Ella? Elliot? Elinor?

Girl Names
1

My matenal grandfather, whom I was very close with, just passed away last month. He was a very generous, loving man who helped my husband and I buy our first home. We are determined to honor him in some way, but have a few problems. His first name, [name]Josiah[/name], was taken by my brother for his son. His middle name, [name]Robert[/name], is my husband’s stepfather’s name, whom he does not get along with, and we don’t want there to be any confusion about who we’re honoring. That leaves his last name, [name]Elliot[/name], for us to use. But here’s the thing: I don’t love the name for boys. I know it’s a traditionally male name, but the [name]Ellie[/name] part sounds very feminine to us. So, my husband and I are planning on giving the name to a future daughter in some way.

We love the name [name]Ella[/name], but are concerned about how it would age. We would love to use this as a nn or middle, and feel that it would still honor my grandfather.
So, we were considering:
[name]Elinor[/name] and
[name]Elliot[/name]/ [name]Eliot[/name].

As for [name]Elinor[/name], we love that we would be able to use the nn [name]Ella[/name], but don’t love the name. It’s definitely growing on us though. But, does [name]Elinor[/name] [name]Reide[/name] run together too much?

As for [name]Eliot[/name] (I think this spelling is more feminine), I saw the post about Quints by Suprise, and know that many of you don’t like it on a girl. But I love the [name]El[/name], [name]Ellie[/name], and [name]Ella[/name] nickname potential, and that it is more unusual than [name]Elinor[/name]. I also think that this would be a ‘better’ way to honor my grandfather.

What do you think?
Which would you use?

I should add, that using [name]Eliot[/name] or [name]Ella[/name] for a middle name is not completely out of the question, but we’d prefer to honor him in the first name.

Please be nice,
[name]Lena[/name]

2

Hm. This is a tough one. It’s not that I don’t like [name]Elliot[/name] for a girl - that just isn’t my personal style. And, for some reason, [name]Elliot[/name] [name]Reide[/name] sounds particularly masculine to me. I can’t really pin down why, though.

I’ve forgotten, but did you say [name]Josiah[/name] had already been chosen for another relative’s first or middle name? If middle, [name]Josephine[/name] would be a lovely way to honor your grandfather. If you want to stick with [name]Ella[/name], I think you have great options, too. [name]Ella[/name], by itself, feels immensely incomplete to me. I think it is a nice nickname, though, but I just don’t see that aging well - I know people disagree, and I’ve met people named [name]Ella[/name] - just [name]Ella[/name] - but I personally don’t care for that. [name]Elinor[/name] is lovely, and [name]Elinor[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] [name]Reide[/name] would be so pretty, but you are right in that [name]Elinor[/name] seems to be a more commonly used classic name nowadays. I think people are starting to appreciate [name]Elinor[/name]'s charm once more, and she’s becoming a new vintage favorite. Have you considered [name]Eloise[/name]? I think [name]Eloise[/name] is spunky and charming, yet still classic and feminine. And, [name]Eloise[/name] is a fun way to get [name]Ella[/name] or [name]Ellie[/name] and still honor Grandpa [name]Elliot[/name], right? And, if you like unisex names, perhaps [name]Ellis[/name] would be a good choice for you, to get [name]Ella[/name] and [name]Ellie[/name] as nicknames. [name]Ellis[/name] [name]Reide[/name] feels fresh and fun to me, but it doesn’t have the same masculine feel that [name]Elliot[/name] [name]Reide[/name] has. Finally, if you want something sweet and romantic, maybe [name]Elise[/name] would work for you - [name]Elise[/name] [name]Reide[/name] is very pretty!

Good luck, [name]Lena[/name]!

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

3

[name]Elinor[/name] (but I pref. the [name]Eleanor[/name] spelling) is my favorite name! It does run together w/ [name]Reide[/name] a bit though. I was also going to suggest [name]Eloise[/name] as an option for you. I do think [name]Ella[/name] is a name on it’s own though and definitely usable. I think it also would age just fine.

[name]Eliot[/name] for a girl is not my style either, but I don’t hate it. It makes me think of the female doctor on Scrubs and while she was a little crazy, she was a likeable-enough character and I get positive images from that name on a female in that sense. Nameberry also says the name can be spelled w/ two t’s at the end [name]Elliott[/name]/[name]Eliott[/name] or a Y [name]Ellyott[/name]/[name]Elyott[/name] (not sure how you feel about the more creative spellings, but the two T’s or Y might make it a little more feminine?)

A few other options
[name]Elliora[/name]/[name]Eliora[/name]
Liat ?
[name]Ellery[/name]
[name]Elianna[/name]
[name]Elias[/name]

Have you considered giving her the same initials as him? (using two middle names?)

4

I really dislike [name]Elliot[/name] on a girl, and your grandfather probably wouldn’t appreciate you giving his exact name to a girl. I think using the [name]El[/name]- similarity is a good idea. [name]Ella[/name] is lovely as always, and I love [name]Eleanor[/name], and I think using the [name]Elinor[/name] spelling works well in your case. I would go with [name]Elinor[/name] and she could use [name]Ellie[/name] as a nickname which is close to [name]Elliot[/name].

5

[name]Elliot[/name] is all boy to me, and even though it’s honoring someone and it’s not like you picked it because it sounded cute, most people aren’t going to know that. I think it would be a hassle to live with a boy’s name-- I wouldn’t do that to my daughter. You could use [name]Elliot[/name] as a middle name, though-- [name]Josephine[/name] [name]Elliot[/name] would doubly honor your grandfather. I really like [name]Elinor[/name], and while it does run into [name]Reide[/name], I don’t think that’s a huge problem. [name]Ella[/name] seems incomplete, but you could always use it as a nickname for [name]Elinor[/name]. [name]Eliana[/name], [name]Eliora[/name], [name]Elena[/name], and [name]Eloise[/name] are other [name]El[/name]- names that could work.

6

Thanks for the feedback!

[name]Eliot[/name] for a girl is not at all indicative of my style either, but I really have a soft spot for the name.
I met a little girl named [name]Eliot[/name] the other day, and the name was perfect for her. Maybe because I met her, and I’ve been imagining it on a little girl since I was little, but it seems feminine to me. [name]Lemon[/name], I think you may be getting the masculine feel because our last name is also a boys name. But we’re not overly concerned about that.

As for suggestions:

  • [name]Eloise[/name] is adorable! But, I can’t say the name withouth thinking of the plaza and picturing that little girl. And because of that, I can’t imagie the name aging well. But as I keep saying it, it’s growing on me. I’ll run it by the hubby.
  • It’s funny, but [name]Ellis[/name] seems more masculine to me than [name]Eliot[/name]. I can’t picture a little girl named [name]Ellis[/name]. I have no idea why, but it doesn’t seem as pretty. That probably doesn’t make any sense. I can’t explain it, but it seems less special to me.
  • [name]Elise[/name] seems too outdated to me.
  • [name]Eliora[/name] - I’ve never heard it before. I’ll have to think about it, but I kind of like it.
  • Liat might be a cute nn, but it doesn’t seem like a full name to me
  • [name]Ellery[/name] is pretty, but it reminds me of celery. Potential teasing?
  • [name]Eliana[/name]- I don’t really like this one
  • [name]Elias[/name]- if we were to go with a unisex option, we’d go with [name]Eliot[/name]
  • We’re not sure what spelling, but we’re leaning towards [name]Eliot[/name] or [name]Elliot[/name]? Which do you prefer?
  • I like the idea of using initials to honor someone. But, I love [name]Eliot[/name].

triceratops- I actually think my grandfather would love me giving his surname, not actual name, to my daughter. One of his pet names for my mom used to be [name]Ellie[/name]. My grandmother named my mom(they divorced before she was born), and he always hated it, so he’d call her by his last name instead. He always teased my mom that she should have named me [name]Eliot[/name] instead of [name]Lena[/name] (after his ex-wife), so the name has always had special meaning, and seemed feminine in my family. I honestly believe that he would love that the name was being passed down, especially to a little girl.

I actually love the sound of [name]Eliot[/name], and think it’s cute. Otherwise, I wouldn’t consider using it. And it is a unisex name! While it may be used mostly for boys, it’s a girls name too.
I agree that some people may find it strange, but as long as she, my family, and I find it special, we don’t much care what strangers think.

We’re really leaning towards [name]Eliot[/name], but would love more suggestions and feedback. We’re planning on pairing it with a feminine name, and we love the [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] combination. What do you think?

[name]How[/name] does [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] [name]Reide[/name] sound?
Can you picture it on a little girl?

Thanks in advance,
[name]Lena[/name]

7

I actually agree with you, [name]Eliot[/name] would be the best way to honor your grandfather. The little girl on Quints by Surprise was named [name]Eliot[/name] after her grandparent ln as well. I honestly dont see a problem with [name]Eliot[/name] on a girl anymore. I wasnt sure about it before but now I see the appeal. I’ve actually heard the name used on a girl several times so I dont think it that uncommon. [name]Eliot[/name] is the more feminine spelling imo. I think if it is important to you to name your daughter after your grandpa then you should do it. You sould also do something like [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] to honor [name]Josiah[/name]. [name]Eliot[/name] a is cute name that I can see fitting a little girl well, and I’m certain she will be glad to know her name has meaning.

8

What about beautiful and simple [name]Elle[/name]?

9

I love the name [name]Eliot[/name] on a girl, I think [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] is beautiful.

10

I’m not usually a fan of boys names for girls, but in your case I think it works really well since it is a special family name. Plus there are the ultra-feminine nicknames, like you said.
What I’m confused about is why you want to change the spelling. His last name was spelled [name]Elliot[/name]. You are naming her to honor him. You want to use [name]Ella[/name] or [name]Ellie[/name] as a nickname. I suggest sticking with the original (family) spelling. [name]Eliot[/name] doesn’t seem more feminine to me…it just seems like it would be pronounced a different way.
Of course, either way it still honors your grandfather and that is a wonderful thing! :slight_smile:

11

Thanks for all the input!

leah_9 - I’m glad you like it! I know it may seem unusual to those who have never met a female [name]Eliot[/name], but it’s certainly not unheard of. In fact, I’ve met 2 little girls with the name and heard of even more. I’ve never really love the name [name]Josephine[/name] though, and want to make part of her name her ‘own’.

abeezee- I can see how some may prefer [name]Ella[/name] or [name]Elle[/name] over [name]Eliot[/name], but they both seem like nicknames to me. [name]Eliot[/name] is more special to me, and we can use those as NNs.

viviana- I’m so glad you like it! We’re loving the [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] combo.

[name]Villette[/name]- We aren’t set on the spelling yet, but are leaning towards [name]Eliot[/name]. It seems more feminine to me, and all the girl Eliots I know/know of spell it with 1 L. We’re still thinking about it though.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Which spelling do you prefer? [name]Eliot[/name] or [name]Elliot[/name]?
[name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] [name]Reide[/name]
or
[name]Elliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] [name]Reide[/name]

we’d love your advice,
[name]Lena[/name]

12

[name]Lena[/name],

I once met a girl named Eliotte, so I thought I’d share that spelling. I guess it is kind of like [name]Elinor[/name] and [name]Charlotte[/name] combined, right?

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

13

Before I give my input on this, is the popularity of the names/nicknames [name]Ella[/name] and [name]Ellie[/name] an issue for you?

14

thanks for the feedback!

lemon- I’ve never seen it spelled Eliotte, but it’s adorable! My only concern is that it might seem like we made it up. What do you think? Is it a made up spelling, or a legitamite alternative? We don’t want a ‘creative’ spelling.

agirlinred - No we’re not concerned about the popularity of the [name]Elle[/name] and [name]Ella[/name]. Her first name will be unique, ”and she could always go by her first name if there happened to be another [name]Elle[/name] or [name]Ella[/name] in her class

What does everyone think of the spelling Eliotte? We’re thinking it may be a little too ‘creative’ for us.
But which do you prefer?

[name]Eliot[/name]
[name]Elliot[/name]
Eliotte

Thanks in advance,
[name]Lena[/name]”

15

wow eliot sounds soo special to you! ellie is adorable too! use it no matter what negative comments you get because it is so special to you! eliot olivia is so sweet too:) olivia is a favorite of mine.

16

Spell it the same way the person you’re trying to honor did! I don’t see how [name]Eliot[/name] is “more feminine”-- either way, it is a boy’s name. I would definitely stick with the original spelling, and I don’t think spelling it [name]Eliot[/name] it will clue people in to whether or not she’s a girl (if that’s what you’re going for).

17

[name]Lena[/name]-
I love the name [name]Eliot[/name] on a girl! It’s a family name of mine too, and we used it for my daughter [name]Abigail[/name]'s middle name. I wanted to use it as a first, but it didn’t match my son’s name. But I say go for it, especially with how special it is to you.
While some may have never met a girl [name]Eliot[/name], it’s not that uncommon. My son has one in his pre-K class. It’s definitely a unisex name these days!
I would go with the [name]Eliot[/name] spelling if I were you. It’s what we used for ny daughter, even though the family name was [name]Elliot[/name]. It’s definitely the more feminine version, and if I saw it spelled that way, I’d know it was a girl.

Oh, and [name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] is beyond adorable!

Good luck,
[name]Lucy[/name]

18

[name]Eliot[/name] is adorable!
My husband really wanted to us it if we had a daughter (we’re having a boy), even though we don’t have a family connection to the name. I was concerned that it would seen weird paired with my daughters’ names, [name]Alice[/name] and [name]Margot[/name], and his, [name]Honor[/name]. But I would absolutely use it if I were you! My stepson has a a girl named [name]Eliot[/name] in his class, so it’s really not that uncommon for a girl.
Like the previous poster, I would use the [name]Eliot[/name] spelling. Removing one of the Ls won’t affect your honoring your grandfather, and it’s the feminine version. I would now that an [name]Eliot[/name] is a girl, whereas an [name]Elliot[/name] would probably be a boy.
[name]Eliot[/name] [name]Olivia[/name] is adorable! I really hope you go with it!
Best of luck,
[name]Amy[/name]

19

I think you should spell it [name]Elliot[/name] like your grandfather’s last name. I don’t see the point in changing the spelling because it really doesn’t make it any more feminine. Your daughter’s name will be said far more often than it will be written. Adding the -te to the end just makes it look silly.

20

I’ve always like the [name]Eliot[/name] spelling for a girl but it’s really a matter of preference. Go with your gut instinct on this one! What feels, sounds and looks right to you!!!