I’m making this thread on behalf of my friend [name_f]Crystal[/name_f] who was asked today give an English name for her sisters baby due in [name_f]October[/name_f].
The baby girl’s Chinese name sounds to me like “ee-ee” and sounds like 1, 1, in Chinese though the Chinese characters mean something else. The parents wanted something simple. This will almost definitely be their only child.
[name_f]Crystal[/name_f] is wanting a name that has a deep/good meaning and it would be a bonus if it starts with a ‘Y’, ‘I’ or ‘E’ or contains an “ee” sound.
It shouldn’t be too unusual, or too ethnic (it’s supposed to be an ‘English’ name after all), and she doesn’t seem to like things that are too popular, plain, old lady-ish or girly.
She didnt like [name_f]Arabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Susan[/name_f], [name_f]Yvette[/name_f]…
She still likes the name she chose for herself, [name_f]Crystal[/name_f].
We looked up names with these meanings:
[name_f]Star[/name_f]
Dragon
[name_m]Lion[/name_m]
Cheetah
[name_f]Heaven[/name_f]
[name_m]Light[/name_m]
Names that are in the running so far are:
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Evy[/name_f])
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Emerald[/name_f]
[name_f]Danika[/name_f]
[name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f]
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any suggestions?
What are your thoughts on the 5 names we have come up with so far?
I think [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is lovely- it is simple, well known and classic. [name_f]Emerald[/name_f], while lovely, would be considered an unusual name (not weird- just not common. Everyone would know what it is, and it is quite stunning), and [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] has religious connotations (I don’t know if that bothers your friend or not- not negative connotations, though. It is a beautiful name.). [name_f]Danika[/name_f] is a good name, but I personally think [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is lovely. [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f] is quite trendy and a little difficult.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about:
[name_f]Celeste[/name_f] (celestial)
[name_u]Eden[/name_u] (place of delight)
[name_f]Electra[/name_f] (again, a little unusual, but it has a lovely meaning: ‘shining, bright’. It is a known name- just not common)
[name_f]Emeline[/name_f] (industrious)
[name_f]Esther[/name_f] (star)
[name_f]Stella[/name_f] (star)
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] (star)
[name_f]Leona[/name_f] (lioness)
[name_f]Estelle[/name_f] (star)
[name_f]Estella[/name_f] (star)
[name_f]Eulalia[/name_f] (sweet speaking)
[name_f]Eugenia[/name_f] / [name_f]Eugenie[/name_f] (wellborn, noble)
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] (dear youth)
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] (wisdom)
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u] (ruby: nobility, life, love, friendship)
[name_f]Iris[/name_f] (flower and the Greek goddess of the rainbow)
[name_f]Idony[/name_f] (renewal)
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] (hero’s daughter)
[name_f]Cara[/name_f] (friend)
[name_f]Julia[/name_f] (youthful)
[name_f]Nora[/name_f] (light, honour)
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f] (symbol of fertility)
[name_f]Letitia[/name_f] (joy, gladness)
[name_f]Amity[/name_f] (amity / friendship)
[name_f]Verity[/name_f] (truth)
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f] (lily: a symbol of purity and innocence)
[name_f]Maisie[/name_f] (pearl)
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f] (pearl)
[name_f]Mamie[/name_f] (pearl)
[name_f]Mattea[/name_f] (gift of God)
[name_f]Mercy[/name_f] (mercy)
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f] (marvellous)
[name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] (miraculous, beautiful one)
[name_f]Belle[/name_f] (beautiful)
[name_f]Miriam[/name_f] (wished for child)
[name_f]Mira[/name_f] (admirable, wished for child)
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] (of the mind, intellect)
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] (bright, shining one)
[name_f]Neve[/name_f] (snow)
[name_f]Olive[/name_f] (olive tree: symbol of peace)
[name_f]Paloma[/name_f] (dove: symbol of peace)
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] (radiant, shining one. Also a goddess of the moon.)
[name_f]Serena[/name_f] (tranquil, serene)
[name_u]Shay[/name_u] (fine, stately)
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] / [name_f]Susanna[/name_f] (lily: symbol of peace and innocence)
[name_f]Talia[/name_f] (gentle dew from heaven)
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] (goddess, godly, gift of god)
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] / [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] (gift of god)
[name_f]Dasha[/name_f] (kingly or the sea)
[name_f]Viviana[/name_f] (alive)
[name_f]Viveca[/name_f] (alive)
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u] / [name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] (alive)
[name_f]Willa[/name_f] (resolute protection)
[name_f]Yasmin[/name_f] (jasmine flower)
[name_f]Yasmeen[/name_f] (jasmine flower)
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f] (yew wood)
[name_u]Ariel[/name_u] (lion)
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] (lion)
[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] (lion)
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f] (happy)
[name_u]Dara[/name_u] (wisdom)
[name_f]Millicent[/name_f] (strong)
[name_f]Calista[/name_f] (beautiful)
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] (beautiful)
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Evy[/name_f]) - dislike [name_f]Evy[/name_f] (it looks like envy to me), prefer [name_f]Evie[/name_f] spelling.
[name_f]Eve[/name_f] - my favourite from your list. Simple and elegant.
[name_f]Emerald[/name_f] - nice.
[name_f]Danika[/name_f] - glad someone likes this too. Not sure I like it for Yiyi though.
[name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f] - dislike.
Since almost all Chinese surnames are 1 syllable I would pick something longer.
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] is the best of her five choices. [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is too short, [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f] is too trendy and a little lower-class, and [name_f]Danika[/name_f] is nice but doesn’t share any sounds with Yiyi.
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] (my favorite- means lion, ends on the ee sound)
Of your list, I really like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], nn [name_f]Evie[/name_f]. Like others have said, [name_f]Danika[/name_f], while gorgeous, doesn’t seem to have much in common with ‘ee-ee’. I really like the suggestions of [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] or [name_u]Eden[/name_u].
Here are some that I came up with (apologies if I repeat anything others have contributed), some I chose solely for the ‘ee’ sound, others for the meaning.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about:
[name_f]Elouise[/name_f]
[name_f]Emily[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] (perhaps too unusual for your friend?)
[name_f]Amy[/name_f] (means 'friend, and has an ‘ee’ sound)
[name_f]Mia[/name_f] (prn ‘Mee-ah’)
[name_f]Mimi[/name_f] (mee-mee)
[name_f]Emme[/name_f]
[name_f]Enid[/name_f]
[name_f]Edith[/name_f] ([name_f]Edie[/name_f])
[name_f]Effy[/name_f]
[name_f]Poppy[/name_f]
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Wendy[/name_f]
[name_f]Katie[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Kylie[/name_f]
Evanie
Good luck to you and your friend! Keep us posted on little Yiyi’s name
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Eve[/name_f] are both lovely. [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] is okay, but seems a little, well, tacky, considering your friend also chose a gemstone name for herself. If she doesn’t like popular or plain, she definitely should not head down the [name_f]Neveah[/name_f] rabbit-hole. I can’t begin to describe how much I dislike that name.
Have you considered [name_f]Liora[/name_f] or [name_f]Eliora[/name_f]? It means “my light” and has that -ee- sound you’re looking for, and I find it to be quite lovely.
