We’re going to start TTC this year and I’m thinking more seriously now about names we would actually use rather than combos I like that would never get past my OH!
We’re almost certainly going to use an honourific as a middle name, but the number of names in our families that haven’t already been used / we like and would use is quite small.
Today though, I just thought of the name Gardner! It’s kind of perfect for us for two reasons:
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It honours my dad Garry in an obvious enough way (Gar- beginning); and
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My boyfriend and I went for a walk through the botanic gardens on our first date so, for that reason, Gardner would have a special, personal connection for us too.
The problem is, I’m not in love with any of the first names on my list with Gardner in the middle. They are:
Anya, Cassia, Claudia, Clover, Della, Delphine, Edie, Elowen, Emiliana, Estée, Eve, Honor, Juniper, Juno, Lena, Marlowe, Olive, Orla, Rumer, Temple, Tess, Una, Xanthe
Help me find a Gardner combo I love, either from my own list or something new you think I might like?
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I think [name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is quite lovely, the strong -ee- sound (if you do pronounce it lee-nuh) balances out the short vowels and strong consonants of [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]. Also, it “distracts” from the -uh ending of both names.
A name you may like is [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]. I also think [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] would be quite lovely.
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i think [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is such a sweet middle name!
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] was my first thought?
From your list I think these sound good:
[name_f]Anya[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Claudia[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Della[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Edie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Tess[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
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@OpheliaFlora Thank you! Yes, I can totally appreciate now how the long -ee- sound in [name_f]Lena[/name_f] helps to balance the short and strong sounds of [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]. I am definitely warming to [name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]! You’re bang on with [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] which is a name that’s been very almost on my list for a while now. [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is lovely too, although I have always enjoyed her more in the middle.
@hannahhh Yes! I don’t know how/when [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] dropped off my list tbh, but [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardener[/name_u] is gorgeous for the same reason [name_f]Lena[/name_f] works… that lovely soft -ee- sound. 
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I really like [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] as a middle name! If I saw it without context I would assume it was a family name somewhere along the line, and in a way it would be in this context 
If I was using [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] as a middle name I think I would rule out first names that are [name_f]English[/name_f] language flowers/plants and those that end in “-er”. [name_f]My[/name_f] favourites from your list are:
[name_f]Anya[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Cassia[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Tess[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
You might also like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] or [name_f]Elena[/name_f], both of which I like with [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] too, or:
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Willa[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
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[name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is sweet
[name_f]Tess[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u], [name_f]Edie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u], [name_f]Juno[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] and [name_f]Estee[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] would be nice
[name_f]Edith[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
Fliss [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_u]Rue[/name_u] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Ettie[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
[name_f]Liv[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
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I would assume it’s a family surname too. That’s my one hesitation about using it, because it’s not technically a family name in that way. However, I think there’s meaning enough there to give us good reason to use it.
Yes, definitely keen to avoid flower/plant names and anything with a repetitive ending so [name_f]Olive[/name_f] and [name_f]Clover[/name_f] are out (for this combo) unfortunately.
Thanks for your suggestions - I love [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] (hell-uh-na, “Nell”). [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] and [name_f]Willa[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] are wonderful too.
Thank you! [name_f]Eve[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] and [name_f]Liv[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] are charming.
It seems some short names (like [name_f]Liv[/name_f] and Nell) can work, so maybe the first name doesn’t have to have the long vowel sounds of some of the other names I seem to like.
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[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there
Sorry I am late to this board but I stumbled upon it because I gave my daughter the middle name [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] 
Her name is [name_u]Romy[/name_u] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]
It is my surname so I wanted that in her name somewhere. [name_m]Can[/name_m] I just say I am so thrilled to read the replies on here and seeing that people think it is a nice middle name! I was very unsure wondering if it sounded odd for a girls middle name so it’s nice to see people saying it is a nice one I love it too
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It’s fine but if you don’t love any first name choices without [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] in the middle I would keep on searching because maybe they are just not the right first names for you. Keep in mind she will be called by her first name and most people won’t know her middle name.
People might assume you are a huge [name_f]Ava[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] fan. I’d avoid [name_f]Ava[/name_f] and anything that sounds close to [name_f]Ava[/name_f]. [name_f]Anya[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is sort of close but still okay, I guess.
[name_f]Clover[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] sounds too much like a profession. [name_f]Anya[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is rather close to [name_f]Ava[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]. [name_f]Edie[/name_f] is too nickname-ish. Same with [name_f]Tess[/name_f].
[name_u]Temple[/name_u] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u] is like you are a huge 1940s movie fan and named her after [name_u]Shirley[/name_u] [name_u]Temple[/name_u] and [name_f]Ava[/name_f] [name_u]Gardner[/name_u]. Also a temple is, well, a part of your face and a religious building. It makes for a rather odd name, sorry.
[name_f]Rumer[/name_f] is very celeb-baby and sounds like “rumor”. Would avoid.
I hate the mythological story of [name_f]Juno[/name_f]. [name_f]Della[/name_f] doesn’t sound nice to me. Sorry. [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] is too trendy and everywhere. [name_u]Honor[/name_u] is too much. So is [name_f]Emiliana[/name_f].
I find [name_f]Lena[/name_f] and [name_f]Eve[/name_f] bland and [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u] trendy. I like [name_f]Una[/name_f] as [name_f]Oona[/name_f]. [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] doesn’t sound nice to me. [name_f]Orla[/name_f] is okay but it means “puke” in Irish, if you want the “golden princess” meaning you have to do Órla. I find [name_f]Olive[/name_f] celeb-trendy and there are so many Olivias. [name_f]Claudia[/name_f] is okay.
I love [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] (three syllables only). I like [name_f]Delphine[/name_f] and [name_f]Estée[/name_f].
Suggestions:
[name_f]Eilonwy[/name_f]
[name_f]Anwen[/name_f]
[name_f]Arwen[/name_f]
Éowyn
[name_f]Maia[/name_f]
[name_f]Esmée[/name_f]
[name_f]Aimée[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f]
[name_f]Amandine[/name_f]
[name_f]Eline[/name_f]
[name_u]Hazel[/name_u]
[name_u]Lark[/name_u]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_u]Jean[/name_u]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ottilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ottilie[/name_f]
[name_f]Margaux[/name_f]