My partner told me a few weeks ago that he is not fond on Esmée anymore, and I’m heartbroken. Esmée has been my crush for years, and, as he used to like it, I really imagine it was going to be our daughter’s name. It was perfect because it works in [name_m]French[/name_m] and in English, and I just love how it sounds. I have tried to find other names ending in -ée/-ay, but nothing seems to please us (except for [name_u]Alix[/name_u]ée, but it’s unpronounceable in English).
He loves the names [name_f]Aria[/name_f] and [name_f]Nell[/name_f], he likes Yselle, Prim, [name_f]Astoria[/name_f], Automne, [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] and [name_f]Olive[/name_f]/[name_f]Liv[/name_f]. It seems like he would be okay to look for a name containing a name he likes, associated to a name I like. For example [name_f]Aria[/name_f] [name_f]Fae[/name_f] / Ariaphae (he likes [name_f]Aria[/name_f], I like [name_f]Fae[/name_f]).
According to the names he likes, I have been thinking of:
Prim Esmée
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] Esmée
[name_f]Liv[/name_f] Esmée
What do you think of those names?
I really like how Prim Esmée sounds (I love [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]), but the spelling is bothering me. [name_m]How[/name_m] would you write it? Prim Esmée? Primesmée? Prim-Esmée? Something else?
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you have more suggestions?
[name_f]Esmee[/name_f] is so elegant; I’m sorry your husband has cooled on it!
I am very wary of smooshed or double-barreled names involving [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] because of the Twilight association. So while I think Prim [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] is a lovely combo, I would definitely write it as separate names.
[name_f]Liv[/name_f] reminds me of [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], which flows well with [name_f]Esmee[/name_f].
I would try not to do a smoosh with [name_f]Esmee[/name_f], as PP mentioned it would be too similar to [name_f]Renesmee[/name_f]. It’s a shame. [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] together is very nice.
I like [name_f]Aria[/name_f] & [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] from the list for first names and [name_f]Fae[/name_f] and [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] are good middles, but some others to consider are [name_f]Mae[/name_f], [name_u]Rae[/name_u], [name_u]Shay[/name_u], [name_f]Monet[/name_f], [name_u]Bay[/name_u], [name_f]Sade[/name_f], [name_f]Isolde[/name_f].
Some other cute popular french names now might be cute to consider like [name_f]Solene[/name_f], [name_f]Coralie[/name_f], [name_f]Elize[/name_f], anything [name_u]Lou[/name_u]/[name_f]Lu[/name_f]
Thank you for your comments! I really appreciate it.
To be honest, I’m not worried about doing a smoosh with Esmée because it’s THE name I love and I feel like nothing can stop me (even though it is sad that Twilight named the kid Renesmée).
@ Ceryle: [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is my aunt’s name.
@[name_f]Tanaquil[/name_f]: I like Cléophée, but he doesn’t, I suggested [name_f]Ismay[/name_f] yesterday, he said no. I absolutely love Ysée (it was my crush before Esmée), but do you think it’s pronounceable by Americans? I don’t want me daughter to be called “easy”. We tought about using Yselle nn Ysée.
@[name_u]Monroe[/name_u] I like [name_f]Monet[/name_f] and [name_f]Mae[/name_f]
I’m still trying to decide between Prim Esmée and Primesmée. Anybody?
If it is really THE name maybe talk to your partner about it a bit more? He used to love it, maybe he will do again? (fingers crossed). I am with others -I dislike [name_f]Esme[/name_f]-smoosh names. [name_f]Stephenie[/name_f] [name_m]Meyer[/name_m] had a great taste in names -and after [name_f]Isabella[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] and [name_f]Esme[/name_f], I was a bit disappointed to find [name_f]Renesmee[/name_f]. I think I can see the appeal, but often, it takes away (a big part of) the beauty. From the two I think Prim [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] is lovelier.
I’d go with [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] [name_f]Esmee[/name_f] or Primesmee – Prim as a standalone is not necessarily a positive to me – almost like naming a kid “Snob” or “Posh.”
Question: [name_f]Do[/name_f] you live in an English-speaking place or a [name_m]French[/name_m]-speaking place? That to me makes a big difference for which names/spellings seem like a good idea.
Although Prim and Esmée wouldn’t be my personal choice, I think I would go [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] Esmée over the other options - Primesmée has big chance of being misprounanounced (PRIME-es-ME or PRIM-es-ME instead of PRIM-es-[name_f]MAY[/name_f]). I also think Prim Esmée could be a bit choppy depending on your last name, [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] could add more syllables and help it flow better. You could also consider using two middle names to keep it from being too choppy if you like Prim over [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] - like Prim Yselle Esmée
I like [name_f]Liv[/name_f] Esmée from your list. Not fond of Primesmée although I think Prim alone is rather cute- Prim Esmée sound best imo. Would you use [name_f]Mae[/name_f] as a firs name? I think its adorable and has a similar sound to Esmée.
For example:
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Liv[/name_f] [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] (from your signature)
What about:
[name_f]Estelle[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Estrid[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Essie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Mae[/name_f]-[name_f]Nell[/name_f]
Esmée-[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
Or why not use [name_f]Mae[/name_f]? [name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] is nice for example.
I like [name_f]Liv[/name_f] Esmée from your list. Not fond of Primesmée although I think Prim alone is rather cute- Prim Esmée looks best imo. Would you use [name_f]Mae[/name_f] as a firs name? I think its adorable and might be a good compromise for you.
For example:
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Liv[/name_f] [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] (from your signature)
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Estelle[/name_f]
Or what about a hyphenated name with similar sound to Esmée or the other names on your list:
[name_f]Estelle[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Estrid[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Essie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
Esmée-[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Nellie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
Prim-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
Oh, I’m sorry your partner has cool on your favourite! It must be so disappointing. I wouldn’t give uphope though - I think if he’s liked it in the past there’s a good chance he could come back round again. I’d leave it a little while, don’t push it, and then gently reintroduce the idea at a later stage.
I have to say, I’m with everyone else on Primesmée - it’s just too much, too made-up looking, too Twilight-esque for me. I think it would be a real shame to shoehorn your favourite name into a smoosh name like this, for me it ruins the simplistic elegance and internationalism of Esmée which is the real appeal of the name in the first place.
If your husband doesn’t come round, Esmée as a middle name is a nice compromise. I’m not hugely keen on Prim/[name_f]Primrose[/name_f], but I love [name_f]Liv[/name_f], [name_f]Nell[/name_f], Yselle and [name_f]Olive[/name_f]. All work beautifully with Esmée in the middle.
I really love Ysée and Salomé as well - gorgeous! Would he go for Ishmay even if he doesn’t like [name_f]Ismay[/name_f]? Mahé(e)? Or how about Estée for something unusual but still familiar in [name_m]French[/name_m] and English?
@luneth: I don’t want to bother him too much right now, because I’m not pregnant. But I will talk more about it once we are expecting. Thank you
@whiteteaandginger: I like [name_f]Danae[/name_f] and I love [name_f]Renee[/name_f], but he does not.
@Haylemea: For the next few years we will spend 8 months in [name_f]France[/name_f] and 4 months in [name_u]America[/name_u] every year. We are planning on moving back to [name_u]America[/name_u] one day (but we would still spend 4 months per year in [name_f]France[/name_f]). We travel a lot between both countries.
@Sjhanks: He sadly doesn’t like [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]. [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] Esmée is definitely not possible. I totally agree about Primesmée and its pronunciations, it would probably be mispronounced. That’s why I was leaning towards Prim-Esmée. Our last name is Scottish. It starts with Mc and looks like [name_u]McKinley[/name_u].
@kjh446: I really like [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f], but I know he doesn’t like [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]. We like Prim-[name_f]Mae[/name_f]. However, [name_f]Mae[/name_f] is pronounced Mah-eh in [name_f]France[/name_f]. People would never pronounce it the way we want, that’s why we would probably not use it.
Update: I suggested him Prim-Esmée and he said that it is a little long (he prefers Primae / Primée, but doesn’t it sound like “preemie”? :/), however, it’s his favorite over all the smoosh names with Esmée. I’m going to suggest him Esmérée / Esmeray.
I think that two good compromises could be the name [name_f]Esma[/name_f] with the nickname Esmée or [name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f] with the nickname Esmée. I too don’t care for Primesmée because of Twilight and mispronunciations. Prim Esmée is beautiful. But the best advice I could give is to push for Esmée as your husband loved it once, surely he might warm up to it again!
I really appreciate it.