Critique my favourites!

Girl Names
1

Hey, I’ve been off Nameberry for a while now (my time on here has been pretty sporadic over the past few years ha) but I guess I’m back, and with a new set of names I’m contemplating. I’d love to hear some feedback on this mess of a list, which I’ve alphabeticalized to save me from ordering it in terms of preference. Please let me know your favourites, which you would axe totally etc. etc., general thoughts on my style(?)…

[name_f]Agnes[/name_f]
[name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (AIL-sa)
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Aoife[/name_f] (EE-fa)
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_u]Billie[/name_u]
[name_f]Celeste[/name_f]
[name_f]Constance[/name_f]
[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] (AY-lee)
[name_f]Eimear[/name_f] (EEM-er)
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Fenella[/name_f]
[name_f]Hester[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_u]Isa[/name_u] (eye-sah)
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] / [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] (both are legitimate, Scottish forms of [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f])
[name_f]Lettice[/name_f] (luh-TEES)
[name_f]Maud[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
[name_f]Una[/name_f]
[name_f]Ursa[/name_f]
[name_f]Yseult[/name_f] (EES-olt)

Bare in mind that with a couple of exceptions most of the most difficult/unusual ones (especially those with Celtic backgrounds) are entirely usable where I live. Thank you!

2

Your lists always make me so happy, to be honest!

[name_f]Agnes[/name_f] - I’m warming to [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], but still prefer [name_f]Agatha[/name_f]. It’s just the ending sound I’m less crazy about, but both are quite nice.

[name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (AIL-sa) - I went to college with an [name_f]Ailsa[/name_f], and she always had to correct people, who misread her name as [name_f]Alisa[/name_f]/[name_f]Alissa[/name_f], which would be my drawback on this. It would make a lovely middle name though.

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] - one of my favourite [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] hyphenations, (I also love [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Claire[/name_f]), it’s so pretty and classic.

[name_f]Annabella[/name_f] - a bit too frilly and sing songy for me, but I love [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]. I think it works nicely if it has the right middle though!

[name_f]Aoife[/name_f] (EE-fa) - still adore this! [name_f]Aoife[/name_f] is beautiful, and I desperately wish I could a) move to anywhere in the UK, or b) find a region in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u], other than [name_m]Boston[/name_m], where Irish/Gaelic names are more common.

[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - one of my all time favourites, [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] is beautiful ([name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] is even more beautiful!).

[name_u]Billie[/name_u] - I actually completely associate this with you now, because I know for the longest time, it was your top choice, so it feels a bit strange to see you without it!

[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] - gorgeous, [name_f]Celeste[/name_f] is so whimsical and pretty, but grounded and elegant at the same time.

[name_f]Constance[/name_f] - I really want to love [name_f]Constance[/name_f], and I used to adore it, but for some reason, now that my vintage tastes are stronger than they were when I was 15/16, I can’t get into it. I love [name_u]Connie[/name_u] or [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] though.

[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] (AY-lee) - I love this, and wish it wasn’t so close in sound to my own name!

[name_f]Eimear[/name_f] (EEM-er) - one of my favourite Gaelic choices, [name_f]Eimear[/name_f] is lovely, and I would swoon if I met one.

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] - I actually prefer just [name_f]Stella[/name_f] to this, I have no idea why though.

[name_f]Eve[/name_f] - [name_f]Eve[/name_f] has always felt a bit incomplete to me, but I adore [name_f]Eveline[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] and [name_f]Evelina[/name_f].

[name_f]Fenella[/name_f] - this reminds me of [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] [name_m]Mills[/name_m] (who I was named after), so it always makes me smile. :slight_smile:

[name_f]Hester[/name_f] - this sounds too much like hissing to my ears, but I love [name_f]Esther[/name_f], and I don’t really know why.

[name_f]Iris[/name_f] - [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is one of my favourite floral names, I love it! It makes me so happy to see it getting usage in [name_f]England[/name_f].

[name_u]Isa[/name_u] (eye-sah) - where I live, this is connected to that wonderful little Hispanic explorer, [name_f]Dora[/name_f], pronounced EE-sah, and, the character on [name_f]Dora[/name_f], is an Iguana, so I can’t really get past that yet.

[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] / [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] - I dislike the sound of [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f], but [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] is my favourite spelling of [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], and it reminds me of [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] Crawley from Downton [name_u]Abbey[/name_u], who is one of my favourite characters :wink:

[name_f]Lettice[/name_f] (luh-TEES) - I want to love this, but I can’t help but see Lettuce, [name_f]Lettie[/name_f] is beautiful though.

[name_f]Maud[/name_f] - I’ve sort of wavered on my love for [name_f]Maud[/name_f]/[name_f]Maude[/name_f], but I still find it so classy and elegant.

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - still a favourite of mine, I adore [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], and the connection to [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] (even though the character wasn’t great).

[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] - this is a big GP for me, but I love it! [name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] is so exotic and beautiful.

[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] - even though I don’t like this as much, it has a special connection to me, my favourite movie as a preteen was [name_m]Little[/name_m] Manhattan, which is like, a coming of age romance, and the female lead was named [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] :slight_smile: It also featured the song, [name_u]Love[/name_u] Grows (Where My [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] Goes), which I love.

[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] - I used to love this, mainly because of the friend from high school I had named [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f], but since she and I have grown distant, I seem to like the name a lot less :confused: It’s very pretty, but I feel like it lacks something.

[name_f]Una[/name_f] - I love this, but prefer the [name_f]Oona[/name_f] spelling, as this one reminds me of [name_f]Una[/name_f] from The Saturdays, haha!

[name_f]Ursa[/name_f] - this is interesting, but I’m not sure how I feel about it!

[name_f]Yseult[/name_f] - I love this, but the spelling really confuses me, so I prefer [name_f]Isolde[/name_f].

My favourites are:

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Aoife[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_u]Billie[/name_u]
[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f]
[name_f]Eimear[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Una[/name_f]

I feel like suggesting a few, but I’ll PM them later if you’d like me to :slight_smile:

3

favorites - [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Annabella[/name_f] (all though I prefer [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]), [name_f]Eilidh[/name_f], [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] (and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f])

neutral - [name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (I think [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] and [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] could grow on me), [name_f]Aoife[/name_f] (this could grow on me also), [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_u]Billie[/name_u], [name_f]Celeste[/name_f], [name_f]Constance[/name_f], [name_f]Eimear[/name_f], [name_f]Estella[/name_f] (love [name_f]Stella[/name_f]), [name_f]Fenella[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_u]Isa[/name_u], [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], [name_f]Raphaela[/name_f], [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] (adore [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]), [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f], [name_f]Una[/name_f],

least favorite - [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], [name_f]Hester[/name_f], [name_f]Lettice[/name_f], [name_f]Maud[/name_f], [name_f]Ursa[/name_f], [name_f]Yseult[/name_f]

4

[name_f]Agnes[/name_f] – The only young [name_f]Agnes[/name_f] nn [name_f]Aggie[/name_f] I know is an over-sharer. She always comes to mind when I read this name. I’m not a fan of the English pronunciation at all and find it most appealing in [name_m]French[/name_m]. Dislike the nickname [name_f]Aggie[/name_f]. [name_f]Nessie[/name_f] is cute.

[name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] – I like it. It’s new to me, but familiar in all its sounds so I didn’t have to “get used to it” as much as some new to me names. I do think people might “what? [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]?” it a little.

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] – prefer it without the hyphen. I like it. I kinda have a soft spot for two first names in general that ring classic.

[name_f]Annabella[/name_f] – Dislike.

[name_f]Aoife[/name_f] – [name_u]Love[/name_u].

[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] – I like it quite a bit and love the different literary connections it has. I’ve found myself quite surprisingly smitten with [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] lately.

[name_u]Billie[/name_u] – Not a fan, though my sister actually had this marked as one of her girl names when she was pregnant and I don’t find it intolerable, thanks to [name_u]Billie[/name_u] [name_f]Holiday[/name_f] I suppose. :slight_smile: I do like it as a potential nickname and I adore [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f].

[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] – [name_m]Just[/name_m] okay. Pretty meaning.

[name_f]Constance[/name_f] – I was thinking about this name recently. I like that it’s a less obvious / domineering virtue name. I was also crushing on “Stanza” and trying to think what would be a possible full name (as I don’t think I could go with Stanza as a serious first).

[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] – Really like.

[name_f]Eimear[/name_f] – Sounds a bit harsh/blunt to me, though great namesake.

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] – I love “ella” names but this actually doesn’t do much for me. I think it’s just a little too much. I think [name_f]Estelle[/name_f] or [name_f]Stella[/name_f] are far better.

[name_f]Eve[/name_f] – [name_u]Love[/name_u].

[name_f]Fenella[/name_f] – [name_u]Love[/name_u]!

[name_f]Hester[/name_f] – No.

[name_f]Iris[/name_f] – [name_m]Just[/name_m] okay. Pretty connections.

[name_u]Isa[/name_u] – I like it! I’m new to this pronunciation of the name.

[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] – [name_m]Favorite[/name_m] spelling of this name and I think it’s very pretty.

[name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] – Very intriguing. I actually really like it! The “ish” part is unexpected and sounds a bit cuter than [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]. I think Ish would be an adorable nickname.

[name_f]Lettice[/name_f] – Lettuce. :frowning:

[name_f]Maud[/name_f] – [name_f]Hester[/name_f]'s sister.

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] – [name_u]Love[/name_u]! Wish [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] had given this name to a different character, but I think I can see past all that.

[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] – Think I prefer the [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f] spelling, as it strikes me as more international. I love this.

[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] – I like it. Prefer some of the other “rose” names or just [name_f]Rose[/name_f].

[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] – Not sure why, but this name sounds a bit stuck up to me. Would be a great name for a [name_f]Tabby[/name_f] cat.

[name_f]Una[/name_f] – [name_u]Love[/name_u]. Prefer [name_f]Oona[/name_f] spelling because it reminds me less of a number and how often do you get that double O?

[name_f]Ursa[/name_f] – Was recently thinking about this name too. I really like it! It has an archaic sound but is quite simple and familiar as well.

[name_f]Yseult[/name_f] – I love the connections this name has. I prefer [name_f]Isolde[/name_f], but love the look of [name_f]Yseult[/name_f].

5

[name_f]Agnes[/name_f] - I like it, it’s only very [name_m]Christian[/name_m]/Catholic, and has image of being grandma name
[name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (AIL-sa) - I prefer [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] - I like it, it has Western charm
[name_f]Annabella[/name_f] - love this more than [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], and much more than [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Aoife[/name_f] (EE-fa) - I think I used to like this, but it was never something extra special
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - I loved this for a while, still like it and prefer it from [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
[name_u]Billie[/name_u] - it reminds me of American small towns
[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] - like this, but I prefer [name_f]Celestine[/name_f] or [name_f]Celestina[/name_f]
[name_f]Constance[/name_f] - I like this, also love [name_f]Clemency[/name_f]
[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] (AY-lee) - too similar to [name_f]Hayley[/name_f], but very lovely, and I prefer this over [name_f]Hayley[/name_f]/[name_f]Hailey[/name_f]
[name_f]Eimear[/name_f] (EEM-er) - I find this name ugly, but can see the appeal, looks nice, sounds complicated
[name_f]Estella[/name_f] - I prefer this to [name_f]Estelle[/name_f], but dislike both of them, it’s grandma name ([name_f]Agnes[/name_f] is ready for revival), it’s too Spanish, and I prefer [name_f]Stella[/name_f].
[name_f]Eve[/name_f] - it’s OK
[name_f]Fenella[/name_f] - Fen part is weird, but it’s OK name
[name_f]Hester[/name_f] - like this, although I prefer Hespera, [name_f]Vespera[/name_f], Hersperia, etc…
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] - like this name
[name_u]Isa[/name_u] (eye-sah) - prefer [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] / [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] (both are legitimate, Scottish forms of [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]) - I prefer [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] or [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Lettice[/name_f] (luh-TEES) - I prefer [name_f]Laetitia[/name_f] (even though it’s Spanish)
[name_f]Maud[/name_f] - nice name
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - nice name
[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] - like this name (love [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] for a boy)
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] - it’s OK, prefer [name_f]Marianne[/name_f], with has similar flare
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] - it’s OK name
[name_f]Una[/name_f] - it’s nice name
[name_f]Ursa[/name_f] - I prefer [name_f]Ursula[/name_f], but [name_f]Ursa[/name_f] is nice alternative
[name_f]Yseult[/name_f] (EES-olt) - like this spelling, but prefer [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]

6

From your list, I like [name_f]Agnes[/name_f], [name_f]Annabella[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Celeste[/name_f], [name_f]Constance[/name_f], [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] and [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]. My favourites would be [name_f]Annabella[/name_f], [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], [name_f]Constance[/name_f] and [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f].

7

[name_f]Welcome[/name_f] back, Oliviasarah! Here are my thoughts on your name list. My faves are bolded.

[name_f]Agnes[/name_f] - this name sounds great in [name_m]French[/name_m] but heavy in English. I do prefer [name_f]Agatha[/name_f].

[name_f]Ailsa[/name_f] (AIL-sa) - it’s ok but I want to say “[name_m]Craig[/name_m]” after it!

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] - nice combo but [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] is No#1 in [name_f]England[/name_f] right now, isn’t it? I do prefer [name_f]Emilia[/name_f].

[name_f]Annabella[/name_f] - I prefer the less frilly [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] (this is frilly enough for me)

[name_f]Aoife[/name_f] (EE-fa) - love it!

[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - I like the spunkier [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] but this one is ok.

[name_u]Billie[/name_u] - goat? No, not as a full name. Maybe a nn for a [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] or [name_f]Willa[/name_f]?

[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] - the meaning matches the way I feel about this name: heavenly

[name_f]Constance[/name_f] - love this vintage gem.

[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] (AY-lee) - a little too cute. This has two sounds which are vastly overused in today’s baby names: “ay” and “ee”.

[name_f]Eimear[/name_f] (EEM-er) - I like this Irish name

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] - Great Expectations was one of my favourite books when I was young. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though the character wasn’t great, I did fall in love with her name!

[name_f]Eve[/name_f] - I prefer [name_f]Eva[/name_f] and [name_f]Evelina[/name_f].

[name_f]Fenella[/name_f] - too similar in sound to the word “vanilla”

[name_f]Hester[/name_f] - I prefer [name_f]Esther[/name_f]

[name_f]Iris[/name_f] - I love the name and all of its associations (rainbows, flower, eye)

[name_u]Isa[/name_u] (eye-sah) - this just looks like a nn for [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] OR [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] chopped off. Not a fan.

[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] / [name_f]Ishbel[/name_f] - I grown to love the Scottish spelling [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]. It may now be my favourite spelling of the name.

[name_f]Lettice[/name_f] (luh-TEES) - this may be fine in [name_f]England[/name_f] but in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u] it’s still “lettuce”. :slight_smile:

[name_f]Maud[/name_f] - its clunkiness is part of its charm

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - Not my favourite Shakespearean name (oh-feel-yah).

[name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] - simply divine!

[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] - simply gorgeous!

[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] - not my favourite Biblical name. Too feline?

[name_f]Una[/name_f] - there aren’t many “U” names I like. This is ok.

[name_f]Ursa[/name_f] - bear? [name_f]Ursula[/name_f] is ok but not this one.

[name_f]Yseult[/name_f] (EES-olt) - I can appreciate the myth but the sound is unattractive.