Could I get away with pronouncing [name_f]Coraline[/name_f] [name_f]Cora[/name_f]-Leen? Thing is, we’re trying to honor DH’s aunts [name_f]Colleen[/name_f] and [name_f]Elaine[/name_f] and this is the one name we both like and think that could work.
Also, would Coralaine be too tacky or ridiculous? I’m not really a fan of mash-ups or creative spellings, not at all actually, but since it would be in the middle spot maybe we could get away with it… I happen to know a lady named [name_f]Marjolaine[/name_f] and she’s [name_m]French[/name_m], so maybe it’s not that weird?
I think it’s a legitimate pronunciation since -line can be pronounced either way, but because of the popularity of the book I think you’d have to correct a lot of people. And I don’t think Coralaine sounds ridiculous. Especially in the middle spot and as an honor name for two people, I think it makes sense.
I think that it’s a really lovely idea - I dislike mash-ups as well but I don’t think [name_f]Coraline[/name_f] would count; you’re just taking a preexisting name that combines elements of two individuals that you want to honour.
Perhaps [name_f]Coralie[/name_f] (cora-lee) would be better! I agree with stellarevolution on everything else, but I think Coralaine is definitely a middle name.
[name_f]Eileen[/name_f] / [name_f]Ilene[/name_f] would also be a great mash-up to honor [name_f]Colleen[/name_f] and [name_f]Elaine[/name_f].
Other:
[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]
[name_f]Corrine[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f] (ee-lees)
[name_f]Coraima[/name_f]
[name_f]Loraine[/name_f]
[name_f]Aidee[/name_f]
[name_f]Aimee[/name_f]
[name_u]Ainsley[/name_u]
My favorite of these is [name_f]Aimee[/name_f]. It has the ‘ai’ from [name_f]Elaine[/name_f] and the ‘ee’ from [name_f]Colleen[/name_f]. Good luck!
So, we’ve talked about it and Coralaine is a bit too much for us, so basically it will probably be [name_f]Coraline[/name_f] ([name_f]Cora[/name_f]-Leen) in the middle spot. I like [name_f]Coralie[/name_f] a lot too, maybe a bit more, but I don’t think it’ll work for us in the purpose of obviously honoring.
Our biggest trouble has been finding a first name that we love. I think that our daughters’ names are so perfect to us, that maybe we’re out of name loves…