Okay, fellow baby name lovers, I need your honest reaction. [name]How[/name] horrible would [name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner be? (We pronounce Waggoner with 3 syllables).
Kind of reminds me of that rhyme:
“There once was a man named [name]Michael[/name] Finnigin,
He grew whiskers on his chinnigin,…”
[name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner would totally work though if you put another name in the middle, or if she was officially know by a nn like [name]Ellie[/name], [name]Ella[/name], [name]Nora[/name], something like that so that the two names would never be said in succession.
I don’t mind it a lot - it’s not like [name]Eleanor[/name] Zellner, which would be exceptionally rhyme-y, too far for me. I kind of like names with a friendly rhythm and not so strict with “flow” and how much the name might rhyme too much. It doesn’t sound awful or silly to me. It’s just another name, and I appreciate names that sound light and friendly and a touch rhyme-y even.
[name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner seems to me perfectly reasonable, but like I said, I don’t get very itchy about names that might have too many Ls (for example) in them or try to balance things out so they “flow” - [name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner flows just fine to me and it’s cute. I’ve known several people with names that sort of rhyme like that, and I always like to say their name. I think there’s no rigid formula here, and I love meeting people with rhythms to their name that are surprising because they didn’t stick to “rules” and overwork their options so they sound kind of like everyone else.
If the name [name]Eleanor[/name] is a family name and you wish to keep it as is, nicknames like [name]Ella[/name] or [name]Nora[/name] will probably be taken up. I don’t know how you feel about nicknames, but that should be sufficient if the rhyming really bothers you.
Otherwise, a tweak on the name:
[name]Elena[/name] or [name]Leonora[/name] (prn or alt-spelled [name]Lenora[/name]). There are other variations, but these two are my favorite. I also like [name]Helen[/name] or [name]Helene[/name], or [name]Helena[/name], but prefer [name]Elena[/name]. Nameberry doesn’t like [name]Helene[/name]! But I do.
[name]Eliana[/name] is another way to go, but it is not the same root meaning or origin, if the choice of [name]Eleanor[/name] was deliberate due to origin or meaning.
Well, speaking personally as an [name]Eleanor[/name] whose surname doesn’t have the best flow (my surname starts with N +3 syllables so there is just too much ‘n’ sound) I have to say that, while my parents could have chosen a first name that would have sounded better with my last name, I’m glad they didn’t because I love my name and I wouldn’t change it.
Personally, having a name that isn’t the best fit with my first name is a small price to pay for having a strong, elegant name that I love 
Is [name]Louisa[/name] Waggoner out of consideration? 
I think that [name]Eleanor[/name] is a beautiful name, and while I don’t think it’s the best with your last name, I don’t think it’s horrible by any means, either. While they both end in an R, they’re different ending sounds–nor versus ner, and I do hear the difference when I say the combo out loud.
Good luck!
No, no, [name]Louisa[/name] is still at the top of the list (despite my family’s abject hatred of it) but I’m still mulling [name]Eleanor[/name], which had been crossed off as a first name because of our last name. Maybe for a second girl. 
No, no, [name]Louisa[/name] is still at the top of the list (despite my family’s abject hatred of it) but I’m still mulling [name]Eleanor[/name], which had been crossed off as a first name because of our last name. Maybe for a second girl. :)[/quote]
I’m so happy that [name]Louisa[/name] is still there, and I do love [name]Eleanor[/name], too.
I hope you’re doing well!
I think in general, it sounds best when there are a different number of syllables in the first name and the last name, so 1 + 3 or 2 + 3 are better than 3 + 3. Related names that sound better, to me, with your last name are [name]Nora[/name] or [name]Ella[/name] or [name]Lenore[/name].
I am going to blog about this soon and I do want to note that I didn’t think of this when I named my own children, all three of whom have 2 + 2 names!
I completely agree, [name]Pam[/name], but I often wonder if I should give up a name I love just because it doesn’t “flow” with my last name. It’s a tough dilemma…probably for a lot of expectant mothers.
I completely agree, [name]Pam[/name], but I often wonder if I should give up a name I love just because it doesn’t “flow” with my last name. It’s a tough dilemma…probably for a lot of expectant mothers.[/quote]
I agree about the 2 + 2 names, but because I’ve always loved long names, I personally don’t mind the 3+3 combos (or even 4+4 combos), especially when I think of names like [name]Olivia[/name] De Havilland and [name]Eliza[/name] Doolittle (My Fair Lady), which I think sound lovely.
Then again, I do like a lot of 2+2 combos, too, such as the actress names including [name]Greta[/name] [name]Garbo[/name], [name]Judy[/name] [name]Garland[/name], [name]Lauren[/name] Bacall (I don’t like the name [name]Lauren[/name], but I do like the flow), [name]Shirley[/name] [name]Temple[/name], etc.
I think the sound of the first and last names together is just as important (even more, at times) as the number of syllables involved.
Now that I think about it, I think I’m more concerned with the overall flow (first, middle, last), and making sure that all three names don’t have the same number of syllables.
I think that your choice of [name]Louisa[/name] [name]Frances[/name] Waggoner, for example, sounds beautiful!
Good luck!
[name]Eleanor[/name] is a beautiful name, and I don’t think the flow of [name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner (which personally I think is just fine) should put you off it; I’m sure any little girl would prefer having a nice name over one which flows perfectly.
Besides, it’s not like you’re naming her [name]Emma[/name] - most of the time she will just be [name]Eleanor[/name], rather than [name]Eleanor[/name] Waggoner.
[name]Ellie[/name] Waggoner and [name]Nora[/name] Waggoner have brilliant flow, especially the latter.
It shouldn’t be overlooked that one day, her surname may well change anyway, and even if you give her a fn which flows brilliantly with Waggoner, it may sound awful with the surname that she acquires - you can’t plan for every eventuality, and so I think the priority should always be to choose a beautiful name which you love.
Sorry if this is makes little sense - I’m frazzled!
Good luck!
Hmmm, I personally don’t care for it. I think [name]Eliza[/name] Waggoner would be prettier and would avoid the awkward syllable problem! Good luck!
The flow takes away from the beautiful [name]Eleanor[/name] 
I like names to flow nice, but in saying that if you have a daughter when she gets married later in life is she chooses to take her partners name the flow could be changed anyway.
I didn’t change my name when I got married, and more and more women are making that choice.
I don’t think [name]Eleanor[/name] has the best flow with your last name. The flow could be worse, though. If [name]Eleanor[/name] is absolutely your favorite name, and no other name could substitute, then I would use it. But I did cross names off of my list that didn’t flow with what would be my child’s last name (DH’s last name). Names that I really liked, too. But, fortunately, I had alternatives that flowed better.
I do hear you re the question on whether you should give up a name you love because of how it flows with your last name. I think the specific issue for you is that [name]Eleanor[/name] is so borderline with your last name: It works okay, it’s just not great. And that’s a problem, but not a huge one. Most often, you’ll call your daughter by her first name only and get a tremendous amount of pleasure from a name you love and never think about flow. Yet when you hear both names together, you’ll probably wince, just a little bit. Yet if you choose a first name you don’t love as much – if [name]Eleanor[/name] is absolutely the one and only for you – you’ll feel compromised too.
So in the end, there’s no perfect answer to this dilemma, as much as you may hope for one. [name]Eleanor[/name] is a wonderful name and if you choose it, I’m sure it will serve your daughter well.
It’s not the best flow in the world but I don’t think it’s too bad, I eouldn’t be stunned by it! lol
I [name]LOVE[/name] the name [name]Eleanor[/name] but I think Waggoner will make it hard. [name]How[/name] about [name]Eleanora[/name]?