Well, I’ve hit 20 weeks and I’m starting to feel the pressure to get my names finalized so I can live with them awhile before [name]Baby[/name] gets here! (I definitely prefer no last-minute decisions that I could regret later on!)
We aren’t finding out the gender, so we’re picking out both a boy’s and girl’s name. Big brother is [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Scott[/name]. Last name starts with L and has two syllables.
For a boy:
Cierdan [name]Jerome[/name] ([name]KEER[/name]-dan) – spell it Cirdan or Cierdan? I’ve been leaning toward Cierdan for phonetic reasons but I still can’t decide…
For a girl:
[name]Calla[/name] (…) – no middle name yet! I cannot for the life of me find a middle name I’m satisfied with!
Thoughts? Suggestions? First names are pretty set in stone.
Thank you!
By the by, it’s okay if you don’t like my names – I understand that most people don’t share our naming aesthetic.
I’m just looking for input so I can know what the general public response will be.
(And if you have any ideas for me about spelling and/or middle names, that’s great!)
Cierdan [name]Jerome[/name]: Is Cierdan a real name? What’s the origin? I would pronounce Cirdan ‘sir-dan’, and Cierdan ‘keer’dan’.
[name]Calla[/name]: [name]Calla[/name] is beautiful, but it doesn’t sound like it flows well with your last name because of the Ls ([name]Calla[/name] [name]Laurence[/name], [name]Calla[/name] [name]Lawson[/name]).
Based on a previous poster’s suggestion that [name]Calla[/name] might have too many L’s with your last name, may I suggest “[name]Kaia[/name]” (from hawaiian and japanese)
On the other hand, I grew up with a total of 5 L’s in my first middle and last name (including the first initials on the first and last). Despite hating it in high school (what can I say, I was a teenager) it turned out to be a strong and unique name that I love(d).
Cierdan is a name from [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings (Cirdan is the real spelling with an accent ague over the i. I just thought it was awfully tricky to pronounce, and I wouldn’t opt to keep the accent).
I know [name]Calla[/name] is L-heavy with our last name, but it’s a family name and has great significance to me, partially because it’s a flower like my name. I haven’t found any other flower name that interests me.
Thank you so much for your post!
I actually have an L. L. name as well. For that matter the first three letters are the same in my first and last name! It’s my married name so I didn’t grow up with it, but I actually quite like it!
I agree about Cirdan/Cierdan being a bit odd, and I don’t like it near as well as your son’s name ([name]Rowan[/name]), but it is up to you!
I love that you are continuing the nature theme with [name]Calla[/name] for a girl - so pretty! But, as someone pointed out, [name]Calla[/name] is L-heavy with an L last name (e.g., [name]Lennox[/name]). Might you try [name]Calliope[/name] with the nickname [name]Calla[/name]? I think [name]Calliope[/name] [name]Jane[/name] would be darling! Or, [name]Cassia[/name] [name]June[/name], which has a similar sound to [name]Calla[/name] and begins with a C - it could still honor family…
Cierdan [name]Jerome[/name]: i don’t love it but i dont dislike it. [name]How[/name] about [name]Caleb[/name]?
[name]Calla[/name]: i love it. i really think is a really cute name. [name]How[/name] about [name]Calla[/name] [name]Mae[/name]? i really really love it.
Hey! Cierdan isn’t the real spelling? Darn! That’s the spelling I was used to from your other posts! I think that Cierdan [name]Jerome[/name] has a great flow!
I love [name]Calla[/name], and [name]Calla[/name] [name]Genevieve[/name] and [name]Calla[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] are my favorite middles for [name]Calla[/name].
Some more (sorry for repeats)!:
[name]Calla[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Calla[/name] [name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Calla[/name] [name]Rosalie[/name] (then again, the “[name]Calla[/name] [name]Rose[/name]” sound is pretty close to the word “calories”)
[name]Calla[/name] [name]Vivienne[/name]
I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Calla[/name] [name]Genevieve[/name] and [name]Calla[/name] [name]Josephine[/name]!
Thank you all again! I really do appreciate your comments!
I have a question for those who don’t like Cierdan but like [name]Ciaran[/name] and/or [name]Kiernan[/name]-- what is it that makes it different or odd? Is it the spelling? Or just the familiarity? The names sound almost identical to me ([name]Ciaran[/name]: [name]KEER[/name]-en, [name]Kiernan[/name]: [name]KEER[/name]-nen, Cierdan: [name]KEER[/name]-den), which is why I was thinking it would blend in nicely with the whole Celtic genre, as well as fitting well with our son’s name.
I’m just curious!
[name]Jill[/name]-- yeah, unfortunately Cierdan is not the true spelling. I somehow got confused when we came across the name originally and thought that was how it was spelled! [name]Hence[/name] part of the reason I’m torn!
[name]Do[/name] you think it’s bad to “Anglicize” it a little bit by adding the “e”? You probably know by now I’m not a fan of invented spellings…
I’m not a fan of Cierdan/Cirdan mostly because I prefer classic names with a long history of use (like [name]Ciaran[/name]) as opposed to newly created ones, even those, like Cirdan, that have a literary history. Also, to me the sounds are very different-- Cirdan is more harsh, and even has a trendy feel similar to the [name]Aidan[/name]/[name]Caden[/name]/[name]Braden[/name]/[name]Zaidan[/name] trend. I’m not saying Cirdan is at that tryndee level-- I would so much rather see a Cirdan than another [name]Paidyn[/name] or Claydan or something. Oh, and now that I know that Cirdan is the original spelling used in the books, I think you should definitely go with that, since changing the spelling would be closer to making up a name.
[name]Ciaran[/name] would be my pick to go with [name]Rowan[/name] (they’re perfect together!) but you seem to be really set on Cirdan, and I think it’s great too (just not for me). [name]Calla[/name] is beautiful and awesome with [name]Rowan[/name]-- [name]Rowan[/name] and [name]Calla[/name] really stand out as a sibset!
I actually really like Cierdan. (It may just be the LOTR reference, I’m a huge Tolkien fan.) Normally, I do not like invented spellings (can’t stand yookeek), but in this case I think you can make an exception. If you want it to sound like ‘keer-dan’ than you should spell it “Cierdan”, most people (even the well-educated) are going to pronounce “Cirdan” as ‘seer-dan’. I think that the “Cierdan” spelling actually links it to names like “Ciernan” giving it that Celtic vibe you are looking for. There is nothing wrong with anglicanizing unusual names [name]IMO[/name], after all, “[name]Jennifer[/name]” (now rather dated) enjoyed immense popularity in it’s time. People just connected to the name in a way that they might not have were it in the original Welsh because it felt familiar.
Good [name]Luck[/name]! I think you have some great choices to pick from.
[name]Hi[/name]! Like you, invented spellings drive me up the wall, but, well, I think that Cierdan may be an exception, especially because even the Cirdan spelling was invented by an author.
I think I like the look of Cirdan more than I do Cierdan, but I’m guessing that about 99.25% (random number that seemed good to me) of the world will mispronounce it. Then again, [name]Lord[/name] of the Rings fans will get it right, so 99.25% was too high a number.
Still, I’m guessing that Cirdan will be pronounced as “Sir-dan” most of the time. Cirdan could always correct people, but it may get annoying for him.
[name]Even[/name] so, I’m with you when it comes to changing spellings, even though Cierdan doesn’t look particularly yooneek.
People give their kids Irish names that are nearly impossible to pronounce phonetically, yet they get by. I couldn’t pronounce Irish names before Nameberry, but now I’m getting pretty good at it! If you go with the Cirdan spelling, I’m sure people will learn how to pronounce it.
[name]Even[/name] though Cierdan, I think, will be easier to pronounce, I like Cirdan more, and love that it’s the spelling from the book you love.
Wow, thank you again for really great thoughts! I always really enjoy your posts, [name]Jill[/name]!
I honestly can’t say which spelling I like more. I’m drawn toward the original spelling because it’s “correct”, but even then we wouldn’t be using the accent so it’s still a deviation (if you want to get technical). My guess is that even LOTR fans won’t know the pronunciation unless they are pretty hardcore fans. Cirdan is a pretty minor character, and even my hardcore hubby thought it was pronounced “seer-den” until I came across a pronunciation guide.
Cierdan was my choice mostly because of ease of pronunciation and the associations it would have with [name]Ciaran[/name]/[name]Kieran[/name], but you have a great point about other Celtic/Welsh names being much tricker to figure out (like [name]Rowan[/name]'s traditional Gaelic spelling [name]Ruadhan[/name]!).
I have much food for thought! Thank you again!
Oh, I completely forgot to mention to those of you who like [name]Ciaran[/name]-- I think it’s a gorgeous name, but my husband doesn’t like it. Posters who have been around for awhile know I’ve been trying to find a C- name for well over a year that both my husband and I like and it’s been a very, very long road! Cirdan/Cierdan is literally the only name we’ve found!
A random thought on [name]Calla[/name] – what do you think of [name]Viola[/name] as a middle name? (VYE-oh-lah) [name]Do[/name] you think people would pronounce it like the instrument (vee-OH-lah)? I haven’t had a chance to bounce this one off of my husband yet so it may be a moot point!
I can’t thank you all enough for your input! Everyone who posts is very much appreciated!
It’s the D sound, actually. It just throws the whole thing off, roughs it up a little bit, messes with the flow, you know? [name]Ciaran[/name] is just more appealing!
To go with the English unisex [name]Rowan[/name], I’d choose something along the lines of Caldwell or [name]Chandler[/name], personally.
As for [name]Viola[/name], I pronounce it VYE-oh-lah, but I think [name]Calla[/name] [name]Viola[/name] is 1) a lot of L’s for an L last name, and 2) a lot of flowers. What about [name]Calla[/name] [name]Vivienne[/name]?
Wow, thank you again for really great thoughts! I always really enjoy your posts, [name]Jill[/name]!
I honestly can’t say which spelling I like more. I’m drawn toward the original spelling because it’s “correct”, but even then we wouldn’t be using the accent so it’s still a deviation (if you want to get technical). My guess is that even LOTR fans won’t know the pronunciation unless they are pretty hardcore fans. Cirdan is a pretty minor character, and even my hardcore hubby thought it was pronounced “seer-den” until I came across a pronunciation guide.
Cierdan was my choice mostly because of ease of pronunciation and the associations it would have with [name]Ciaran[/name]/[name]Kieran[/name], but you have a great point about other Celtic/Welsh names being much tricker to figure out (like [name]Rowan[/name]'s traditional Gaelic spelling [name]Ruadhan[/name]!).
I have much food for thought! Thank you again!
Oh, I completely forgot to mention to those of you who like [name]Ciaran[/name]-- I think it’s a gorgeous name, but my husband doesn’t like it. Posters who have been around for awhile know I’ve been trying to find a C- name for well over a year that both my husband and I like and it’s been a very, very long road! Cirdan/Cierdan is literally the only name we’ve found!
A random thought on [name]Calla[/name] – what do you think of [name]Viola[/name] as a middle name? (VYE-oh-lah) [name]Do[/name] you think people would pronounce it like the instrument (vee-OH-lah)? I haven’t had a chance to bounce this one off of my husband yet so it may be a moot point!
I can’t thank you all enough for your input! Everyone who posts is very much appreciated![/quote]
You’re welcome! (And thanks! I love your posts, too!) I honestly don’t think that Cirdan is any more complicated than a name like [name]Saoirse[/name] or [name]Roisin[/name], two names that I can now happily pronounce.
Honestly, to me, Cierdan seems like an exception when it comes to new spellings. Whichever spelling you use, I think that Cierdan/Cirdan [name]Jerome[/name] is handsome, and I think it works really well with [name]Rowan[/name]!
I pronounce [name]Viola[/name] like Vye-oh-la, not Vee-oh-la, but I agree that it’s a lot of L with [name]Calla[/name] and your last name.
For that matter the first three letters are the same in my first and last name! It’s my married name so I didn’t grow up with it, but I actually quite like it!