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[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Milena[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Milena[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Seraphine[/name]
[name]Rosanna[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name] - I do think [name]Laura[/name] and [name]Lyra[/name] are too close though.
[name]Maeve[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Celeste[/name] - [name]One[/name] of my favorites, and I do not think it is too difficult to promounce.
[name]Love[/name] love love the name [name]Tabitha[/name], but since it is my cat’s name, I had to remove it.
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[name]Aria[/name]
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[name]Lyra[/name] (although I wonder if you’re saying it [name]Ly[/name]-ruh (like in lyric) or Lie-ruh (like in [name]Lyre[/name], which is what it’s named for) if it’s the first one, I would take it off the list.
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[name]Thea[/name] (I say Thee-uh)
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[name]Annaliese[/name]
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[name]Milena[/name]
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[name]Mira[/name]
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[name]Rosaline[/name]
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[name]Seraphine[/name]
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[name]Celeste[/name]
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No I don’t have a hard time saying [name]Celeste[/name]. I imagine it’s the -st that’s giving you problems though, and that might be a bit hard starting out, but i wouldn’t worry about it.
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No matter how you’re saying [name]Lyra[/name], I don’t find it too close to [name]Laura[/name].
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I’ve always liked [name]Thea[/name]. It’s no more insubstantial than [name]Cleo[/name] or [name]Chloe[/name] or some of the other names I see thrown around like [name]Nora[/name] or [name]Sylvie[/name].
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[name]Anneliese[/name] - I’m really starting to like this name, It just makes me picture a lovely little blonde girl.
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name] - I love this name it’s on my list to, I knew a little girl named [name]Tess[/name] and she was always so sweet.
[name]Adeline[/name] - I really like this name, It sounds so Victorian and grand
[name]Rosaline[/name] - All the beauty of [name]Rosalie[/name] with not as much popularity, lovely
[name]Aria[/name] - Simple, but unique and beautiful
[name]Mira[/name] - I prefer the full [name]Miranda[/name], but [name]Mira[/name] is cute on it’s own
[name]Thea[/name] - I love this as a nn for [name]Theadora[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name] - I really like this name, it sounds lyrical and flowing and you shouldn’t worry about it being to close to your name
[name]Maeve[/name] - This is my little sister’s name so I might be a bit biased
[name]Cecily[/name] - I fell in love with this after reading The Importance of Being [name]Ernest[/name], so I see the [name]Cecily[/name] from that play when I hear it. It’s so delicate and unique
I’ll answer your questions first…
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I don’t find [name]Celeste[/name] hard to say at all and I think it is a relatively well known name that people won’t have an issue with.
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I don’t think [name]Lyra[/name] is too close to [name]Laura[/name] at all, although some people may assume you have gone for matchy names.
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Is [name]Thea[/name] pronounced as Tee-uh or Thee-uh? Or a different way, I’m not sure if I saying it right. [name]Tia[/name] is quite common in the UK (Tee-uh)and so are similar names such as [name]Mia[/name], [name]Ria[/name], [name]Leah[/name] etc. However, [name]Anthea[/name] ends in the thee-uh sound and I’ve never heard or met of anyone named [name]Thea[/name] in the UK so I don’t see it as a popular name, and certainly not trendy.
Back to your list, I must say I do really like some of the names here!
[name]Tabitha[/name] and [name]Maeve[/name] are 2 of my favourite girls names so they are my favourites on your list. I really like; [name]Anneliese[/name], [name]Jessamine[/name], [name]Adeline[/name], [name]Milena[/name] and [name]Cecily[/name].
I’ve never really liked [name]Mira[/name], [name]Angelica[/name] or [name]Rose[/name]- names.
[name]Lyra[/name] and [name]Calla[/name] almost seem a little trendy, with [name]Calla[/name] being so close to [name]Callie[/name] and [name]Lyra[/name] to [name]Leila[/name], [name]Lila[/name], [name]Lola[/name] etc.
[name]Aria[/name] and [name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name] are ok, if not a little cutesy.
I’d keep:
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]
[name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Angelica[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
Why I removed these:
[name]Rosaline[/name] and [name]Rosanna[/name] - both are lovely, but I prefer just [name]Rose[/name]. Nothing against these, though, and they probably would’ve stayed if I didn’t like the rest of your list so much.
[name]Milena[/name]- [name]Just[/name] kind of blendy with all the Selenas, Alinas, Marinas, Elenas, etc. Not a bad name, just not terribly interesting.
[name]Seraphine[/name]- I much prefer [name]Seraphina[/name], but that’s the only reason.
[name]Tabitha[/name]- Not my thing. Again, a perfectly good name, but not my taste. It reminds me of cats and I don’t love the sound, but it’s just me.
[name]Lyra[/name]- because of pronunciation issues. I’ve only ever heard it pronounced LEER-a or LIH-ra, like [name]Lyric[/name], but I think the standard pronunciation of the constellation is LIE-ra and that’s the way it looks. I’m not really in love with the latter, though I think LEER/LIH-ra is quite pretty. And like [name]Milena[/name], it’s not very distinct from [name]Lila[/name]/[name]Layla[/name]/[name]Lily[/name]/[name]Mira[/name]/[name]Myra[/name] etc.
[name]Cecily[/name] and [name]Celeste[/name]- I really like both names and don’t have a problem with either of them, I just had to narrow it down to ten and I liked the others better. Your excellent taste makes this very difficult!
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Does anyone find [name]Celeste[/name] a little hard to say? Maybe a little lispy. I don’t have a lisp but I struggle with saying it a little and wonder if its just me? Its putting me off a name I love because I don’t want my child to have problems saying their own name.
I have no problem with it at all, though if your child has a lisp it might be an issue. I find names with double Rs like [name]Rory[/name] more difficult. -
My names [name]Laura[/name], is [name]Lyra[/name] way too close?
[name]Laura[/name] and [name]Lyra[/name] are too close for siblings, but I think it’s fine for a mother and daughter. -
I’m quite surprised by the general change of opinion about [name]Thea[/name] on these boards. This was high on our list about 2 years ago but a lot of Berries had negative comments about it, for example that it was insubstantial and they only liked it as a nickname for [name]Anthea[/name], [name]Althea[/name] or [name]Dorothea[/name] etc, or that the meaning (goddess) was a strange one for a child to live with. Its ranked really highly in my last thread (7th) and I’m so surprised I just wondered if there was anything, like a tv character called [name]Thea[/name], driving the general change of opinion? Its popularity in the UK put me off before so I’m worried its going to be a future trendy name!
I hadn’t noticed, but maybe it’s just grown on people. There’s no [name]Thea[/name] pop culture reference that I know of, but perhaps it’s just the kind of name you have to grow to like. I used to think [name]Tessa[/name] worked only as a nickname for [name]Teresa[/name], but I’m fine with it on its own now. I warmed up to the idea Perhaps people felt the same way about [name]Thea[/name]. And it is quite close to [name]Mia[/name]/[name]Tia[/name]/[name]Leah[/name]/[name]Kia[/name]/[name]Bria[/name] etc., so maybe with their rising popularity [name]Thea[/name] seems more wearable.
struggle with [name]Tess[/name] alone, although I [name]LOVE[/name] IT. Same with [name]Thea[/name]. Not fond of [name]Theodora[/name] (sounds like a piano falling off a moving truck) but has been on our list(s) because of the beautiful [name]Thea[/name]. [name]Anthea[/name] is a bit granny, both are trés posh in the UK.
actually, [name]Anthea[/name] is quite pretty. [name]Anne[/name] & [name]Thea[/name] are great nns.
I’m going to put all names in order of most to least favorite:
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
[name]Rosaline[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Celeste[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Rosanna[/name]
[name]Seraphine[/name]
[name]Angelica[/name]
[name]Milena[/name]
[name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]
[name]Seraphine[/name] (prefer [name]Seraphina[/name] though)
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Rosaline[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
A few extra questions too:
- Does anyone find [name]Celeste[/name] a little hard to say? Maybe a little lispy. I don’t have a lisp but I struggle with saying it a little and wonder if its just me? Its putting me off a name I love because I don’t want my child to have problems saying their own name.
I don’t have a problem saying it but I could see how that would be a concern. Someone with a strong lisp might have a hard time with it. I think it’s totally up to you if you want to take that “risk” but I don’t think it’s a huge deal.
- My names [name]Laura[/name], is [name]Lyra[/name] way too close?
I agree with PP that it’s too close for siblings for sure. I’m not sure I’d use a name that close personally but it’s not as bad as using something like [name]Lauren[/name].
- I’m quite surprised by the general change of opinion about [name]Thea[/name] on these boards. This was high on our list about 2 years ago but a lot of Berries had negative comments about it, for example that it was insubstantial and they only liked it as a nickname for [name]Anthea[/name], [name]Althea[/name] or [name]Dorothea[/name] etc, or that the meaning (goddess) was a strange one for a child to live with. Its ranked really highly in my last thread (7th) and I’m so surprised I just wondered if there was anything, like a tv character called [name]Thea[/name], driving the general change of opinion? Its popularity in the UK put me off before so I’m worried its going to be a future trendy name!
I never really heard the name [name]Thea[/name] until recently. The closest I had heard was my great aunt [name]Thelma[/name]. [name]Thea[/name] does seem a little incomplete to me though. I think I agree with others that I like it better as a nn but it’s not terrible at all.
[name]Celeste[/name] - I love this name. I knew a [name]Celeste[/name] and on a first-name basis it wasn’t tricky at all. You do have to be careful with the ln, but I think [name]Celeste[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] is fine.
[name]Cecily[/name] - I [name]LOVE[/name] the way this name sounds, not so hot on the meaning. If that doesn’t bother you though I think it’s simply gorgeous.
[name]Aria[/name] - I think this is so pretty
[name]Milena[/name] - I’m not always into alliteration but [name]Milena[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] is really pretty
[name]Tessa[/name] - add the a with your ln [name]Morgan[/name]
I’m not as crazy about the others but I guess I would rank the next five:
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Rosaline[/name]
[name]Seraphina[/name] instead of [name]Seraphine[/name] would be #4, but the E instead of A ending makes me think serpentine, which I don’t get from [name]Seraphina[/name].
[name]EDIT[/name]: on [name]Thea[/name], consider the current popularity of [name]Theo[/name]. I think [name]Thea[/name] is riding that wave.
[name]Lyra[/name] and [name]Laura[/name] are not too close for a mother/daughter and a nice tribute.
[name]Tessa[/name]/[name]Tess[/name]
[name]Seraphine[/name]
[name]Rosanna[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
The last three are just there to make it 10, though 
[name]Celeste[/name] is not too difficult to say, but I always found it a bit too masculine sounding for some reason. [name]Celesta[/name]/[name]Celestia[/name] or [name]Celestine[/name] or Celandine would be better for me.
[name]Lyra[/name] and [name]Laura[/name] is close in a cute way, but if she’s the only one who gets a name that sounds somewhat similar to another family member’s she might feel left out.
I don’t like [name]Thea[/name] myself, I haven’t noticed the trend among other name lovers though. She’s insubstantial to me as well, too short with too many soft sounds like [name]Leah[/name] or [name]Emma[/name] or [name]Isla[/name] or [name]Mia[/name] or [name]Lila[/name] or [name]Maya[/name] or [name]Mila[/name] or [name]Layla[/name]. She sort of drowns in the multitude and doesn’t hold her own as well as [name]Clea[/name], [name]Rhea[/name], [name]Nia[/name], [name]Olea[/name] or [name]Timea[/name] (to take names ending in -ea). My favourite names containing -thea would be [name]Aletheia[/name]/[name]Alethea[/name], Eidothea, Praxithea, Pasithea, Leucothea, Philothea and [name]Timothea[/name].
To fit with your names, I might suggest [name]Tova[/name], [name]Thora[/name] or [name]Tilda[/name] as replacements, along with [name]Tessa[/name], Tesla, [name]Thekla[/name], [name]Tansy[/name], [name]Theda[/name] and [name]Twila[/name].
I like, putting all of your comments in:
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]
[name]Rosaline[/name]
[name]Milena[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
Good luck!
First I want to rally to bring back [name]Lana[/name]- it’s so gorgeous & simple!
14. [name]Anneliese[/name]- pretty sounding, don’t like how it looks written
3. [name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name]- like [name]Tess[/name] a bit better- [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Theresa[/name] as fn [name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name] nn
9. [name]Jessamine[/name]- nice- I like [name]Jasmine[/name]
18. [name]Seraphine[/name]- not my taste. too sweet, angelic, princessy
15. [name]Adeline[/name]- nice enough, but I am over [name]Addie[/name] names
8. [name]Rosaline[/name]- Very pretty
4. [name]Rosanna[/name]- I love this one! An underused [name]Rose[/name] name. [name]Lovely[/name]!
16. [name]Milena[/name]- [name]Mila[/name] is cute
6. [name]Tabitha[/name]- cute and old fashioned
12. [name]Aria[/name]- pretty sounding, but I think this is going to get even more popular
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[name]Angelica[/name]- Very pretty. I love that it’s familiar and simple, easy to spell and pronounce, seldom heard, not dated or trendy…great pick
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[name]Mira[/name]- cute, simple
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[name]Calla[/name]- very pretty. would love to meet a little [name]Calla[/name]
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[name]Thea[/name]- I love this one and all the longer forms too!
17 [name]Lyra[/name]- This one I don’t know if it’s Leer-uh or Lie-ruh? -
[name]Maeve[/name]- nms
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[name]Cecily[/name]- This one is cute…makes me think of [name]Cecelia[/name], but I like it better
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[name]Celeste[/name]- cute I like [name]Celestine[/name] better.
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Does anyone find [name]Celeste[/name] a little hard to say? No. I had a lisp as a child- it still comes out a bit if I’m overtired or drunk! But this isn’t so bad…no worse than [name]Cecily[/name]!
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My names [name]Laura[/name], is [name]Lyra[/name] way too close? No. Not to me.
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I’m quite surprised by the general change of opinion about [name]Thea[/name] on these boards- I disagree with all of the negative sentiment! I love the name- I do also love [name]Theodora[/name], [name]Theodosia[/name], [name]Anthea[/name], [name]Althea[/name], ect…the meaning of [name]Thea[/name] doesn’t matter. My husband’s name means ‘the greatest’ and besides joking about it when I told him he was unaffected by this- people rarely even know the meaning of their name let alone feel a great weight if it means something extremely positive. I would only throw a name away if it had a very negative connotation. I think it’s a lovely name and one of my favorites on your list!
These are my 10 favourites from your list:
[name]Celeste[/name], [name]Lyra[/name], [name]Maeve[/name], [name]Jessamine[/name], [name]Cecily[/name], [name]Tabitha[/name], [name]Mira[/name], [name]Thea[/name], [name]Calla[/name] & [name]Seraphine[/name].
I particularly adore [name]Celeste[/name] & [name]Lyra[/name] (and I don’t think [name]Celeste[/name] is lispy or difficult to say at all).
Beautiful names! Good luck!
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LN [name]Morgan[/name]…
[name]Anneliese[/name] - very pretty! There are probably a million different ways to pronounce it, though. Are you doing ann-leese or anna-leesa or anna-leese? I like anna-leese the most.
[name]Tess[/name]/[name]Tessa[/name] - I don’t like it all that much. I do like [name]Tess[/name] better, though.
[name]Jessamine[/name] - very pretty! Would you call her [name]Jessa[/name] or [name]Jessie[/name]? I can’t stand the nickname [name]Jess[/name].
[name]Seraphine[/name] - I prefer [name]Seraphina[/name].
[name]Adeline[/name] - gorgeous! I absolutely love it!
[name]Rosaline[/name] - Cute!
[name]Rosanna[/name] - Pretty! I think there was a duck called this in [name]Babe[/name]. I could be wrong.
[name]Milena[/name] - I don’t like it.
[name]Tabitha[/name] - I don’t like it.
[name]Aria[/name] - I don’t like it.
[name]Angelica[/name] - I REALLY don’t like it.
[name]Mira[/name] - Okay.
[name]Calla[/name] - I don’t like it.
[name]Thea[/name] - Gorgeous!
[name]Lyra[/name] - Pretty, I prefer [name]Keira[/name] though.
[name]Maeve[/name] - I love it, it’s so different!
[name]Cecily[/name] - I really like it!
[name]Celeste[/name] - Really an amazing name!
- No, not at all. [name]Celeste[/name] is my brother’s godmother’s name, and she’s a wonderful lady.
- I’d say so.
- I know a [name]Thea[/name], she’s so pretty, creative, and outgoing I’m jealous! It’s a nice name.
Oh, my top 10 is:
Adeline
Maeve
Cecily
Celeste
Thea
Anneliese
Rosanna
Tess
Lyra
Jessamine
Good luck!