Help me sort this list!

I’ve been feeling lately that I’m not quite so excited about all my favorites as I thought I was, so I’m thinking of maybe narrowing this list a little. It always seems to help to hear others’ opinions, and I’m wondering if my style isn’t changing a bit to more international/European choices (think [name_f]Anne[/name_f]-[name_f]Claire[/name_f]/[name_f]Anne[/name_f]-[name_f]Sophie[/name_f], [name_f]Aurelie[/name_f], Madelief, [name_f]Zosia[/name_f]), or just more unusual names in general ([name_f]Zinnia[/name_f], [name_f]Cosima[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f], etc.). But these have been favorites forever, so I’m just trying to weed out the ones that aren’t true favorites. Hearing what others have to say always seems to help form my own opinions more clearly, so I was hoping for some opinions on the FNs on my list. Here they are below–wdyt?

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Arianne[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Rachel[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f] (or [name_f]Liliana[/name_f], or even [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]… my full name for [name_f]Lily[/name_f] seems to be ever-changing!)
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Tess[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]

Thanks, ladies!

Oh, do go for more exciting names if you’re starting to lean that way! You wouldn’t regret it.
I’m not exactly sure what kind of opinions you’re wanting. I would drop anything with an [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] nn. They’re so extremely common.
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] is very common but that might be just in my circle. I would drop that one too.
But common/ popular bothers me much more than you, so maybe my opinions aren’t worth much to you.

Madeleif and [name_f]Zosia[/name_f]! I’m always so happy to here those :slight_smile: Whenever I try to clean up my lists I question the reasons they’re on my list really hardly. ‘‘I love [name_f]Ramona[/name_f], yeah, but do I really love it or do I just like it because [name_f]Karen[/name_f] in Outnumbered is adorable?’’ that kind of thing. I also have noticed that the names I’ve liked for the longest are the names that took me the longest to love… so names like [name_f]Valentina[/name_f] that suddenly appeal to me in the middle of the night usually drift off my list after a week or so.

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] - So lovely, but I prefer [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] because they feel more anglicized and even a bit Celtic to me. [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] is a lovely pan-European name and really beautiful, but I can see it aging very easily and being a mum name in 30 years or so.

[name_f]Arianne[/name_f] - I feel fairly ‘eh’ about this. I dislike -anne names on the whole and I dislike [name_f]Arianna[/name_f], but I appreciate [name_f]Arianne[/name_f]'s classic beauty. She sounds like [name_m]French[/name_m] royalty or something.

[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - okay, as an [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] myself I can say I truly love it. I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever disliked it, but I started really loving it a few years ago when I read/saw Twelfth [name_m]Night[/name_m] for the first time. She’s a fairly neutral character when you boil the play down but she’s so passionate and sassy and just the fact it was used by [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] in my absolute favourite play makes me love it. I love the nn [name_f]Liv[/name_f] too (although [name_f]Livy[/name_f] makes my skin crawl). It’s got such a lovely meaning too.

[name_f]Violet[/name_f] - this is so sweet, but I never cling to flower names. This was on my list briefly after I met a little [name_f]Violet[/name_f] for the first time but I don’t know, I just can’t love it. It’s so sweet and makes me think of a summer garden.

[name_f]Rachel[/name_f] - This is so timeless and beautiful, and really underused right now. For some reason my first thought is always a video of a little girl on Youtube I saw years ago - BOYFRIEND RULES - Little Girl's dating advice - Funny Toddler Improv Phone Talk - YouTube (ha, surprised I found that so easily… the same little girl appears to be a child actress now)

[name_f]Lillian[/name_f] - I don’t like this and I have no valid reason, so not much help there. It’s a nice enough name.

[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] - [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is so pretty and classic and I think I’m only starting to appreciate it. [name_f]Lotte[/name_f]/[name_f]Lottie[/name_f]/[name_f]Lotte[/name_f] are cute.

[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] - Never felt very strongly about this. I like it, I suppose. I like just [name_f]Leni[/name_f] too, and [name_f]Lani[/name_f].

[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] - I like this. It’s not a name I’d ever really pay any attention to but I do have moments of appreciating how pretty it sounds ([name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_m]Dunham[/name_m]'s character in Girls brought it back to life for me). I heard recently that [name_f]Hana[/name_f] has a different and non-biblical origin that makes me like it a lot more.

[name_f]Eva[/name_f] - [name_f]Love[/name_f] this. I know the sweetest little Evas - they’re both adorable. It sounds like a cute blonde little farm girl and also an exotic dark-haired woman at the same time. It’s a bit too trendy for my liking though.

[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - This just feels dull. I want to like it, and I absolutely adore nicknames [name_f]Kitty[/name_f]/[name_f]Kate[/name_f] but I don’t like it. It feels wishy washy and overused.

[name_f]Tess[/name_f] - I know a not-very-nice girl with this name, but I like it in theory and can get behind [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] easily. This one feels out of place on your list though.

[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] - I love the emma-leen pn. I used to dislike this a lot because I assumed it was emma-line which just sounded weird and trendy to me. I think I prefer [name_f]Emeline[/name_f], which is a spelling I saw recently and made me like the name more. I love it’s history and the connection to [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] Pankhurst (her sisters where [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_f]Christabel[/name_f] - swoon!)

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] - love [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], but I prefer the Scottish [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] spelling :slight_smile:
[name_f]Arianne[/name_f] - this is pretty, but I always want to say [name_f]Arianna[/name_f] (I pronouce this differently from [name_f]Ariana[/name_f]). I think a lot of people will likely end up seeing [name_f]Arianna[/name_f], especially in the US, where [name_f]Arianna[/name_f] is popular
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]'s been done so many times, it’s a beautiful name, but I’m getting a bit sick of seeing it in every classroom. ([name_m]Nathan[/name_m]'s and [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]'s were EVERYWHERE at the school I was at before)
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] - [name_f]Violet[/name_f] is beautiful!
[name_f]Rachel[/name_f] - I’ve never liked this, [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] just sounds really unappealing to me.
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f] (or [name_f]Liliana[/name_f], or even [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]… my full name for [name_f]Lily[/name_f] seems to be ever-changing!) - I love [name_f]Lily[/name_f], but it’s becoming too trendy for me, to the point of being annoying in the FN spot. I love [name_f]Lily[/name_f] as a middle though.
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] - so cute and classic, but I’m starting to see/hear about little [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]'s all the time.
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] - [name_f]Love[/name_f] this!
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] - bad connections with [name_f]Hannah[/name_f], so I would say no personally. I know at least 5 [name_f]Hannah[/name_f]'s near me, it’s one where like, if you hear it too much, it becomes a bit annoying.
[name_f]Eva[/name_f] - definitely not for me - the little [name_f]Eva[/name_f] I know is dreadfully ill-behaved, and it turned me right off the name.
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - I love [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], but I feel like it’s been done to death.
[name_f]Tess[/name_f] - too ‘blah’ for me - I prefer [name_f]Tessa[/name_f].
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] - I like [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] a lot, I’d keep this :slight_smile:

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] - It’s a beautiful name but not one of my favourites. I think I might be feeling over it because [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] is so popular?
[name_f]Arianne[/name_f] - nms really, but I see the appeal. [name_u]Ari[/name_u] is an adorable nn :slight_smile:
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - I feel like I hear this name all the time, but maybe that’s because it’s EVERYWHERE in Australia and has been for years. It’s definitely a good name, though, I understand why it’s popular. I think I just prefer [name_f]Liv[/name_f] on its own, though.
[name_f]Rachel[/name_f] - Would be a really surprising choice now/in the future, I think.
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f] (or [name_f]Liliana[/name_f], or even [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]… my full name for [name_f]Lily[/name_f] seems to be ever-changing!) - I’ve always liked [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] and I once met a [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] who was lovely, so I would be into either or those.
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] - I’ve always adored this name and I still do, even if it is becoming super popular.
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] - A really cute name! It can age well too, I think, as the only two people I’ve ever met with this name are in their 20s.
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] - This is the name of one of my closest friends, so I might be a bit biased towards it.
[name_f]Eva[/name_f] - I’m constantly flipping between which I prefer between [name_f]Eva[/name_f] and [name_f]Ava[/name_f]. Probably [name_f]Eva[/name_f].
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - This is my favourite spelling of the name. It never gets old.
[name_f]Tess[/name_f] - Much prefer [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] with [name_f]Tess[/name_f] as a nn.
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] - If you’re thinking about the emma-leen pronunciation, I love it!

These are my favorites:
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]- I have been drifting away from that name and feeling like it’s getting a bit plain…
[name_f]Arianne[/name_f]- I like [name_f]Arianna[/name_f] and [name_f]Ariana[/name_f], and [name_f]Arianne[/name_f] is very nice too.
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]- It is very pretty but a bit common where I live.
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]- [name_f]Violet[/name_f] has always seemed a bit out there to me, for some reason- in a good way.
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]- I really like [name_f]Eleni[/name_f]! I think of it as a new name crush of mine.
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]- I’ve always liked [name_f]Eva[/name_f], but I’m not sure if I like just [name_f]Eva[/name_f] or longer [name_f]Eva[/name_f] names.

I love your list! From Arianne I suggest my absolute favourite name ever of the moment, Alianne.
Freya, Isabeau, Mia-Beth, Rilla, Azalea, Lilac, Serena or Selena, Diana…?

Isabelle
Is a bell. It’s a phrase to me whenever I hear it. Not a negative one, but especially as a middle, I just don’t understand it. Cara Isabelle, for exams,e. Cara is a bell.
Arianne
Love love love
Olivia
Something about Olivia and Oliver and all those just doesn’t sit right on my tongue. It feels slimy, almost? I really wish I could explain it!
Violet
Purplest purple in my mind’s eye when I hear it. Gorgeous!
Rachel
One of my favourite names ever.
Lillian (or Liliana, or even Lilia… my full name for Lily seems to be ever-changing!)
Lillian and Liliana are just too many letters, too little substance. Four or five letter Lilia and Lily are far easier on my eyes. I love Laila best of those L-l names though.
Charlotte
Charlatan
Eleni
Will constantly be thought to be a typo on Elena, but it’s pretty!
Hannah
Prefer Anna, but it’s nice enough if nothing very special
Eva
Prefer Eve.
Catherine
I get a thrill out of saying it every time, and this spelling is my favourite
Tess
A little dull imo… It just feels very wallflower somehow. I like Tessa more, it has a bit more of a kick
Emmeline
I think I’m in the minority but I much prefer the line ending over leen

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]- I prefer [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Arianne[/name_f]- Not my style
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]- So pretty
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]-[name_f]LOVE[/name_f]
[name_f]Rachel[/name_f]-Its okay
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]- the nickname [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is lovely
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]- [name_f]LOVE[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]- not my style
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]-[name_f]LOVE[/name_f]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]- not my style
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]- a little boring without a nickname like [name_f]Catie[/name_f], [name_f]Katie[/name_f], [name_f]Cate[/name_f], [name_f]Kate[/name_f], or [name_f]Cat[/name_f]
[name_f]Tess[/name_f]-Pretty
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]-[name_f]LOVE[/name_f]

[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]- sweet, prim, demure, princessy (but not in a snobby way). I prefer [name_f]Isabel[/name_f], or [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] despite the popularity- but then again, popularity isn’t a deal-breaker for me in general. But it seems you’ve loved this name so much for so long, I can’t imagine you not loving it! (I know that sounds silly, but it’s kind of ‘connected’ to you in my mind, if that makes sense?) 7/10

[name_f]Arianne[/name_f]- I don’t like a lot of the Ar/[name_u]Ari[/name_u]- names so this one grates on my ears a bit, sorry. 3/10

[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]- Twelfth [name_m]Night[/name_m] is probably my second (maybe third ) favourite [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] play and the connection made me love the name. She may not be the most interesting character, but she’s actually a lot more sharp and clever than people often give her credit for. The name is spunky, fun, cheerful, upbeat, and warm-sounding just like the play itself. 8.5/10

[name_f]Violet[/name_f]- I love [name_f]Viola[/name_f] (see comment for [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]) but I can’t get into [name_f]Violet[/name_f], sorry. It just sounds harsh and unappealing and unfeminine to me. I do know a little [name_f]Violet[/name_f] though who’s such a sweetheart, and she wears the name really well. 2.5/10

[name_f]Rachel[/name_f]- one of my favourite relatives is named this, so I feel as though I should like it, but I don’t find the sound particularly feminine or soft. It’s not hard or clunky either, but not all that lyrical to me. 4/10

[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]- sweet, dainty, whispery-soft. She’s a prim and proper little girl who always follows instructions and hates getting her flowered dresses dirty, who sits properly for hours while her mother chats with friends over tea without complaining. She loves playing with dolls and has a huge collection of both vintage and modern ones, as well as more than enough dollhouses and clothing and other odds and ends for them all, but is really organized and never loses anything. 6.5/10

[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]- I love this name because of its versatility. It’s regal and sophisticated and classy, yet down-to-earth and exudes a warm, welcoming vibe. A [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] could be anyone- there was an English queen (consort) named [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], but it’s been used basically clear across every section of society. There are lots of literary connections ([name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] Brontë, and [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] named at least two characters this) and other associations, namesakes from pretty much any field you could think of. That’s a quality I like in names because it increases the chance of my future child sharing their name or middle name with someone they admire. Maybe that’s just me but I always thought it’d be cool to have the same name as a favourite author or singer or whatever. (I love that I have the same middle name as one of my favourite actresses). 9/10

[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]- this sounds strong and bold to me, a girl who’s always ready to make a point or stand up for herself. Maybe because I had a friend named [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] who was like that. She did have pronunciation issues- she said it uh-[name_m]LAY[/name_m]-nee but she got ee-[name_m]LEN[/name_m]-ee a lot. 4/10

[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]- I get the same sweet and demure vibe as I do with [name_f]Lillian[/name_f], but less frilly and girly, more studious and bookish. She would be happiest sitting quietly in her room reading, painting, sketching, or knitting, and be an animal lover who’s always cuddling a furry friend and lets them sleep on her bed when they want despite her mother’s wishes- she’s too soft-hearted to make them move! 6.5/10

[name_f]Eva[/name_f]- I like this better as a nickname for [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] since I’m not fond of mini-names. She’s creative, artistic, and introverted like [name_f]Hannah[/name_f], but more practical and grounded. (She’d never have more than one pet, if that- she doesn’t want hair all over the place- but if she did it’d have such a comfy bed it wouldn’t want to sleep on hers!) 6/10

[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]- Much the same as what I said about [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], except that [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] feels a bit earthier and [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] sleeker and more refined. I think because of the way [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] rolls off my tongue a bit smoother. 9/10

[name_f]Tess[/name_f]- I can’t get into [name_f]Tess[/name_f] or [name_f]Tessa[/name_f], sorry. The “ss” just sounds like hissing to me. But a [name_f]Tess[/name_f] would be a whip-smart, quick-thinking, no-nonsense type of girl. She’s not prissy or antsy at all, she’ll jump right in and do anything. I see a farm girl marching across the muddy paddocks and fields in black rubber work boots, paying no mind to the dirt and manure, thinking only about the work that needs to be done. 2.5/10

[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]- I’m not sure what puts me off about this name, but it always felt a bit slithery to me. I’m not seeing anything in particular, sorry. 2/10

I think a lot of these fit perfectly in the category of international/European, and go well in a sibset with them. The ones that don’t [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], and [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] are [name_m]French[/name_m] and [name_f]Eva[/name_f] is [name_m]German[/name_m] (I think), and they all have that kind of border-crossing ‘feel’ that they could work in many different countries, languages, and cultures. Or on someone who travels/moves countries a lot. [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] is Greek, so also European, though it doesn’t seem quite as international. Some of them have international variants too, like [name_f]Liliane[/name_f] or [name_f]Hana[/name_f].

**Keep in mind my ratings would probably change a bit based on the day…

Thanks, ladies!

(And omgoodness, @oliviasarah, that little girl is adorable!)

For what it’s worth, let your hearts be at ease, I say emma-leen. :slight_smile: I’m glad to hear so many others love it said that way, as well!

[name_f]Rachel[/name_f], [name_f]Lillian[/name_f], and [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] are the ones I’m thinking of tossing atm. [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] has been a favorite of mine since I can remember, but the last couple of Rachels I’ve known have left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth when I think of the name, and I’m just not sure I can see me with a [name_f]Rachel[/name_f]. I’m not sure it goes great with my surname, either. I might use it as a middle, but I can’t think of anywhere I would really [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] to use it atm. I do still really love it–I’m just thinking it’s time to let her go for now. [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] and [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] are much harder to decide on–[name_f]Lily[/name_f] has the power to bring me to tears, it’s the most significant, sentimental name I’ve come across, and it’s one of those names I just KNOW I want to use. But I’m not sure I can see me with a [name_f]Lily[/name_f], and I seem to go through spurts of REALLY loving it and then REALLY not caring for it at all/being really bored with it, so I’m thinking just using [name_f]Lily[/name_f] as a middle might be a better option? I’m tossing around [name_f]Arianne[/name_f] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Lily[/name_f], or maybe something else, I still don’t know. And while I like [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] and find her sweet, I’m just confused as to how I really feel–I originally loved it for the nn [name_f]Annie[/name_f], but I honestly don’t think I’d use the nn [name_f]Annie[/name_f]–she’d probably just be [name_f]Hannah[/name_f]. And while I like [name_f]Hannah[/name_f], I think I loved it for so long because of the significance. It means the same thing as my grandma’s middle ([name_f]Grace[/name_f]), and has a very special tie to my mom, too, that really no other name has. I really don’t want to lose the significance, but I’m not sure I’m really excited about [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] at all anymore.

I’m still not 100% sure, but those are the couple I’m thinking of axing, anyway. [name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to keep commenting–it’s always a help. :slight_smile: