Eliza or Freya or ... What do you think?

General Name Discussion
1

Here’s the situation: My husband and I have been set on [name]Eliza[/name] for many years. But recently [name]Freya[/name] has been on my radar, and surprisingly dh likes it! It’s rare for us to agree on a specific name, but we do have a similar style - we like traditional / old fashioned names that have a modern and spunky feel to them, with maybe a dash of Victorian steampunk. [name]Nora[/name]'s out since my best friend used [name]Eleanor[/name] (love it). [name]Clementine[/name] is a favorite, but too trendy. [name]Coraline[/name] I looove, but also feel it’s been maybe too pop-culturey now that the book is a movie. -ine endings appeal to me in that steampunk kind of way.

What are your opinions?

[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Wren[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Nell[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Kate[/name]

[name]Freya[/name] [name]Coraline[/name]
[name]Freya[/name] [name]Katharine[/name]

And any boy names that fit with this style? Names we’re considering are [name]Elias[/name], [name]Jude[/name] and [name]Abram[/name] ([name]Abe[/name] as a nn). They aren’t really ‘wow’ names to me but dh’s clear favorite is [name]Abram[/name]. [name]Jude[/name] seems to go well with [name]Eliza[/name]. [name]Abram[/name] sounds better with our last name which is 1 syllable. Obviously no to [name]Elias[/name] if [name]Eliza[/name] came first :smiley: [name]Dexter[/name] and [name]Jasper[/name] are appealing, but also too pop-culturey. I like [name]Gus[/name], but not any of the longer names it’s derived from, and the “s” runs into our last name. [name]Silas[/name] is out for the same reason. I like [name]Ike[/name], but not [name]Isaac[/name]. I don’t know that I’m brave enough to do [name]Gideon[/name] or [name]Ezra[/name] but they are my style.

Help! :?

2

From your options, I think [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Freya[/name] [name]Katharine[/name] are lovely. I like [name]Abram[/name], [name]Elias[/name] and [name]Jude[/name] too! Here are some combos and suggestions. All the best!

Combos
[name]Abram[/name] & [name]Eliza[/name] - my fave :smiley:
[name]Eliza[/name] & [name]Jude[/name]
[name]Elias[/name] & [name]Freya[/name]
[name]Freya[/name] & [name]Jude[/name] - This is nice too!

Suggestions - For some reason, I’ve always thought that boy names ending in “o” are wonderful to pair with girl names ending in “a”.
Boy Twin for [name]Eliza[/name]: [name]Hugo[/name]/[name]Milo[/name]/[name]Arlo[/name], [name]Abel[/name], [name]Amos[/name], [name]Nathaniel[/name], [name]Theodore[/name], [name]Maxwell[/name], [name]Gabriel[/name], [name]Arthur[/name], [name]Tristan[/name], [name]Joel[/name], [name]Reuben[/name], [name]Xavier[/name], [name]Solomon[/name]
Boy Twin for [name]Freya[/name]: [name]Noel[/name], [name]Leo[/name], [name]Enoch[/name], [name]Horatio[/name], [name]Orlando[/name], [name]Benjamin[/name], [name]Levi[/name], [name]Josiah[/name], [name]Ethan[/name], [name]Peter[/name], [name]Conrad[/name], [name]Oscar[/name], [name]Julian[/name], [name]August[/name], [name]Asher[/name], [name]Raphael[/name]

3

[name]Hi[/name]! [name]Eliza[/name] is one of my very favorite names. It’s funny I met my first [name]Freya[/name] today, she is in her mid 20s. I gushed over her name, haha, I don’t think she’s used to meeting people that are aware her namesake is a Norse [name]Goddess[/name]. I would go with [name]Eliza[/name] over [name]Freya[/name] just because you have loved it so long. I love [name]Eleanor[/name]/[name]Nora[/name] and [name]Clementine[/name] as well, it’s too bad you can’t use them. I read in an NB blog that [name]Coraline[/name] was a typo made by [name]Neil[/name] Gaiman! Have you considered [name]Coralie[/name]? It is french and a name in it’s own right.

I love all of your [name]Eliza[/name] combos. I hear [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Kate[/name] frequently on this board so I would have to give my vote to [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Wren[/name] due to flow. I love [name]Nell[/name], one of my favorite vintage names (and nn for [name]Eleanor[/name] and [name]Penelope[/name]) but the l’s are a bit of a tongue twister for me w/ [name]Eliza[/name].

I don’t think [name]Gideon[/name] or [name]Ezra[/name] are too bold of a choice at all! [name]Ezra[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] may be a bit too similar. Have you considered [name]Ephraim[/name]? It is another underused biblical gem. I think [name]Jude[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] are a beautiful set, you could use the longer form [name]Judah[/name] if you are concerned with flow and [name]Jude[/name] as a nn. [name]Abram[/name] is handsome though I prefer [name]Abraham[/name]. I also love [name]Dexter[/name] and jasper as well, we have similar tastes I think. :slight_smile:

Some suggestions for boys, sorry for repeats:
[name]Adrian[/name]
[name]Ambrose[/name]
[name]Asa[/name]
[name]Boaz[/name]
[name]Cassian[/name]
[name]Clement[/name]
[name]Cyrus[/name]
[name]Desmond[/name]
[name]Emmett[/name]
[name]Hugo[/name]
[name]Humphrey[/name]
[name]Felix[/name]
[name]Lazarus[/name]
[name]Levi[/name]
[name]Linus[/name]
[name]Lionel[/name] nn [name]Leo[/name]
[name]Lucien[/name] nn [name]Luca[/name]
[name]Malachi[/name] nn [name]Mac[/name]
[name]Oscar[/name]
[name]Otto[/name]
Qeuntin
[name]Rufus[/name]
[name]Reuben[/name]
[name]Sebastian[/name]
[name]Seth[/name]
[name]Solomon[/name] nn [name]Sol[/name]
[name]Tobiah[/name] nn [name]Toby[/name]
[name]Vincent[/name]

4

I adore [name]Freya[/name], and think that [name]Freya[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] is a great, strong combo! [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Kate[/name] is nice too, though I do prefer [name]Freya[/name] to [name]Eliza[/name]. Obviously, [name]Katherine[/name] and [name]Kate[/name] couldn’t both be used in the same sibset though really…

[name]Elias[/name] and [name]Jude[/name] are both great names that fit really well with both [name]Freya[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name].

[name]Freya[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] and [name]Elias[/name] [name]Jude[/name] would sound great. I’d gush all over a sibset of those names.

5

I agree with this! I love [name]Freya[/name], it is one of my favorites…I hope to use it someday! [name]Eliza[/name] is nice and all, but I don’t find it very memorable. I wouldn’t say that it is boring, it just doesn’t wow me. [name]Freya[/name] is classic and beautiful, but still intriguing and fresh. I love saying it and hearing it, too. I think all the boys names on your list sound great with [name]Freya[/name], so you certainly would have options. [name]Freya[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] is beautiful!

6

Wow, thanks for the feedback! It’s nice to get some input that’s a bit more objective than family and friends.

I love the suggestions of [name]Asher[/name] and [name]Linus[/name]. Poor [name]Linus[/name] though. Dh has forbidden it. :roll: My last name is a tricky one, so all those one-syllable boy names that I love don’t flow very well. [name]Gus[/name] has been a love of mine for many years, but I can’t think of anything besides [name]August[/name]/[name]Augustine[/name]/[name]Augustus[/name] that I can use as a full name, and all of those sound so … froofy? for a boys name. [name]Julian[/name] is the same for me. I know they are boys names, but they sound a bit too feminine for my taste.

7

[name]Hi[/name], just wanted to say that I love your style! In case you missed it, there was a blog post a few weeks ago about Steampunk names: Steampunk Baby Names: Victorian tech | Nameberry (sorry, don’t know how to make it clicky.) You might also like this message board thread: Nameberry - Welcome to the Nameberry Forums

I love both [name]Eliza[/name] and [name]Freya[/name]; [name]Eliza[/name] has more of that Victorian feel, while [name]Freya[/name] honors your Norse heritage. I personally like [name]Eliza[/name] just a little bit more, but it’s a tough call! [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Wren[/name] are great, as well as both [name]Freya[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] and [name]Freya[/name] [name]Coraline[/name]. [name]Coraline[/name] is also a favorite of mine (in the middle slot); it was a legitimate name well before [name]Neil[/name] Gaiman, and my feeling is that its pop culture associations will fade before long.

For the boys, I don’t think [name]Gideon[/name] and [name]Ezra[/name] are as out-there as you think! [name]Both[/name] are fantastic, and I don’t think they’re any more bold than your other favorites. I also like [name]Elias[/name], [name]Jude[/name], and [name]Abram[/name]. Too bad you couldn’t use [name]Ezra[/name] or [name]Elias[/name] with [name]Eliza[/name], but I think [name]Jude[/name], [name]Gideon[/name], and [name]Abram[/name] all work with both [name]Eliza[/name] and [name]Freya[/name]. Good luck :slight_smile:

8

My vote would have to be for [name]Freya[/name] :lol:.

They are both lovely names though, how about [name]Freya[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] or [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Freya[/name]?

Good luck with it!

9

So maybe [name]Gideon[/name] isn’t all that crazy. I’m liking it the more I think about it. It maybe creeping up there next to [name]Abram[/name] on the favorites list. As much as I like [name]Elias[/name], the “s” ending runs into the “s” of my last name. I really don’t like [name]Elijah[/name].

[name]Freya[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name]

[name]Abram[/name]
[name]Gideon[/name]
[name]Jude[/name] - ([name]Judah[/name]?)
[name]Gus[/name]… Guston? I totally made that up. Eh, I think I have to let it go.

Apparently I have a thing for Old Testament boys names, which really doesn’t jive with my personal non-religious views. But dang, there’s some good names in there. :smiley:

Does anyone remember Dickon from “A [name]Secret[/name] Garden?” sigh. Obviously too many teasing problems there, which is too bad (same with [name]Dix[/name]). [name]Richard[/name] seems so blah, even though it’s a family name. I like [name]Dixie[/name], but more for a dog name.

10

[name]Eliza[/name] [name]Wren[/name] is my favorite name in the entire world, seriously. So, yes, I’ll have to vote for her! She’s at the top of my personal list for a future daughter…

Um, I like [name]Jude[/name], and [name]Gideon[/name]. [name]Both[/name] strong Biblical names! [name]Gus[/name] is fun, right? The only [name]Gus[/name] I knew was an [name]Augustine[/name] [aw-[name]GUS[/name]-tin], but that could be [name]August[/name] or [name]Augustin[/name] quite easily. [name]Arlo[/name] could be a fun one for you to consider, too! And, the boy names on my personal list are [name]Nathaniel[/name] and [name]Rafferty[/name]. :wink:

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

11

In regards to the nn [name]Gus[/name], the only names I can think of other than [name]August[/name]/[name]Augustus[/name]/[name]Augustine[/name] are [name]Angus[/name], [name]Gustaf[/name], and [name]Mingus[/name]. If none of these names appeal to you, then sadly you have to let [name]Gus[/name] go :cry:

12

Why not [name]Freya[/name] [name]Eliza[/name] or [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Freya[/name]?

13

[name]Ignatius[/name] nn [name]Gus[/name]?

14

Oh, I love [name]August[/name] nn [name]Gus[/name]!! Sadly, my husband doesn’t agree. :slight_smile:

I like [name]Eliza[/name] better than [name]Freya[/name], not sure why. I do like the idea of using [name]Nell[/name] as a family name. What about [name]Penelope[/name] as the mn? It has [name]Nell[/name] in it, kind of. Is that too far-fetched (would your relatives not see it that way)? [name]Eliza[/name] [name]Penelope[/name] has a really nice flow to it.

For boys, I really like [name]Abram[/name]. [name]Bram[/name] is a cool nn. If you don’t want to use Dickon/[name]Dix[/name]/[name]Richard[/name] (can’t blame you), what about [name]Dax[/name]? There’s that actor named [name]Dax[/name]. It was on our list for a while. Not sure if it sounds too much like a nn though. I don’t know what it would be short for?

15

Ohh, I really like [name]Penelope[/name] as a maybe middle name. I don’t think anyone will understand the [name]Nell[/name] nn from it. But it’s going on the list.

[name]Ignatius[/name] I like too, but I think as a mn.

I think I want to keep [name]Eliza[/name] and [name]Freya[/name] for first names. For middle names I’d like to either use a family name or something that is crazy indulgent or whimsical (to me).

I’m liking these suggestions!! Keep 'em coming!

16

I always considered [name]Nell[/name] to be a natural and traditional nn for [name]Penelope[/name], especially sin [name]NEL[/name] is in the name! It’s such a wonderful name and I love [name]Nell[/name] soo much, I hope they get it and also love it!

I’m glad you like [name]Ignatius[/name] for a mn and agree it is the best place for family names or names of whimsy! I preferred [name]Eliza[/name] at first but now I’m swinging more into [name]Freya[/name] territory, but you can’t lose with either, I mean that.

Any current developments to the lists?

17

I’m super biased, but, as a [name]Freya[/name] myself, of course I’m going to vote for my name! I love [name]Eliza[/name] too but I [name]ADORE[/name] my name [name]Freya[/name]. If you’re worried about people mispronouncing it or being confused, I correct them the first time and then they usually compliment me on my name. I’ve only met one other [name]Freya[/name], too. :slight_smile: I too have Norse/Swedish/Finnish relatives and love that my name is connected to that side. For me the name [name]Freya[/name] brings to mind romance and magic. :slight_smile: [name]Eliza[/name] makes me think “cheerful and bright” but for some reason I don’t find it as dreamy as [name]Freya[/name]. [name]Both[/name] are great choices though!

18

Thanks blueberri! [name]Freya[/name] is very dreamy to me. And I don’t think I’ve met anyone whose actually adored their own name. So that’s a huge selling point. Now I have to get Dh behind it. He’s more in the “meh” category. But [name]Eliza[/name] is his favorite. I’m wavering between 3 names I think.

19

I’m a bit late on this - but I wanted to chime in. We named our second daughter [name]Freya[/name] this past [name]December[/name]. My husband loved it, but I was still a bit unsure at the time. Three months in - I absolutely love it and am so glad we picked it!

20

Oh I’m so glad to hear of another baby [name]Freya[/name]!

The list is seemingly in flux every day. But I think it’s all the waiting that goes with ttc :roll:

Currently with the girls:
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Norah[/name]
[name]Freya[/name]

Alternates at the moment: [name]Silvie[/name], [name]Vada[/name], [name]Drew[/name], [name]Coraline[/name], [name]Nell[/name], [name]Wren[/name], [name]Kate[/name]

[name]Silvie[/name], I think isn’t a real contender after all, but for about a week I was completely smitten. I may come back to it. I’ve been playing with [name]Coralie[/name] instead of [name]Coraline[/name]. I’m just not super excited about the -lee sound at the end. And [name]Vada[/name] or [name]Vida[/name] has somewhat captured my attention. And [name]Drew[/name]… except for being what I would consider modern and spunky, it doesn’t really fit my style, but I’ve always liked it. [name]Every[/name] girl [name]Drew[/name] that I’ve know was super cool and fun. Maybe mn material. [name]Fiona[/name] has been in my brain this week - I’m just afraid of the Shrek association.

Boys are killing me. So in a complete turn of events, I have been thinking of [name]James[/name] and [name]John[/name]. I like both names, even though they don’t feel special to me. I just know soooo many. But maybe with a great mn, I could like them. [name]John[/name] [name]Darwin[/name] I like, but hate the idea of JD (which I’m afraid will happen). I don’t think I’m brave enough for [name]Darwin[/name] as a fn. That seems like a bad idea living in the bible belt.

Maybe [name]River[/name]? It’s such a hippie name, but I like it. I’m half hippie. Also [name]River[/name] [name]Martin[/name] would have both my dh’s, and fil’s middle name and have my dad’s initials. [name]Rex[/name]? [name]Rafferty[/name]?

[name]Abram[/name], [name]Gideon[/name], [name]Ignatius[/name]/[name]Gus[/name] (mn), [name]Jude[/name] (I’m thinking maybe too popular). [name]Ferdinand[/name]? [name]Lionel[/name]? [name]Leopold[/name]? I like a lot of nn’s for boys, but usually not the longer name associated with it. [name]Ike[/name] and [name]Ned[/name] are 2 I like but don’t particularly like the longer names. If the kid is a boy, I think I’m going to have many sleepless nights finding a name for him. There’s just nothing that I love.