[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone,
I think we’ve decided on a name for our little girl, due in [name_u]August[/name_u]. Her siblings names are [name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Esme[/name_f] and [name_m]Ivo[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m].
We like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], and I’d like to shorten to either [name_f]Effy[/name_f] or [name_f]Effie[/name_f]. I don’t like [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Eve[/name_f] etc, but really love the [name_f]Effy[/name_f]/ [name_f]Effie[/name_f] shortening which applies to a lot of names ([name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Euphemia[/name_f], [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Fiona[/name_f]…).
Question is, which spelling would you go for? ([name_f]Effy[/name_f] or [name_f]Effie[/name_f]) , and do you think people would accept this shortening? really don’t want [name_f]Evie[/name_f] or [name_f]Eve[/name_f] as it’s too commonplace, and- for another thing, that’s our niece’s name.
The second question is what middle names would work? We like [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_u]Wren[/name_u], but don’t think we can use both, and am open to other ideas.
Thank you! xx
If you don’t like [name_f]Evie[/name_f] I would not go with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. It is inevitable they will get it at some point.
I have heard [name_f]Effie[/name_f] used for [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] or because the sound [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] would work too.
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Saffron[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Aurora[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Sparrow[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Poppy[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Misty[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Holly[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f]
I also like your idea of [name_f]Fiona[/name_f]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_f]Jade[/name_f]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_u]Winter[/name_u]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_u]Brooke[/name_u]
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] [name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
The other option which is slightly dated but the sound works is [name_f]Stephanie[/name_f]
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] [name_f]Autumn[/name_f]
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] [name_f]Fern[/name_f]
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] [name_u]Indigo[/name_u]
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_f]Stephanie[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
The [name_f]Effie[/name_f] spelling seems more instinctive to me, so I would go with that one.
I think [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] Sylv!a is gorgeous. I don’t prefer the way [name_u]Wren[/name_u] is similar to the last syllable of [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u].
I prefer the [name_f]Effie[/name_f] spelling. I think it could work as a nickname for [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] just fine, but when she grows up she might decide to go by [name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Evie[/name_f]. Your other children have short names and nickname names are popular right now (especially in the UK) so why not just use [name_f]Effie[/name_f] on its own? It doesn’t feel any less legitimate than [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] or all the other nickname names (it’s actually my grandma’s name!)
For middle names for [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] I like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] more than [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]Wren[/name_u], though [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] would be even more gorgeous.
I think that if you hate [name_f]Evie[/name_f], don’t use [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] does not contain an f, ph or a th, therefore [name_f]Effie[/name_f] doesn’t really work.
[name_f]Effie[/name_f] could be short for:
[name_f]Persephone[/name_f]
I think [name_f]Effie[/name_f] is a lovely name in its own right and can definitely be used as a first name. Understated but cute.
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is becoming quite popular nowadays esp with nicknames [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Eve[/name_f] but I don’t really see it’s association with [name_f]Effie[/name_f].
I’m finding your replies pretty strange. [name_m]How[/name_m] are you pronounce [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]? Ev-eh-lyn doesn’t contain the sound ‘eev’ that you get in eve or [name_f]Evie[/name_f] either, so I don’t really see how [name_f]Effy[/name_f] or [name_f]Effie[/name_f] is less similar? It’s a soft E twice, and the v is soft too- more like an f. It’s got the E and the Y sounds. You get Ted and [name_m]Ned[/name_m] from [name_m]Edward[/name_m] when there’s no T or N, [name_m]Bill[/name_m] from [name_m]William[/name_m] when there’s no B, why not [name_f]Effie[/name_f]/[name_f]Effy[/name_f] from [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] when t sounds similar? [name_m]Say[/name_m] Eff-eh-[name_u]Lyn[/name_u] and that’s more how it comes out of my mouth.
(Have also known it to be short for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], which it’s really not similar to at all?)
You definitely could use [name_f]Effie[/name_f] as nickname for [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. The thing is [name_f]Effie[/name_f] doesn’t have a history of being used with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] or sound like it comes from it. So, if someone were to come up with a nickname for your daughter just based on [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], many people would go with [name_f]Evie[/name_f] or [name_f]Eve[/name_f] based off the first letters of the name, regardless of how they are pronounced. That’s why those nicknames are so common. For example, [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] automatically becomes [name_u]Theo[/name_u], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] becomes [name_u]Alex[/name_u], [name_f]Emily[/name_f] becomes [name_f]Em[/name_f], etc. But most people wouldn’t automatically associate [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] with [name_f]Effie[/name_f]. If you despise the names [name_f]Evie[/name_f]/[name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Eva[/name_f]/Ev, it might be annoying to keep constantly correcting people to [name_f]Effie[/name_f] or your daughter may decide she likes one of those nicknames over [name_f]Effie[/name_f]. It’s like naming your son [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] and hating [name_m]Ben[/name_m], because he will be called that at least once in his life. Same with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u].
I do think [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. It’s very pretty. [name_m]Just[/name_m] be warned, if you do go with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], don’t be surprised if people automatically shorten it to something besides [name_f]Effie[/name_f]. As annoying as it may be, some people just tend to shorten names unless corrected.
I loved [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] nn [name_f]Effie[/name_f] and husband vetoed, but I prefer that spelling!
I understand what you mean by pronouncing it not as Ev-lyn, but as [name_f]Effie[/name_f]-[name_u]Lyn[/name_u] that kind of way. The problem is, you may have to change the spelling otherwise it will be pronounced as a ‘V’ and not a soft ‘F’. Personally, I think [name_f]Effie[/name_f] works fine on it’s own (well that’s coming from me and I was born [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] not [name_f]Bella[/name_f] and yet I know nobody who calls me [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]!) You just have to make a statement that her name is [name_f]Effie[/name_f], otherwise it will probably be shortened down to [name_f]Eve[/name_f] or [name_f]Evie[/name_f]. Also, I think that [name_f]Effie[/name_f] Sylivia - [name_u]Wren[/name_u] works quite nicely but if you only want one of the names, I would go for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and not [name_u]Wren[/name_u] as It clashes a bit with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] (if you have the full name, but if not, [name_f]Effie[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] just sounds a little short).
I hope you understand what I’m trying to get at here! 
I usually dislike -ie endings that come after a double letter (I prefer [name_u]Izzy[/name_u] to [name_f]Izzie[/name_f], [name_f]Hatty[/name_f] to [name_f]Hattie[/name_f], [name_f]Milly[/name_f] to [name_f]Millie[/name_f] etc), but, in this case, I would go for [name_f]Effie[/name_f] as it’s more familiar and you’re going to get some confusion with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] nn [name_f]Effie[/name_f] anyway.
I like [name_f]Effie[/name_f] on its own. I do agree with other posts though in that if you don’t want [name_f]Eve[/name_f] or [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] may not be the right name for you?
My mum chose [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] for me and family called me [name_f]Beth[/name_f] - she agreed to call me [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] only if I was never called [name_f]Liz[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] because she hated both versions.
As soon as I hit school I was a [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] and I have been ever since, it’s the name I feel most comfortable with. Only my immediate family call me [name_f]Beth[/name_f].
It’s actually really irritating when friends would call me Lizzie in front of my mum and she would correct them and say it’s Beth.
Unfortunately you can’t always decide the nicknames, they more or less form on their own as you grow up so if there’s a go to nickname like [name_f]Evie[/name_f] for [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], that you really don’t like, I’d really consider chosing something different. [name_f]Effie[/name_f] on its own is beautiful.
Ooh just to add, [name_f]Effie[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I think [name_f]Effy[/name_f] makes a lovely nickname for [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], though you can never dictate/anticipate how other people with nickname her.
[name_f]May[/name_f] as well keep it simple and go with [name_f]Effy[/name_f] - Not that the spelling of a nickname really matters because it will mostly be said not written.
What about [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u], or [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Hope[/name_f]? I think a single syllable sounds best.
I think it would be hard to avoid the nickname [name_f]Evie[/name_f] completely, especially by the time she goes to school or maybe she will prefer it.
I do think [name_f]Effy[/name_f] is super cute! And I would use it 
[name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_m]Ivo[/name_m] & [name_f]Effie[/name_f] = Amazing!
My vote is that if you go with [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], middle name [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]
BUT if you go with the name [name_f]Effie[/name_f], middle name [name_u]Wren[/name_u]!
I’m going to have to agree with other posters, [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_m]Ivo[/name_m], and [name_f]Effie[/name_f] make the sweetest siblings!
I really like [name_f]Effie[/name_f] on it’s own, and it goes so nicely with your other childrens names.
I definitely think you can call an [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] “[name_f]Effie[/name_f]”, but if you really dislike [name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Evie[/name_f] I probably wouldn’t use [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if shes mostly called [name_f]Effie[/name_f], theres still a big possibility shell be called [name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Evie[/name_f] too.
I really love [name_f]Effie[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u]. I think it’s so soft, sweet, and pretty. Also a little spunky.
I also like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], if you do decide to use [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. Its absolutely beautiful. [name_m]Just[/name_m] maybe not the best choice if you want to avoid [name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Evie[/name_f] entirely.