Hubby and I are pretty set on naming our baby girl [name_f]Eva[/name_f]. However I do feel it sounds like a short form for a longer name, and so we are considering the name [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f]. [name_u]Day[/name_u] to day, I’m sure we would call her simply [name_f]Eva[/name_f], but sometimes it’s lovely to have a longer, formal name.
Middle name may be [name_u]Joan[/name_u] as it’s a family tradition. Last name is quite long- Hazeldine.
I adore that name! However, I think I’m partial to [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], without the ‘A’ at the end. But, with the middle name [name_u]Joan[/name_u], the ‘A’ ending sounds so much better.
I also really like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], biscuitfarmer, but not only does [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] sound better with the middle name [name_u]Joan[/name_u], it also sounds much better with our surname Hazeldine. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] Hazeldine rhymes in an awkward way. I think [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] rolls off the tongue better
[name_f]My[/name_f] hubby likes [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] for a girl, I do too but I worry about the length and wordiness of it. So I do think adding an A on the end is too much. I tend to lean towards the simpler and cleaner names like [name_f]Eva[/name_f]… But [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] is so pretty so I’m torn! Sorry I am not much help here but I struggle with the same thing!!!
[name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] - It’s not too much at all. I prefer [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], but I just said “[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] Hazeldine” to myself and realized why you weren’t considering it!
Since people probably usually won’t use her middle name, you just have to decide if [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] Hazeldine is melodic, or if the repeated 'een" syllable sounds sing-songy to you. It doesn’t bother me much.
There’s a definite split between parents who want their kids to have a longer name they can shorten to a nickname, and parents who don’t see the point in giving their kid a formal name they never plan to use. Either way is valid [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. I have a shorter name and always wanted a formal name like my siblings do. And THEY have all gone strictly by nicknames and hate having to bother with formal names. So you really can’t predict how the kid will feel, and should just go with what you prefer.
[name_f]Eva[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] - [name_f]Eva[/name_f] is a long-established, respected independent name and doesn’t read nicknamey to me at all, if that’s worrying you. But it’s how you feel about the name that counts, and if [name_f]Eva[/name_f] will always feel insubstantial to you then there’s nothing wrong with lengthening it! The length of [name_f]Eva[/name_f] is both its strength and its weakness. I have a nine-letter surname too, and a ten-letter first name paired with it is a lot of name, so it’s a plus that [name_f]Eva[/name_f]'s short. But if the short name will always make you feel like something’s missing, go with [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f].
Have you considered [name_f]Evanna[/name_f]? That’s my number one favorite name right now and you can also get [name_f]Eva[/name_f] out of it without it sounding like such a mouthful!
I personally find it too flowery for my taste. It sounds like a fictional angel to me. Right up there with [name_f]Amaryllis[/name_f] and [name_f]Lavender[/name_f].
However, I do really like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] and [name_f]Evelina[/name_f].
[name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] looks and flows much better than [name_f]Eva[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u]. Since you’ll be calling her [name_f]Eva[/name_f] anyway, I think you should choose the fuller name and that way you get two names in one! Many Greek woman bear the name [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] so I don’t think it’s “too much” in that culture anyway. I love [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] too.
I don’t think [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] is too much but I do dislike how it shares the “elin” part with Hazeldine. I second the suggestion of [name_f]Evanna[/name_f] nn [name_f]Eva[/name_f]! [name_f]Evanna[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] Hazeldine sounds better, though I like [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] better as a first in general.
[name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] is beautiful. Paired with your last name, it’s a big name. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] is actually on our short list. [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] flows nicely with your last name too.
[name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] is lovely but I am inclined to think it is a bit much. 5 syllables is a lot, especially with Hazeldine.
I actually prefer [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] but agree that it doesn’t fit with mn [name_u]Joan[/name_u] as well as [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] does so this is a tough one!
Despite loving them, I also sometimes worry about the length and wordiness of names like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]/a in real life. In your case I would be inclined to go with just [name_f]Eva[/name_f], especially if that’s what she’ll be called day to day anyway. It’s a cute and sweet but classy and elegant name. Your surname is long enough to balance out the shortness of [name_f]Eva[/name_f] and [name_f]Eva[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] Hazeldine is just perfect
Thanks everyone for your replies! A lot of really helpful feedback, thank you.
[name_u]Mischa[/name_u], it’s interesting that you point out that a lot of Greek women bear the name [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f]. One reservation we have with the name is that we’re not sure it’s “us”; I’m Canadian and my husband is English.
Also, many of you suggested [name_f]Evelina[/name_f]. I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] that name as an alternative to [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f], but sadly my husband isn’t so keen. He thinks it sounds too much like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], a name which he is not a fan of. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think that [name_f]Eva[/name_f] makes sense as a nn for [name_f]Evelina[/name_f]? Perhaps I can sway him…
I like [name_f]Eva[/name_f] Hazeldine and I think [name_f]Eva[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] Hazeldine is sweet. I like [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] but with your last name there is a repetition that sounds a bit off without [name_u]Joan[/name_u] in the middle.
I do think that [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] nn [name_f]Eva[/name_f] definitely makes sense! [name_f]My[/name_f] biggest hesitation is that [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] Hazeldine is a really long name. Not so long that you couldn’t learn it, but it is really long. And [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] does seem really frou-frou and over-the-top for me. [name_m]Even[/name_m] the more simple [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] seems to be too over-the-top for some people, and I think [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] is much worse. [name_m]How[/name_m] is Hazeldine said? to rhyme with “line” or “lean”? If it’s “dine”, then I think it’s a bit awkward, but still usable ([name_f]Evangelina[/name_f], [name_f]Evelina[/name_f], or even [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]), but if it’s “dean”, I would cross all of them out, honestly. They all have a very strong “een” sound near the end. I like the simple [name_f]Eva[/name_f] [name_u]Joan[/name_u] much better, personally, but then again, [name_f]Eva[/name_f] Hazeldine sounds amazing, and [name_f]Eva[/name_f]'s on my list, so I’m biased in her favor. I do really like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], too; I just don’t think it works here.
I think [name_f]Evangelina[/name_f] Hazeldine rhymes awkwardly too. (You have a really awesome last name, btw, it’s beautiful.) Besides, both it and [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] are kind of overlong and cloyingly sweet to me. Much prefer [name_f]Eva[/name_f], both with [name_u]Joan[/name_u], with your last name, and as a name in general.
