Hello, I posted once before but am just refreshing it a bit now we have a list of girls names to go with.
We have a daughter, [name]Odelle[/name] ([name]Ode[/name]), and are expecting a second this [name]Spring[/name].
Looking for something unusual, most important to us is sound and also perhaps to have a name which is a little unusual; and one which goes well alongside our first daughter’s.
Starred are my partner’s top choices.
I’d appreciate any sort of critiques/comments on our list, as well as any suggestions anyone might have.
I really like [name]Helena[/name], [name]Verity[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], and [name]Briony[/name] (although I prefer [name]Bryony[/name]). I think [name]Helena[/name] [name]Agnes[/name] or [name]Briony[/name]/[name]Bryony[/name] [name]Agnes[/name] would be just stunning! [name]Verity[/name] [name]Agnes[/name], too. I think I remember that you loved the French pronunciation of [name]Agnes[/name], but not that no one would ever say it right–I think using it as a MN would be the perfect solution. I really like both [name]Helena[/name] and [name]Bryony[/name]/[name]Briony[/name] are perfect with [name]Odelle[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] (that’s her full name, right? I have a pretty good memory, but I can’t remember for sure).
I can’t really think of any suggestions–you have a pretty amazing list already–but [name]Cecily[/name] just popped into my mind. I think [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Cecily[/name] would be pretty…
[name]Helena[/name] - like this alot, you might like Hélène too
[name]Judith[/name]- nms, I dont think it quite meets your criteria but its still a nice name
[name]Cora[/name] - like this but like [name]Coralie[/name] or [name]Corinne[/name] better
[name]Verity[/name] - nms cant imagine it on a grown up
[name]Agnes[/name] - I dont think this is attractive in english and Im not sure you could get people to say the French pronunciation all the time or right if you prefer it to the english one
[name]Margot[/name] - love love love, you cant go wrong with it
[name]Frida[/name]* - I know a little [name]Freida[/name] which is similar and I like it
[name]Petra[/name] - I have a horrible association so Im biased but I cant picture it on anyone whos under 50
[name]Ines[/name] - same with [name]Petra[/name]
[name]Iris[/name] - love [name]Iris[/name]!
[name]Leta[/name] - prefer [name]Letitia[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name] - nms but nice
[name]Hazel[/name] - cute and fits your unique style goes with [name]Odelle[/name]
[name]Dahlia[/name] - nice but nms
[name]Briony[/name] - nice and very british to me, I like it
[name]Zoelie[/name] - really like this but Im afraid you would have pronunciation issues depending on where you live
Estée - unfortunately all I see is [name]Estee[/name] Lauder
[name]Minna[/name] - not a fan seems incomplete
[name]Helena[/name] - Ok. Not a favorite but it’s not bad.
[name]Judith[/name] - I like this! I have a friend with this name that’s my age (24). It’s unique and I like the nn [name]Judy[/name].
[name]Cora[/name] - [name]Love[/name] it, but like it mostly as a nn for something.
[name]Verity[/name] - Not a fan.
[name]Agnes[/name] - Too old sounding to me but still a good name.
[name]Margot[/name] - Like.
[name]Frida[/name] - NMS
[name]Petra[/name] - Reminds me of a fish… like a tetra. I don’t know, I’m weird haha.
[name]Ines[/name] - NMS
[name]Iris[/name] - Ok.
[name]Leta[/name] - Not a fan.
[name]Rowena[/name] - Growing on me, not bad.
[name]Hazel[/name] - I really like this!
[name]Dahlia[/name] - Not a fan of most flower names for some reason.
[name]Briony[/name] - [name]Don[/name]'t like it.
[name]Zoelie[/name] - Like [name]Zoe[/name] more.
Estée - Agree with pp about [name]Estee[/name] Lauder
[name]Minna[/name] - Sounds like you forgot the rest of the state I live in
My personal favorites are [name]Petra[/name], [name]Verity[/name], [name]Helena[/name], and [name]Zoelie[/name]. I like the unique sound of each of these and any could work as a sister to [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Judith[/name]* - seems old lady to me and I think it has a harsh sound.
[name]Cora[/name]* - pretty name but not particularly notable or unusual
[name]Agnes[/name] - I simply think this name is ugly, sorry
[name]Margot[/name] - pretty name that I like but also not as outstanding as [name]Odelle[/name]
[name]Frida[/name]* - Very unusual but I don’t think it’s attractive
[name]Ines[/name] - too hard to pronounce
[name]Iris[/name]* - very pretty but far from obscure
[name]Leta[/name] - boring
[name]Rowena[/name] - actually this is very pretty and would be a great set with [name]Odelle[/name], I just don’t like it as much
[name]Hazel[/name] - I don’t like this with [name]Odelle[/name]; it seems so abrupt
[name]Dahlia[/name] - nms
[name]Briony[/name] - I just don’t like this name, sorry
Estée - Lauder??
[name]Minna[/name] - reminds me too much of a minnow fish
[name]Even[/name] though I didn’t like everything here this was really a great list to look through. Kudos on your unusual taste!
[name]Helena[/name] pronounced -Hel-LEEN-a and [name]Odelle[/name] is really cute.
[name]Judith[/name] My grandmas name. I don’t really like it personally, though I love my grandma.
[name]Cora[/name] One of my new favorites. [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Cora[/name] is really sweet.
[name]Verity[/name] I really like [name]Verity[/name] for other peoples kids, but in this instance I don’t think [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Verity[/name] sound the best together.
[name]Agnes[/name] I don’t know if I’m behind the times. A lot of people love this one! I have to give it 2 big thumbs down though.
[name]Margot[/name] [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Margot[/name] is super sweet!
[name]Frida[/name] [name]Frida[/name] Pie… Frito pie… [name]Free[/name] DUH! xD lol sorry, I don’t like this one.
[name]Petra[/name] I don’t see a name here, I see a part of a word. Petrified.
[name]Ines[/name] I don’t know how to say this one. Inns? I-nez?
[name]Iris[/name] I think [name]Iris[/name] is pretty, but may make a better middle name.
[name]Leta[/name] Kind of makes me think of [name]Letty[/name] from the fast and the furious movies… and I think one of the girls on [name]Sailor[/name] moon may have been [name]Leta[/name]? I’m not sure. [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Leta[/name] sounds mismatched to me.
[name]Rowena[/name] [name]Rowena[/name] Ravenclaw. I know a Rolonda… everyone calls her Row. So be prepaired for that. [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Rowena[/name] sound nice together, but it wouldn’t be my pick.
[name]Helena[/name] Looks like you have this twice. Could be a sign you love it.
[name]Hazel[/name] is suprisingly spunky. [name]Hazel[/name] and [name]Odette[/name] is a little unpredictable, but not in a bad way. I kind of like it! [name]Hazel[/name] on Dolphine Tale was a cutie too.
[name]Dahlia[/name] Too biblical bad girl for me.
[name]Briony[/name] Sounds like a grundge word to me. like something needs cleaning. I don’t know why.
[name]Zoelie[/name] I’m not sure how to say this one… [name]Zoey[/name]-[name]Lee[/name]? Zow-[name]Lee[/name]? I don’t know, but I’, curious.
Estée [name]Estee[/name] Lauder the hair stuff.
[name]Minna[/name] [name]Minna[/name] and [name]Odelle[/name] is kind of cute! Not my favorite, but cute and different.
[name]Cora[/name], [name]Margot[/name], and [name]Hazel[/name] are my favorites.
I think keeping with the long O sound in Odelle might be nice. I’d choose Minnow (nn Minna), Zoelie, Margot, Briony, or Rowena. Those are my faves from ur list and any would be really great!
Cora - dislike for personal reasons so not opinion
Frida & Petra - origins are way too different from Odelle
Ines - fun name, I prefer Inez makes it a little feistier
Leta - sound like a word like i leta you borrow my truck
Helena and Hazel are really NMS although I think they would look good on college apps
Dahlia, Iris - fantastic choices
[name]Helena[/name]* - love it, great classic name with loads of good nicknames
[name]Judith[/name]* - not my favourite, a shrinking violent next to the lovely [name]Odelle[/name]
[name]Cora[/name]* - I like [name]Cora[/name], but I prefer [name]Clara[/name]
[name]Verity[/name] - not my style, but I do think [name]Odelle[/name] & [name]Verity[/name] are a nice pair
[name]Agnes[/name] - not my style, not keen on the sound with [name]Odelle[/name]
[name]Margot[/name] - adorable - I knew a [name]Margot[/name] who had a sister [name]Jacqueline[/name]. I think [name]Margot[/name] & [name]Odelle[/name] are sweet together.
[name]Frida[/name]* - Spunky name, a bit dated, but if I met a little [name]Frida[/name], I think that’d be fantastic.
[name]Petra[/name]* - My own name - so I love it dearly - and am always complimented on it, which has been nice growing up!
[name]Ines[/name] - A cutie with [name]Odelle[/name]. The mother of the aforementioned [name]Margot[/name] and [name]Jacqueline[/name] was called [name]Ines[/name].
[name]Iris[/name]* - A favourite of mine.
[name]Leta[/name] - I love [name]Leta[/name] - I think she’s a good match with [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Rowena[/name] - Not my favourite
[name]Hazel[/name] - [name]Hazel[/name] is one of those names I should like a lot more than I do!
[name]Dahlia[/name] - Too flowery for me
[name]Briony[/name] - A strong name, but has a different vibe than [name]Odelle[/name]
[name]Zoelie[/name] - If you went with this, would it often become shortened to [name]Zoe[/name]? If so, perhaps just go with [name]Zoe[/name]?
Estée - Sweet - I really like [name]Estee[/name]
[name]Minna[/name] - This strikes me as a diminutive, rather than a full name.
My favs for you are:
[name]Odelle[/name] & [name]Helena[/name]
[name]Odelle[/name] & [name]Verity[/name]
[name]Odelle[/name] & [name]Petra[/name]
[name]Odelle[/name] & [name]Leta[/name]
[name]Helena[/name]- Personally I love the name [name]Helena[/name], but not for you, I don’t think. It seems you want an unusual-ish name, and this is definitely slowly becoming a name you hear everyday.
[name]Judith[/name]- I would never go with [name]Judith[/name], because [name]Odelle[/name] is such a beautiful, melodic name, and I don’t think [name]Judith[/name] has a nice sound to it at all.
[name]Cora[/name]- I love the name [name]Cora[/name], and think it fits all your criteria. It’s wonderful sounding and goes fantastically with [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Verity[/name]- Not a fan.
[name]Agnes[/name]- I love the French pronunciation of [name]Agnes[/name], which is [name]AH[/name]-nyez. I think that’s beautiful, but if you’re in [name]America[/name], I think most people would say ag-nes, which is just not pretty sounding to me at all.
[name]Margot[/name]- I like [name]Margot[/name] and [name]Odelle[/name] a lot as a pair. I think this is a fantastic choices for you.
[name]Frida[/name]- I have a daughter [name]Freida[/name]! I love the name, I think it old-fashioned but fresh and has a great sound. I think [name]Frida[/name] and [name]Odelle[/name] go nicely together.
[name]Petra[/name]- I don’t like the way [name]Petra[/name] sounds at all.
[name]Ines[/name]- I like this but mostly as a middle name.
[name]Iris[/name]- I like the name [name]Iris[/name], and think it does go well with [name]Odelle[/name], but I think some of your other choices are better.
[name]Leta[/name]- Not a fan.
[name]Rowena[/name]- Very pretty sounding, unusual, and sophisticated. Good choice.
[name]Hazel[/name]- Too old-fashioned for me, I’m afraid. I think it’s very stuffy and clunky.
[name]Dahlia[/name]- If sound is important to you, this is a great choice. It has a beautiful sound that can’t really be topped. But I think of the [name]Black[/name] [name]Dahlia[/name] murders, and the biblical connotations, so I wouldn’t use it for those reasons.
[name]Briony[/name]- I don’t like this name and don’t think it stands up next to [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Zoelie[/name]- Not as elegant as the rest of your choices.
Estée- I like it but I immediately think of [name]Estee[/name] Lauder.
[name]Minna[/name]- Seems like a nickname and not a full name.
[name]Helena[/name]* - wonderful name that would work. Feels somewhat more mainstream than [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Judith[/name]* - still dated to me, nice but dated. Feels way more familiar than [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Cora[/name]* - to me, this is a very good match.
[name]Verity[/name] - nice name that would work, more word-name than [name]Odelle[/name].
[name]Agnes[/name] - feels similar in popularity/familiarity to [name]Odelle[/name], but more old-lady-chic. Would work.
[name]Margot[/name] - very French and off-beat like [name]Odelle[/name]. I like this name very much including with [name]Odelle[/name], though it is more familiar.
[name]Frida[/name]* - too old-lady for me.
[name]Petra[/name]* - ditto [name]Frida[/name].
[name]Ines[/name] - this would be a wonderful match to [name]Odelle[/name] in my opinion and is a lovely name.
[name]Iris[/name]* - Ditto [name]Ines[/name], although it feels much more familiar fwiw.
[name]Leta[/name] - I think it would pair well with [name]Odelle[/name], I just don’t love the name, good happy meaning though.
[name]Rowena[/name] - feels very different, very Welsh.
[name]Hazel[/name] - I think the endings are too similar, even with the different stress, plus this name has shot up the (US) charts.
[name]Dahlia[/name] - I love this name. It could work. It is rising in popularity and the d and l sound overlap is nice but maybe a bit much?
[name]Briony[/name] - this just rings bad bells for me, too much [name]Brianna[/name] etc (which is pretty, but not my style).
[name]Zoelie[/name] - this is pretty and matches [name]Odelle[/name] well in a way, but it’s pretty weird.
Estée - a good match to [name]Odelle[/name] and pretty, although I just think of make-up and Lauder.
[name]Minna[/name] - too light-weight, I agree with others.
[name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Briony[/name] sound gorgeous together.
beside that I like :
hazel, helena, [name]Leta[/name], [name]Petra[/name], and [name]Rowena[/name].
btw, have you ever consider [name]Freya[/name] instead of [name]Frida[/name]?
Thank you for all the responses. We’ve taken on a lot of this- crossed off the choices which we’ve realised are becoming a little mainstream for us ([name]Helena[/name] and [name]Cora[/name]),
those which seem just not to get the response we want for our kid’s name (e.g. [name]Judith[/name] and [name]Dahlia[/name])
and then a couple of others that I just wasn’t sold on (most significantly [name]Verity[/name], which before was kind of a frontrunner)
So the list we’re left with at the moment is:
[name]Margot[/name]
[name]Frida[/name]
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name]
[name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Briony[/name]
[name]Zoelie[/name]
[name]Minna[/name]- Looking for a more formal name for this, and we kind of like [name]Minerva[/name]. Its the ‘[name]Min[/name]’ sound which I just find really pleasant (hope that doesn’t sound too perverse)
Still looking for that perfect name though, as I’m not sure the right name is on the list yet. Who knows.
So hard to find anything fresh- anything both beautiful and underused!
Am liking [name]Hera[/name], but is it too out there? Similarly [name]Sappho[/name].
WDYT?
Really love [name]Hazel[/name] and [name]Briony[/name] from this list. Either would easily get my vote, and I think they’re both lovely as a little sister to [name]Odelle[/name]. [name]Zoelie[/name] is pretty, too. [name]Hera[/name] and [name]Sappho[/name] feel a bit out there (particularly [name]Sappho[/name])–have you considered [name]Sapphira[/name]? I think that’s lovely. [name]Odelle[/name] and [name]Sapphira[/name] would be really sweet.
On your list I really like [name]Briony[/name], [name]Cora[/name], and [name]Helena[/name]. To be honest I’m not a fan of the rest of them. But I think those other three names are gorgeous!
If it was up to me, we would be down to three names already-
[name]Margot[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name]
[name]Briony[/name].
[name]Iris[/name] is becoming too popular in the UK (I know 2 already) and the others just don’t do it for me like my top three do.
I feel like i’m going through the motions of considering the others, as my partner seems much less impulsive/instinctive when it comes to which are his top choices, and I feel selfish for being so willful.
Should I carry on reigning in my stronger feelings, or tell him ‘look I like these three, and the others don’t really xompare in my book.’?
Thanks for the opinions, especially [name]Mischa[/name]'s ating system- very useful.
Before I saw your most current post my favorites were still [name]Rowena[/name] and [name]Briony[/name]. I like the names on their own, and they also have a lovely sound like [name]Odelle[/name]. Almost musical. I don’t see anything wrong with sharing your feelings with your partner. You don’t want to have name regrets later.
Could be a sign you love it.