Fun, artsy, cool, bouncy, upbeat, names

My husband and I have completely different naming styles for girls. I tend to prefer long elegant sophisticated romantic beautiful names like [name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Cordelia[/name], [name]Genevieve[/name], he tends to prefer fun, artsy, cool, bouncy, upbeat, names like [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Piper[/name], [name]Paige[/name], & [name]Tilly[/name]. Basically the new [name]Britney[/name], [name]Stacy[/name], [name]Courtney[/name] girls from the 80’s/90’s. So here I am looking for names in the second catagory and possibly some advise on how to blend the two.

I think the best way to blend the two is to choose a name from your list that has a nn he likes.

[name]Cordelia[/name], [name]Delia[/name] or [name]Cory[/name]
[name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Evie[/name]

These are just examples. I’m sure there are better combinations you can come up with.

(P.S. I like you both your styles so hope you will find a name/nn that will will satisfy both.)

Hmm, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something that works for both those styles! Some suggestions that seem to meet kind of in the middle:

[name]Monet[/name]
[name]India[/name]
[name]Quinn[/name]
[name]Clio[/name]/ [name]Cleo[/name]
[name]Daphne[/name]
[name]Adelaide[/name]
[name]Willa[/name]
[name]Julia[/name]
[name]Flora[/name]
[name]Josephine[/name] nn [name]Posy[/name]
[name]Clementine[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name]

I also think pp’s idea of having a classic name with a bouncy nn might make you both happy?

I find it interesting that [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Piper[/name] and [name]Paige[/name] are the “Stacys” for today … hhhmmm …
As for your dilemma, there are tons of names out there that work with the two. I agree with the previous poster about a cute nn from one of your names.
What about [name]Marisol[/name], [name]Cornelia[/name], [name]Lidia[/name], [name]Liv[/name], [name]Ramsey[/name], [name]Ainsley[/name], Aven etc …

It’s so interesting to see people’s opinions on names!

The three names you listed that you like : [name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Cordelia[/name], and [name]Genevieve[/name] — to me, these names are beautiful (yes, I agree), but they are also upbeat, cool, and even pretty artsy. So my first inclination is to see what your DH does not like about those names.

Then onto his names: [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Piper[/name], [name]Paige[/name], and [name]Tilly[/name] – they don’t all see exactly the same style to me. I can see what you are saying that they seem a little more cool and bouncy than the ones on your list. They seem just a fun to me though (but maybe that’s because I love the names on your list- haha). About the names on his list-- you are looking for more like those? So, I assume you don’t like those particular names, but you don’t mind a little more trendy, “modern-ish” type name?

Some alternatives that come to mind-
[name]Evangeline[/name]: [name]Angelina[/name], [name]Angelia[/name], [name]Eva[/name], [name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Emmeline[/name] (as someone else suggested, I think this is a great compromise for you two. [name]Evie[/name] and [name]Eva[/name] seem more his style and her full formal name [name]Evangeline[/name] appeals more to you)

[name]Cordelia[/name]: [name]Delia[/name], [name]Delilah[/name], [name]Coralie[/name], [name]Coraline[/name], [name]Coral[/name], [name]Dahlia[/name], [name]Darla[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Cecilia[/name] – I think [name]Coral[/name] or [name]Coralie[/name] might be a nice option for you here.

[name]Genevieve[/name]: [name]Gemma[/name], [name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Gennifer[/name], [name]Vivienne[/name]/[name]Vivian[/name]/[name]Vivien[/name]/[name]Viviana[/name], [name]Evenie[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name], [name]Gwyneth[/name] ([name]Evie[/name], [name]Genna[/name]/[name]Gen[/name] are a good nn compromise)

[name]Phoebe[/name]/[name]Piper[/name]/[name]Paige[/name]/[name]Tilly[/name]: [name]Penelope[/name]/[name]Penny[/name], [name]Poppy[/name], [name]Polly[/name], [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Paloma[/name], [name]Petra[/name] – some more P names since he seems to like them :slight_smile:
Others- [name]Chloe[/name], [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Lacey[/name], [name]Scarlett[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Harper[/name], [name]Rose[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Jewel[/name], [name]Stella[/name], [name]Olive[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Molly[/name], [name]Millie[/name]/[name]Milly[/name]/[name]Milla[/name], [name]Willow[/name], [name]Willa[/name], [name]Joy[/name], [name]April[/name], [name]June[/name], [name]Jane[/name]

I’m definitely on your team - [name]Genevieve[/name] and [name]Cordelia[/name] are on my shortlist. I definitely don’t dig the bouncy names; they are fine on children but they don’t age well, [name]IMO[/name]. And anything that hasn’t existed for at least 100 years? Forget about it.

Anyway, I think these names fall somewhere in the middle (starring my faves):

[name]Aida[/name]*
[name]Amelie[/name]
[name]Audra[/name]*
[name]Brynn[/name]*
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Camille[/name] nn [name]Milla[/name]/[name]Millie[/name]*
[name]Cerys[/name] (Care-is)
[name]Daphne[/name]
[name]Florence[/name] nn [name]Flora[/name]*
[name]Georgia[/name]
[name]Gillian[/name]
[name]Jorie[/name]
[name]Josephine[/name] nn [name]Josie[/name]
[name]Lorelei[/name] nn [name]Rory[/name]*
[name]Nadia[/name]
[name]Sylvia[/name] nn [name]Sylvie[/name]*
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]*
[name]Vanessa[/name] nn [name]Nessa[/name]
[name]Victoria[/name] nn [name]Tori[/name]*
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Yvette[/name]*

Please don’t ask me why I am starting this since isn’t every post and comment on here one based on opinion? Maybe I am feeling the need to defend some of his “bouncy” names.
[name]Phoebe[/name] is an Old Testament name. [name]Piper[/name] and [name]Paige[/name] are both Olde English names. [name]Tilly[/name] is a nn for [name]Matilda[/name], another “classic” girls name.
Why do you think [name]Brynn[/name] and [name]Calliope[/name] would age better? [name]Just[/name] curious …

Pickles, sorry, wasn’t intending to offend - the OP and I have similar taste and so do our husbands, it appears.

There’s nothing “technically” wrong with [name]Phoebe[/name], but it’s cutesy and precious to my ears. [name]Paige[/name]? Well, I found my parents’ name list in my baby book when I was a teenager and [name]Paige[/name] was my mother’s #1 choice, and it practically scarred me, I was so horrified. :smiley: (Dad’s #1 pick was [name]Gillian[/name], and I love that!) And [name]Piper[/name] is just terrible [name]IMO[/name], sorry.

It’s just hard for me to picture a [name]Paige[/name] or a [name]Piper[/name] as, for example, a senior partner of a CPA firm. Again, this is just MHO.

No problem - honestly! I just think it is sooooo interesting what opinions are formed.
My daughter is named [name]Phoebe[/name] and while I too did worry about it growing well, I was reassured by it being such an “old” name. I for one would not use [name]Paige[/name] or [name]Piper[/name] either (though I know plenty of little girls with those names now) but they are not fluffy etc. I personally have a hard time with 50-odd year old [name]Katie[/name] Curic still being called [name]Katie[/name]. It is a diminutive, a nn. The MAIN reason I did not use a name that had nn potential. I like nns on boys (my son is [name]Ted[/name]) but not on girls. [name]Just[/name] my honest opinion!
I guess along this whole journey for you there will be plenty of comments. I got comments on all my kids names and you just go with your gut. Hopefully there will be a middle ground with you and your DH! At the end of the day, just moan a lot about “carrying his baby” and all the pain and weight that goes with it and maybe he will let you choose!!

Pickles, now I feel bad!

I think the reason I’m not a fan of [name]Phoebe[/name] is that I like names where consonants dominate vowels. There are exceptions (I can’t explain why I like [name]Aida[/name] and [name]Lorelei[/name] - probably positive associations with something else - though I still probably wouldn’t give them to my kid) but 90% of the names I love start with consonants, end with consonants, and have a couple of consonants in the middle. And even if they end in a vowel the consonants make a strong showing (e.g. [name]Cordelia[/name] and [name]Sylvia[/name] - and again, I think I may like those because of a positive association more than the sound of the names). When I told my husband to make a list of girl names, I asked him to please look for names that [name]DO[/name] NOT end in vowels.

He loves names that end in vowels. [name]Le[/name] sigh.

I think the OP and I have different reasons for liking the names that we do. Most of my suggestions on that list I’m not a huge fan of ([name]Camille[/name] being a huge exception, it’s probably my fave ever - too bad it doesn’t sound good with our last name!), but I thought they might overlap with the OP’s taste. Also, [name]Phoebe[/name] is kind of a classic and it doesn’t have any damn - whaddyacallit? Glottals? You know, the indistinct “uh” sound that dominates many vowel-riffic girls’ names like [name]Isabella[/name] and [name]Olivia[/name] (spasms of horror). Anyway, [name]Phoebe[/name] belongs with [name]Susannah[/name] and [name]Daphne[/name] in my mental categorization - NMSAA, but doesn’t make me cringe.

[name]Paige[/name], however, connotes a (young) personality type [name]IMO[/name] and that’s why I think it ages badly. Ditto with [name]Piper[/name].

Thanks for defending [name]Phoebe[/name], ladies! I totally appreciate that it’s sounds isn’t for everyone (one of the reasons I love it!), but vehemently disagree that it is “the next [name]Stacy[/name]!” [name]Glad[/name] I didn’t have to leap to the defence!