I can’t use my absolute favorite girl name as a first name because in combination with our last name a little [name]Harriet[/name] would be very likely to be teased with “Hairy [name]Man[/name]”. Our last name is also causing problems with my next favorite, [name]Alice[/name]. Our last name, like [name]Alice[/name], is 2 syllables and ends with the “iss” sound. I can’t decide whether to just ignore this so I don’t lose another favorite name or if I should put [name]Alice[/name] in the middle name spot along with a second middle name.
My son’s name is [name]Benton[/name] [name]Grover[/name]. I don’t necessarily want a “matching sibset”, but I want them to sound like they somewhat go together, if that makes any sense.
Here are the combos I’m considering…
[name]Alice[/name] [name]Imogen[/name]
[name]Alice[/name] [name]Harriet[/name]
[name]Myra[/name] [name]Alice[/name]-[name]Jane[/name]
I wouldn’t mind hearing some more suggestions of combos either! Please keep in mind that I’d rather the first name not be any further up the popularity list than [name]Alice[/name]. Actually, [name]Alice[/name] is more popular than I’d like, but I love it so much that I’m willing to look past that. [name]Just[/name] not so sure I can look past the last name problem.
Thanks, ashleymaeve. I love his name too. I’m OK with [name]Benton[/name] and [name]Alice[/name] as a sibset. I agree that they don’t fit together the best, but I love the individual names enough that it doesn’t bother me too bad. I really consider [name]Mirabel[/name] more of a middle name, but I do like your suggestions.
[name]Flora[/name] [name]June[/name] is lovely. Thanks, sugarfoot.
So what is the general opinion on whether [name]Alice[/name] is usable with our last name?
I like either [name]Alice[/name] [name]Imogen[/name] or [name]Myra[/name] [name]Alice[/name]-[name]Jayne[/name].
From your others names I like:
[name]Annika[/name]
[name]Flora[/name]
[name]Pearl[/name]
[name]Sage[/name]
[name]Josephine[/name]
[name]Luna[/name]
[name]Hermione[/name]
In this case I quite like [name]Sybil[/name], or maybe even [name]Sybella[/name]. ([name]Sybil[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]? [name]Sybella[/name] [name]Pearl[/name]?)
With an “ends in iss” last name and [name]Benton[/name] as a sibling, I like [name]Vesper[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name] ([name]Vesper[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]?), [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Opal[/name] ([name]Hermione[/name] [name]Opal[/name]?), [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Jewel[/name], [name]Luna[/name], [name]Mirabel[/name] ([name]Luna[/name] [name]Mirabel[/name]?), [name]Susanna[/name], [name]Rose[/name]/[name]Rosemary[/name] ([name]Susanna[/name] [name]Rose[/name]?) and [name]Flora[/name].
I think the suggestion of [name]Alicia[/name] [name]Kate[/name] (with the nn of [name]Alice[/name] if you prefer) is a very good one! I know [name]Alice[/name] is getting to be popular, but it’s just nms at all. I prefer more youthful sounding names that age well and I think [name]Alicia[/name] fits the bill. I also like [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Josephine[/name] from your list. The rest are nms.
Thank you so much for all the responses! It was a wonderful thing to wake up to!
[name]Alicia[/name] would be the no brainer way to get to [name]Alice[/name], but neither my DH nor I are too fond of it. It’s starting to feel dated us. A little too 90s maybe?
It sounds like most of you are agreeing with the side of my brain that tells me to let go of [name]Alice[/name] as well. Why does my DH have to have such a difficult last name?! I’ve been telling him it’s all his fault. lol
The people who are liking [name]Vesper[/name] are making me love it again. [name]Do[/name] you all really think it’s usable? Most people in my neck of rural [name]America[/name] will have never heard it. Although, I’ve noticed a lot of people in my area are using made up names, so I don’t know if that should really be a concern.
I think you have a lot of great options… But from someone in rural [name]America[/name]- like you mentioned, I don’t see the appeal of vesper at all. It doesn’t feel feminine and makes me think of a [name]Vespa[/name]. [name]Hope[/name] that helps… [name]Benton[/name] is great! From your list, I really like [name]Rose[/name].
I wouldn’t let other people not being familiar with a name stop you from using it. [name]Vesper[/name] is full of historical surprises and meaning. And especially if those around you are making up names - at least [name]Vesper[/name] is legit!
Ok, for lack of a better thought I’m going to assume your surname is Mantis, like a praying mantis. I agree- [name]Harriet[/name] and [name]Alice[/name] really are out. So, form your other choices:
[name]Vesper[/name] if you do not come from a part of the country with a high proportion of adherents to liturgical churches (Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox) then you’re right, this will strike people as strange. [name]Vesper[/name] Mantis doesn’t have the best flow either.
[name]Hazel[/name] this is a definite option, and matches the antique style of [name]Benton[/name] [name]Grover[/name] very well.
[name]Ann[/name]/[name]Annika[/name] [name]Annika[/name] has a lilting flow and balances a consonant-heavy last name. I think it matches the smooth sound of [name]Benton[/name] well.
[name]Flora[/name] to me, this is a bit too antique. It’s also a margarine brand. I think it has unfortunate rhymes (whore-a, poor-a, floor-a, sore-a) which can make middle school tough, if she’s surrounded by Kaylees and Braydens.
[name]Helena[/name] great choice and a nice match
[name]Jewel[/name] I think this is a name that could win over middle [name]America[/name], due to the singer, while preserving it’s vintage charm. However, not sure if [name]Jewel[/name] Mantis has the best flow.
[name]Pearl[/name] same thoughts as [name]Jewel[/name]
[name]Sage[/name] sage is a modern meaning name, which I think is a poor stylistic match for [name]Benton[/name] [name]Grover[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name] very sweet yet dignified. Vintage charm+a vowel ending which flows nicely into Mantis. I think this is a winner.
[name]Josephine[/name] a little “too much name,” especially when surrounded by the aforementioned Kaylees and Braydens. [name]Benton[/name] will fit in, but [name]Josephine[/name] might have more difficulty.
[name]Luna[/name] this will be eponymous with the [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] character, but it will win acceptance for the same reasons. It’s a sweet, soft yet dignified name.
[name]Lucille[/name] I think [name]Lucy[/name] flows and sounds better-- [name]Lucille[/name] is very mid century, but not in retro chic way.
[name]Mira[/name]/[name]Mirabel[/name] [name]Mira[/name], [name]Myra[/name], [name]Mirabel[/name] flow well, if you don’t mind the alliteration.
[name]Temperance[/name] very trendy now, due to the fictional pathologist. Perhaps a shorter virtue name, like [name]Amity[/name]?
Harpeth this sounds like a sea monster
[name]Rose[/name]/[name]Rosemary[/name] both lovely, though fade a bit next to [name]Benton[/name]
[name]Susanna[/name] I also find this a bit plain next to [name]Benton[/name]
[name]Cate[/name]/[name]Kate[/name] continuing the plain refrain…
[name]Ellen[/name] this is completely unobjectionable, though it doesn’t stand out like some of your other choices
[name]Hermione[/name] in middle [name]America[/name], this is nothing but a fictional witch. I also find it a poor match for the smooth style of [name]Benton[/name]
[name]Opal[/name] [name]Opal[/name] Mantis doesn’t flow well to my ear; I find it a bit clunky
[name]Elizabeth[/name] again, not a stand out compared to some of your other choices, particularly if you don’t want to surpass [name]Alice[/name] in popularity
[name]Sybil[/name] very difficult name to revive in flyover country. Has an entrenched old-lady image. Again, I think [name]Benton[/name] would fit in much better with [name]Brayden[/name] than [name]Sybill[/name] would with [name]Kaylee[/name] and [name]Isabella[/name].
Ahh, I love [name]Vesper[/name]! It has such a soft, understated sound, and so feminine. I really love it. Personally, I really love the [name]James[/name] [name]Bond[/name] and religious ties for it, but I don’t know if you would or not. I think something like [name]Helena[/name] [name]Vesper[/name]/[name]Vesper[/name] [name]Helena[/name] would be lovely. If [name]Vesper[/name]'s just too unusual, I think it’d be a great MN option.
lol [name]Blade[/name], you’re so close. Our last name Manis. Which can be pronounced [name]May[/name]-nis or [name]Man[/name]-is. I usually pronounce it with the long A, but there is debate within the family as to which pronunciation is correct. Most strangers automatically assume it’s [name]Man[/name]-is when they read it. I agree that [name]Vesper[/name] [name]Man[/name]-is doesn’t have the best flow, but [name]Vesper[/name] [name]May[/name]-nis sounds lovely to me. See what I mean about our stupid last name being difficult?!
I loved the way you broke down your thoughts on each name. I read your entire comment to my DH and I think we’ll really get some use out of it.
To me, even though [name]Vesper[/name] is virtually unheard of around here, I think a little [name]Vesper[/name] would fit right in with all the little Pipers, Harpers, Emersons, Londons, and Carlees. We’re not particularly religious ourselves though. Does that matter since [name]Vesper[/name] has religious ties? The [name]Vespa[/name] scooter similarity doesn’t particularly bother me either because around here you’re more likely to hear about four wheelers and fishing boats than scooters. lol Yet, my little [name]Vesper[/name] may not want to live in backwoods [name]America[/name] all of her life. This is where my habit of over thinking rears it’s ugly head.
We’re also considering [name]Imogen[/name] as a first name now. Thoughts? I know I’ll have to correct some of the old timers around here. They’ll want to call her [name]Imogene[/name]. I don’t really think that’s any worse than having to tell them my name is [name]Cathryn[/name], not [name]Cathy[/name] though.
I’m loving the input, y’all! Thank you! Keep it coming!
[name]Glad[/name] to have helped! I don’t think [name]Vesper[/name] is overtly religious in the way, say, Avemaria is. I agree that the -er sound is definitely in as occupational surnames have made their way over to team pink.
[name]Imogen[/name] is beautiful, and a good match for [name]Benton[/name], though I agree that many will automatically lengthen it to -gene.
I must be in the minority, but I really don’t see a big problem with [name]Harriet[/name] and your last name, particularly the way you pronounce it. It works as well as [name]Harriet[/name] with anything else. Hairy man? Well, she’s a girl, so I doubt it would be a serious issue. If you had a boy and named him [name]Harry[/name] it would be different, of course! She may very well have a different last name for the majority of her life, which wouldn’t justify a truly horrific combination, but you could do a lot worse than [name]Harriet[/name] M__is, especially if you love the name. [name]Just[/name] my take
I think [name]Alice[/name] unfortunately doesn’t work well with your surname (worse than [name]Harriet[/name] for sure), and personally I don’t care for [name]Vesper[/name] or [name]Imogen[/name]. But if you love them, they both work fine with your last name!
I wish you weren’t in the minority, bjoy. I’ve posted a couple of threads in the past asking whether [name]Harriet[/name] Manis would be usable and the general consensus was a resounding NO. It makes me very sad as I believe it is the perfect name to go with [name]Benton[/name] [name]Grover[/name]. You see [name]Benton[/name] was my DH’s great grandfather’s name and [name]Grover[/name] was my great great grandfather’s name. [name]Harriet[/name] is my DH’s grandmother’s name. If I were able to use it, I’d look through all of my sister’s research into the genealogy of our side of the family and find the perfect middle name. And to me, that would be the perfect matching sibset. There are some other old family names that we like, but none stand out as much as [name]Harriet[/name] in sound and significance.
I’m OK with [name]Benton[/name] and [name]Alice[/name] as a sibset. I agree that they don’t fit together the best, but I love the individual names enough that it doesn’t bother me too bad. I really consider [name]Mirabel[/name] more of a middle name, but I do like your suggestions.