HELP! Opinions and Suggestions needed!

[mrsstroud]

[name]Hi[/name] Ladies! I’ve been lurking around for a few days, and posting some, but I could really use your help! We don’t know if we’re having a boy or a girl yet, so here’s my top 10 of each and our issues…any opinions and suggestions for similar names would be great- I feel like all this debating has sucked my creative juices dry! Please Hang with me- I know this is long, but we;re at an inpass it seems and could use some outside help!

Top Girls Names:
Our philosophy with girl names is cute for a child, functional for an adult. Make it short and sweet. If it’s a longer name, we’d like a shorter nick name, preferably one syllable, but two will be okay. We’ll give the baby a longer middle name then to balance (probably [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Addison[/name], or [name]Vivian[/name], all family names).

[name]Belle[/name]- we love, but wonder if it flows well with our last name, Stroud.

[name]Wren[/name]- my favorite, and Husband likes too, but having problems getting people on board with it

[name]Paige[/name]- My mother always says, “You mean like a book?” My husband confessed that he likes it b/c of [name]Jimmy[/name] [name]Page[/name], the guitar player, but I still think it’s beautiful! As a mn, maybe?

[name]Isla[/name]- We like it, but I can’t convince DH that mispronunciation won’t be a big issue, even though the name is gaining popularity.

[name]Coraline[/name] (nn [name]Cora[/name])- [name]Just[/name] [name]LOVE[/name]…DH is still on the fence

[name]Lila[/name]- [name]Lillian[/name] is a family name about six times over- several aunts, a great grandmother, etc, but DH really dislikes the name. We thought this was a nice way to still honor those people with a name we both like.

[name]Cate[/name]- Simple, classic, but beautiful. We don’t like the full name [name]Catherine[/name], but would be open to other suggestions of what this could be a nn for.

[name]Grace[/name]- An all-time favorite, we wonder if it’s beginning to get to popular?

[name]Miriam[/name] (nn [name]Miri[/name]?)- Again, we really like it, but DH says he still thinks of this little old lady on his street growing up who use to give out fruit at Halloween. Is it too old lady-ish?

[name]Calla[/name]- I think its beautiful, but part of me thinks it sounds incomplete.

[name]Olivia[/name]: DH’s favorite name. While I agree it is very pretty, it is SO popular! I don’t mind recognizable names, but Top 10 in the country is a little too recognizable for me! A middle name, maybe?

Names we like but cannot use, for a plethera of reasons: [name]Amy[/name], [name]Joy[/name], [name]Hope[/name], [name]Sarah[/name], [name]Allyson[/name], [name]Nicole[/name], [name]Marie[/name], [name]Mary[/name], [name]Helena[/name], [name]Mira[/name], [name]Cammy[/name]/[name]Camryn[/name], [name]Claire[/name], [name]Noelle[/name]
Names already vetoed by one of us: [name]Ashlyn[/name], [name]Sadie[/name], [name]Ellie[/name], [name]Ella[/name], [name]Felicity[/name], [name]Zoey[/name], [name]Vera[/name], [name]Clara[/name], [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Naomi[/name], [name]Violet[/name], [name]Lilly[/name], [name]Avery[/name], [name]Callie[/name], [name]Cara[/name], [name]Heidi[/name], [name]Emily[/name]

This is long…I think I’ll do a Part 2 for boys,

[cora]

[name]Hi[/name] there! From your username, I’m guessing your last name is Stroud? If so, I definitely wouldn’t use a first name with only one syllable, as it sounds really blunt/clipped.

[name]Belle[/name]: [name]Ah[/name]! So it is Stroud. I’d absolutely use a first name with at least two syllables. What about [name]Annabelle[/name] or [name]Mirabelle[/name] Stroud? I think either of those is lovely.

[name]Wren[/name]: [name]Wren[/name] Stroud doesn’t flow well (need a longer first name).

[name]Paige[/name]: [name]Paige[/name] is too short with Straud, and [name]Paige[/name] Stroud is a tongue-twister due to [name]Paige[/name]'s end sound and Stroud’s beginning.

[name]Isla[/name]: So far, [name]Isla[/name] is my favorite from your list.

[name]Coraline[/name] (nn [name]Cora[/name]): I’m afraid [name]Coraline[/name] will be mistaken for [name]Caroline[/name]. (There was a thread on this a few months ago.) What about [name]Cordelia[/name] Stroud or [name]Caroline[/name] Stroud?

[name]Lila[/name]: I think [name]Lila[/name] is great!

[name]Cate[/name]: I like [name]Kate[/name], but as a nickname. What about [name]Catalina[/name] Stoud?

[name]Grace[/name]: Yep. [name]Grace[/name] is very, very popular (#21). If you type in a name (see the “check out a name” box to the left), you can see rankings and descriptions. [name]Grace[/name] also doesn’t work with Stroud because it’s too short, and [name]Grace[/name] Stroud sounds like “[name]Gray[/name] Stroud,” because of the back-to-back “sss” sounds.

[name]Miriam[/name] (nn [name]Miri[/name]?): I think [name]Miriam[/name] is beautiful, and not old lady-ish at all. If you like the “Mir” beginning and the “belle” ending, what about [name]Mirabel[/name]/[name]Mirabelle[/name]?

[name]Calla[/name]: I think [name]Calla[/name] is very pretty, but not with Stroud. When you say it aloud, the S from Stroud attaches to [name]Calla[/name], making it sound like [name]Callas[/name] (Callous–like on the bottom of your feet, or the word meaning “insensitive or hard”).

[name]Olivia[/name]: It’s way too popular! What about [name]Ophelia[/name]?

From your list, I’d go with [name]Miriam[/name] or [name]Lila[/name].

Good luck!

[gracie]

[name]Hi[/name] there
From your list I really love [name]Isla[/name]. I also like [name]Jill[/name]'s suggestion of [name]Catalina[/name], [name]Cate[/name] for short

[name]Gracie[/name]

[moxielove]

I agree with jill that [name]Mirabelle[/name] would sound great, with the bonus of the Mir from [name]Miriam[/name] and you could still nm her [name]Belle[/name].

I love the name [name]Catalina[/name] but wouldn’t her nm be [name]Cat[/name] and not [name]Cate[/name] as a result?

Not a fan of [name]Paige[/name] or [name]Wren[/name] - I do think you need a multi syllable first name. Except I do think [name]Cate[/name] Stroud…

What about [name]Odelia[/name] as an alternative to [name]Olivia[/name] along with [name]Ophelia[/name] (which I can’t like due to the super depressing story association). Hmmmm, an [name]Odi[/name] nm would be very unfortunate though – maybe her nm could be [name]Lia[/name]?

I sort of agree with your husband on [name]Miriam[/name] – although [name]Mimi[/name] is a great & common nm for, and [name]Miriam[/name] could be very striking on a poised young woman.

[rainyday]

I agree, the name should grow to adulthood. Twists on some of your faves could be [name]OLIVE[/name] or [name]ISIS[/name].

Others:
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Apryl[/name]
[name]Carys[/name]
[name]Celia[/name]
[name]Cora[/name]
[name]Diana[/name]
[name]Drew[/name]
[name]Elyse[/name]
[name]Georgia[/name]
[name]Jane[/name]
[name]Jillian[/name]
[name]Judith[/name] ([name]Judy[/name])
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Katya[/name]
[name]Leona[/name]
[name]Lucille[/name] ([name]Lucy[/name])
[name]Naomi[/name]
[name]Nicole[/name]
[name]Nora[/name]
[name]Orla[/name]
[name]Priya[/name]
[name]Ramona[/name]
[name]Renee[/name]
[name]Roma[/name]
[name]Roxanne[/name]
[name]Simone[/name]
[name]Sonya[/name]
[name]Veronica[/name]

[olivegreen]

[name]Hi[/name] and welcome You have some lovely choices, although I do agree that with a one-syllable surname, many one-syllable first names will sound a little blunted.

[name]Belle[/name]-[name]Annabelle[/name] (or [name]Annabel[/name]) is one of my favorite names. And while it’s bound to get more popular, I doubt it will rank up there with [name]Isabel[/name]/[name]Isabella[/name]. I think [name]Annabelle[/name] Stroud has a wonderful sound.

[name]Wren[/name]- [name]Wren[/name] is so pretty, but it doesn’t feel right with Stroud. If you like bird names, how about [name]Robin[/name] or [name]Paloma[/name]?

[name]Paige[/name]- Ditto [name]Jill[/name]'s comment about the tongue-twister issue. [name]How[/name] about [name]Payton[/name]/[name]Peyton[/name]?

[name]Isla[/name]- I love both [name]Isla[/name] and [name]Lila[/name] (and they work wonderfully with your surname)

[name]Coraline[/name] (nn [name]Cora[/name])- I like [name]Coraline[/name] ([name]Caroline[/name] too) but I think [name]Cora[/name] Stroud sounds a little hard. I think it’s the -ra and -roud sounds being so close together.

[name]Lila[/name]- see above ([name]Lila[/name] would be my top pick from your list!)

[name]Cate[/name]- [name]Cathleen[/name]?

[name]Grace[/name]- ditto [name]Jill[/name]'s “Grays Stroud” observation

[name]Miriam[/name] (nn [name]Miri[/name]?)- [name]Miriam[/name] is fabulous! it doesn’t sound old-lady at all (just classic)

[name]Calla[/name]- I don’t love [name]Calla[/name] (I’d definitely go with [name]Isla[/name] or [name]Lila[/name] over [name]Calla[/name])

[name]Olivia[/name]: This is actually my name”please no more little Olivias! I like the suggestion of [name]Ophelia[/name] or even [name]Olympia[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you like [name]Lydia[/name] at all? People often think I’m saying [name]Lydia[/name] when I introduce myself.

My top picks:
[name]Lila[/name] [name]Vivian[/name] Stroud (gorgeous!)
[name]Isla[/name] [name]Vivian[/name] Stroud
[name]Miriam[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] Stroud
[name]Annabelle[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] Stroud

Best of luck!

[mrsstroud]

Thanks everyone! Our updated list stands as follows:

[name]Briony[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Cate[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]/[name]Vivian[/name]
[name]Carys[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]/[name]Olivia[/name] (a concession since DH loves this name, seemingly above all else)
[name]Dahlia[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Isla[/name] [name]Vivian[/name]
[name]Lila[/name] [name]Vivian[/name]
[name]Miriam[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]

I really liked [name]Annabelle[/name], but DH vetoed both, because of an [name]Edgar[/name] [name]Allen[/name] [name]Poe[/name] association that he insists he will always think of:(

What do you think? We still have a while to decide, but the last day or so, we’ve really gotten serious about this, discussed not just what we liked but what sounded good with out last name, and I feel like this list is pretty solid.

[name]Edit[/name] We also possibly like [name]Aoife[/name] (pronounced ee-fa-almost like eva) [name]Elizabeth[/name]. It’s Irish and a family name on my side. What do you think? We know pronunciation and spelling could be an issue, but almost don’t care…maybe?

[rosypoesy]

total lurker here, but i [name]LOVE[/name] the name dahlia. and dahlia elizabeth is just beautiful and classic.

[olivegreen]

Oh, I love [name]Dahlia[/name]! I’m still liking [name]Lila[/name] and [name]Miriam[/name] too. I’m not sure about [name]Aoife[/name]. I do love the way it’s pronounced, but she’s certain to be spelling it out for people her entire life. My maiden name was one that required constant help with pronunciation and I can tell you it gets pretty old! Probably even more so with a first name

[cora]

I vote for [name]Dahlia[/name] Vivan Stroud, [name]Lila[/name] [name]Vivian[/name] Stroud, or [name]Miriam[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] Stroud. I’d personally stay far, far away from [name]Aoife[/name], as its pronunciation and spelling will be butchered her entire life. ([name]Just[/name] by looking at it, I’d pronounce it “Ouf.”)

What about [name]Eva[/name]?

[pam]

Lots of wonderful suggestions. Of your finalists, my favorites are, in this order:

1. [name]Dahlia[/name]
2. [name]Carys[/name]
3. [name]Briony[/name]

I think these are the most original of the group and not likely to be widely duplicated.

I like [name]Cate[/name] but agree that [name]Cate[/name] Stroud sounds fairly harsh, though I do like [name]Jill[/name]'s suggestion of [name]Catalina[/name] as a long form. I also like [name]Mirabelle[/name], which i prefer to [name]Miriam[/name] – I too can’t quite shake a negative old lady association.

[name]Isla[/name] and [name]Lila[/name], while adorable, I think are going to be more and more popular over the next decade. Since you have a taste for more unusual names, i think you’re going to be disappointed if you choose one of these.

As for middle names, why not let your husband have [name]Olivia[/name] if he loves it so much? That means a lot. I don’t think either [name]Elizabeth[/name] or [name]Vivian[/name] is a vast improvement on it. My alternative suggestion would be [name]Olympia[/name].

Keep us posted on your thinking – it’s always so much more fun to offer suggestions when the person responds!!

[teabee]

You have some great names here! Of the updated list, I think these are the strongest combinations:
[name]Briony[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Dahlia[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Lila[/name] [name]Vivian[/name]

I also like [name]Pam[/name]'s suggestion of considering [name]Olivia[/name] as a middle name.

[irishmuth]

I like the earlier suggestion of [name]Robin[/name] Stroud…it just seems to flow well.

[iris1973]

[name]Mimi[/name] is another nn for [name]Miriam[/name].

My husband also won’t get behind [name]Isla[/name], and I [name]LOVE[/name] the name. If I ever figure out how to convince him, I’ll pass on the secret to you!

If you and he both like [name]Wren[/name], I say forget what other people think. It’s your opinions that matter.

[mrsstroud]

One last question ladies (for now anyway)!
What do you think of [name]Penelope[/name]? Middle name suggestions? What about nicknames?