Desperately wanting to SWOON. Can you help me get there?

Girl Names
1

Our baby girl will be here in a few weeks, and we are now completely stuck in a name rut. I would like to tell you where things currently stand, and see if you berries can help.

My husband is sold on [name]Isla[/name]. It is his favorite name by far, and while I think it is lovely, I don’t quite share the same enthusiasm for it that he does. But I certainly like it much more than he likes any of my favorites ([name]Vivienne[/name], [name]Cosette[/name]/[name]Cosetta[/name], [name]Arielle[/name], Eliannah, [name]Emerson[/name], [name]Lola[/name], [name]Savannah[/name], [name]Emmeline[/name], [name]Livia[/name]), if that makes sense? So it seems like it is the way to go, but I just don’t feel that it is 100% our daughter’s name. I would love to have your help identifying another name, the one that is going to make us know we found the one.

To give you some background, here are my concerns about [name]Isla[/name]:
• Pronunciation issues, we live in a region where she is more likely to be called ees-la, than eye-la
• Breathiness, missing any ‘meat’ when I say it
• I am a huge nicknamer, and while I can see how [name]Izzie[/name] works, it seems like a bit of a stretch considering I will be asking people to see the ‘s’ as silent in her full name, but then emphasize that same sound in her nickname?

Other things to keep in mind when sending ideas our way:
Our last name is one syllable, starts with C.
The middle name will be [name]Blakely[/name], a family name.
We both are ‘okay’ with [name]Lila[/name] and see that as a strong possibility in the way of a compromise, seeing as how it is similar to [name]Isla[/name] yet does not have some of the same hang-ups for me (pronunciation, breathiness).
Popularity really isn’t a factor, but avoiding a trendy name is a huge factor.
I seem to prefer longer names, names with lots of nickname potential, and that include double consonants—although I am not consciously aware of gravitating to those names (nn, ll, tt, etc.) they do seem to catch my eye, I think it might be the beauty of the symmetry of the written letters?
It would be wonderful to love a name that begins with “E” for honoring purposes, but is certainly not a huge consideration.

I will respond to any/all suggestions and am so appreciative of any time you spend pondering my situation—thank you thank you!

2

Hmm, [name]Isla[/name] and [name]Lila[/name], other long I names:
[name]Isis[/name] (for me, this is similar, but much “meatier” than [name]Isla[/name])
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Maya[/name]
[name]Amaya[/name]
[name]Dinah[/name]
[name]Dianna[/name]
Skylar (too masc. with [name]Blakely[/name] in the middle?)
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Delilah[/name]

Double letter thoughts
[name]Annika[/name]
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Linnea[/name]

Good luck finding something you both love!

3

Have you considered [name]Ida[/name] or a variation? Definitely more meaty imo and also less trendy than [name]Isla[/name]. Or [name]Aida[/name]?
Good luck!

4

[name]Etta[/name]
[name]Bette[/name]
[name]Elisabetta[/name] ([name]Bette[/name], [name]Etta[/name], [name]Bets[/name], [name]Elisa[/name], [name]Lee[/name], E, [name]Elsie[/name])
[name]Edda[/name]
[name]Calla[/name] (my favorite one for you!) nn [name]Cal[/name] or [name]Callie[/name] or even [name]Lil[/name]
[name]Adele[/name] ([name]Della[/name])
[name]Mila[/name]/[name]Melina[/name] or [name]Emilia[/name]?
[name]Estella[/name]
[name]Freya[/name]
[name]Gala[/name] / [name]Galina[/name]
[name]Inez[/name]
[name]Ina[/name]
[name]Ida[/name]
[name]Vita[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name]
[name]Lana[/name]
[name]Lena[/name]
[name]Leda[/name]
[name]Lita[/name]
[name]Lisa[/name]
[name]Elise[/name]
[name]Liza[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Oona[/name]
[name]Raya[/name]
[name]Raina[/name] (i love this too with nn [name]Ray[/name] or [name]Rain[/name])
[name]Sarah[/name]
[name]Vira[/name]
[name]Vera[/name]
[name]Willa[/name]

Good luck! [name]Hope[/name] you find one you love!

5

I love the suggestion of [name]Linnea[/name] for you!

Some other names you may like:
Meira
[name]Dulcinea[/name] – lots of nn options!
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Raisa[/name] - Sort of similar to [name]Isla[/name], but the [name]Izzy[/name] nn would make more sense
[name]Raine[/name] or [name]Raina[/name]

6

I am going to try this again–I responded but do not see it on the thread? Anyway, thank you so much for your suggestions–it is just so nice to have the help! I am going to take [name]Amaya[/name] and [name]Vida[/name] (I like it better with a ‘d’ than a ‘t’) to my husband and see if either of these suggestions match his enthusiasm for [name]Isla[/name]. They are the two that really jumped out at me. I do have a question about [name]Linnea[/name]–I love love love the way it looks but am confused on pronunciation? I googled and found varying results. [name]How[/name] are you pronouncing it?

7

I say [name]Linnea[/name] Lih-NAY-uh

8

[name]Vida[/name] is sooo pretty. Wdyto [name]Veda[/name] or [name]Viola[/name]?

9

E names:
Elleana
Emiya
[name]Emmy[/name]
[name]Emmeline[/name]
[name]Elektra[/name]
[name]Eimer[/name]
[name]Etta[/name]
[name]Echo[/name]

I also like [name]Lila[/name]. [name]Isla[/name] is too popular.

10

Maybe you’d like [name]Lillian[/name]? I saw that you liked [name]Lila[/name], so [name]Lillian[/name] isn’t much of a stretch.

Other ideas:
[name]Evelyn[/name]…nn [name]Evie[/name]
[name]Delilah[/name]…nn [name]Lila[/name]
[name]Twila[/name]…rhymes with [name]Lila[/name] so maybe?
[name]Felicity[/name] nn Lissy or something else…
[name]Sienna[/name]…reminds me of [name]Savannah[/name], which you mentioned
[name]Susanna[/name]…also reminds me of [name]Savannah[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]…basically a nicknamer’s dream ([name]Lizzie[/name], [name]Beth[/name], [name]Betty[/name], [name]Betsy[/name], [name]Lilly[/name], Lillabet, [name]Eliza[/name] etc…)
[name]Adeline[/name] or [name]Madeline[/name]…reminiscent of [name]Emmeline[/name]
[name]Francesca[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]…if you like [name]Izzy[/name] and [name]Isla[/name]
[name]Camille[/name]…nn [name]Cammy[/name] or [name]Millie[/name]?

Lots of those double consonant names in there too…hopefully you’re finding some swoonable inspirations!

11

[name]Mila[/name], pronounced Mee-la.
[name]Mira[/name], " Meer-a.
[name]Stella[/name] seems like a way to bridge your styles…
[name]Lila[/name]–love this, especially [name]Lila[/name] [name]Blakely[/name]…
[name]Leonie[/name]–[name]Lay[/name]-oh-nee.
[name]Luella[/name]
[name]Alida[/name]–A-lie-da; or just plain [name]Lida[/name].

12

I really do like [name]Linnea[/name] pronounced that way and I love how it looks—I just know it isn’t going to fly since there is some question about pronunciation which is one of the little nagging things bugging me about [name]Isla[/name].

I totally see how [name]Ida[/name] adds more ‘meat’ but I already had one of those in my life I didnt get along with too well with her so I have a bad association ;).

I also love the suggestions of [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Elisabetta[/name]–what beautiful names and you are so correct, a nicknamers dream! But that is my SILs name so cannot go there. Actually so many of the names you guys listed (7!) belong to close family members–I think our family must have very good taste :)! Which makes my job right now so much more difficult!

I love [name]Veda[/name]–that is actually one that I remember discussing months ago, and I cannot remember why it was shut down but I will add that to the list to explore with my husband tonight. [name]Veda[/name] is the name of the girl in My Girl, correct? [name]Vida[/name] and [name]Veda[/name] are both so nice. Nickname ideas? [name]Vivi[/name]?

I have never heard of Emiya–is it pronounced like [name]Amaya[/name]? Or even could be spelled Emaya? I like this suggestion and gets an ‘e’ in there!

I know it was mentioned that [name]Isla[/name] is too popular—but I really am trying not to let popularity sway me. I figure beautiful names are popular for a reason and I don’t want that to ever stand in my way or my daughter’s way. But I do fear trendiness, and datedness when it comes to [name]Isla[/name]–I am not sure what your thoughts might be on that? [name]Will[/name] this be a passing trend and does it lack staying power and that more classic ingredient?

I also just read about a popular musician who goes by [name]Isla[/name] as a nickname for [name]Isabella[/name]? That could help me get the ‘meat’ I am looking for, and also the beauty of the name [name]Isla[/name] (I really do like it) and the making my husband a very happy man :).

13

I love the suggestion [name]Stella[/name] and was looking into it today and came across [name]Estella[/name]. I think I might have found my match?!?–hits the honoring ‘e’, has some ‘meat’, easy to pronounce and has the double consonant I find so pretty. The best news is that my husband said–wow, I quite like that. Which is pretty huge! If nothing else, we at least have another contender and it is so nice to have options. Thank you so much berries!

14

Yay! [name]Estella[/name] is beautiful.

15

Yes, [name]Estella[/name] IS a beautiful name!..[name]One[/name] quick question tho—SWOON?..

16

[name]Estella[/name] is a lovely name. My great grandmother was [name]Estelle[/name] and it occurs to me [name]Estella[/name] feels like a fresher way to honor her. [name]Stella[/name] is also a terrific nickname.

Back to [name]Isla[/name], have you considered [name]Ayelet[/name]?

17

@ceecee-I am swooning. My husband isn’t quite so enthusiastic, but he really does like it and said he would be happy with it–which is a first. [name]Isla[/name] is the only name that has gotten him to swooning level :). I am just thrilled we have two options to chose from!

@rachelleah-I do like the name ayelet–it is beautiful to pronounce and to look at, but not totally in love with the meaning or the grommet visual I get when I say it.

@thuja-I also really like [name]Alida[/name]. You wrote a-lie-da for pronunciation. Could it also be said a-lee-da?

18

It looks like you have some great suggestions here and I agree that [name]Estella[/name] is a beautiful name and [name]Stella[/name] is a great nn! I like [name]Ella[/name] as well (it makes me think of [name]Ella[/name] Enchanced which was one of my favorite books when I was a kid).

I hope your DH gets on board with it.

19

I think that your [name]Lola[/name] and [name]Livia[/name], his [name]Isla[/name] and your shared [name]Lila[/name] you would maybe like the following:

[name]Leda[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Mila[/name] (Meela)
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Naya[/name]
[name]Neva[/name]
[name]Nora[/name]
[name]Leona[/name]
[name]Luna[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Vega[/name]
[name]Lilia[/name]
[name]Elise[/name]
[name]Viva[/name]
[name]Alida[/name]
[name]Willa[/name]

Can’t wait to hear what you think

20

@danishnames–thanks so much for your suggestions. There were a couple that really stood out to me ([name]Alida[/name]-which @thuja suggested too, and [name]Willa[/name]). Husband nixed both–and as usual, with no real reason, which is what is making this process extra difficult! I also love [name]Lilia[/name] (and he likes it too!) and we had discussed it as a longer name with use of the nn [name]Lily[/name]. But with the middle name of [name]Blakely[/name], I think it is a real mouthful of l’s and sort of ruins the flow…

@rachelleah–I love [name]Ella[/name] Enchanted too! I have been having fun thinking of the possible nns for [name]Estella[/name], [name]Ella[/name] and [name]Stella[/name] being great ones. Also, [name]Essie[/name], [name]Ellie[/name], Este, [name]Elle[/name]…Seems like even if she ends up hating her name she would be able to easily find one within it she loves?!