My favorite combo right now is [name]Isabelle[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name], prefer [name]Izzy[/name] as the nickname. I’ve narrowed down my long list so now
I’m between that and [name]Annabelle[/name] [name]Jane[/name]. Problem is, I don’t want her to get lost in the sea of [name]Isabella[/name]'s! I’m unhappy with how popular my daughter’s name became after choosing it ([name]Sophie[/name]) being so similar to [name]Sophia[/name]. I like a name that’s known, but uncommon.
Your thoughts on alternatives to [name]Isabelle[/name]… [name]Isabeau[/name]? [name]Isadora[/name]?
[name]Rosamund[/name] or [name]Rosalie[/name]?
[name]Rosabelle[/name]? with a different first or middle?
Maybe a different combo of any of the names mentioned?
I agree that [name]Isabelle[/name] is super popular and if that bothers you about your first daughter’s name, then I’m sure [name]Isabelle[/name] will be the same. Though honestly, there are so many popular names right now that it’s not like in our generation where the top two were [name]Jennifer[/name] and [name]Jessica[/name]. There are like 25 “popular” names so I don’t think she will be in class with too many other Isabelles. Does that make sense? So if you love it, then stick with it. But actually, I like [name]Annabelle[/name] [name]Jane[/name] better personally. Also [name]Gemma[/name] [name]Rosalie[/name] from your favorites list is super cute too. And not uber popular, but still spell-able and pronounce-able.
I prefer [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Jane[/name] – that’s gorgeous! I also prefer [name]Rosalie[/name] to [name]Rosamund[/name]. [name]Rosabelle[/name] sounds made up to me, and though I know [name]Isabeau[/name] is a real name, I can’t get my head around it. I read a book in which the main character was named [name]Isabeau[/name] (nn [name]Beau[/name]), and I wanted to like it SO much, but the whole book I just couldn’t bring myself to say it instead of [name]Isabelle[/name]. This could definitely be me, though. If you like [name]Isabeau[/name], I think you should go for it. I love the nn [name]Beau[/name] – it’s super cute. I also love [name]Gemma[/name] [name]Rosalie[/name] from your name list in your signature. And although I’m so sorry you have a bit of name regret with [name]Sophie[/name], I wanted to say that I [name]LOVE[/name] that name and it will always be one of my favorites and for me will never sound trendy because it’s just so beautiful. Good luck – I hope I’ve helped!
I think [name]Isadora[/name] is a beautiful name and a great alternative to [name]Isabelle[/name](although I still love [name]Isabelle[/name]). I think [name]Isadora[/name] is so glamorous. Like a girl who travels the world and wears red nail polish year round. I think [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name] is perfect.
I would say [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name] in a flash, but with your other daughter I’m not so sure. [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Brielle[/name] is so breezy and sweet. [name]Isadora[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name] is wonderful, but it’s much weightier.
I think [name]Isabeau[/name] is a lovely and interesting choice, more in keeping with sweet [name]Sophie[/name] than [name]Isadora[/name] or [name]Rosamund[/name], not trendy like [name]Isabelle[/name] or [name]Rosalie[/name]. [name]Rosabelle[/name] feels made-up to me. I suggest… [name]Sophie[/name] [name]Brielle[/name] and:
[name]Isabeau[/name] Rosebud (whimsical, sweet, diminutive but also has a cool Citizen [name]Kane[/name] reference)
[name]Isabeau[/name] [name]Rosette[/name] (I just like the rhythm of this one. Again, it’s a bit light and sweet “little rose” but it also makes me think of the [name]Rosetta[/name] [name]Stone[/name], the ancient key to Hieroglyphic language.)
I hate [name]Rosalie[/name] but [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name]. I keep trying to fit [name]Rosamund[/name] onto my own list. But I’m not sure how it pairs with [name]Sophie[/name].
I love Rosabel (or [name]Rosabelle[/name], if that’s what you really want, but I love -bel endings as they seem lighter and simpler) and its very uncommon for a -bel/-belle name.
I am a traitor to Nameberry aesthetic in that I freely admit [name]Isabel[/name] is much much more popular than [name]Isadora[/name]/[name]Isabeau[/name]… but I still like it more. [name]Just[/name] for the sound. I wouldn’t pick [name]Isabel[/name], however, if I was concerned about popularity.
I do like [name]Isis[/name] and [name]Ismay[/name] though.
Possible combos and some variant forms:
[name]Rosamund[/name] [name]Isabelle[/name] - the popular name in the middle. [name]Rosamund[/name] is a lot weightier than [name]Sophie[/name] though.
[name]Ismay[/name] [name]Rosabelle[/name] - [name]Ismay[/name] is very uncommon but not too difficult to work out. [name]Ismay[/name] is light and floaty like [name]Sophie[/name]. Esmé would work here too, and be more familiar without being popular, if the I isn’t mandatory. [name]Sophie[/name] and Esmé sound quite well-matched to me.
[name]Isabelle[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name] - my favourite of your pairings. I would spell it [name]Isabel[/name] though, no offense.
[name]Rosalie[/name] [name]Isolde[/name] - Okay, I don’t care for [name]Rosalie[/name] compared to [name]Rosemary[/name] or [name]Rosemarie[/name], but I found a combo it sounds okay to my ear in. I say [name]Isolde[/name] ee-zold but ee-zol-da is also correct.
[name]Rosemary[/name] [name]Annabelle[/name] - I [name]ADORE[/name] [name]Rosemary[/name] as a name. So I put it here. I know you didn’t ask about it though. It’s known but not popular.
Last… and maybe most
[name]Jane[/name] [name]Annabelle[/name]/[name]Isabelle[/name]/[name]Rosabelle[/name] - [name]Sophie[/name] and [name]Jane[/name] have a similar old-fashioned English feel, but [name]Jane[/name] is way down in about the 300s for popularity, while everyone can still say it and spell it, and it doesn’t sound mismatched for exoticism or being super-complicated. Maybe consider [name]Jane[/name] up front? Works with almost any of the others on your list as a middle.
I had selected either [name]Isabeau[/name] or [name]Rosalind[/name] for our girl name (we are due any day) & am leaning much more heavily toward [name]Isabeau[/name]–sounds better with my sibset! I also like the “[name]Isa[/name]” sound w/out the super trendy “belle”. I like [name]Rosalie[/name], but there are a couple different pronunciations. [name]Both[/name] super cuter choices though!
I don’t really have any alternate suggestions for you but just wanted to say I named my DD [name]Isabelle[/name] [name]JUST[/name] before it boomed into popularity or [name]Isabella[/name] did anyway. And it drives me CRAZY that everywhere I go there are a million [name]Isabelle[/name], [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Belle[/name], [name]Bella[/name], and even a couple [name]Izzy[/name]'s!!! Theres even a family that moved here and started going to our church from Alaska and there little girl is [name]Isabelle[/name]. Oh yea and I live in a town of only 8000 people. So yes you probably will run into a bunch of other Isabelles. Its unfortunate because it a beautiful name but if I had it to do over again I’d change her name without hesitation and wish I had!!!
I asked on here a few weeks ago if Rosabel was a real name ( you could search the post) people loved it and raved about it as a middle for my daughter ( the combo is Rosabel [name]Juliet[/name]).
I’m not crazy about [name]Isabeau[/name], because the French in me can’t get past “beau” being masculine, and I have religious issues with [name]Isadora[/name] (if you don’t, then it’s a nice name). I like [name]Sophie[/name] and [name]Isadora[/name] more than [name]Sophie[/name] and [name]Isabeau[/name], for what it’s worth. [name]Isabelle[/name] is my top choice for a girl, too, so I’d say just go for [name]Isabelle[/name], but I can’t tell if it’s [name]Izzy[/name] you really love, or [name]Isabelle[/name], or both. If [name]Isabelle[/name]'s what you love, though, would you regret using another [name]Izzy[/name] name?
Some other ways to get to [name]Izzy[/name] that are more off-the-beaten-path:
My name is [name]Isabelle[/name] and your right about getting lost amongst all the [name]Isabella[/name]'s… too often people call me [name]Isabella[/name]! The nicknames I have from various friends and family are [name]Isa[/name]/[name]Izzy[/name]/[name]Belle[/name]
What about [name]Isolde[/name]? I really like [name]Rosalie[/name]/[name]Rosalind[/name]