So, my middle name is my paternal grandfather’s name, and I always thought I would do the same thing with my first child. My Dad’s name is [name_m]Alan[/name_m], so I always thought I would use [name_f]Alana[/name_f] for a girl, but some of my favourite girls names just don’t flow that well with [name_f]Alana[/name_f] as a middle name, e.g., [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f].
What are some alternatives to [name_f]Alana[/name_f]? I’m not a huge fan of [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], [name_f]Helen[/name_f], [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] or [name_f]Elaine[/name_f].
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] is useable?
What do you think of [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f]? I think it sounds a bit singsongy, but maybe its just me?
[name_f]Alena[/name_f], maybe? Or maybe [name_f]Eliana[/name_f], or just [name_f]Lana[/name_f].
Yes, totally.
Not the best flow, but I think they work just fine together. Personal significance is always more important than flow, imo, so go for it if you like it.
[name_f]Atalanta[/name_f] or [name_f]Calandra[/name_f]
Absolutely!
Yeah, it is a bit singsongy, but not terrible. First and middle names are hardly ever said together, anyway, unless you do the “full name when your in trouble” thing. Isn’t that a great way to get your kid to hate their middle name?
I think the problem with variations to an honor name is loosing the name not only in sound but in the etimology, the meaning, etc. I say this because honoring an [name_m]Alan[/name_m] with “[name_f]Ellen[/name_f]” is kinda “meh” to me anyways even if they sound similar. So my favorite would be the french [name_f]Aline[/name_f] and [name_f]Alaine[/name_f] (wich should sound exactly as [name_m]Alain[/name_m] --french [name_m]Alan[/name_m]-- as you can see here: Pronunciación de Alaine: Cómo pronunciar Alaine en Francés, Húngaro … but english-speakers would probably just say “elaine”). [name_f]Lana[/name_f], as luneth suggested above, is very cool.
Yes. It is tied to [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] Morrisette but only to a certain generation, not to her peers.
Although it is kinda sinsongy it’s not bad, I like it.
I think [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] is usable, and I really like it! For alternatives, you might try:
[name_f]Nala[/name_f] ([name_m]Alan[/name_m] backwards)
[name_f]Briallen[/name_f] (sounds similar)
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] (has all the letters in order- [name_f]ALexANdra[/name_f])
[name_f]Madelaine[/name_f] (same-m[name_f]AdeLAiNe[/name_f])
[name_u]Kalani[/name_u] (k[name_u]ALANi[/name_u])
I also love the suggestion of [name_f]Atalanta[/name_f].
Nice family tradition! I think that [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] is usable, as the “[name_m]Alan[/name_m]” part is still seen.
I would definitely advise you to stick as close as possible to the original name. These kinds of honor names get “lost in translation” very easily and quickly once variations and alterations come in. Consider that future generations looking at genealogy lists, or gathering names of families, and who might not have heard all the family stories, will be able to easily recognize the pattern of naming if the same name or a VERY close feminisation is used. Roundabout honor names won’t be obvious, and the memory can be easily forgotten.
I happen to like [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f] as a combo, especially when you add the surname. I’m imagining something like “[name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m]” and it sounds very pretty to me. It’s the similarity of the two names paired together that makes you enjoy saying them together as a combo. The beginning sounds are the same (“Uhl” each time), the ending sound is the same, and the syllable count is the same. You don’t get this effect with [name_f]Willa[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f], or [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f]. I’d use [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f] as it is. I also like [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alanis[/name_f], or just [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_m]Alan[/name_m].
Alternatively, to keep the original name (or close to it) while getting a different cadence of the combination, you could consider using two middle names. For example, [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] [name_m]Alan[/name_m], though these get tricky because sometimes the names decide to “separate” and sound like two names, “[name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Calliope[/name_f], [name_m]Alan[/name_m] [name_m]Jones[/name_m],” so a lot depends on your last name.
Good luck and do come back to post in the Birth Announcements section when your baby is born!
Great advice; thanks! I’ll definitely come back to post in the announcements section, but it probably won’t be for a few years - I should have mentioned that this is a hypothetical future baby at this point, I have just always struggled with combos to honour [name_m]Alan[/name_m], since so many of my favourite girls names end in A!
I agree tha [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f] would work, but I like the suggestion of [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alaine[/name_f] even better. I think it sound better not ending in another “a” like [name_f]Allegra[/name_f]. It is very close to [name_m]Alan[/name_m] in spelling and as pointed out the derivation is from the name [name_m]Alan[/name_m]. I also like the 3 syllable 2 syllable rhythm when saying the name. I might add that I love the alliteration of both names beginning with the same letter. That to me is a plus.
What about [name_f]Alla[/name_f] or [name_f]Anna[/name_f]? Ot maybe [name_f]Alina[/name_f] or [name_f]Lana[/name_f]? I think you can go with [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] and [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alana[/name_f] sounds great to me as well.
[name_f]Alanis[/name_f] is definitely usable in my book, although I prefer [name_f]Alana[/name_f]. What about [name_f]Alison[/name_f] to honor [name_m]Alan[/name_m]? I think that [name_f]Allegra[/name_f] [name_f]Alison[/name_f] flows really nicely.