Estella, Zelda, Nadia

A list of English names that I like and that are very different from my usual names that I usually never mention (for a change of style) and some names that I always mention but I have never asked for an opinion on. Feel free to comment the ones you like (I would like positive opinions!)

Phoebe / Phebe

Estella

Molly

Elsie

Pauline

Zinnia

Sally

Annie

Cressida

Bluma

Enorine

Claira / Clara

Daphne

Eliza

Rosemary

Nadia

Orla

Blanche

Hope

Ada / Adeline

Marigold

Zelda

Minerva / Minnie

Frida

Allegra

Louise

Maxine

Josephine / Josie

Mabel

Edie

Zara

Dora / Dorothea

Amy

Nora / Norah / Norrie

Amabel

Irene

Effie

Lavinia

Susannah

Lilly / Lilia

Iris

Tess / Tessie

Maya

Flora / Fleur / Florence

Some thoughts on the ones I like:

[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] - bright, bubbly and sweet

[name_f]Estella[/name_f] - literary, charming and elegant

[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] - sharp but sweet

[name_f]Annie[/name_f] - bright, light and vintage

[name_f]Cressida[/name_f] -stunning, magical and sunny

[name_f]Clara[/name_f] - bright and clear

[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] - sweet and vintage but with sparkle and kick

[name_f]Nadia[/name_f] - love the meaning and the warm sound

[name_f]Orla[/name_f] - such a lovely meaning and distinctive sound

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] - warm and welcoming

[name_f]Ada[/name_f] - vintage and sassy

[name_f]Frida[/name_f] - arty, strong and pretty too

[name_f]Mabel[/name_f] - cuddly and bubbly

[name_f]Edie[/name_f] - sweet and charming

[name_f]Zara[/name_f] - sharp and stylish

[name_f]Dora[/name_f] - literary and lovely

[name_f]Amy[/name_f] - sweet, friendly and cool

[name_f]Amabel[/name_f] - warm, sweet and friendly but magical too

[name_f]Effie[/name_f] - sassy, sweet and cosy

[name_f]Flora[/name_f] - bright and lovely, rugged but pretty

[name_u]Florence[/name_u] - full of understated elegance and charm

Names I like enough to comment on:

[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], lovely, spirited
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]: hated the character; I prefer [name_f]Esther[/name_f] or [name_f]Hester[/name_f]
[name_f]Molly[/name_f], as a nn for [name_f]Malkah[/name_f] very traditional
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f], as a nn for [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f], quite cute
[name_f]Pauline[/name_f], I prefer [name_f]Paulina[/name_f] or [name_f]Paola[/name_f], [name_f]Paolina[/name_f]. Underused.
[name_f]Annie[/name_f], nn for [name_f]Ann[/name_f], adorable and underused. [name_f]My[/name_f] bf in childhood
[name_f]Clara[/name_f], I think [name_f]Heidi[/name_f]. I prefer [name_u]Clare[/name_u], which is simple and elegant.
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f], I adore, along with [name_f]Dafna[/name_f].
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f], as a nn for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] – my niece’s name & she fits it perfectly, graceful and artistic
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f], I adore this name. So underused
[name_f]Orla[/name_f], love this name and its meaning
[name_u]Blanche[/name_u], I don’t like the American version but love the [name_u]French[/name_u] and the Spanish [name_f]Blanca[/name_f]
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f], adorable with great nicknames
[name_u]Louise[/name_u] – I prefer [name_f]Louisa[/name_f], which is my daughter’s middle name
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] – I prefer [name_f]Josefina[/name_f] or [name_f]Josette[/name_f].
[name_f]Edie[/name_f], sweet nn for [name_f]Edith[/name_f], a family name for me.
[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] – I prefer [name_f]Doro[/name_f] to Dora; I also love [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]. Again, underused vintage
[name_f]Norah[/name_f] – love this spelling
[name_f]Amabel[/name_f] – this is a perffect name. I first saw it from the [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] Michaels’ book [name_f]Ammie[/name_f], Come Home. Much nicer than [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] with better nicknames.
[name_f]Irene[/name_f] – don’t like the American pronunciation, I prefer the [name_u]French[/name_u], or the Spanish [name_f]Irena[/name_f], or the Russian [name_f]Irina[/name_f].
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] – the name of another niece. This spelling makes me think of [name_u]Shirley[/name_u] [name_u]Temple[/name_u] and [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] of the Mountains. I prefer [name_f]Susanna[/name_f].
[name_f]Lilly[/name_f] – I prefer the [name_f]Lily[/name_f] spelling but it’s too popular now. [name_f]Lilias[/name_f] is a more interesting version, I think.
[name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Tessie[/name_f] – my Italian neighbor when I lived in [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u]. Nobody’s name is Teresa/Therese anymore, which is a shame.
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] – the bee. I like the [name_f]Maia[/name_f] spelling.
[name_f]Flora[/name_f] – is lovely, but [name_f]Floria[/name_f] (from Tosca) is more dramatic. [name_f]Florrie[/name_f] and [name_f]Flossie[/name_f] are very cute nicknames.

[name_u]Blanche[/name_u] is [name_u]French[/name_u], not [name_f]English[/name_f].
I pronounce [name_f]Irene[/name_f] in the Spanish / Italian way ee-REH-neh but I like the [name_f]English[/name_f] pron too (I am not from the US)
I also like [name_f]Josefina[/name_f]! I have [name_f]Josefina[/name_f], [name_f]Josefine[/name_f] and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] / [name_f]Joséphine[/name_f] all in my lists
I like [name_f]Dafna[/name_f], [name_f]Dafne[/name_f], [name_f]Dafina[/name_f] and [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]
I like [name_f]Flora[/name_f] but I also like [name_f]Floria[/name_f]! [name_f]Tosca[/name_f] is in my list too :orange_heart:
I don’t like the [name_f]Maia[/name_f] spelling, I prefer [name_f]Maya[/name_f]

Yes, I know [name_u]Blanche[/name_u] is [name_u]French[/name_u], but I really dislike how “Blanche” is pronounced in [name_f]English[/name_f] (see [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Girls).

I am a sucker for operatic names:
[name_f]Floria[/name_f], [name_f]Adriana[/name_f], [name_f]Violetta[/name_f] (lol), [name_f]Gilda[/name_f], [name_f]Lucia[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_f]Musetta[/name_f], [name_f]Leonora[/name_f]

I pronounce [name_u]Blanche[/name_u] in the [name_u]French[/name_u] way! I love Operatic names too, we are very similar in that! (My style is very eccentric and different, and the “English vintage” names I listed above are mostly names that I might use as middles or pet names, since for first names and in the top spot of my lists I have way more different style)

I love [name_f]Eleonora[/name_f] and I like [name_f]Leonora[/name_f], [name_f]Amalia[/name_f] is great (with this spelling), [name_f]Gilda[/name_f], [name_f]Violetta[/name_f] and [name_f]Floria[/name_f] too! [name_f]Adriana[/name_f] is great too. [name_f]Lucia[/name_f] feels a bit bland where I live but I like it too

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Some thoughts on my faves… (Though honestly, they’re all lovely)

[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]- [name_u]Bright[/name_u] and happy

[name_f]Molly[/name_f]- SO so pretty, one of my favourites ever. [name_f]Sassy[/name_f] and cute at the same time

[name_f]Pauline[/name_f]- Sweet sounds, underused!

[name_f]Daphne[/name_f]- While I slightly prefer the [name_f]Dafne[/name_f] spelling (I’m latina though, so I’m biased), it’s really pretty and elegant sounding

I prefer [name_f]Dafne[/name_f] too! (I am from [name_f]Italy[/name_f], both spellings are used according istat but [name_f]Dafne[/name_f] is more common and the actual Italian spelling; [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is Greek) but Daphné / [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is growing up on me recently :orange_heart:

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I usually prefer “f” over “ph” with names… Like [name_f]Dafne[/name_f], [name_f]Ofelia[/name_f], etc… I’m happy someone shares this opinion!

I prefer [name_f]Amalia[/name_f] to [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] but I do love the Italian pronunciation of [name_f]Amelia[/name_f].

[name_f]My[/name_f] GP is [name_u]Wally[/name_u] (I love that opera).

Why, what is the [name_f]English[/name_f] prn of [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]?

I pronounce it as “ah-meh-lya” (closed e, not open e

ah-meel-ya.