My husband told me tonight that he would really rather not name this baby [name]Amelia[/name] because his boss has a child with the same name. [name]Amelia[/name] has been on our short list for years…while we were expecting our second daughter and strongly considering [name]Amelia[/name] (we named her [name]Abigail[/name]) his boss’s wife had a baby and they named her [name]Amelia[/name]. Since the babies would have only been a couple months apart we tossed out [name]Amelia[/name] because that felt awkward. [name]Don[/name]'t get me wrong. We adore [name]Abigail[/name] and can not imagine her being anything else! But now that the other [name]Amelia[/name] is getting older it felt okay to use it again…until he got a rude comment about ‘imitating his boss’ when asked about our name ideas at work today. ([name]Don[/name]'t ask me why he decided to share this with co-workers). I feel strongly that no one has exclusive rights to a name. Everyone should feel free to name their child what they love. So right now I am completely heartbroken. The only other ‘A’ name that we agree on is [name]Arabelle[/name]/a. I feel like I have researched every possible A name and can’t possibly come up with anything new but I could use your ideas! The criteria…no unisex names! I love feminine, classic names. I would love to include the name [name]Sophie[/name] as a mn and would like to give this baby 2 middles. Our sibset:
[name]Ana[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Abigail[/name] [name]Bethany[/name], [name]Adalyn[/name] [name]Emma[/name]
So if baby #4 is a girl (we find out in 2 weeks!) what name would work well? The only one I have right now:
[name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] ???
[name]Arabella[/name] [name]Felicity[/name]
Thanks for your kind comments, though this job will likely be quite long term and I hate putting Dh in an incredibly awkward situation. [name]Just[/name] the same, it is VERY hard to ditch a name because of a work connection. It is not like these people are our best friends or siblings. Ugh. I hate this!
Also, the names have to start with A.
[name]One[/name] more name question everyone - Is [name]Alivia[/name] spelled this way really awful? It has really grown in popularity so I know she would not be alone with this spelling.
[name]Amelie[/name] (Very close to [name]Amelia[/name]…)
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Audrina[/name]
[name]Antonia[/name]
[name]Athalie[/name]
[name]Aurora[/name]
[name]Ariel[/name]/[name]Arielle[/name]
[name]Adelaide[/name]
[name]Amity[/name]
Azelia
But I agree with a pp that if you really love [name]Amelia[/name] don’t let people stop you from choosing it. You know why you are and that is the most important thing. I know someone who has an [name]Alivia[/name], I’ve never been a fan because it looks like “[name]Ah[/name]-livia” instead of “Uh-livia”… it is very subtle but it has always bothered me.
No to [name]Alivia[/name].
Yes to [name]Amelia[/name]. Can DH speak to his boss/wife about how you love it? They may be flattered, if not ditch for [name]Alexandra[/name].
rollo
Oh, no!
That really stinks, but with [name]Ana[/name], [name]Abigail[/name], and [name]Adelyn[/name], I do really love [name]Arabella[/name] (or even just [name]Arabelle[/name]). She just seems to fit right in, and [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] is just darling. 
I also love [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Felicity[/name]…
As for [name]Alivia[/name]… I think it’d be confusing. I also don’t like that it’s not the traditional spelling, but I love [name]Olivia[/name]'s sound and feel and literary appeal so much so I want to say yes so bad! I think [name]Olivia[/name] is just perfect. I think the “A” takes away from her appeal but if you really love it, I would say go for it. Especially if it’s really hard for your SO to agree to a name! [name]Alivia[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] or [name]Alivia[/name] [name]Felicity[/name] is pretty.
My first idea for a suggestion was [name]Annika[/name]… although it’s probably too close to [name]Ana[/name] for comfort! The only other “A” names I can think of off-hand are [name]Ashlyn[/name]/[name]Aislinn[/name], [name]Althea[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Annora[/name], [name]Ariana[/name]/[name]Arielle[/name], [name]Aurelia[/name], and [name]Aurora[/name]… I actually think [name]Aurora[/name] would be very pretty with [name]Ana[/name], [name]Abigail[/name], and [name]Adelyn[/name], too…
Good luck!
Jobs come and go, especially in these uncertain times. Honestly, don’t listen to coworkers. 1. [name]Amelia[/name] is a common enough name that it’s not like your hubby’s boss came up with an original name. 2. The kid won’t be going to work with dad, so people will get over it. 3. if anyone says anything just say its a name you’ve always loved and its only chance that they took it first. 4. the kid will live with it for life, and the job isn’t for life. 5. Isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? I say go for it, no one owns a name!
What [name]Do[/name] you think of [name]Amelie[/name] as an alternative?
I’m sorry about your delimma. However I think [name]Amelia[/name] is a great name especially with your other girls’. I would not let the fact that your husbands boss also has a girl by the same name deter you. It’s going to happen at some point that kids meet kids with the same name. Furthermore you (may) have 4 girls all of Whose first names begin with “A”. It is obviously just a coincidence.
That being said I can understand your husbands hesitation. If you do go for another name, I don’t think either [name]Alivia[/name] or [name]Arabelle[/name]/a really goes well with your other names. Particularly [name]Alivia[/name] seems like your trying too hard. I like the earlier suggestion of [name]Alice[/name], maybe [name]Alice[/name] [name]Felicity[/name].
Good luck.
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Adriana[/name]
[name]Ada[/name]
[name]Alexandra[/name]
[name]Amelie[/name]
[name]Antonia[/name]
[name]April[/name]
[name]Adele[/name]
[name]Adela[/name]
[name]Arielle[/name]
I think [name]Amelie[/name] would be a wonderful alternative, only one letter difference but it isn’t the same name.
I adora [name]Arabella[/name] so that would get my vote anyway, and I think [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] is adorable.
Other ideas - [name]Ana[/name], [name]Abigail[/name], [name]Adalyn[/name] and…
[name]Araminta[/name]
[name]Acacia[/name]
[name]Avon[/name]
Avonlea
[name]Arianne[/name]
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Amber[/name]
[name]Anoushka[/name]
[name]Adrienne[/name]
[name]Adriana[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Audrina[/name]
[name]Aubriana[/name]
Thank you everyone. I hardly slept last night I feel so heart sick about this. I think [name]Arabelle[/name] is beautiful and an alternative I could grow to really love. I am just not sure I can ever get over [name]Amelia[/name]. I know that eventually people in the office would get over it but I really despise feeling like Dh will endure criticism rather than congratulations and I can hardly stand the thought that the baby’s name feels somewhat tarnished before she even gets here. But yes, I completely agree with all of you that for people to think you are ‘copying’ someone else’s family who also choose a well known, long standing and rather popular name is ridiculous. But then people love to find something to pick on don’t they. [name]One[/name] major benefit of [name]Arabelle[/name] in all of this is that since it is no where near as popular as [name]Amelia[/name] it feels safe from all such junior high type nonsense. We do not know anyone who has a child with this name. If we find out this is a girl I think we will take both names to the hospital and make the final call when we see her.
I’m so sorry, that really sucks. [name]Amelia[/name] is lovely but I actually prefer [name]Arabelle[/name] or [name]Arabella[/name]. I’d do something simple like [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Jane[/name], [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]May[/name], [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]June[/name], [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Claire[/name], [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Kate[/name] etc.
My first suggestion for you is [name]Amalia[/name]. I absolutely adore this name and it is the name of one of the 3 princesses of The Netherlands, all of whom have A names too as it goes! It can be pronounced either uh-[name]MAR[/name]-lee-uh or am-uh-LEE-uh. I like both though personally I prefer uh-[name]MAR[/name]-lee-uh with the nn’s [name]Ama[/name], [name]Marley[/name] or [name]Lia[/name] I think [name]Amalia[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] is stunning!
Next, obviously [name]Annabel[/name] is out due to [name]Ana[/name], but what about [name]Amabel[/name]? Nn [name]Ama[/name], [name]Belle[/name] or [name]Bella[/name].
Other A names I love and think could work with [name]Ana[/name], [name]Abigail[/name] and [name]Adalyn[/name] are:
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Alanna[/name]
[name]Alina[/name]
[name]Alaina[/name]
[name]Alma[/name]
[name]Alba[/name]
[name]Amaris[/name]
[name]Amaya[/name]
[name]Aurelie[/name]
Aimée
And I second the previous suggestions of [name]Alice[/name], [name]Ariadne[/name], [name]Ariana[/name] and [name]Ariane[/name].
I hope that helps a little, good luck!
Definitely stick with [name]Amelia[/name] as I think you’ll regret it if you take a second choice. You thought of it first(!!) and if anything, people at work would surely know you really chose it only because you REALLY love it as no one would be so uncaring about their child’s name choice as to simply copy a boss…
Ugh! I’m so sorry about your situation. My husband used to work at an office where everyone acted like they were in junior high. [name]One[/name] time he came home and said everyone called him BIG [name]BIRD[/name] because of the new yellow dress shirt I’d gotten him. Really, folks??
It was ridiculous and he hated it there. I could totally see those people making the same kind of nasty remarks about copying the boss and such.
You’ve gotten so many lovely suggestions I don’t have any more to add, just a word of sympathy. If we were in that scenario a part of me would want to just ignore what those childish people said and use the name I wanted, and on the other hand I totally understand feeling like your baby’s name is tarnished before she even gets here. Sorry you have to deal with such juvenile behavior. Best wishes on deciding what to do!