Is Hazel too trendy? Eloise? Due in December, please help!

Girl Names
1

I am so stuck for names, I feel like I’m going in circles and getting really stressed out! Before I was pregnant I had a list of girls names I loved and now they are all either too popular or too trendy or too weird… I keep coming up with weirder and weirder names and now that I’m in my third trimester our favorite name is [name]Wilhelmina[/name] and I can’t believe it…It’s a great name but do I only like it because it’s rare?

Anyway, I’m going back to my old list, trying to fall in love with my old favorites again. Is [name]Hazel[/name] too trendy (#211 currently in US)? Our last name is Woods so does it sound weird because it’s a plant name (Like [name]Juniper[/name] Woods just wouldn’t work…)

I would love your thoughts on

[name]Eloise[/name]
[name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] (nn [name]Willa[/name])
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Mabel[/name]

with our last name, Woods

Or any other suggestions? I’m sick of trying to be unique, and just want to find a name I [name]LOVE[/name]…HELP!

2

[name]Eloise[/name] - this is a nice name. But maybe getting popular, but I wouldn’t say trendy. And you must also remember that NB popularity does not always mirror real life.
[name]Hazel[/name] - I don’t like [name]Hazel[/name] anyway, and I don’t think it goes with Woods.
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] (nn [name]Willa[/name]) - sigh. [name]One[/name] of my very favourites. I adore it.
[name]Louisa[/name] - this is very nice, and I would pick this over [name]Eloise[/name].
[name]Mabel[/name] - I love [name]Mabel[/name]. But I don’t know if I would use [name]Mabel[/name]. I dunno if its a ‘phase’ name.

[name]Wilhelmina[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name] are both lovely classic names that I can’t see shooting up in popularity. They’re different, but also ‘known’ so people aren’t going to think you’re a freak for picking them IYKWIM.

3

[name]Just[/name] wanted to add that if we have a boy (we don’t know gender of this baby) his name will probably be [name]Theodore[/name], nn [name]Theo[/name]. Since we’d probably use that name with a future son either way, it would be great if the girls name we pick would go well with [name]Theodore[/name]/[name]Theo[/name].

4

Hmm, probably doesn’t change my opinion. Although [name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Theodore[/name] probably sound the best as a set.

Plus if you get to use [name]Theodore[/name] AND [name]Wilhelmina[/name] I will be hideously jealous! [name]Teddy[/name] and [name]Mina[/name] and super cute together :slight_smile:

5

All your options are fabulous! I do think it’s possible that [name]Hazel[/name] will continue to rise in popularity. I think [name]Hazel[/name] Woods is a very pretty choice. Willhelmina Woods has a very pretty ring to it and the nn [name]Willa[/name] is precious. I think my favorite of all your choices is [name]Eloise[/name] Woods. It’s just very classy and unique. But honestly, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the options you had listed!

6

I’m due in [name]November[/name] and everything you write sounds just like me! I had a list of names I loved before I was pregnant and then they all seemed so trendy so I started thinking about really “out there” names just so I wouldn’t be trendy and then finally had to remind myself that it’s not about finding a different name, it’s about finding a name you love.

I adore all the names on your list (they were all on my list before we settled on a name!) I think [name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name] are my favorite with your late name and a future [name]Theodore[/name], but you definitely can’t go wrong with [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Wilhelmina[/name] or [name]Mabel[/name].

Some others you might consider are [name]Iris[/name], [name]Rosalind[/name], [name]Olive[/name], [name]Flora[/name], [name]Thea[/name], [name]Alice[/name] or the name we’ve chosen (even though it was the 'trendiest" on our list) [name]Cora[/name].

7

I like [name]Louisa[/name] Woods and [name]Eloise[/name] Woods, because they reflect the OO sound in your last name. I think [name]Eloise[/name] is a really fun name to have, because of the children’s book character, yet also completely elegant for an adult. [name]Wilhelmina[/name]… I like the rhythm of it a lot, but I think of [name]Wilhelmina[/name] modeling agency… dunno why, and [name]Wilhelm[/name] Reich. [name]Eloise[/name] is maybe rising, but I don’t think of it as a popular name. [name]Hazel[/name] is a wonderful name too, but soundwise I prefer the [name]Lou[/name]-names.

8

[name]Eloise[/name]- I love this name! I think it sounds good with Woods.

[name]Hazel[/name]- I don’t think it sounds that great with Woods. [name]Hazel[/name] wood is an actual thing and it’s just too much noun. Plus [name]Hazel[/name] is full of consonants and sounds very strong, so with the equally strong Woods it’s a bit overpowering. That said, it’s not horrible, I just think you have tons of great options here without those problems. It’s a shame because I love the name too, but there are equally good options here.

[name]Wilhelmina[/name] (nn [name]Willa[/name])- Not my taste. I love [name]Willa[/name], [name]Willow[/name], and [name]Mina[/name], but [name]Wilhelmina[/name] is a bit much for me. I also think it sounds very over the top with the alliteration with Woods. [name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods sounds like a cartoon character to me. That said, if you love it, definitely use it! A good way to see if you like it for itself or just because it’s rare is to use it a lot- you’ll be hearing it a lot, so overuse it now to see if you get tired of it. [name]Say[/name] [name]Wilhelmina[/name] constantly, and consider how you’d feel if there was another in your daughter’s class.

[name]Louisa[/name]- I love [name]Louisa[/name]. It’s very classic, and very beautiful. [name]One[/name] of my favorites here.

[name]Mabel[/name]- Not really my taste. I don’t like “-ble,” “-ple,” etc. sounds in general. That said, it is a very nice name.

You might like:
[name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Georgia[/name]
[name]Thomasina[/name]
[name]Benjamina[/name] (I’ve been trying to get someone to share my affinity for this name, but no luck so far)
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Leona[/name]
[name]Cora[/name]/[name]Coraline[/name]/[name]Coralie[/name]
[name]Rosalie[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Nora[/name]
[name]Agatha[/name]
[name]Agnes[/name]
[name]Leora[/name]
[name]Josephine[/name]
[name]Jane[/name]
[name]Alma[/name]
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Ginevra[/name]
[name]Claudia[/name]
[name]Nina[/name]
[name]Clara[/name]
[name]Margaret[/name]/[name]Marguerite[/name]/[name]Margo[/name], with nns like [name]May[/name], [name]Maisie[/name], [name]Daisy[/name], [name]Maggie[/name], [name]Marlo[/name], etc.

9

I love [name]Eloise[/name]! However, I just wanted to mention that the first thing I thought when I heard [name]Eloise[/name] Woods - was [name]Elle[/name] Woods from the movie Legally Blonde. Not sure if that would bother you or not but you mentioned being concerned with popularity. I never saw the movies but I thought I should mention it.

10

If you love it, go for it :slight_smile: By the same token-- if you want a name for your daughter that’s rarely heard, it’s okay for that to be a criterion too.

Having said that, I think if you ruled out [name]Juniper[/name] Woods because it wouldn’t work, then [name]Hazel[/name] Woods is not the best combination, because a hazel woods is a place, a topographical feature. Hazelwood/Hazlewood is also a surname that I’ve come across a few times, presumably borne (way back when) by a family who lived near a hazel wood. If you’re looking to eliminate some names on the list, I think [name]Mabel[/name] might suffer a similar problem- it sounds almost identical to [name]Maple[/name] Woods (which is more suburb-y than surname-y on the last count).

[name]Louisa[/name] is lovely; it’s my favourite by far. The world needs a few more Louisas :slight_smile: [name]Louisa[/name] [name]May[/name] [name]Alcott[/name] is a great namesake, too, when she’s at that age when that will matter to her.

[name]Eloise[/name] is lovely too, but if you love [name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name] equally I’d pick [name]Louisa[/name] because it’s been a little more neglected recently. [name]Wilhelmina[/name] might just be a bit too much with Woods (for me), but if you like it, love it, better than the others, then disregard those of us who don’t like (or in my case, is completely inconsistent about liking) alliteration. I think I like [name]Willa[/name] Woods more than [name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods, for what it’s worth.

If you’re looking for more names to love (on the rarer side of things), there’s:

[name]Flora[/name]/[name]Florence[/name] (which is a sort of botanical, but doesn’t turn into a place with Woods)
[name]Amabel[/name] (to avoid the [name]Maple[/name] issue with [name]Mabel[/name])
[name]Susannah[/name] (if you’re not completely in love with [name]Louisa[/name]/[name]Eloise[/name])
[name]Thomasina[/name] (as a non-alliterative alternative to [name]Wilhelmina[/name]; if you’re not wild about [name]Tommy[/name] on a daughter, then [name]Maisy[/name] also works as a nn)
[name]Clementine[/name] (as another alternative to [name]Wilhelmina[/name], one which is not alliterative and which is more familiar to people)
[name]Thea[/name], [name]Anthea[/name], [name]Alethea[/name] (in a similar mode to [name]Wilhelmina[/name]/[name]Willa[/name], but avoiding the alliteration and a bit more familiar again)
[name]Zelda[/name] (which has a number of similar sounds to [name]Hazel[/name], and is both familiar but not often used).
[name]Ginevra[/name], [name]Geneva[/name], [name]Genevieve[/name] (alternatives to [name]Juniper[/name], which I know isn’t on your list, but seem to fit, with varying degrees of popularity)

11

[name]Hazel[/name]- I adore this name right now because of [name]John[/name] [name]Green[/name]'s latest novel, The Fault in Our Stars, so I would definitely use it. Also, I don’t see a problem with the botanical/woodland connection. Regarding popularity, I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the overall popularity of the name in the U.S., but instead would pay more attention to the popularity of the name within your vicinity. You can do this by checking birth announcements in your local newspaper and by paying close attention to what expecting friends and co-workers are naming their kids-to-be.

[name]Wilhelmina[/name]- This name is a guilty pleasure of mine. I think it’s dramatic, mysterious, and just begging to be used. Also, it gives a lot of options regarding nicknames. My only pause for concern would be the alliteration. While [name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods sounds like two distinct names, [name]Willa[/name] Woods has a tendency to run together slightly. Though, I am somewhat of a fast talker.

[name]Mabel[/name]- Wow, I love yet another one of your choices. [name]Mabel[/name] is described as [name]Annabel[/name]'s “saucy cousin”, but to me [name]Mabel[/name] is just a beautiful blend of warmth, sweetness, and strength. It’s definitely a newfound favorite of mine and a great alternative to [name]Hazel[/name], if you find it to be too popular.

[name]Louisa[/name]- Least favorite of your names, sorry. It’s very nasal sounding and doesn’t have that “fresh” feel.

[name]Eloise[/name]- [name]Eloise[/name] at the Plaza is a great namesake, but I’m still not feeling it. Like [name]Louisa[/name], I find it very nasal.

I hope this helps and I wish you the very best of luck! x

12

I love [name]Eloise[/name] and [name]Hazel[/name]. [name]Eloise[/name] with your like name is really nice, [name]Hazel[/name] isn’t trendy at all. #211 is hardly trendy.
[name]Hazel[/name] with you last name does seem like a “thing” but it’s also trademark like, it’s catchy, it’ll be remembered.
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] with your surname is a bit much W to me, [name]Louisa[/name] doesn’t stand out, and [name]Mabel[/name] sounds great but doesn’t stand out as well as [name]Eloise[/name] or [name]Hazel[/name] imo.

13

[name]Eloise[/name]- beautiful name. My pick of the names you listed. It’s not too common, not too out there; it sounds wonderful with Woods; it has some cute nn potential for a girl but would grow with her.
[name]Hazel[/name]- oh how I love this name. I think it sounds great with Woods. This would be my first pick, but I think it’s just going to keep climbing.
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] (nn [name]Willa[/name])- nms at all, though I do like [name]Willa[/name] as a nn. It sounds nice with your last name. I wouldn’t pick it, but if you love it use it.
[name]Louisa[/name]- Second choice. It’s very similar to [name]Eloise[/name], so everything I said for that name goes for this one as well. [name]Eloise[/name] sounds slightly more elegant to me, and [name]Louisa[/name] a little more down to earth so it just depends what you’re going for.
[name]Mabel[/name]- it’s cute. nms, though I don’t dislike it as much as [name]Wilhelmina[/name].

All of these names are great names. [name]Wilhelmina[/name] and [name]Mabel[/name] are nms but I can see what people like about them. Good luck.

14

I love [name]Hazel[/name] and [name]Mabel[/name], two of my personal favs. I think either would work with your last name.
I’m not crazy about [name]Eloise[/name] and I really don’t like [name]Louisa[/name]. Sorry, I know lots on here do, but nms.
But [name]Wilhelmina[/name] seems to be your fav and it’s a tougher one. It’s a very pretty name and I would admire your guts if you used it, but it seems much more elaborate than the rest of your list. I love the idea put out there already to use it A LOT for a few weeks and see if you get tired of it or if it truly becomes THE name. Maybe mention it to a few close friends or relatives to see what they think, as they will be the ones using it.
With all that said I think [name]Wilhelmina[/name] and [name]Theodore[/name] or [name]Willa[/name] and [name]Theo[/name] are wonderful combos. And I think [name]Willa[/name] Woods is precious.

15

I love [name]Eloise[/name] Woods! Gorgeous! [name]Louisa[/name] is great too. What about [name]Eloisa[/name]?
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods is pretty too.

16

What a great list! Ultimately, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these names. [name]Remember[/name], some names are trendy among the Nameberry set, but may not be seen at all in your area.

[name]Eloise[/name] Woods…Looks beautiful! I’d enunciate the ‘o-ee’ to get the lovely ‘el-o-eese’ avoid the ‘el-o-weeze’ pronunciation, which would give you a double “w” sound that isn’t as appealing.

[name]Hazel[/name] Woods…Another great combo! I think your concerns are valid, though–it sounds a little earthy to me, a bit too matchy.

[name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods/[name]Willa[/name] Woods…[name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods is a wonderful name, but a [name]Willa[/name] Woods is a little too sing-songy/matchy matchy with its double w’s.

[name]Louisa[/name] Woods…Neat combo! Same issue as with [name]Eloise[/name]…pronounce the “oo-ee” rather than saying “loo-weez-a.”

[name]Mabel[/name] Woods…Nice name, but my least favorite. [name]Mabel[/name] lacks the style and polish of some of your other choices.

I’d rank them as follows:

  • [name]Eloise[/name] Woods
  • [name]Wilhelmina[/name] Woods
  • [name]Louisa[/name] Woods
  • [name]Hazel[/name] Woods
  • [name]Mabel[/name] Woods

Oh, and I adore [name]Theodore[/name] and think he would make an excellent brother for any of these girls. : )

17

[name]Eloise[/name] = [name]LOVELY[/name] name! Not too popular, in my opinion.
[name]Hazel[/name] = definitely more popular… I think there will be a lot of little Hazels running around in the next few years.
[name]Wilhelmina[/name] (nn [name]Willa[/name]) = [name]Love[/name] [name]Willa[/name]. Again, not TOO popular.
[name]Louisa[/name] = So beautiful, so classic, love love love! I haven’t seen this one too often compared with other similar names, I hope it doesn’t get over-popular, because it’s so lovely.
[name]Mabel[/name] = Not my fave.

18

I think [name]Hazel[/name] Woods is beautiful. I like [name]Willa[/name], but [name]Willa[/name] Woods sounds a little ryhmy to me. Good luck!

19

[name]IMO[/name]…[name]Louisa[/name] or [name]Willa[/name], very nice…the rest, yes, too trendy right now. And [name]Eloise[/name], just OK; [name]Hazel[/name], dislike; [name]Mabel[/name], strongly dislike.

Prefer [name]Louisa[/name] over [name]Willa[/name] just because of the double W.

[name]May[/name] not be your style…but how about [name]Meade[/name], [name]Bay[/name], [name]Hope[/name], [name]Holland[/name], [name]Ever[/name], Kaleida, [name]Astral[/name], [name]Fable[/name], Arolyn, Talis, [name]Evian[/name], Swansea, [name]Laurence[/name], Jaegan, or [name]Blythe[/name]?