I’m expecting baby #3 early next year. My DD is [name_f]Mira[/name_f] [name_f]Annabella[/name_f] and I have a son, [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] [name_m]Liam[/name_m].
Because [name_f]Mira[/name_f] is fairly uncommon, I keep thinking I need her potential sister’s name to be equally unheard of (at least in my area). Current possibilities include: [name_f]Nola[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. I live in the midwest where [name_f]Emma[/name_f]/[name_f]Ava[/name_f] still dominate.
However for the great majority of my life my MN was [name_f]Jane[/name_f]. When I got married, I took DH’s last name, and made my maiden my new MN, thereby losing [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
So here’s the question: Is [name_f]Jane[/name_f] too plain alongside my sweet & spunky little [name_f]Mira[/name_f]? Or does it bridge the gap between [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and (much more traditional) [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]?
I love [name_f]Jane[/name_f]. It’s so sweet and beautiful. It’s mature and soft and works so well on every age. [name_f]Janey[/name_f] makes an adorable nn for a little girl. I think it bridges the gap between [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]. It’s decently well used, it’s familiar like [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], but hasn’t been used as a first nearly as often as it’s used as a middle.
From your current list, I think [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and [name_f]Mira[/name_f] are sweet together and [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is unusual but familiar also so it does the same for [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]. [name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is so beautiful!
[name_f]EDIT[/name_f]- - I wanted to add that when I was working at the daycare, there was a girl there named [name_f]Mallory[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]. She said she didn’t like how plain it was and about 5 of the teen girls just gushed about how beautiful and special and perfect it was. So obviously there’s plenty of younger girls who love it.
I choice the “bridge” option. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is simple but not plain. Familiar and very well-know but not overly popular or trendy. I only know a two maybe girls called [name_f]Jane[/name_f], seriously, I think it’s much more usual in the middle.
I think [name_f]Jane[/name_f] fits nicely into your sibset, you can give her highly unusual middle name, for example [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Athena[/name_f] came to mind. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is nice too.
I always picture [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as the polar opposite of plain. It’s virtually bursting with just… awesomeness! If [name_f]Jane[/name_f] was paired with a sib-set of [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_f]Mary[/name_f], I still wouldn’t think it were plain, but just vintage (which is a good, good thing in my book). So yeah, totally useable, and it’s brought to it’s full potential with sister [name_f]Mira[/name_f] : )
I agree about the popular but to me since I never met one its more on the overally familar like a name that everyone knows & assumes popular. I love the idea of her taking your name in that case I wouldnt care eithet way… otherwise I love the name [name_f]Iris[/name_f]!
Some might find it plain, but I love it. I have four daughters and one is named [name_f]Jane[/name_f] and her name has actually turned out to be the most uncommon and unusual one in the bunch. It’s a very familiar name and I think this is why people often consider it to be a popular one too. But I rarely hear it used as a first name. It’s most often used as a middle. I wonder if this might be changing. I see it asked about as a potential first name quite often on the naming forums.
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] is wonderful! I know a couple and there is nothing plain about either. Lots of personality. There are so many great [name_f]Jane[/name_f] namesakes, too. [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Eyre[/name_f] is my favorite. I do love all your other possibilities as well. Put something fancy in the middle and [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is perfect.
I think [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is sort of spunky and quirky nowadays, now that it’s not so common. A little [name_m]Tudor[/name_m], a little Goth. Put something dramatic in the middle and you’ll have a great name. [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and [name_f]Jane[/name_f] sound great together!