You guys always have such great ideas on here, I’m hoping you sprinkle some of that magic decision-making power on me. Please, please! Here’s where I’m at. I have a bunch of ideas I like, but nothing I [name]LOVE[/name]. I feel like I have seen or heard everything and I’m desperately looking for a fresh perspective. Here goes:
izabella - always loved it. Would love to use the nickname [name]Ellie[/name] or ella. But I HAte that the name is #1 in many popularity charts.
[name]Arabella[/name] - started to like it when ivanka trump used it. Like the ellie or [name]Ella[/name] nickname. But I find the name a little pompous or too princessy. Not sure.
[name]Juliet[/name] - love it but worry it’s too frilly. Too many people will make jokes about [name]Romeo[/name]. Also, seems like it’s getting too popular.
[name]Sabrina[/name] - love how girly and gentle this name is, but it is my niece’s name.
[name]Matilda[/name] - I think it’s adorable but my husband says no one will date her if she has a bookish dowdy name like that.
[name]Lily[/name] - love the way it sounds for a little girl, not sure how I like it for an adult. Too cutsey. Also may be too popular.
[name]Luca[/name]-used to love it but I’m very sad it is being used more and more for boys. [name]Don[/name]'t like Unisex names for a girl. Guess I can still use it someday for a boy!!
[name]Mariah[/name] - I think it’s very pretty but my friends say it sounds ‘lower’ class. Not sure why.
Thank you in advance to anyone who has a moment to help. So appreciated!!!
Those are some of my FAVs, but nothing seems just right. HELP!!!
[name]Izabella[/name] - I don’t mind this name, but if you’re worried about the popularity of it, what about [name]Isobel[/name] instead?
[name]Arabella[/name] - I find this name a little frilly, but it’s pretty!
[name]Juliet[/name] - I don’t find this frilly, I think it’s nice. What about [name]Julia[/name] or [name]Juliana[/name] if you’re worried about the [name]Romeo[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name] connection?
[name]Sabrina[/name] - I can’t think of any alternatives for this, I’m sorry!
[name]Matilda[/name] - I can’t think of any alternatives for this either, but that’s too bad your husband doesn’t like it. This name is pretty.
[name]Lily[/name] - What about [name]Lillian[/name]/[name]Lilliana[/name], or [name]Lilia[/name], with the nickname [name]Lily[/name]?
[name]Luca[/name] - I definitely can’t see this on a girl. What about [name]Lucia[/name] or [name]Lucy[/name]?
[name]Mariah[/name] - I don’t find this low class either, I think it’s nice.
You have some sweet girls names here but some are quite popular or otherwise problematic.
[name]Do[/name] any of these names with a similar feel appeal?
Instead of [name]Izabella[/name] how about [name]Isaline[/name], [name]Isadora[/name], [name]Irina[/name].
Instead of [name]Arabella[/name] how about [name]Alethea[/name], [name]Anika[/name], [name]Annalie[/name].
I stead of [name]Mariah[/name] how about [name]Thalia[/name], [name]Moira[/name], [name]Marian[/name].
Instead of [name]Juliet[/name] how about [name]Gianna[/name], [name]Danica[/name], [name]Celia[/name].
Instead of [name]Sabrina[/name] how about [name]Simone[/name], [name]Sylvie[/name], [name]Louisa[/name].
Instead of [name]Lily[/name] how about [name]Lucienne[/name], [name]Lilac[/name], [name]Petal[/name], [name]Poppy[/name], [name]Linnea[/name].
Good luck!
[name]Annabel[/name]- [name]Ann[/name], [name]Annie[/name], [name]Belle[/name], [name]Bella[/name]
[name]Elliana[/name] -[name]Elle[/name]/ [name]Ella[/name] or possibly [name]Lia[/name] or [name]Lana[/name] or [name]Lani[/name]
[name]Marianna[/name]
[name]Julianne[/name] or [name]Julia[/name]
[name]Selena[/name] or [name]Serena[/name]
[name]How[/name] about [name]Julietta[/name]? You get the nickname of [name]Etta[/name], which feels much fresher than [name]Ella[/name]. I love the suggestion of [name]Serena[/name] – It’s a lovely name, and I think it’s softer than [name]Sabrina[/name]. I also love [name]Annabel[/name]/[name]Annabella[/name]. [name]Eleanor[/name] could give you [name]Ellie[/name] as well. I don’t think [name]Matilda[/name] is bookish, but would [name]Tilly[/name] or [name]Mattie[/name] nicknames help to win your husband over? [name]How[/name] about [name]Amelia[/name]?
I’m not a huge fan of [name]Arabella[/name] myself I agree with your comments.
Other suggestions close to what you have chosen:
[name]Serena[/name]
[name]Lucia[/name] (more feminine) [name]Luca[/name] I’ve heard on boys
[name]Mariah[/name] is nice [name]IMO[/name]
[name]Sienna[/name]
[name]Mya[/name] / [name]Maya[/name]
[name]Isabella[/name]- pretty being on the top of the charts doesn’t bother me
[name]Arianna[/name]
[name]Lilianna[/name] - use [name]Lily[/name] for short
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Sofia[/name] or [name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Hope[/name] this helps. If it’s any consolation I’m struggling myself for a girl baby name- only because most of the names I like have been used by relatives… good luck!
[name]Izabella[/name] - If you love it, I vote go for it. Popular or no, it is a lovely name, plenty of nickname options for the little Isabellas out there and, as is sometimes noted around here, the top names today are being used less than in the past (Example-- last year there were 19,745 Isabellas born in the US, but in 1980 there were 58,379 Jennifers-- the number of Isabellas is more comparable to a [name]Heather[/name] or [name]Nicole[/name] of that year than a megapopular #1 name)
[name]Arabella[/name] - This feels like overkill to me too, plus I have a feeling if [name]Izabella[/name] is your favorite, [name]Arabella[/name] would feel like a compromise.
[name]Juliet[/name] - I don’t think teasing will be an issue because there will be other little Juliets out there… [name]Julia[/name], [name]Julianna[/name], [name]Etta[/name]
[name]Sabrina[/name] - [name]Cynthia[/name], [name]Celeste[/name], it’s hard to think of alternatives to [name]Sabrina[/name] (other than [name]Serena[/name] which feels a little too close for cousins if you see them often)
[name]Matilda[/name] and [name]Mariah[/name] - [name]Maria[/name], [name]Marilla[/name], [name]Maren[/name], [name]Marcie[/name]
[name]Lily[/name] - [name]Lillian[/name] (also popular, but may age better), [name]Lillith[/name], [name]Lilibet[/name]
[name]Luca[/name]- Most have been said-- [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Lucretia[/name], [name]Lucienne[/name]
izabella - I think you should still consider it, although the [name]Isabella[/name] spelling will save a few headaches.
[name]Arabella[/name] - It is very pretty, but I would go with [name]Izabella[/name]/[name]Isabella[/name] if you love it more.
[name]Juliet[/name] - I think it’s a beautiful name, and I think the growth in popularity will lessen the [name]Romeo[/name] stuff. Still, if you have the reservations, keep looking.
[name]Sabrina[/name] - That’s tough. There are plenty of other names though.
[name]Matilda[/name] - Your husband’s concerns are really unfounded. And dating is such a long way away - and is going to have way more to do with her personality and presentation than her name.
[name]Lily[/name] - I think this name actually ages very well.
[name]Luca[/name]-This was always a boys’ name…
[name]Mariah[/name] - I like the name and I think the association with [name]Mariah[/name] [name]Carey[/name] is probably the root of your friends’ comments. Not going to comment further on that, other than to say I think that’s a problematic attitude…
OK, here are suggestions of names that have some overlap with your list:
[name]Ariella[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Ellie[/name] or [name]Lily[/name]
[name]Gabriella[/name]
[name]Graciela[/name]
[name]Harriet[/name]
[name]Isadora[/name]
[name]Julia[/name]
[name]Juliana[/name]
[name]Liliana[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Maria[/name]
[name]Miriam[/name]
[name]Violet[/name]
Well I love love love [name]Juliet[/name]. I agree it’s slowly starting to rise in popularity, but it’s not so popular yet that your kid would know 5 other Juliets. That gets my vote.
However, I also really like [name]Matilda[/name] and don’t think its “dowdy” at all.
My least favourite is either [name]Luca[/name] (because I hear it more on boys) and [name]Mariah[/name] because my first association is [name]Mariah[/name] [name]Carey[/name], the singer.
I just need to defend [name]Matilda[/name]. I doubt any man worth being with would think [name]Matilda[/name] was dowdy, and even less not want to date a [name]Matilda[/name] because of her name! Unless she’s dull, mean and looks like she should live under a bridge I doubt any decent man would care about her name. My fn’s [name]Agnes[/name], and I’ve always had boyfriends, and I know it’s a name not everyone finds overly attractive.
[name]How[/name] about modifying the names you love, just a wee bit?
Instead of [name]Juliet[/name], how about [name]Julianna[/name]?
Instead of [name]Lily[/name], how about [name]Lillian[/name] and use [name]Lily[/name] as a nickname. When she’s older she’ll have a more ‘mature’ sounding name to fall on.
Instead of [name]Izabella[/name] & [name]Arabella[/name], how about [name]Anabelle[/name], [name]Mirabelle[/name], or any of the other many names ending in -elle? [name]Elle[/name]/[name]Ella[/name]/[name]Ellie[/name] would be a sweet nickname.
good luck!