Dilemma: Alternatives to "Family" Names?

General Name Discussion
1

My SO and I were recently discussing honoring family members through names. I like the idea of honoring ancestors and carrying on a tradition, but (no offense intended) the names are absolutely horrible on both sides! I posted a list so you can see how truly terrible it all is! It doesn’t help that he has traditions on both sides ([name]Mary[/name] + [name]Edward[/name]) which are names I particularly dislike. I don’t really like the whole idea of traditional and popular names. My family has a “[name]Lynn[/name]” tradition (Mavalyn, [name]Terry[/name] [name]Lynn[/name], my name is [name]Lyndsey[/name]) which is easily tacked onto any name or middle name (Chaselyn + [name]Gracelyn[/name] if twins?). So we have considered variants (like ‘[name]Marie[/name]’ for ‘[name]Mary[/name]’) or placing them into middle names (can’t for the life of me think of one using ‘[name]Mary[/name]’) or even both (’[name]Ava[/name]/Layken [name]Marie[/name]’). I don’t want to be rude or upset anyone, but I really want a good baby name that we both love and I think they should be honored that we’re even considering naming our children after them. Any suggestions or thoughts?

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[name]Aileah[/name] ([name]Ida[/name]/[name]Irene[/name] and [name]Leah[/name])
I like [name]Vernon[/name] [name]Terry[/name]
[name]Carrie[/name]/[name]Kary[/name]/etc. ([name]Kimberly[/name] and [name]Terry[/name])
[name]Marilyn[/name] for [name]Mary[/name] and [name]Lynn[/name]?
Idalyn
[name]Kimberlin[/name]
Annalynne
[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Colleen[/name]
[name]Marie[/name]
[name]Marin[/name]
[name]Terra/name
[name]Edith[/name] (edward)
Leanalyn
Maevalyn (Mavalyn)
Lucialyn

3

Oh, those are delightful! :smiley:

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Haha, there are several here I like ([name]Lucille[/name], [name]Leah[/name], [name]Mary[/name], [name]Frances[/name], [name]Vincent[/name]), but I understand that these aren’t everyone’s taste :slight_smile: If you like neither traditional nor popular names, what kinds of names do you like? Are Chaselyn and [name]Gracelyn[/name], Layken, or [name]Ava[/name] examples of names that fit within your taste, or just examples of what you mean regarding those traditions?

My suggestions take the names and run with them for either gender. Maybe something’ll pop.

[name]Terry[/name]: [name]Theresa[/name]/[name]Teresa[/name], [name]Tessa[/name], [name]Reese[/name], [name]Tara[/name], [name]Terence[/name], [name]Terrell[/name]
[name]Lynn[/name] (some might be too close to your name): [name]Linnea[/name], [name]Linnet[/name], [name]Linden[/name], [name]Melinda[/name] (or similar), [name]Adalyn[/name] (or similar)
[name]Vincent[/name]: [name]Vinson[/name]
[name]Edward[/name]: [name]Ward[/name], [name]Edmond[/name]/[name]Edmund[/name]/[name]Edgar[/name], [name]Edison[/name], [name]Ned[/name], [name]Ted[/name]
Mavalyn: [name]Maeve[/name], [name]May[/name], [name]Ava[/name], Maylin, [name]Madeline[/name]/[name]Madelyn[/name] (similar look and sound)
[name]Irene[/name]: [name]Rena[/name], [name]Renee[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Irini[/name]
[name]Kimberly[/name]: Kimbra, [name]Kimber[/name], [name]Kimba[/name], [name]Beryl[/name], [name]Ember[/name]
[name]Anne[/name]: [name]Annora[/name], [name]Anneliese[/name], [name]Ana[/name] or [name]Anna[/name], [name]Anya[/name]/[name]Anja[/name], [name]Anina[/name], [name]Anniston[/name], [name]Annika[/name], [name]Annie[/name]
[name]Mary[/name]: [name]Mariel[/name]/[name]Marielle[/name], [name]Marian[/name], [name]Marie[/name], [name]Marigold[/name], [name]Magdalene[/name]/[name]Magdalena[/name], [name]Meredith[/name] (similar start), [name]Marilyn[/name], [name]Marianna[/name]
[name]Francis[/name]/[name]Frances[/name]: [name]Francine[/name], [name]Franklin[/name], [name]Ann[/name] or any of its variants
[name]Vernon[/name]: [name]Vera[/name], [name]Nona[/name], [name]Verbena[/name], [name]Verona[/name], [name]Veronica[/name]
[name]Archie[/name]: [name]Archer[/name], [name]Arden[/name], [name]Arbor[/name], [name]Harper[/name]
[name]Ida[/name]: [name]Ada[/name]/[name]Adah[/name]
[name]Lucille[/name]: [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Lux[/name] or [name]Luz[/name], [name]Cilla[/name], [name]Lucinda[/name], [name]Lucien[/name], [name]Lucas[/name], [name]Luke[/name], [name]Louis[/name] (close)
[name]Leah[/name]: [name]Lee[/name], [name]Lia[/name], [name]Lior[/name], [name]Lea[/name], [name]Leigh[/name]
[name]Collene[/name]: [name]Colin[/name], [name]Cole[/name], [name]Lena[/name], [name]Oliver[/name] (for the [name]Olly[/name])

5

I’m not really sure of your naming style, so I provided a mix (along with a mix of boys and girl names)

Any inspiration from:

[name]Terry[/name] - [name]Terrence[/name], [name]Theresa[/name]/[name]Teresa[/name], [name]Terrell[/name], [name]Tara[/name] / [name]Terra[/name], [name]Teralyn[/name], [name]Taryn[/name] / [name]Teryn[/name], Stretchy ideas: [name]Carter[/name], [name]Dexter[/name], [name]Hunter[/name], [name]Winter[/name]
[name]Vincent[/name] - [name]Vincenzo[/name], [name]Vincenza[/name], [name]Vincentia[/name] Stretchy ideas: [name]Lavinia[/name], [name]Calvin[/name], [name]Millicent[/name], [name]Gavin[/name]
[name]Edward[/name] - [name]Edmund[/name]
Mavalyn - [name]Maeve[/name] / [name]Maeva[/name], [name]Mae[/name], [name]Ava[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] / [name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Marvin[/name] (could work for [name]Vincent[/name] and Mavalyn)
[name]Irene[/name] - [name]Irena[/name], [name]Irina[/name], [name]Renee[/name], [name]Renata[/name]
[name]Kimberly[/name] [name]Anne[/name] - [name]Kimana[/name] / [name]Kimani[/name] (I think this works well for [name]Kimberly[/name] [name]Anne[/name]), [name]Eliakim[/name], [name]Joakim[/name]
[name]Mary[/name] - [name]Marilyn[/name], [name]Mariah[/name]
[name]Francis[/name] - [name]Francesca[/name], [name]Frances[/name], [name]Franco[/name], [name]Frank[/name]
[name]Vernon[/name] - [name]Vera[/name], [name]Verona[/name], [name]Verena[/name] / [name]Verina[/name], [name]Vergil[/name], [name]Veruca[/name], Stretchy ideas: [name]Ever[/name], [name]Everly[/name], [name]Fern[/name]
[name]Archie[/name] - [name]Arcadia[/name], [name]Arcelia[/name], [name]Archer[/name], Stretchy ideas: [name]Darcy[/name], [name]March[/name]
[name]Ida[/name] - [name]Idelle[/name], [name]Idella[/name], [name]Idony[/name], [name]Idaia[/name], [name]Idalia[/name], [name]Idan[/name],
[name]Lucille[/name] - [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Lucina[/name], [name]Lucas[/name], [name]Luca[/name], [name]Luke[/name], [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Lucian[/name]
[name]Leah[/name] - [name]Lia[/name], [name]Leanna[/name]
[name]Collene[/name] - [name]Cole[/name], [name]Colette[/name] [name]Colin[/name] (while not spelt as your family does, a nice way to get a boy name with -lynn/-lin, and honors another family member too)
[name]Lynn[/name] - [name]Linnea[/name]

6

I love the idea of mn’s honoring family history but you could also think about place names ect. My daughters middle name is [name]Alba[/name]-[name]Rose[/name] as [name]Alba[/name] is a traditional name for [name]Scotland[/name] my DH’s family emigrated from [name]Glasgow[/name] 20+ years ago. If we have a 2nd daughter I would love to use [name]Anika[/name] or [name]Pania[/name] in the middle spot because my grandparents farm is called Panikau (Maori). Perhaps you could go that way? Other ideas are faveriot flowers, colours or hobbies. Did grandad love fishing, [name]Fisher[/name] or [name]Marlin[/name] could represent him?

Another idea I considered was useing the same initials as beloved family members.

Good luck.

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My first thought was [name]Marilyn[/name], combines [name]Mary[/name] + [name]Lyn[/name]. As someone before said though, are Chaselyn, [name]Gracelyn[/name], and Layken within your taste?
[name]Terry[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] - [name]Theresa[/name], [name]Terrence[/name], [name]Terrell[/name]
[name]Vincent[/name] [name]Edward[/name] - [name]Vin[/name], [name]Vincenzo[/name], [name]Lavinia[/name], [name]Edwin[/name], [name]Edmund[/name], [name]Edison[/name], Edelyn
Mavalyn [name]Irene[/name] - [name]Maeve[/name], [name]Maeva[/name], [name]Mavis[/name], [name]May[/name], [name]Irina[/name], [name]Ira[/name]
[name]Kimberly[/name] [name]Anne[/name] - [name]Kimber[/name], [name]Kimball[/name], Kimbra, Kimbarra, [name]Anna[/name] [name]Lynn[/name], [name]Annaleigh[/name], [name]Annabel[/name], [name]Annemarie[/name]
[name]Mary[/name] [name]Francis[/name] - [name]Marilyn[/name], [name]Maria[/name], [name]Marisol[/name], [name]Mariel[/name], [name]Mairwen[/name], [name]Malia[/name], [name]Maren[/name], [name]Mariah[/name], [name]Marianne[/name], [name]Mariella[/name], [name]Marietta[/name], [name]Marika[/name], [name]Marissa[/name], [name]Maryam[/name], [name]Rosemary[/name], [name]Marius[/name], [name]Francesca[/name], [name]Franca[/name], [name]Franklin[/name], [name]Frank[/name]
[name]Vernon[/name] - [name]Vera[/name], [name]Verna[/name], [name]Verona[/name], [name]Veronica[/name], [name]Vergil[/name]
[name]Archie[/name] - [name]Archer[/name]
[name]Ida[/name] [name]Lucille[/name] - [name]Aida[/name], [name]Frida[/name], [name]Alida[/name], Idalyn, [name]Ouida[/name], [name]Phyllida[/name], [name]Vida[/name], [name]Lucienne[/name], [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Luc[/name], [name]Lucien[/name]
[name]Leah[/name] [name]Collene[/name] - [name]Aleah[/name], [name]Alina[/name], [name]Leigh[/name], [name]Collin[/name]

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Those are examples of my taste and regarding the traditions.

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As others mentioned, [name]Marilyn[/name] is a good choice for the [name]Lynn[/name] tradition. You could also use [name]Lyndon[/name] for a boy.

[name]Frances[/name]/[name]Francine[/name] is kind of cool for a girl and I love the nickname [name]Frankie[/name] for girls and boys. You could use [name]Franklin[/name] for a boy.

Of the names on the list, I think [name]Irene[/name] (nn [name]Rene[/name] or [name]Ree[/name]-knee), [name]Vincent[/name] (nn [name]Vince[/name]) and [name]Lucille[/name] (nn [name]Lucy[/name]) are very usable.

10

Oh, this is such a nice dilemma! Your names honoring family are wonderful to choose from so your little one is very lucky!

For boys I love [name]Edmond[/name], [name]Vincenzo[/name], & [name]Terrance[/name]! All very handsome!

[name]Lyn[/name] or [name]Lynn[/name] can be used as an ending on many names. I like it mostly for girls though.

Taralyn
[name]Emmelyn[/name]
[name]Kaitlyn[/name]
[name]Madelyn[/name]
Mavalyn (this is gorgeous on its own)
[name]Marilyn[/name]
[name]Kimberlyn[/name]

Also, [name]Ann[/name], [name]Anna[/name], [name]Anne[/name], [name]Leah[/name], [name]Lee[/name], or [name]Leigh[/name] are so pretty and can be smooshed into many names.

[name]Kaylee[/name]
Taralee
[name]Annalee[/name]
[name]Leanne[/name]
Vernalea
[name]Marilee[/name]

I mostly wanted to comment on this post because, myself, being a [name]Frances[/name] [name]Irene[/name], I wouldn’t suggest the name because I have not had good experiences with it. Although I love forms of my name very much!

[name]Francine[/name]
[name]Francie[/name]
[name]Cece[/name]/Cici
[name]Rene[/name]
[name]Rena[/name]
Reighnie
[name]Rainy[/name]

Wishing you good luck!

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What style of names do you like? If the family names are off table, what names would you pick?

I have three kiddos and each has a family middle name. They aren’t names I would have necessarily picked otherwise, but I love the idea of honoring their ancestors this way. I also was sure to pick first names I loved and were not used in the family before. I see lots of great middle name potential in your list. I’d say all of them would make good mn picks with maybe the exception of Terry and Archie as they sound more like nicknames.

BTW my kids are Wesley Eugene (Eugene being BOTH paternal great-grandfathers and also my father-in-law’s name)
Dexter Charles (Charles is my grandfather on my mom’s side)
and Beatrix Esther (Esther being two of my great-grandmothers as well as my grandmother’s mn)

PS I had a friend Irene growing up and always loved her name! I thought it was vintage, pretty and unique. :slight_smile: