Decided to stop lurking...

Girl Names
1

I’ve been lurking about on this site for a number of months now - occasionally commenting but more often just looking for inspiration. But by this point I’m six months along and we just found out our baby is a girl (which I told my husband all along). We’re still going to come up with some boys’ names - just in case - but our general plan is to go into it with several different front runners and then decide which we like best after we meet our little girl!

I wanted to get some opinions on our three favorites right now, but also to see if anyone had any other suggestions that we might like.

We like:
[name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] (I’ve been an [name]Isabel[/name] fan for years so this is a good alternative for me now that [name]Isabel[/name] has become unusable due to its popularity)
[name]Octavia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] (but we’re not sure whether [name]Octavia[/name] might be too much name! We’re also not sure about nicknames)
[name]Sabine[/name] [name]Octavia[/name] (we like [name]Sabine[/name] mainly as a middle name but want to keep it around as a possibility for the first name too, just in case it suits her)

I should mention that our last name is two syllables, begins with a B, and sounds like [name]Beckett[/name].

In case anyone wants to offer suggestions, here are some of my favorites that at one point or another go the veto:
[name]Cecily[/name], [name]Rosamund[/name], [name]Anthea[/name], [name]Tamsin[/name]

And here are some of my husband’s that met the same fate:
[name]Cassidy[/name], [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Morgan[/name], [name]Simone[/name] (although I told him that [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Morgan[/name] would make good middles)

What do you all think?

2

My vote goes for [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name].

I agree that [name]Octavia[/name] is a little much, and you wouldn’t want her called “octo”-girl or “octopus”.

[name]Sabine[/name] is pretty, but it does always make me think of the rape of the [name]Sabine[/name] women, and I wouldn’t want my daughter’s name associated with a famous rape. Sorry, that’s just my opinion.

3

I love [name]Octavia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]! I also love [name]Isadora[/name].

I guess I am in the minority in liking [name]Octavia[/name] but I think it’s gorgeous. The nickname [name]Tavy[/name] is adorable, or even [name]Tavia[/name].

I like [name]Sabine[/name] in the middle spot but I am not as big of a fan of it in for a first name.

willow :slight_smile:

4

Actually The Rape of the [name]Sabine[/name] Woman wasn’t a rape at all. In the context of the story Rape means Abduction. So no raping involved.

I personally love both [name]Octavia[/name] and [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] but I think I like [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] best.

HTH!

5

Oh I love [name]Octavia[/name]! And nn’s could be Tave, [name]Taye[/name], [name]Tavie[/name] or [name]Tavia[/name] (my personal fav!) [name]Sabine[/name] I’ve never heard of before but it sounds pretty with [name]Octavia[/name].

[name]Isadora[/name]'s not really my style because it always makes me think of Wizadora :s lol. [name]How[/name] about Isola? [name]Isaline[/name]? [name]Isannah[/name]?

I also really love [name]Rosamund[/name] and [name]Cecily[/name] though I prefer [name]Cecilia[/name]. I agree [name]Rowan[/name] is lovely too and would make a gorgeous middle name. [name]How[/name] about [name]Octavia[/name] [name]Rowan[/name]? Best of luck!

6

[name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]: This is a lovely combo… [name]Isadora[/name] isn’t quite my favorite but I do like it. It sounds good with your last name, too.

[name]Octavia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]: I really really like [name]Octavia[/name], and I think the right person could pull it off. I know an [name]Octavia[/name] (Octayvia, actually :frowning: ) and as far as I know she isn’t teased. It is a lot of name, though. I think a less dramatic middle would work better ([name]Octavia[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Octavia[/name] [name]Claire[/name], [name]Octavia[/name] [name]Helen[/name]).

[name]Sabine[/name] [name]Octavia[/name]: Though the associations are not great, I think most people won’t know about it. I do prefer [name]Sabina[/name] to [name]Sabine[/name], though, and [name]Sabine[/name] doesn’t sound very good with your last name.

My vote is for [name]Octavia[/name], but [name]Isadora[/name] if you don’t want a slightly over-the-top name. I also love [name]Cecily[/name] and [name]Anthea[/name] from your list. What about:

[name]Cassia[/name]
[name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name]
[name]Althea[/name]
[name]Vivian[/name]
[name]Clarissa[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Rosalind[/name]
[name]Aurelia[/name]
[name]Flavia[/name]
[name]Livia[/name]
[name]Adela[/name]
[name]Solange[/name]

7

1 [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] ([name]Isadora[/name] is classy alternative to the popular [name]Isabella[/name]. Although [name]Sabine[/name] isn’t a fav of mine, it does go well with [name]Isadora[/name])
2 [name]Octavia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name] ([name]Octavia[/name] means “eighth-born child” but not many couples have eight children anymore. It can be viewed as a somewhat upperclass name (eg. snobby, pretentious etc…) but I like the sound of it with [name]Sabine[/name].
3 [name]Sabine[/name] [name]Octavia[/name] (Personally, I would not choose [name]Sabine[/name] for a first name. This combo is not the best!).

I love [name]Cecily[/name], [name]Rosamunde[/name] and [name]Simone[/name] too!

Other suggestions
Instead of [name]Isadora[/name] - [name]Ignatia[/name], [name]Imogen[/name], [name]India[/name], [name]Ione[/name], [name]Isla[/name], [name]Irene[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Isis[/name], [name]Ithaca[/name] or [name]Ivy[/name]
Instead of [name]Octavia[/name] - [name]Olympia[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], [name]Odelia[/name], [name]Odessa[/name], [name]Olga[/name], [name]Olwen[/name], [name]Oneida[/name], [name]Onyx[/name], [name]Oona[/name], [name]Opal[/name], [name]Ophelia[/name], [name]Orinthia[/name], [name]Orla[/name], [name]Orlanda[/name] and Osithe.
Instead of [name]Sabine[/name] - [name]Savina[/name], [name]Sabrina[/name], [name]Sadie[/name], [name]Saffron[/name], [name]Sanchia[/name], [name]Sandrine[/name], [name]Sarita[/name], [name]Sascha[/name], Saveria, [name]Scarlett[/name], [name]Season[/name], [name]Selina[/name], [name]Serena[/name], [name]Sela[/name], [name]Seneca[/name], [name]Senga[/name], [name]Sequoia[/name], Serilda, [name]Severine[/name], [name]Shae[/name], [name]Shalom[/name], [name]Shasta[/name], [name]Sybilla[/name], [name]Sidonie[/name], [name]Sloane[/name], [name]Solange[/name], [name]Sonoma[/name], [name]Summer[/name], Sunniva and [name]Susannah[/name].

I’m glad you’re not “lurking” anymore. [name]Welcome[/name] and Best wishes to you!

8

[name]Hi[/name] there!

[name]Isadora[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]: I’m a big fan of the name [name]Isadora[/name]. I agree, it’s a wonderful alternative to [name]Isabel[/name]. It sounds great with your last name, and it has lots of wonderful nicknames. I’d say this is my favorite on your list.
[name]Octavia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]: I personally do not think this is too much name. It’s really no more name than [name]Isadora[/name] (or [name]Isabella[/name] for that matter) it’s just more unfamiliar. I love [name]Taye[/name] or [name]Tavie[/name] as a nickname. [name]Even[/name] with nicknames it’s on the more unusual side, but I do think on the right girl it could work.
[name]Sabine[/name] [name]Octavia[/name]: [name]Sabine[/name] has always sounded a little harsh to me as a first name. I prefer [name]Sabrina[/name] (which happens to be my Mom’s name), but even so, [name]Sabine[/name] is a nice name, a bit exotic but still familiar.

Okay, some other names similar to those you like:

[name]Isadora[/name]: [name]Eudora[/name], [name]Isaline[/name], [name]Isolde[/name], [name]Theodora[/name], [name]Dorothea[/name], [name]Pandora[/name], [name]Araminta[/name], [name]Amabel[/name], [name]Guinevere[/name], [name]Tabitha[/name].
[name]Octavia[/name]: [name]Genevra[/name], [name]Cornelia[/name], [name]Olympia[/name], [name]Ophelia[/name], [name]Valentina[/name], [name]Euphemia[/name], [name]Aurelia[/name], [name]Xanthia[/name], [name]Sidonia[/name], [name]Christabel[/name].
[name]Sabine[/name]: [name]Marine[/name], [name]Gisele[/name], [name]Cecile[/name], [name]Celeste[/name], [name]Pauline[/name], [name]Claudine[/name], [name]Serene[/name]/[name]Serena[/name], [name]Maelle[/name], [name]Soleil[/name], [name]Perrine[/name], [name]Oceane[/name].

[name]Hope[/name] that helps!

9

Thank you for all the comments and advice. I was talking to my husband about this just now and he’s decided that while he still likes [name]Sabine[/name] for a middle he’s no longer interested in it as a first name. Funnily enough, we both thought we were deferring to the other by selecting it - although of course we do actually like it. Anyway, it has been stricken from the list as a first name possibility, so perhaps others will come to us. We do like it with [name]Isadora[/name] though. However, we agree with a pp that [name]Octavia[/name] sounds better with another middle - perhaps [name]Rowan[/name], which my husband really likes. I like it too; I just don’t want it as a first name because I think it’s too unisex.

I like so many of the suggestions that have been offered. It’s funny but many of the names suggested are those that have been under consideration at one time or another. For instance, I really like [name]Theodora[/name] but DH doesn’t. I’ve also considered [name]Geneva[/name] and [name]Genevra[/name] but DH doesn’t like them either. We both like [name]Beatrix[/name] and [name]Beatrice[/name] but as our last name begins with a “b” decided against those. [name]Imogen[/name] is on my list but with a caveat. I had a dream that I had a little girl called [name]Imogen[/name] when I was pregnant last winter but then I had a miscarriage so I feel a bit superstitious about the name now.

It’s funny but I was just over at a friend’s house and she has three small children. She told me that when I see the child I’ll “know” - that I may end up choosing a name that I haven’t even thought of yet!