Hubbie and I have one daughter, aged 4, called [name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name]. She was born on the 21st of [name]December[/name]. We are expecting our second baby in [name]July[/name], and we (I) have no idea where to start with names. With [name]Ivy[/name] we had a short list for both genders and waited for the birth to see what we were having and what she looked like before choosing. [name]Hence[/name] we went with [name]Winter[/name] to suit her birth date and [name]Ivy[/name] seemed appropriate as both a Cristmassy name and it suited her spunky personality.
We have had 5 miscarriages since having [name]Ivy[/name] and this baby is very much the end of a long journey. We would like something that reflects that either in the first or middle name. Also we prefer nothing that is too popular here in the UK where we live, or in the US, where I’m from and visit often.
At the moment nothing grabs us. We need both boy and girl names as we won’t be finding out the gender.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, and I’m sorry for your losses.
Since you chose a meaning-related name for [name]Ivy[/name], based on her birth date, would you like to do something similar for this baby?
You could choose to obliquely acknowledge your miscarriages:
[name]Stella[/name] (star, representing guidance)
Amala (“hope” in Arabic)
[name]Nadia[/name] (“hope” in Russian, diminutive of [name]Nadezhda[/name])
[name]Vita[/name] (“live, lively”)
[name]Vivian[/name] (“alive, lively”)
Enfys (Welsh name meaning ‘rainbow,’ symbol of hope and promise)
[name]Beatrix[/name] (“voyager through life, blessed”)
[name]Tansy[/name] (old diminutive of [name]Anastasia[/name], meaning ‘resurrection,’ also a flower like [name]Ivy[/name])
[name]Myriam[/name] (“wished-for child”)
I like a lot of blade’s suggestions. Another possibility is to use something like [name]Quinn[/name], [name]Quinta[/name], [name]Quincy[/name], etc. (for 5) as a mn. Or you could if you want to go with something seasonal, you could use [name]July[/name] or one of the other related names-- [name]Julia[/name], [name]Juliet[/name], [name]Julian[/name], [name]Julius[/name], etc.; or another “noun” name like [name]Summer[/name], [name]June[/name], [name]Lake[/name], Solstice, [name]August[/name]/[name]Augusta[/name], [name]River[/name], [name]Ocean[/name], [name]Dune[/name], [name]Ruby[/name] ([name]July[/name] birthstone), etc.
Thank you for your suggestions. I really love quite a few of them, though a lot have been taken by friend’s children! ([name]Silas[/name], [name]Ezra[/name], [name]Rowan[/name], [name]Eli[/name]) [name]Phoebe[/name] is very popular here. My neice is [name]Beatrix[/name], who was also born after 5 miscarriages (a blood clotting disorder runs in the family.) I love [name]Felicity[/name] but it is my Mother-in-laws name.
I have loved [name]Lydia[/name] since I was a child but had forgotten it. I’ll put it on the list. [name]Tansy[/name] is quite cute. I’ll put it on the list for mn. Your suggestion for Enfys made me think of [name]Iris[/name], which also means rainbow. It would be too much as a first name with [name]Ivy[/name] but possibly as a mn. Boys are harder. I have a feeling it’s another girl, so I seem to be concentrating my energy on girl names but I could be wrong!
Thanks for this great list! I really like [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Edith[/name], [name]Asa[/name], [name]Grant[/name] and [name]Ward[/name]. I think [name]Pearl[/name] works as a summery name. Isn’t [name]June[/name]'s birthstone a pearl? [name]Asa[/name] is a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s very southern, and I’m from Arkansas so I’d like a nod to that. Not sure my husband or the rest of [name]England[/name] would get it but it’s going on the list.
[name]Glad[/name] you liked the names-- yes, [name]Pearl[/name] is [name]June[/name]'s birthstone, so I think it works as a nod to summer. Some potential combinations:
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Edith[/name] [name]Pearl[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Lydia[/name] [name]Pearl[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Pearl[/name] [name]Felice[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Pearl[/name] [name]Iris[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Asa[/name] [name]Julian[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Asa[/name] [name]Grant[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Asa[/name] [name]Ward[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Grant[/name] [name]Julian[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Ward[/name] [name]Julius[/name]