This is my first post to Nameberry, and y’all have great advice so I’m looking forward to hearing from you. I have two boys: [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m], and I’m expecting a little girl in [name_u]July[/name_u]. We think her middle name will be [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] (her Great-grandmother’s name) but can’t agree on a first name (and we don’t like [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] as a first name). Our last name is [name_m]Allen[/name_m], so a lot of the cute names that start with vowels don’t work. We like [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] (supposed to be common, but I only know 1). I love [name_f]Malina[/name_f], but husband hates it. Any Ideas?
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] is really pretty. It goes well with [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]. And I don’t know very many [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]'s either. I think it’s just one of those names that everyone immediately recognizes but rarely use. [name_m]Just[/name_m] my theory.
Could [name_f]Marina[/name_f] work? It’s similar to [name_f]Malina[/name_f], but maybe more familiar. [name_f]Marina[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] has a nice flow to it. [name_f]Mary[/name_f] could be a nice nickname, if your husband is into more traditional names.
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] could be pretty. I think the single “l” version works best with the double “l” [name_m]Allen[/name_m]. It’s not as common as [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], and I’ve never met an [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] before. I kind of like how [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] sounds, but I could understand why it might be a “no”.
[name_f]Valerie[/name_f] kind of reminds me [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] for some reason. Might be the similar letters. But [name_f]Valerie[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] is kind of pretty. I don’t know how well it works with [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] (maybe [name_f]Violet[/name_f] would suit them better), but it’s not a totally common name.
I like the sound of [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], [name_f]Milena[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], [name_f]Serena[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] if any of those work for you.
These are just my suggestions. I hope they’re helpful! I do really like [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] but go with what feels right Good luck!
I think [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_m]Allen[/name_m] sounds great great and works well with [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]. Other suggestions:
This is a popularity list based off of the number of birth registered with the social security administration, I would say it’s pretty accurate. Your state may not have as many Olivias as other places. I am in the south and it’s pretty darned popular here. My daughters daycare is a pretty small facility and there are two. My son is in second grade and he also has several [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]'s in his grade alone. VBut if you use the search by state tool, you can see [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] in some states isn’t#2. In District of [name_f]Columbia[/name_f], for example, it is down to number 6, with only 41 girls in the state named [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] in 2015.
If you think [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] is the name for you, you should use it. Popularity shouldn’t automatically nix a name, if that’s not the kind of thing that bothers you. That being said, some suggestions:
Hmm…
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u] & [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] are lovely names and sound great with [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] is a pretty feminine choice and I like the name [name_f]Liv[/name_f]. I think [name_u]Dylan[/name_u], [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] & [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u] sound lovely and it’s good that you both love this choice.
Thanks, this was really helpful. We live in the south too, and I’ll have to check to see how many [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]‘s are at my sons’ school…none that I know of.
Thanks Lori101! I (we both) really love [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u], but emotionally I’m having trouble with it (just a hard name for this rainbow baby). I like [name_f]Lila[/name_f] and [name_f]Audrey[/name_f]. I’ll have to check with my husband. I don’t think I can do [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], because if it gets shorted to [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], my daughter would be [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] [name_m]Allen[/name_m], which I don’t like.
Amandalhenshaw, thanks for the ideas! I like [name_f]Isobella[/name_f] (I used to be called [name_f]Bella[/name_f] in college) and [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. one of our college buddies has a daughter named [name_f]Natalie[/name_f], but we never see them. It might be ok to repeat it. All your suggestions have 3 syllables, was that a coincidence or do you think 3 syllables sound best with [name_u]Carmen[/name_u], our last name, and the boys’ names?
Auroralights, thanks for the suggestions. I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] [name_u]Carmen[/name_u], but can’t use the name because it causes some emotional pain. [name_f]Nora[/name_f] is my aunt’s name. My husband suggested [name_f]Emelia[/name_f]/[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] but we didn’t know if that added to many vowels to go well with [name_m]Allen[/name_m]. [name_f]Melanie[/name_f] is close to [name_f]Melina[/name_f], I might try that with my husband. Your name is beautiful, unfortunately I have trouble pronouncing [name_f]Aurora[/name_f]. You’ve given me some ideas to think about!
Jariel, thanks for the ideas! I seriously have run [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] through my head 100 times, trying to figure out if it is outdated and if I would be ok with [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] as a nickname. I like the ‘lie’ at the end, because [name_u]Lee[/name_u] is my mom’s maiden name. I may put [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] on my long list!
Nic_blondie, these are some great suggestions! I’m really liking [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]. It was suggested by someone else too. I like the sound of [name_f]Marina[/name_f], but all I can think about when I say it in my head is a marina is a place where boats are parked and Merena is a type of birth control. I like [name_f]Emily[/name_f], it causes a little emotional distress in my family though. I like [name_f]Madeline[/name_f], but not the nickname [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] [name_m]Allen[/name_m]. [name_f]Valerie[/name_f] is my step-sister’s name. I’ve tried every combination of ‘ena’ or ‘ina’ at the end, and my DH doesn’t like any of them. Wait, I didn’t try [name_f]Sabrina[/name_f]. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think that would work?
In 2015, [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] was the second most popular name in the US, but still only made up 1.01% of total births in the US. [name_m]Just[/name_m] to give you some perspective on popularity.
Good luck!