[/name] [name]Clare[/name] or Everild [name]Saint[/name]-[name]Clare[/name]? The thing about [name]Elspeth[/name] is, I love it, but I don’t think I’m brave enough to pull it off as a first. I feel like in the States it’s a name 75% of people haven’t even heard of.
RE: [name]Odelia[/name]. I’m struggling so much for middles with it. I like [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Blaise[/name] a fair bit, but [name]Blythe[/name] is a name I want to adore, but comes up short for me. [name]Don[/name]'t you hate that? A name you have every reason to love and would fit perfectly, but isn’t quite right? [name]Odelia[/name] St. [name]Clare[/name]? Mixed Messages? [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Winter[/name]? ([name]Winter[/name] = gp of mine).
These 3 are my favorites in order:
[name]Beatrix[/name] [name]Aliz[/name] White - beautiful and quirky but with some nice streamlined options
[name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] White - the prettiest of them all
[name]Magdalene[/name] Everild White - cool
I like [name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] best, [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Eve[/name] second. [name]Seraphine[/name], I think, is the best way to go for [name]Christian[/name], and it’s uber-gorgeous, but it also has a mythological feel. [name]Rosalind[/name] is so rich with history. Have you considered [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Selene[/name], or something like that?
I really like your suggestions for [name]Odelia[/name] middles. [name]How[/name] about [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name]? I’m very fond of the EEN sound in general at the end of girl names. [name]Christian[/name]/mythological is definitely what I’m going for, and [name]Seraphine[/name] definitely connotes that. [name]Beatrix[/name] [name]Selene[/name] was on a previous combo list, but I ended up nixing it. Never even consider [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Selene[/name].
I think right now, [name]Rosamond[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] is my number one, which is almost identical sonically to [name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name]. In fact, they rhyme! I do think [name]Rosalind[/name] is girlier, which I like, but [name]Rosamond[/name] has something stately about it that I prefer. I’m so glad you think [name]Magdalene[/name] Everild is cool! [name]Blade[/name] introduced me to Everild, and I’m really digging it.
And now I’ve just discovered this woman, and I’m like, AHHHHHH!! Can’t contain the awesome!
Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July 1920 – 16 April 1958)[1] was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer who made critical contributions to the understanding of the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite.[2] The DNA work achieved the most fame because DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) plays essential roles in cell metabolism and genetics, and the discovery of its structure helped scientists understand how genetic information is passed from parents to children.
I wish I could name the baby [name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Rosamond[/name] White.
Yes, absolutely. In the US the middle is usually written St X-- no period. So St [name]Clair[/name], St [name]John[/name], St [name]George[/name]. Here’s a friend of mine who has it as his surname:
[name]Odelia[/name] St [name]Clare[/name] sounds amazing, really good.
And we all have names we’re ‘supposed’ to love but luckily we’re not automatons. 
Yes, you absolutely can. In the US it’s usually written without a period, and with a space: St [name]Clare[/name], St [name]George[/name], St [name]John[/name], etc. I have friends with this as a surname-- a doctor friend-- and there’s been no problem re: paperwork.
I understand your reservations re: [name]Elspeth[/name].
I think [name]Odelia[/name] St [name]Clare[/name] sounds good, really amazing. And we all have names we’re ‘supposed’ to love, but luckily we’re not automatons.
[name]Rosalind[/name] [name]Franklin[/name] was very maligned; cheated out of sharing the Nobel by that utter and complete narcissistic asshole, [name]James[/name] [name]Watson[/name]. She did get a medical school named after her, though.
[name]Odelia[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name] and [name]Odelia[/name] [name]Selene[/name] are equally gorgeous, but I think I prefer [name]Selene[/name] with [name]Odelia[/name], just by an inch.