I have so many questions!

Girl Names
1

My husband and I recently found out we’re expecting a baby girl. This will be our fourth baby. Our older kids are Heidi Olivia, Rhys Owen, and Griffin Henry.

We had a boy name all ready to go (Anders Benjamin), but we were having a difficult time with girl names. I really don’t want to use anything in the top 100 (I’ll let something at #80 or so slide though if I really love it) for a first name, but I’m having some issues finding a balance between a name being unpopular enough yet not outrageous.

Can you guys help me sort out some of the issues I’m having with the names we’ve discussed recently?

Alice: Both my husband and I are lukewarm toward Alice. I used to love it desperately, but I feel like it’s taken off in popularity. I still do like it and can see myself warming back up to it if we found a great first name/middle name combo.
Amelie: I feel like this fits with our other kids’ names really well, but I worry an Amelie would get lost in the mix of all the Emily’s and Amelia’s out there.
Carys/Cerys:This is our #1 right now. My husband loves this name. However, we already have a Rhys, and I worry the “rys” of both names makes them look a bit too similar. Not only that, I worry she would live with constant mispronunciation (Rhys gets called “rice” and “rise” constantly). I can deal with the mispronunciation issue though if we really love it.
Elsa: I think Elsa fits very nicely with our other kids’ names (especially Heidi and Elsa as sisters) and I love the way it sounds (and how short it is), but I know there would be an unbreakable tie to the Frozen mania. I don’t want people to constantly assume I named her after Queen Elsa or something. Is that inevitable with this name?
Sophie: I’m having the hardest time with Sophie right now. I have loved this name forever, but I am so reluctant to use it as Sophia is #3. Do you think they’re different enough to truly be separate names? Would she just dissolve into the group with all the other Sophia’s?
Quinn: If my husband could choose the name on his own, this is what he would pick. He adores Quinn and thinks it is perfection. I think it sounds somewhat incomplete. I’m not dismissing it as a first name because he does love it so much, but I have a feeling this is going to end up being the middle name for whichever first name we choose.

Naming another human being is tough!

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of my thought process with some of the names on my list, could you recommend some others that we might not have considered yet?

2

I really like [name_f]Amilie[/name_f] too but if popular names are a problem how about: [name_f]Rachael[/name_f], [name_f]Roslyn[/name_f], [name_f]Alisha[/name_f], [name_f]Alise[/name_f], [name_f]Lenore[/name_f], [name_f]Bethany[/name_f], [name_f]Bridget[/name_f], [name_f]Bridie[/name_f], [name_f]Leonie[/name_f], [name_f]Laura[/name_f], [name_f]Janine[/name_f], [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f], [name_u]Meredith[/name_u], [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f], [name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_f]Gail[/name_f], [name_u]Brooke[/name_u] or [name_u]Christy[/name_u]

3

[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - [name_m]How[/name_m] about less common versions such as [name_f]Alicia[/name_f], [name_f]Lissa[/name_f], [name_f]Elise[/name_f]? I actually rather like [name_f]Elise[/name_f] for you. Where [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is peppy and sharp, [name_f]Elise[/name_f] is demure, youthful, timeless, familiar yet not very common. Like [name_f]Heidi[/name_f]!

[name_f]Amelie[/name_f] - Yeah, too similar to [name_f]Emily[/name_f]. You could always consider [name_f]Amelia[/name_f].

[name_f]Carys[/name_f] - [name_f]Heidi[/name_f], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], [name_m]Griffin[/name_m] and [name_f]Carys[/name_f]. I agree, the “rys” is too much. [name_f]Imagine[/name_f] going shopping with just the two of them, “These are my kids, [name_f]Carys[/name_f] and [name_u]Rhys[/name_u].” Hm, nah. [name_m]How[/name_m] about: [name_f]Cleo[/name_f], [name_u]Darcy[/name_u], [name_f]Maris[/name_f]?

[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] - I share your appreciation of this name, but with Frozen 2 coming out soon, I would avoid it. [name_f]Isla[/name_f] is a similar name, though it is trending upwards these days.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] - Given [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]'s intense popularity over the last few years, I think a lot of people will mistake her name for that. Better as a middle name.

[name_u]Quinn[/name_u] - [name_f]Lovely[/name_f] name, but rhymes with [name_m]Griffin[/name_m]. I personally wouldn’t want that, but if you’re less particular about these things it isn’t a major issue. It doesn’t feel incomplete to me. If you don’t really like it though, [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] makes a great middle name!

[name_f]IMO[/name_f], I would name a sister to [name_f]Heidi[/name_f] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_m]Griffin[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m]:

[name_f]Alicia[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_f]Paige[/name_f]
[name_f]Serena[/name_f] [name_f]Elise[/name_f]

4

Hi, your children have wonderful names!

Alice: I like this, but understand your concerns about its popularity. However, Alice Quinn is a lovely combination!
Another suggestion is Elise.

Amelie: How about Emmeline or Anneliese instead?

Carys/Cerys:I do think Carys and Rhys are close, but they have different-sounding endings.
Other suggestions: Clara, Clarissa, Carissa.

Elsa: I like this for you! The Frozen association wouldn’t bother me.
How about Eliza?

Sophie: I think Sophie will get confused or lumped in with Sophia, unfortunately.
How about Sylvie or Sylvia?

Quinn: I like this as a middle name.

5

I loooooooooooooove [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]! I think that it would be an amazing fn if it’s given a long, strong mn!

Some spunky, cute, and unique names that I love are: [name_f]Boheme[/name_f] (bow-em), [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] (sir-sha), [name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f], and [name_f]Bronte[/name_f]!

6

[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Esme[/name_f]. I think it’s lovely and has the same vibe as [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] without the Frozen baggage. Possibly [name_f]Esme[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]?

7

[name_f]Ivy[/name_f] maybe?

8

Out of your choices I like [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] the best but I agree that it rhymes too much with [name_m]Griffin[/name_m]. All of the others are too popular. I really like a pp’s suggestions of [name_f]Clarissa[/name_f] for girl. She doesn’t have the same ending as any of your other children (something you keep running into with the names on your list). In fact, I think you should go with an A ending for just that reason. I also really like [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. Other suggestions:

[name_f]Heidi[/name_f], [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], [name_m]Griffin[/name_m], and:

[name_f]Maia[/name_f]
[name_f]Brigitta[/name_f]
[name_f]Pola[/name_f]
[name_f]Bianca[/name_f]
[name_f]Vera[/name_f]
[name_f]Willa[/name_f]
[name_f]Kenna[/name_f]
Davinia nn [name_m]Davy[/name_m] or [name_u]Vinnie[/name_u]
[name_f]Jetta[/name_f]
[name_f]Farrah[/name_f]
[name_f]Inga[/name_f]
[name_f]Chrissa[/name_f]
[name_f]Tatia[/name_f]

9

I actually adore the name [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], but I think [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_f]Heidi[/name_f] sound very similar. There’s was little girl [name_f]Heidi[/name_f]'s summer camp named [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], and they’d both come running whenever they called one or the other.

10

[name_f]Astrid[/name_f] or [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]?

11

[name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliette[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Adele[/name_f]
[name_f]Angeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecile[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f]
[name_f]Marguerite[/name_f]
[name_f]Lena[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f]
[name_f]Johanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Molly[/name_f]
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]
[name_f]Leila[/name_f]
[name_f]Luna[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucia[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]
[name_u]Simone[/name_u]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f]
[name_f]Kate[/name_f]

12

[name_f]Alice[/name_f]: I definitely dont think [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is as popular as it used to be yet its still a beautiful classic name.

[name_f]Amelie[/name_f]: I prefer [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] or [name_f]Emelia[/name_f] if Im honest.

[name_f]Carys[/name_f]/[name_f]Cerys[/name_f]: THIS? you mean THESE right? These are two completely different names. [name_f]Carys[/name_f] (my own name!!) Is pronounced CA-riss (like in cat) and [name_f]Cerys[/name_f] is CEH-riss. I hate that people think these are the same name as where I live they are two seperate names in they’re own right. I have a cousin called [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] and its never been an issue sounding similar, in fact my own brothers name (Lewys, like [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]) sounds closer than [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] does.

[name_f]Elsa[/name_f]: I HATE Frozen and thats all I can think of sorry. You would have to get used to people constantly asking if she was named after Frozen.

[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]: I think [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is more popular and less pretty than [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]!

[name_u]Quinn[/name_u]: I adore [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]! I think this would be perfect for you actually. Its fresh and underused.

13

[name_u]Quinn[/name_u] is my favorite from your list. Some others…

[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Olive[/name_f]
[name_f]Cora[/name_f]
[name_u]Arden[/name_u]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_u]Laine[/name_u]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Willa[/name_f]
[name_u]Blaire[/name_u]
[name_f]Calla[/name_f]
[name_u]Adair[/name_u]
[name_u]Eden[/name_u]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwen[/name_f]
[name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Mable[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Etta[/name_f]
[name_f]Faye[/name_f]
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]