Help Me Name Me?

Girl Names
1

I was not at all sure where to post this so forgive me if it’s misplaced. Also, so sorry for the short story I’ve written here but I wanted to include as much information as possible.

After a lot of soul searching I’ve decided to change my first, middle, and possibly my last name as well. My birth name is [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] (last name is single syllable, starts with a B and ends with a K). I am 22 years old. I have never liked my name. This is what started my obsession with names, their origins, and their meanings, but only recently have I begun to seriously consider a legal name change.

There’s nothing wrong with girly glam, but I’m just not a glitzy, glittery sort of person and that’s always been the image that [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] conjured to me. Also, I am more spiritual than religious and though a religious meaning isn’t something that would deter me if the name was perfect besides that, the meaning of [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] is just another ill-fitting quality on top of the big one. I’d like something that better fits my personality. I’m a poet. I am creative, imaginative, introverted, spiritual, open-minded, whimsical, quirky, eclectic, and I have a strong affinity for the natural world. I like nature names (tree and flower names especially), vintage and even ancient names, and uncommon but not unheard of names. I also love names that have a musical or unexpected sound to them. Names I’m considering as a new first include [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f], [name_f]Priscilla[/name_f], [name_f]Clementine[/name_f], Thisbe, and [name_f]Lavender[/name_f]

As for [name_f]Nicole[/name_f], there’s just nothing special about it. Growing up, I knew a ridiculous amount of girls who also had [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] as their middle. I always wanted my middle to be more unexpected. I want something that flows well with the first name but is still distinctive on its own. If possible, I would [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] for my middle to add to the meaning of my first. Names I’m considering for my middle include [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_f]Kismet[/name_f], [name_f]Lux[/name_f], [name_u]Echo[/name_u], [name_f]Briar[/name_f], [name_f]Ardith[/name_f], [name_u]Arden[/name_u], [name_f]Enid[/name_f], [name_f]Lillith[/name_f], [name_f]Eponine[/name_f], [name_f]Circe[/name_f], [name_f]Isolde[/name_f], Juniper, Forsythia, and Corisande.

(Note: I’d consider all of the first name possibilities for the middle spot and some of the middles as firsts if paired with the right middle.)

I have no issues with my last name, but there are certainly last names that I like better and I would be open to changing it or maybe hyphenating it if it doesn’t fit with my new first and middle. Here are a few last names that I like as well: [name_m]Gallagher[/name_m], Earthridge, Tessaro, and [name_m]Sayer[/name_m]

Another factor to consider is that I plan to use my new name as a pen name if I ever get my writing published and so I’d like it to be a name that would look at home on a book cover.

Any insight, advice, or suggestions you may have for me would be endlessly appreciated. Thanks!

2

Your choices are all very beautiful! I’ll put some together as they sound beautiful to my ear and would look lovely on a book cover.

[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u] [name_m]Sayer[/name_m]
[name_f]Priscilla[/name_f] [name_f]Lillith[/name_f] [name_m]Gallagher[/name_m]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Circe[/name_f] Earthridge
Forsithia [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] Tessaro

Some others that I might consider…

[name_f]Bellatrix[/name_f] Riat [name_m]Sayer[/name_m]
[name_u]Tierney[/name_u] [name_u]Dove[/name_u] [name_m]Gallagher[/name_m]
[name_f]Valentina[/name_f] [name_f]Capucine[/name_f] Tessaro
Wellesly [name_f]Ines[/name_f] Earthridge
[name_f]Francine[/name_f] [name_f]Lalage[/name_f] [name_m]Gallagher[/name_m]
[name_f]Lucienne[/name_f] [name_f]Rhya[/name_f] Tessaro

Good [name_m]Luck[/name_m]!

3

I’m pretty much in the same place you are! I’ve always disliked my legal name, and I’m planning to change the entire thing once I decide I’m ready to deal with the fuss and paperwork.

From your first name list, I like [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], [name_f]Clementine[/name_f], and [name_f]Lavender[/name_f]. Some of the others are a little more out there (personally I tend to like those kinds of names though!), and I don’t know how adventurous you’d like to be with your new name. Also, I do think [name_u]Fable[/name_u] is more suited for the middle position.

From your middle name list, I like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_f]Lux[/name_f], [name_u]Echo[/name_u], [name_f]Briar[/name_f], and [name_u]Arden[/name_u]. I think [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] and [name_u]Arden[/name_u] would be very nice in the first position as well.

Some combo suggestions for you:

[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] [name_u]Echo[/name_u]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Lux[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_u]Arden[/name_u] [name_u]Fable[/name_u]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u] [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]

I really like the last name Earthridge. It’s nice and it does sound like the kind of name one might see on a book cover.

Some other name suggestions I have for you are [name_f]Azalea[/name_f], [name_f]Avalon[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_u]Sage[/name_u], and [name_f]Isadora[/name_f].

From my own experience, some things I’d consider are:

  1. Does the name sound nice and easy to say when you say it out loud? Can you imagine introducing yourself with this name? (I’d recommend actually saying aloud, “Hello, I’m _____!” to try it out.) Can you imagine someone calling this name to get your attention? (If you go to Starbucks or some place that will ask for your name when you’re waiting for your order, feel free to try out the name you like!)
  2. Is there nickname potential? Are there obvious nicknames for the name that you like or dislike which might affect your decision? Would you prefer a fairly nickname-proof name?
  3. Does the name itself hold special meaning to you? Is the name’s meaning significant to you in some way? (I also like nature names, and it’s nice to know the meanings associated with various trees and flowers.)
  4. [name_m]How[/name_m] popular was the name during your birth year? [name_m]How[/name_m] popular is it now? [name_f]Do[/name_f] either of those things matter to you, and if so, how much?
  5. Try mixing and matching the names you like and seeing which combos flow best. Make sure to consider how your first and last name would sound together, with and without the middle. Pay attention to the initials so that they don’t spell a silly word or something. Start narrowing down your choices as much as you can.

Choosing a name (or names) for yourself is a very personal decision, so I think that’s about all the advice I can give you, unless you have more specific questions for me! Good luck :slight_smile:

4

i love [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Lux[/name_f] and [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f]/[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]

5

You have a great taste, I must say. :slight_smile:

[name_f]Forsythia[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u] (I am especially glad to see [name_f]Forsythia[/name_f] here)
[name_f]Forsythia[/name_f] [name_f]Enid[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Lux[/name_f]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]
[name_f]Cosima[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Lilith[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Eponine[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] [name_u]Echo[/name_u]
[name_f]Priscilla[/name_f] [name_f]Ardith[/name_f]

My favourites for you are [name_f]Cosima[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Forsythia[/name_f]. :slight_smile:

6

I like [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] from your firsts :slight_smile: have you considered [name_f]Melody[/name_f]? [name_f]Lilac[/name_f]? Personally, I like [name_f]Lux[/name_f] the best :smiley: I know you said it as a middle but I really love the name [name_f]Lux[/name_f]. And it’d be a great name for your writing.

I think [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f], [name_f]Lux[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f] and [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f] are all lovely combo’s.

Also, [name_f]Melody[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f] or [name_f]Lilac[/name_f] [name_u]Arden[/name_u] would be pretty cool combo’s :smiley:

7

So, I went to sleep with these names circling around in my head even more than they usually do and I think I’ve come to some solid conclusions/notions regarding several of them:

[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f]: [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] is the first name on my list because it is the only name I can think of that I saw, said aloud to myself and instantly LOOOOVED. I also love the prospect of Phae as a nickname. I do not mind in the least that it’s a tad out there or that I’ll probably have to spell it for people. The descriptive meaning of “bright” makes me want SO badly to pair it with an interesting middle that would benefit from that description. ([name_f]Lux[/name_f] and [name_f]Kismet[/name_f] come to mind immediately.)

[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_u]Cosme[/name_u]/[name_f]Cosma[/name_f]: I came up with this combo a while ago and I adore everything about it. It would have the combined meaning of “she who brings happiness [to the] cosmos” which is just the best thing I could ask a name to convey. I love this one so much that I think I have to save it in case I ever have a daughter. Also, I think [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] would make a great sibling pair with my favorite male name, [name_m]Simon[/name_m]. For these reasons, [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Cosima[/name_f] are out of the running for my name.

[name_u]Fable[/name_u]: I actually forgot about this, but I have a character with this name and thus [name_u]Fable[/name_u] is also out of the running.

[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]: Though I love this name a lot (it’s a TREE name and the sound of it is so dang cute) the more I think about it the more I think that it’s a bit TOO cute for my first. I’m going to leave [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] in the running as a middle though.

[name_f]Margot[/name_f]: [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is the name on this list that I’ve liked the longest, ever since I first read it in The Diary of [name_f]Anne[/name_f] [name_m]Frank[/name_m]. It didn’t immediately resonate with me in the way [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] did, it took some time for the love to build, but now it’s at pretty much the same level. Additionally, my mother discovered relatively recently through genealogical research that our family is actually predominately Jewish, a fact that my great great grandfather decided to hide from us. The connection between my newly unearthed ancestry and the Jewish character whose name I always liked is sort of spookily awesome to me. There is however a minor but possibly not so minor negative to [name_f]Margot[/name_f]. My boyfriend’s name is [name_m]Frank[/name_m] (yes, just like the aforementioned character) which is either spooky in a neat way or spooky in weird way, I can’t decide… but also, he has a close aunt with the name [name_f]Margot[/name_f]. I don’t know if he and I will still be together in the future or not but if we are, I can see this being very weird. [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is still in the running for now (a testament to how much I like the name).

[name_f]Forsythia[/name_f]: Oh, how I love this one. Unfortunately, I just discovered that, try as she might my mother simply cannot say it, like, AT ALL. And so it is out. Still in the running as a middle though.

[name_f]Corisande[/name_f]: I’m demoting this one to solely a middle name possibility. No particular reasoning.

Thank you all so much for your input! Each of your suggestions has helped me mull over these names that much more and I’m so appreciative!

stellarevolution: Thanks for the name changing advice. :slight_smile: It’s also lovely to have encountered someone who’s going through the same process. SO glad that you like Earthridge. It’s an old Irish name that’s gone extinct (although the still-kicking name, Etheridge is derived from it) and the thought of resurrecting such lovely surname makes my insides happy (Funny side note: I’m not sure if your username is stella revolution or stellar evolution and the mystery is tantalizing; I must know!!)

8

[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Soleil[/name_f], maybe? Meaning bright sun. Or [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Selene[/name_f] if you’re more of a night owl. :slight_smile:

9

You’re welcome! And I think [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] nn Phae would be a lovely choice. Maybe you could use [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as your middle name? [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f] Earthridge would sound amazing! As for my username, I chose the name [name_f]Stella[/name_f] for myself, so I wanted to do a play on words. It can be either one :slight_smile:

10

You have great taste! I’m changing my name myself so it’s always exciting to come across someone else going through the same process. :slight_smile:

After reading everything I like [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] the most for you! And I love the suggestion of [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Selene[/name_f]. I love the night/moon/stars so I love anything relating to that; “bright moon” would be such a lovely and magical meaning for a name! [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Soleil[/name_f] is nice too though. I also really love [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] and [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Lavender[/name_f]. What about [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Celestine[/name_f]/[name_f]Celeste[/name_f], [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Amaryllis[/name_f] (a flower and also means “to sparkle”), [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Snow[/name_f], [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], or [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Sonnet[/name_f]?

11

I love [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f]!
First combo that came to mind: [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
Also: [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]

12

Of your first name list I really like [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f]! Of the middles I like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_u]Echo[/name_u], [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], and [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] (fave). I think [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] would be an awesome name.

When I read your post the first name that came to mind was [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] - The muse of epic poetry, also the leader of the nine muses in Greek mythology. It’s a really lovely name in my opinion, and it seems like it would fit you, particularly since you’re a poet.

From your post you definitely don’t seem like a [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] so I think changing your name makes total sense :). Good luck!!

13

First of all, thank you everyone for your lovely suggestions and your words of support. I’m feeling so much more confident in doing this now.

stellarevolution: Oh, I see! [name_m]How[/name_m] very clever. :smiley: Also, [name_f]Stella[/name_f] is GORGEOUS!

I think I’m about 99% ready to commit to [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] as my first name (I want to run it through a few tests first though to be sure). I’m positive I’ll get lots of people who have to ask how to spell it, but I don’t think I’ll mind that at all, in fact, I think it’ll be a delightful excuse to talk about my name. lol Also, considering how uncommon [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] is and how much I enjoy hearing it said aloud, I don’t think it will be difficult to answer to it without confusion.

Now I just have to nail down a middle! I’m going to hold off on deciding the last name until last because I’m not positive if I even want to change it yet. My dad is likely to be a little (perhaps more than a little) annoyed or hurt over me changing my name. My mom understands and is totally fine with it as she’s never cared for her name either. (Coincidentally, she wished her name was [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] when she was my age. lol)

However, I’ve realized that I can still honor my parents with my new name. My dad’s first name is [name_m]Philip[/name_m] which shares the Ph beginning with [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f]. I’m thinking that if I choose a middle name that begins with the first two letters of my mom’s first name ([name_f]Carla[/name_f]) or her middle name ([name_f]Marie[/name_f]) then that would soften the blow to my dad significantly. And coincidentally, there are two names already on my short list that begin with Ma ([name_f]Margot[/name_f] and [name_f]Maeve[/name_f])! I also want to throw silversky109’s fantastic suggestion of [name_f]Calliope[/name_f] into the mix since it has that Ca beginning and I’m LOVING the poetry connection. :3

So now my short list has dwindled down to three! (WOW! Thank you all so much! I really can’t say it enough. I’m over here getting all teary-eyed. lol):

[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Calliope[/name_f]

Honorable Mentions:
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Lillith[/name_f] (The meaning: “bright night monster” is such a winner and funny at the same time. Plus the sound of it is mesmerizing. I’m not totally convinced this one is out of the running yet.)
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Celeste[/name_f] (So pretty, so very, very pretty)
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f] ([name_f]Blythe[/name_f] was once a top favorite name of mine right up there with [name_f]Margot[/name_f]! I [name_f]ADORE[/name_f] the meaning.)

I’m going to search around for more middles that meet my newfound conditions so I might end up with a few more possibilities. Thanks for helping me riddle this out. :slight_smile: You’re all lovely.