[name]Hi[/name] all -
My wife and I are thinking of names for our second. I think we’ve agreed on a name if we have a boy ([name]Tobias[/name] [name]James[/name]) but are up in the air if we have a girl. Right now our top two are [name]Ingrid[/name] and [name]Clara[/name]. As for a middle name, we’re thinking of [name]Marie[/name], or a variation (e.g. [name]Mary[/name], [name]Maria[/name], [name]Mariam[/name]) because we want to do a family name, and we don’t have many good options, unfortunately.
What are your thoughts? [name]Ingrid[/name] or [name]Clara[/name]?
Honestly I’m not a big fan of either of these names, but [name]Clara[/name] would have to be my favorite out of the two. And as far as middle names go, the only one you have listed that sounds good with [name]Clara[/name] is [name]Marie[/name], but even then the "r"s are a little much. If it’s a variation of [name]Mary[/name] you’re looking for, you could consider [name]May[/name], which is a diminutive of [name]Mary[/name].
I like both names, but I would have to pick [name]Ingrid[/name] over [name]Clara[/name] because of the popularity of [name]Clara[/name]/[name]Clare[/name]/[name]Claire[/name]. I like [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Mary[/name] or [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]May[/name]. I don’t think [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Marie[/name] flows very well.
I have a good friend named [name]Ingrid[/name]. The only I’ve ever known. I think [name]Ingrid[/name] has a certain “harshness” to it’s sound. [name]Clara[/name] sounds soft and very sweet. [name]Clara[/name] also means Clear/[name]Bright[/name] which I like.
[name]Both[/name] names are nice. I definitely prefer the SOUND of [name]Clara[/name]. [name]Ingrid[/name] is certainly the less “popular” choice.
We named our daughter [name]Clara[/name], so that’s where my bias is!
I think [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Maria[/name] is gorgeous! Although [name]Clara[/name] is a favourite of mine, I think for this one I’m going to have to vote for [name]Ingrid[/name]! I think [name]Clara[/name] [name]May[/name] would be pretty as well, if you did end up going for [name]Clara[/name] as a fn.
I would hardly call a Scandinavian name “hitler-ish” when the Norwegians and the Danes were invaded and abused by the Nazis. [name]Princess[/name] [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Alexandra[/name] is the heir apparent to the Norwegian throne. In Norwegian, [name]Ingrid[/name] is pronounced without the “d” – Ingri – and the nn is [name]Inge[/name] or Ingi.
[name]Ingrid[/name] is a great name, as is [name]Clara[/name], but I would go with [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]May[/name].
Yes, agree w/ geegee. I like both names, though my honest reaction is that [name]Clara[/name] sounds like the name of a crazy woman. I’m not sure if I met someone who gave me that connotation or not, but that’s what I think of. [name]Both[/name] are very nice names. I honestly like both. [name]Clara[/name] is classic, but I agree that it’s a tad dry almost like a non-name. [name]Ingrid[/name] is a great name and I love the [name]Ingrid[/name] Bergman reference but for some reason it doesn’t 100% tickle my fancy. I think it’s the “ing” beginning which just doesn’t sound beautiful to my ears. They are still both nice and classic and wouldn’t hurt a child to be named them, though, so that’s good.
Sets I like that others have mentioned -
[name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Maria[/name]
[name]Clara[/name] [name]Mae[/name] - does this sound too old lady and not in a good way?
I love [name]Ingrid[/name]. I picture a little angel (or the girls in [name]Sweden[/name] who wear the candle wreath for [name]Christmas[/name]). We have a Norwegian last name and this was a name I considered (I am not positive if it is Norwegian, but I googled while I was pregnant and it is used in Norway/[name]Sweden[/name]). Does one go better with your last name? [name]Clara[/name] is plain compared to [name]Ingrid[/name].
I agree with the pp who suggested waiting until you meet her. You hae two beautiful but very different options–[name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Maria[/name] feels very European, sophisticated, almost exotic, while [name]Clara[/name] [name]May[/name] feels sweeter, more all-American.
I love both, and always have. You can’t go wrong with either. [name]Ingrid[/name] is more unusual, but [name]Clara[/name] is so lovely and elegant and unexpected in a world full of Claires. [name]Ingrid[/name] [name]Mary[/name] would sound nice.
