Completely Different Naming Styles

Girl Names
1

My husband and I were talking about potential girl names this weekend. We already have a boy name picked out and we have a girl middle name chosen, [name]Renee[/name] after my Mom. I threw out 10 or so different girl names that I liked. I really like [name]Cordelia[/name], [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Georgiana[/name], etc. The sort of Victorian style classics. With each name his expression got more and more repulsed. I finally asked what names he wanted…[name]Shaniqua[/name] (shuh-nee-kwa) or [name]Jessica[/name]. Wow. Not even close to what I wanted. Shanique is considered a trashy name in my area and [name]Jessica[/name] just had bad connotations for me.

I want a name that can be shortened to a cute little girl nickname but can be a longer more elegant name if she wants that when she is older. I also am pretty sure I want to include part of her middle name like [name]Cordelia[/name] [name]Renee[/name], but call her [name]Cordy[/name] [name]Rae[/name] (or [name]Ree[/name] with the accent mark I can’t decide). My DH likes the nicknames, he really likes [name]Maggie[/name]. So I thought [name]Margaret[/name] [name]Renee[/name], called [name]Maggie[/name] [name]Rae[/name] would work but he hates [name]Margaret[/name]. Same with [name]Allie[/name], he loves [name]Allie[/name], but hates [name]Aliena[/name]. Siiiigh.

So two questions:

  1. [name]Do[/name] you have any name suggestions that we could possibly both agree on?
  2. [name]Rae[/name] or [name]Ree[/name]`?
2

Would you be able to love variations of the name [name]Margaret[/name]?

Because there is [name]Marguerite[/name]? [name]Margery[/name]? [name]Magnolia[/name]… All of which could give you the nn [name]Maggie[/name].

P.S. [name]Rae[/name].

3

[name]Allie[/name] can be short for lots of things - [name]Allison[/name], [name]Alicia[/name], [name]Alexandra[/name], [name]Alyse[/name], [name]Althea[/name], [name]Almira[/name]…
[name]Maggie[/name] can also be short for [name]Magdalena[/name]/[name]Magdalen[/name], [name]Margo[/name], Megeira…

In terms of Victorian-esque names that you both might agree on - what about [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Selena[/name], [name]Claire[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Aurelia[/name], [name]Lydia[/name]?

4

I agree with the above poster, that [name]Allie[/name] seems to be the only one in common, and can be a nickname for a TON of names. I like [name]Alicia[/name] and [name]Alisa[/name] best, personally.

Also, I’d go with [name]Rae[/name], not [name]Ree[/name]. It would be way too hard for her to type out [name]Ree[/name] all the time with the correct kind of accent–not that we type our nicknames all that often I guess.

Would your husband like [name]Meg[/name]? Keep having him list names he likes. Sounds like you won’t persuade him to like yours, and you’ll have to listen closely to his to figure out how you could compromise. If you’re absolutely hooked on one of your names, try calling the baby that a few times during the pregnancy and he may find that he gets attached. :wink: Once he pictures it on his child, it will be hard for him not to like.

5

Thanks for the input!

My DH would like anything that is nickname like, especially anything that ends in -ie or -y. Those seem to have a little girl sound. He wants a little daddy’s girl so badly that I think when he hears a doctor say “it’s a girl!” that he won’t care what her name is.

I am wondering if maybe our inability to come to any sort of naming common ground is because he pictures “the” name on a little girl on a playground or being tucked into a toddler bed, while I picture “the” name written in glitter pen on high school notebooks and embossed in black on her first business cards. The different mindsets can lead you to different names for sure. (These are the things you think when you can’t sleep and it’s nearing 1am! haha!)

I’m glad too that everyone likes the R-a-e spelling of [name]Rae[/name]. I was concerned it might be too derivatized for some. It’s definitely my favorite and lends itself to more accurately being pronounced.

Thanks again for the help. If you think of more ideas shout them out!

6

You like vintage, he wants cutesy nn, let’s see…

[name]Antonia[/name] nn [name]Annie[/name]
[name]Lillian[/name]/a nn [name]Lily[/name]
[name]Natalie[/name]/[name]Natalia[/name] nn [name]Tally[/name]/[name]Natty[/name]
[name]Alexandra[/name] nn [name]Ally[/name]/etc - you mentioned above he likes this nn, so maybe it’s a case of finding a different full name.
[name]Rosemary[/name]/[name]Rosalie[/name] etc nn [name]Rosie[/name]

You could try and compromise on [name]Georgina[/name] nn [name]Georgie[/name] or something, a lot of your names lend themselves to cutesy nns.

7

I think [name]Cordelia[/name] would be perfect, no? You can get so many nicknames out of it- [name]Cori[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Cordy[/name], [name]Cody[/name], [name]Dee[/name], [name]DeDe[/name], [name]Delia[/name], [name]Celia[/name], CeCe…would he like any of those?

8

[name]Natalia[/name] can also lend itself to the nn [name]Talia[/name] or [name]Thalia[/name] as well. [name]Love[/name] that it means “gentle dew from heaven”. It would personally be my choice instead of [name]Tali[/name]/[name]Nattie[/name]. [name]Just[/name] a thought.

*[name]Abigail[/name] is timeless, and [name]Abby[/name] totally cute.
*[name]Katherine[/name] can be either [name]Kate[/name], [name]Kit[/name], [name]Kathy[/name], [name]Katie[/name]… it’s classic and lovely for any age. ([name]Keturah[/name] is also REALLY cool and unique, using any one of [name]Katherine[/name]'s nns, but especially [name]Kit[/name])
*[name]Evelina[/name] is one of my FAVORITES. She could be an [name]Evie[/name] [name]Rae[/name].
*Another one of my all-time Victorian favorites is [name]Lavinia[/name], Vinna (possibly prn Vee-na or [name]Vin[/name]-a?) or [name]Vinny[/name].
*[name]Caroline[/name]/a (my [name]SIL[/name]'s name) could be shortened to [name]Carrie[/name]; really neat if you have some sort of connection to the [name]Carolina[/name]'s (my DH and I honeymooned there, but for obvious reasons wouldn’t use it since it’s already a family name)
*[name]Chloe[/name] and [name]Zoe[/name]/y are two names that are older than they seem and don’t need a nn because of its already existing -ie ending, and makes a great impression.
*[name]Claudia[/name] is another Victorian love of mine. [name]Claudie[/name]? (read this link if the name’s meaning bothers you –> Claudia | The amazing name Claudia: meaning and etymology )
*[name]Sarah[/name]-- [name]Sadie[/name] or [name]Zadie[/name]. The meaning is “princess”. Can’t get more daddy’s little girl then that!!
*And [name]Sadie[/name] makes me think of [name]Josie[/name], short of course for [name]Josephine[/name].

The first time I heard [name]Adelaide[/name] about 10 yrs ago, my heart melted. It was so different, vintage but somehow not too frilly, easily pronounced and can be shortened to [name]Addie[/name]/[name]Adie[/name]/[name]Addy[/name] or for the braver sorts, Lady/Laidie. As far as my research has taken me, Lady [name]Adelaide[/name], a [name]German[/name] princess who married into English royalty, was the original bearer, and ppl loved her so much they named a city in Australia after her. I believe it became popular in Victorian society soon after the beloved [name]Queen[/name] bestowed it upon one of her daughters as a middle. After all this time, it is still my number one, and surprisingly, my husband agrees with me! Our first daughter will be [name]Addie[/name] [name]Corinne[/name]. When? I don’t know, but we have a name when she comes one day!

[name]Alberta[/name] is one of my guilty pleasures right now. A place name ([name]Alberta[/name], [name]Canada[/name]) and speaking of [name]Queen[/name] [name]Victoria[/name], the feminized version of her husband, [name]Prince[/name] [name]Albert[/name]'s name, seems to me so stately and eloquent a name. You could call her [name]Betty[/name]/[name]Bertie[/name]/[name]Birdie[/name]/[name]Albie[/name]/[name]Alta[/name]? I know it’s kinda out there… don’t mind me. Like I said, guilty pleasure taking over here.

I’ve always loved my own name, [name]Kimberly[/name], and even tho I’m 26, I’ve always been known by [name]Kimmie[/name]… thought I’d throw that out there too! :slight_smile:

9

[name]Jessamine[/name] jumped out to me immediately. To me it feels very Victorian, and it touches on [name]Jessica[/name]/[name]Jessie[/name] which we know he likes and [name]Jasmine[/name] which seems like it might also be his style. You could also use [name]Minnie[/name] if you both like it - [name]Minnie[/name] also feels very Victorian.

Unless your association with [name]Jessica[/name] is so negative that [name]Jessie[/name]/[name]Jessamine[/name] is off limits too : (.

[name]Genevieve[/name] nn [name]Jenny[/name] or [name]Vivi[/name] or [name]Evie[/name] also seems like a candidate?

10

I am sorry you’ve had a bad experience with [name]Jessica[/name]! It’s my name and although its not even my own style, its sad when a bad experience ruins the name for you!

11

As another [name]Jessica[/name] I second sodalla’s comment.

12

I think something like [name]Felicity[/name] or [name]Coralie[/name] may fit both of your styles.

13

I agree with this completely. This is partially why [name]Cordelia[/name] is at the top of our list - all the many, many nickname options. He plans to use [name]Cordy[/name] and I plan to use [name]Corrie[/name] - if we ever have a child and it happens to be female. :smiley:

14

If he likes girly names with the “y” or “ie” endings and you like the classic names, there are a lot of options. You already listed [name]Eleanor[/name]. He won’t agree to it if he can call her [name]Ellie[/name]? Other ideas:

[name]Elizabeth[/name] ([name]Lizzie[/name]; I actually like the sound of [name]Lizzie[/name] [name]Rae[/name])
[name]Alexandra[/name] ([name]Allie[/name] or [name]Lexie[/name])
[name]Alessandra[/name] (Lissy)
[name]Abigail[/name] ([name]Abby[/name])
[name]Victoria[/name] ([name]Vicky[/name] or [name]Tori[/name])
[name]Katherine[/name] or [name]Katerina[/name] ([name]Katie[/name]; common, but [name]Katie[/name] [name]Rae[/name] has a ring to it)

15

A few suggestions that might work for you both (I think [name]Mae[/name] would work better for some of the combinations):

[name]Cecily[/name] [name]Rae[/name] (ends in y, but more elegant/Victorian)
[name]Romilly[/name] [name]Mae[/name] ([name]Romy[/name], [name]Milly[/name])

[name]Cassandra[/name] [name]Rae[/name]/[name]Mae[/name] ([name]Cassie[/name])
[name]Coralie[/name] [name]Mae[/name]/[name]Cora[/name] [name]Mae[/name] ([name]Cory[/name])
[name]Emmaline[/name]/[name]Emmalyn[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Emmy[/name])
[name]Julia[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Julie[/name])
[name]Lillian[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Lily[/name])
[name]Lucinda[/name] [name]Rae[/name]/[name]Mae[/name] ([name]Lucy[/name])
[name]Madeline[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Maddie[/name])
[name]Marian[/name], [name]Marianne[/name], [name]Mariana[/name], [name]Marina[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Molly[/name])
[name]Matilda[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Mattie[/name] or [name]Tilly[/name])
[name]Millicent[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Milly[/name])
[name]Miranda[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Mandy[/name])
[name]Penelope[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Penny[/name])
[name]Theresa[/name] [name]Mae[/name] ([name]Tess[/name], [name]Tessa[/name], [name]Tessie[/name])
[name]Vivian[/name] [name]Rae[/name] ([name]Vivi[/name])

16

for [name]Maggie[/name], what about [name]Margot[/name]? For [name]Allie[/name], [name]Alexandra[/name] or [name]Alena[/name]? or explore other names iwth cute nicknames - [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Elena[/name] etc nn [name]Ellie[/name], [name]Madeline[/name], nn maddie, [name]Josephine[/name] nn [name]Josie[/name] - maybe there is something you havnt thought of yet?

17

[name]Miranda[/name] - [name]Mindy[/name], [name]Mandy[/name], [name]Randy[/name]
[name]Veronica[/name] - [name]Roni[/name]
[name]Scarlett[/name] - [name]Lettie[/name]
[name]Vivian[/name]/[name]Vivienne[/name]/[name]Viviana[/name] - [name]Vivi[/name]
[name]Lavinia[/name] - [name]Vinnie[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name] - [name]Lou[/name], Louey, [name]Lulu[/name]
[name]Frances[/name] - [name]Frankie[/name], [name]Francie[/name]
[name]Isadora[/name] - [name]Izzy[/name], [name]Sadie[/name]
[name]Evangeline[/name] / [name]Evelyn[/name] - [name]Evie[/name]
[name]Constance[/name] - [name]Connie[/name]
[name]Magnolia[/name] - [name]Maggie[/name]
[name]Winifred[/name] - [name]Winnie[/name], [name]Freddie[/name]
[name]Antonella[/name] - [name]Nellie[/name]

Maybe [name]Jessamine[/name] - [name]Minnie[/name], as an alternative to [name]Jessica[/name].

[name]Allie[/name] - [name]Alessandra[/name], [name]Alana[/name], [name]Alaina[/name], [name]Allegra[/name], [name]Alida[/name], [name]Althea[/name]

18

I don’t really have anymore suggestions but just wanted to put in that my oldest daughter’s MN is [name]Renee[/name] with the accent and it drives me crazy that when typing it out I can never put the accent there! If I had it to do over I’d go with a different spelling hands down.