I have about ten weeks to go until our 3rd child (and FIRST girl) arrives. My husband and I have had a hell of a time choosing little one’s names because he favors the [name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Caroline[/name] type of name and I’m less mainstream i.e. [name]Astrid[/name] and [name]Roxana[/name] are fine by me… BUT we finally agreed on [name]IMOGEN[/name] (Shaksperean, artists as in [name]Imogen[/name] Cunnigham, means “maiden” which is similar to the meaning of my name). We are Americans living in [name]Britain[/name] where [name]Imogen[/name] is familiar #34 last year but we are on our way back the the States where she will be raised. We didn’t think it would be a problem name for her and even a kind of British keepsake for all of her life. So last night I tell my mother the name and she can’t say it - she thinks in is [name]Imogene[/name] misspelled. [name]Do[/name] you think this will be a problem throughout her life? I like the name - I think it has many strengths and I like it’s quirkiness but is it pretty enough?
For the record other considerations I had were (the mn has to be [name]Mae[/name] and she’ll have a very dull, very short, last name)…
[name]Petra[/name]
[name]Camilla[/name]
[name]Georgiana[/name] (pronounced Jor-jayna)
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]
[name]Clemency[/name]
[name]Hollis[/name]
[name]Celia[/name]
[name]Marigold[/name] (my 4 yr old son wants this one badly and I think it is darling but I can’t see it managing much credibility on a resume)
You have some lovely names on your list.
I love [name]Imogen[/name] and if people don’t know the name over time they will get used to it, so if it is THE name go ahead and use it.
I had no idea that [name]Georgiana[/name], [name]George[/name] ee are nah as I pronounce it was said the way you explained it. Can you tell me if that is the traditional pronunciation? I love it but prefer my pronunciation.
My daughter loves [name]Petra[/name] and would love to use it but it sounds harsh with an Aussie accent.
[name]Celia[/name] is so pretty as is [name]Cecily[/name] and [name]Cecilia[/name].
I love [name]Sabine[/name], it is all class to me and I would love to have a daughter named [name]Sabine[/name].
Obviously [name]Sabine[/name] and [name]Imogen[/name] do not work together though, what a shame.
As I understand it my pronunciation (the way they often say it in the UK) comes from the Devonshire family’s particular elitist accent. Although the Duchess of Devonshire was called [name]Georgiana[/name] (JOR-JI-[name]ANAH[/name]) originally her husband’s family(those crazy and massively upper crust Devonshires) called her “jor-[name]JAY[/name]-nah” and she maintained that pronunciation all of her life… and her fame led to a trickle down so now it is the common way to say it over here - though I have heard JOR JI [name]ANAH[/name] said, too. The poshness of the name has been a concern but we like how the feminine “[name]Jane[/name]” sound balanced out the masculine “[name]George[/name]” bit. Does sound a bit snotty, though, I suppose. I had planned on dressing it down to [name]Georgie[/name] before we “decided” on [name]Imogen[/name]. Blar!
First of all congrats on your baby girl!
[name]Imogen[/name] [name]Mae[/name], I like this but your mother’s sentiment may be true, she will likely get some confusion and incorrect pronounciations as it is not heard much in the states.
[name]Petra[/name] [name]Mae[/name], As I was reading your post I was actually going to suggest this for you! I love [name]Petra[/name]!
[name]Camilla[/name] [name]Mae[/name], sorry, all I think of is the woman [name]Charles[/name] cheated with
[name]Georgiana[/name] [name]Mae[/name], pronounciation will be a problem if you are going with Geor-jay-na… As most would say Geor-Jee-anna.
[name]Sabine[/name] [name]Mae[/name] this is more french than british to me and nice but I loke [name]Petra[/name] much more
[name]Penelope[/name] [name]Mae[/name], don’t love it… I think [name]Petra[/name] and others are much stronger for her in the long run.
[name]Clemency[/name] [name]Mae[/name], I think of the judicial term to grant someone clemency and for me that’s kind of a turn off.
[name]Hollis[/name] [name]Mae[/name], this is my second fav on your list. [name]Unique[/name] but you don’t have pronounciation concerns.
[name]Celia[/name] [name]Mae[/name] [name]Love[/name] this too!
[name]Marigold[/name] [name]Mae[/name], I agree with you on the resume issue
A few others to add to your list:
[name]Willa[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name]
[name]Eva[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Annika[/name]
[name]Ailsa[/name]
[name]Isla[/name]
[name]Hannah[/name]
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Lavinia[/name]
[name]Evangeline[/name]
[name]Phillipa[/name] nn [name]Pippa[/name]
i’m with your mom , i’m not sure how to pronounce this name either (or at least, i wouldn’t have a clue if it were not for this site!). i’m canadian, fwiw.
[name]Sabine[/name] is a really beautiful choice 
(I wrote my comments into the quote)
If you really like [name]Marigold[/name] (which I think is darling), she could be “[name]Mari[/name]” as an adult (or, name her [name]Mari[/name] and call her [name]Marigold[/name] – sort of a reverse nn!).
I adore the name [name]Sabine[/name], a friend just named her daughter this and I think it’s lovely.
If you love [name]Imogen[/name], though, go for it. I think British names are becoming increasingly popular in the US (at least they are in the [name]Boston[/name] area) and while you might have to correct pronunciation once in a while, I have a hard time believing people wouldn’t have at least seen the name written before.
[name]Hi[/name]! I think you should name it what you want, not what mother/mother-in-laws want.
[name]Georgiana[/name] is my favorite … but when I read it, I didn’t pronounce it like that in my head. So, I love the name [name]Hollis[/name]. I think it is unusual and still classy.
[name]How[/name] is [name]Sabine[/name] pronounced?
I think it’s your daughter, and you get to name her. Your mother in law already named her children; she no longer gets to make the decision. You clearly love [name]Imogen[/name], and you and your husband agree on it, so go with it.
It’s not so much that I want to please my mother with the name (my eldest has a name that the whole family hated at the time but no one even thinks about it now) but I want my family to be able to [name]SAY[/name] it. And my concerns were that my mom’s inability to not say [name]ImoGENE[/name] was going to be other peoples’ problem, too. It wouldn’t be a big deal if I didn’t HATE the name [name]Imogene[/name], but I do, and there is only one difference in one letter.
[name]SABINE[/name] - seems to have gotten good feedback - I say it Sa-been, but know that in Europe (where it is most common) in is often said SabinAH. What do you all think?
I want a name that is feminine but strong. That would suit her either as a ballerina or a monster truck driver (okay, maybe those are too extreme). That is where names like [name]Petra[/name] and [name]Celia[/name] get onto my lists. I’m eating up the suggestions so please, keep them coming. Other names I have rolled around lately…
[name]Colette[/name]
Anias (like the name but not the writer [name]Nin[/name])
[name]Josephine[/name] (love but husband hates)
[name]Estelle[/name]/a
[name]Blythe[/name]
Kysa
[name]Astrid[/name] (“ass” problems?)
[name]Ciel[/name] (but how do you say it)
[name]Lisel[/name] (like but my kid has a lisp and Lethal just won’t do)
Furthermore, my baby’s last name is one syllable and it is a proper noun - think like “House” (oo, I’d love being Dr. House’s Mrs. House - I don’t mind curmudgeons) or “Forks” so names like [name]Ruby[/name] - though I love it, come off weird…
Oooooo on your new additions list I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Colette[/name]!
This is why I won’t tell my mom the names we think about until after the baby is here If your heart is with [name]Imogen[/name], use it. Its one of my favorites as well, and I don’t think pronunciation will be a huge problem. It sounds just like it looks - people will catch on. [name]Georgiana[/name] on the other hand, will probably cause problems. I have vetoed the name for the same reason, except the pronunciation that I like has more of an “[name]Ana[/name]” ending instead of “anna”.
While I think [name]Imogen[/name] is very cute, if you really hate [name]Imogene[/name] I wouldn’t use the former. Inevitably a few people here and there will pronounce her name incorrectly and since you have such strong feelings about the mispronounced version I’d choose another name. Of your other choices, I really love [name]Petra[/name] [name]Mae[/name], [name]Georgiana[/name] [name]Mae[/name], and [name]Celia[/name] [name]Mae[/name]. I also adore the name [name]Colette[/name]! And [name]Colette[/name] [name]Mae[/name] works. I love [name]Sabine[/name], but think [name]Sabina[/name] works better with [name]Mae[/name].
A few more ideas:
[name]Beatrix[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]India[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Eugenia[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Marilla[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Clementine[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Nora[/name] [name]Mae[/name] (or [name]Eleanora[/name] [name]Mae[/name], nn [name]Nora[/name])
[name]Lila[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
[name]Frances[/name] [name]Mae[/name]
Good luck!
I second a lot of [name]Olive[/name]'s post. I agree about the problem with [name]Imogen[/name]. [name]Love[/name] [name]Georgiana[/name] and [name]Celia[/name] with [name]Mae[/name]. I love [name]Sabrina[/name] more than [name]Sabina[/name]. But that’s just me. I love the movie “[name]Sabrina[/name]” with [name]Audrey[/name] Hepburn.
The additional ideas are marvelous. Especially love [name]Beatrix[/name] and [name]Frances[/name].
I like your style; of your list, I prefer [name]Petra[/name] and [name]Celia[/name] (I love these enough to use them, in fact, though probably [name]Cecilia[/name] in my case).
So my husband is digging [name]Penelope[/name] (I’m leaning more towards [name]Petra[/name], [name]Celia[/name] or [name]Sabine[/name] but still VERY open to your excellent suggestions). We have considered nn [name]Nell[/name] or [name]Pippa[/name] but would probably go for the whole thing in the end but I am worried [name]Penelope[/name] is becoming too common. Thoughts? Additionally what do you all think of [name]Renata[/name]?
I am a [name]Sabine[/name] fan.
[name]Blythe[/name] is a lovely name and I want to make it [name]Honor[/name] [name]Blythe[/name] or [name]Blythe[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name].
[name]Ciel[/name] means sky and it is pronounced as Sea elle. I have always thought the spelling should be Cielle so that it was easier to pronounce and makes it an obviously feminine name. However, this goes against my rule of changing the traditional spelling of names.
[name]Claudia[/name] is a lovely name
[name]Anneke[/name]
[name]Catriona[/name] pronounced [name]Katrina[/name]
[name]Katya[/name] Russian nn for [name]Katerina[/name]
[name]Valentina[/name]
[name]Odette[/name]
[name]Olwyn[/name]
[name]Polly[/name]
[name]Molly[/name] nn for [name]Margaret[/name]
[name]Brigitte[/name] pronounced [name]Bridget[/name] or Brig it ah. nn Gitty
[name]Renata[/name] is such a hard sounding name.
[name]Freya[/name] and [name]Fern[/name] are pretty
I’ve never even heard of the name [name]Imogene[/name] - I think it might be [name]Imogen[/name] miss-spelled, not the other way around (but I am English)! [name]Don[/name]'t let it put you off.
[name]Petra[/name] - reminds me of petri dishes (you know, those little thinks you get in labs) …
[name]Camilla[/name] - [name]Camilla[/name] [name]Mae[/name] is hard to say.
[name]Georgiana[/name] - I’ve always pronounced this george-ee-ah-na …
[name]Sabine[/name] - quite nice.
[name]Penelope[/name] - I adore.
[name]Clemency[/name] - beautiful and unusual.
[name]Hollis[/name] - I prefer [name]Holly[/name], and I don’t think [name]Hollis[/name] [name]Mae[/name] goes well.
[name]Celia[/name] - I love.
[name]Marigold[/name] - I don’t think it lacks credibility at all - it is no different to naming her [name]Poppy[/name] or [name]Primrose[/name], and it’s much better than calling her [name]Daffodil[/name] or [name]Buttercup[/name]. I love it, although [name]Marigold[/name] [name]Mae[/name] is too cutesy.
Good luck!