FYI I’m not pregnant nor plan to be for quite a few years, just looking around. I would like to honor my grandmothers and mom, but I’m not sure how to with the names I like. One of my grandmothers is [name_f]Delores[/name_f] [name_f]Darlene[/name_f]. The other is named [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] [name_f]Karlene[/name_f] and my mom is [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] (I love her middle name already). I don’t really like any of these names, so I am at lost at how to honor them. Most of the names that I like are traditional and unusual Bible Names and a little bit of unusual “worldly” names. One name that I absolutely want help on is [name_f]Anna[/name_f]. It is a family name, too. Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks!
We don’t specifically like the names of people we want to honour either (and the names really weren’t our style), so for our honour names we chose names that either had the same root or the same meaning.
For example, we want to use [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] as an honour name for my mum, whose name is [name_f]Annette[/name_f]. The names share the same root and meaning, and [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] has the additional meaning of “beautiful”.
So, working of [name_f]Delores[/name_f] say… you could use similar sounds like [name_f]Dolly[/name_f], [name_f]Dora[/name_f], etc, or you could go for similar meanings with names like [name_f]Deidre[/name_f], [name_f]Mara[/name_f] (that’s a Biblical one), [name_u]Tristan[/name_u], etc (although, given [name_f]Dolores[/name_f] means “sorrowful” I don’t know if you would want to use names with the same meaning).
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] are already Bible names, so you could always just leave them as is.
Both [name_f]Darlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Karlene[/name_f] share [name_f]Lene[/name_f] so two possible names [name_f]Elena[/name_f] and [name_f]Lena[/name_f]. You could also do [name_f]Helene[/name_f] with “lene” tying the names together. [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] could be the first name with [name_f]Helene[/name_f] as the middle same as both grandmothers.
[name_f]Dolores[/name_f] is part of a longer form of name for the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f], so you could potentially use any [name_f]Mary[/name_f] variant or name attached to the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f] & have it be an honor name. Any name beginning w/D would work as well [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f] means princess, so you could use any name meaning princess/queen/royalty. [name_f]Anna[/name_f] means grace, so again, any name meaning grace. [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] means pretty (I think), & [name_f]Karlene[/name_f] is a feminine form of [name_m]Charles[/name_m], meaning free man IIRC.
I think it would be difficult to get all of these meanings into one name, even if you used two middles, but one idea is [name_f]Damita[/name_f] (the letter D & the meaning of “little noblewoman”) [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] ([name_f]Anna[/name_f] plus belle meaning “pretty”) [name_f]Elena[/name_f] (the -len- from [name_f]Darlene[/name_f] & [name_f]Karlene[/name_f])…
[name_f]Delores[/name_f] [name_f]Darlene[/name_f]:
[name_f]Lola[/name_f] (nickname for [name_f]Delores[/name_f])
[name_f]Lora[/name_f]/[name_f]Elora[/name_f] (From [name_f]Delores[/name_f])
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f] (biblical + similar sounds)
[name_f]Dora[/name_f] (nn/similar sounds to [name_f]Delores[/name_f] - also Delores Darlene so it kind of contains boththe
[name_f]Lena[/name_f] (from [name_f]Darlene[/name_f])
[name_f]Deena[/name_f]/[name_f]Deana[/name_f] (From [name_f]Darlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Delores[/name_f])
Also, you could use initials. [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] [name_f]Delilah[/name_f]/[name_f]Delilah[/name_f] [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] in your sig. could work for example
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] [name_f]Karlene[/name_f]:
[name_f]Kara[/name_f] (from [name_f]Karlene[/name_f])
[name_f]Karley[/name_f] (From [name_f]Karlene[/name_f])
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] (shares initial with [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f])
[name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u] (from your signature sounds like a mash up of Bonnie and Karlene)
[name_f]Belle[/name_f] (in your sig - [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] can mean pretty, like [name_f]Belle[/name_f] means beautiful)
[name_f]Rebekka[/name_f] (kind of like a mix of [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Karlene[/name_f])
[name_f]Kalena[/name_f] (from [name_f]Karlene[/name_f])
Again, initials could work ([name_f]Belle[/name_f] [name_f]Kassia[/name_f], [name_f]Bridget[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] [name_f]Kelila[/name_f], [name_f]Belle[/name_f] [name_f]Kara[/name_f] etc)
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]:
[name_f]Sarai[/name_f] is a more unusual biblical name that means the same/is a variation of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]?
[name_f]Zara[/name_f] (has the same meaning)
[name_f]Suri[/name_f] and [name_f]Zadie[/name_f] also mean princess)
[name_f]Arlene[/name_f] could honour [name_f]Darlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Karlene[/name_f]
[name_f]Annalise[/name_f]/[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f] could be a way to [name_f]Anna[/name_f], but also be a nod to '-arlene)
Using the magic of combining a load of names I suggest either [name_u]Ronnie[/name_u] Delorah or Seres [name_f]Arlene[/name_f]
I love honor names!
I like [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] [name_f]Annalie[/name_f] for you with the nn [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]. They are smoosh names to represent all for women. ([name_f]Elsa[/name_f] from dELores and [name_f]SArah[/name_f] and [name_f]Annalie[/name_f] from [name_f]ANNA[/name_f] and bonnIE). Or maybe use [name_f]Elsia[/name_f] if you want to stay away from [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]'s Disney character.
[name_f]Darlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Karlene[/name_f] also share [name_f]Arlene[/name_f], so [name_f]Lena[/name_f], [name_f]Arlena[/name_f], [name_u]Ari[/name_u], [name_u]Lennie[/name_u], Lenia, [name_f]Arla[/name_f], and [name_u]Arlo[/name_u] could work.
You could add an M to [name_f]Arlene[/name_f] and create [name_f]Marlene[/name_f]/ [name_f]Marlena[/name_f], nn [name_f]Marlee[/name_f] or [name_f]Marla[/name_f].
[name_f]Darla[/name_f]
[name_f]Karla[/name_f]
From [name_f]Delores[/name_f][name_f]Darlene[/name_f], [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f][name_f]Karlene[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], and/ [name_f]Anna[/name_f]:
[name_f]Della[/name_f]
[name_f]Lordes[/name_f]/[name_f]Lourdes[/name_f] (letters from [name_f]Delores[/name_f])
[name_u]Delaney[/name_u] ([name_f]Delores[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f])
Delania
[name_f]Delta[/name_f]
Sarie ([name_f]Sara[/name_f] and [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f])
Delonia ([name_f]DELores[/name_f], b[name_f]ONnIe[/name_f])
[name_f]Onna[/name_f] or Onnia ([name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] smoosh)
[name_u]Lennon[/name_u] (dar[name_f]LENe[/name_f], kar[name_f]LENe[/name_f], b[name_f]ONnie[/name_f])
[name_f]Lenora[/name_f] Saranne or [name_f]Lenora[/name_f] [name_f]Annisah[/name_f]/[name_f]Anisa[/name_f] – these cover all 4 women.
[name_f]Delsie[/name_f] [name_f]Ana[/name_f] - all represented, but [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] by only the “s”.
[name_f]Delsie[/name_f] [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]-[name_f]Anne[/name_f] - could use [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] as the nn.
Elorah Carrianne (dELORes saRAH / k[name_f]ARlene[/name_f] [name_f]ANNa[/name_f])
A bit of biblical influence:
[name_f]Delores[/name_f] --> [name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_f]Darlene[/name_f]/[name_f]Karlene[/name_f] --> [name_f]Magdalena[/name_f]
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f] [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] means delicate princess.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] they have maiden names that may be more appealing to you?
Sorry for repeats…
[name_f]Karlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Darlene[/name_f]:
[name_f]Marlene[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlene[/name_f]
[name_f]Lena[/name_f]
[name_f]Dolores[/name_f]:
[name_f]Doris[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] (Too much of a stretch?)
[name_f]Elora[/name_f] (Same as [name_f]Laura[/name_f]?)
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] or [name_f]Sahara[/name_f] could work as a combo for [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] together?
[name_f]Delores[/name_f] - [name_f]Lore[/name_f], [name_f]Adele[/name_f], [name_f]Elora[/name_f]
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f] - [name_f]Bronwen[/name_f], [name_f]Briony[/name_f], [name_f]Bunny[/name_f]
[name_f]Darlene[/name_f]/[name_f]Karlene[/name_f] - [name_f]Darla[/name_f], [name_f]Daria[/name_f], Darienne, Karliah, Karalia, [name_u]Karli[/name_u]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f] - [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f], [name_f]Zara[/name_f], [name_f]Sahara[/name_f], [name_f]Selah[/name_f]
[name_f]Anna[/name_f] - [name_f]Abrianna[/name_f], [name_f]Alannah[/name_f], [name_f]Mariana[/name_f], [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Annaleigh[/name_f], [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f], [name_f]Corianna[/name_f]
My first thought was [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f]/a as [name_f]Sera[/name_f] is similar to [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and the -phine makes me think of the -lene in both grandmother’s middle names. It may be a stretch, but the sounds are so close I think it could work. Plus you’ve honoured everyone with a single name. [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f] would be gorgeous.
Considering both grandmother have a middle ending with -lene, finding a name for the middle spot with the same or similar ending would work as a nice and subtle way to honor both:
Names like:
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f]/[name_f]Madelene[/name_f]
[name_f]Selene[/name_f]/[name_f]Celine[/name_f]/[name_f]Zelene[/name_f]
[name_f]Noelene[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Solene[/name_f]
[name_f]Ailene[/name_f]
And if you love your moms middle you can certainly use it! I don’t know the name but maybe it could work as a first with a -lene/leine/line middle?
As for [name_f]Anna[/name_f], this is such a simple and classic name that the easiest way to update or alter is to use it in a compund/double barreled name ([name_f]Annamaria[/name_f], [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f]-[name_f]Claire[/name_f], etc.) It sounds good with most names so there’s an untold number of compound names you could create with [name_f]Anna[/name_f].
Sidenote, with I think a -lene ending middle name will likely be the easiest and most effective way for you to honor both grandmas, and middle names in general might be the best Avenue to explore in your case, I did have some though on honors in place of the first names listed.
When thinking of [name_f]Dolores[/name_f], [name_f]Lourdes[/name_f] came to mind, as well as [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]/[name_f]Lorelai[/name_f], [name_f]Dora[/name_f], and [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]. With [name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]: [name_f]Bonita[/name_f], [name_f]Bonnibel[/name_f], [name_f]Bronte[/name_f], [name_f]Boheme[/name_f]/[name_f]Bohemia[/name_f]. And with [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]: [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f]/[name_f]Seraphina[/name_f], [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f], [name_f]Soraya[/name_f].