Hey guys…still struggling with [name]Madeleine[/name]. I thought I’d post [name]Brent[/name]'s other favorite names too and see if maybe one of them is a better choice than [name]Madeleine[/name]. What do you guys think? (Our first daughter is [name]Gabriella[/name] [name]Grace[/name].)
[name]Eliana[/name] ([name]Ellie[/name]/[name]Elle[/name] for short. That nickname is still very common, and it does repeat the “elle” in [name]Gabriella[/name])
[name]Liliana[/name]/[name]Lillian[/name] etc. ([name]Lily[/name] for short - still very common.)
Or, [name]Madeleine[/name]. (We would avoid the nickname [name]Maddie[/name].)
I actually love [name]Eliana[/name] and [name]Liliana[/name]. [name]Liliana[/name] is by far my favorite [name]Lily[/name] variation, I think it’s gorgeous and pretty perfect with [name]Gabriella[/name]. The issue of course is that they both have a similar pattern/ending… But I think stylistically it works much better than [name]Lillian[/name] (plus I like is a lot more!). [name]Eliana[/name] is maybe a bit too matchy with [name]Gabriella[/name], because it has that same similar pattern, the same ending AND it repeats the [name]El[/name]… I bet most people in real life would never even notice that, though.
So I guess maybe [name]Madeleine[/name] is the best match. But I think I would pick [name]Liliana[/name].
I definitely, definitely think [name]Eliana[/name] is too close too [name]Gabriella[/name]. I couldn’t even imagine saying [name]Gabriella[/name] and [name]Eliana[/name], ever - it’s such a mouthful! Granted, you’d be saying [name]Gaby[/name] and [name]Ellie[/name] for the most part, but still, I think it’s a no-go. I think, stylistically, [name]Gabriella[/name] and [name]Liliana[/name] are really lovely together. They both have that familiar yet exotic flair, a bit of a Spanish theme going on, I believe, and [name]Gaby[/name] and [name]Lily[/name] are sweet together. But, I still think [name]Gabriella[/name] and [name]Liliana[/name] are a bit tough to say together.
So, I’d stick with [name]Madeleine[/name], unless you really aren’t happy with it still. Instead of [name]Eliana[/name], [name]Emilia[/name] would work better (sound-wise) with [name]Gabriella[/name]. [name]Gaby[/name] and [name]Emmy[/name] is so cute! And, I might say [name]Luciana[/name] would be better than [name]Liliana[/name], just so both girls don’t have so many L sounds in their names - [name]Gaby[/name] and [name]Lucy[/name] are great, too.
you know how a name just gets stuck in your head and you find yourself saying a name over and over again? Today that name is [name]Madeleine[/name] [name]Eva[/name]! I really love the sound.
I like [name]Madeleine[/name] best of your three choices here. [name]Liliana[/name] and [name]Eliana[/name] are two names I happen to love, but I think they are just too close to [name]Gabriella[/name].
I have to agree that [name]Eliana[/name] is too close to [name]Gabriella[/name]. Have you considered [name]Ariana[/name] nn [name]Ari[/name]? [name]Ariana[/name] and [name]Eliana[/name] always remind me of one another. I think [name]Liliana[/name] and [name]Gabriella[/name] are gorgeous together. I don’t have trouble saying them together and I don’t find [name]Lily[/name] to be too common, especially as a nickname, it’s lovely and definitely not overused. I prefer [name]Liliana[/name] to [name]Madeleine[/name], just because it’s hard for me to see [name]Maddie[/name] being totally avoided and the name [name]Madison[/name] has really ruined the nickname [name]Maddie[/name] for me, sadly. But I do think [name]Madeleine[/name] and [name]Gabrielle[/name] go nicely together. A name that is popping into my head is [name]Magnolia[/name]. [name]Magnolia[/name] and [name]Gabriella[/name]. [name]Gaby[/name] and [name]Maggie[/name]. I like [name]Lemon[/name]'s suggestion of [name]Emilia[/name], and I’d also suggestion [name]Emiliana[/name], which would get you the nickname [name]Emmy[/name]. [name]Hope[/name] that helps!
Aw thank you, guys! I’m grateful for all the input. I do like [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Amelie[/name], and [name]Emelia[/name], etc., but unfortunately, my sister named her daughter [name]Emelia[/name]! So I’m afraid that one’s out for us!
Good news though, I did get [name]Brent[/name] to agree to look for more names!!! I bought both “Cool Names for Babies” and “Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aiden[/name],” and we’ll start by going through those. Keep your fingers crossed!
I thought of [name]Ariana[/name], but I’m just not a huge fan…I forgot to write in the thread topic that I tend to feel like the “-ana” names sound sort of made-up to me. Sorry to be so picky.
[quote=“crunchymama”]you know how a name just gets stuck in your head and you find yourself saying a name over and over again? Today that name is [name]Madeleine[/name] [name]Eva[/name]! I really love the sound.
[name]Liliana[/name] would be my pick! It’s my favourite of the 3 names (followed by [name]Madeleine[/name]) and it’s the one I think works best with [name]Gabriella[/name]. Also you could use the nn’s [name]Ana[/name] or [name]Lia[/name] to avoid the common [name]Lily[/name] nn
But since you still don’t seem sold on any of these names I hope you find some new names in the baby books that you both love That’s definitely progress that he’s even agreeing to look! Hehe.
Oh, you’re going to do the name book hunt? Yay! I’m sure this will make you happier, even though I’m really starting to get used to [name]Gabriella[/name] and [name]Madeleine[/name]. But, YOU need to find a name you love for baby!
To tell you the truth, lemon, I’ve gotten used to [name]Madeleine[/name] and [name]Gabriella[/name], too. Also, when I see people who post on here and say, “I love [name]Madeleine[/name], it’s so feminine and classic!” etc., I feel a twinge of …? Desire? Jealousy? Not sure how to describe it! But at least I think I have to feel satisfied that we’ve exhausted all other options.
I love [name]Madeleine[/name]! ( think it’s gorgeous and goes really well with [name]Gabriella[/name]. My favourites are [name]Madeleine[/name] [name]Sophie[/name] and [name]Madeleine[/name] [name]Claire[/name].
Other than that, I do like [name]Liliana[/name]… love the nn [name]Lily[/name].
[name]Elsie[/name]
I’m anxious to hear what other names you and DH find in the books! I read Beyond [name]Aiden[/name] and [name]Ava[/name] – they have some nice lists on the back (I also liked baby name wizard book – it gave sibling suggestions!) Maybe if you find out what “lists” or type the books classify [name]Gabriella[/name] and [name]Madeleine[/name] as … [name]Brent[/name] will come around and find other names in that style.
I don’t think any of them are evils at all! They’re all very nice names, even though you may not love them- and at least you’re husband’s gotten past only considering one name.
I think [name]Elena[/name] could be a good alternative to [name]Eliana[/name]. You could still use [name]Ellie[/name], but there’s no actual “[name]El[/name]” sound in the full name. I really like [name]Lily[/name] as a nickname (or full name), and [name]Madeleine[/name] really is beautiful. I second the suggestion of [name]Luciana[/name]- but with the warning that I would NEVER guess that it was pronounced lucy-ah-na. I would say loo-chee-ah-na. But people on nameberry pronounce [name]Lucia[/name] “Loo-see-yah” too, which also confuses me (I say loo-chee-yah), so maybe it’s just me.
You might also like:
[name]Adriana[/name]
[name]Natalia[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]
[name]Noemie[/name]
[name]Chiara[/name]
[name]Elisa[/name] (yet another way to [name]Ellie[/name], or [name]Lise[/name] if you prefer)
Am I missing something? [name]How[/name] is there no [name]El[/name] sound in [name]Elena[/name]?[/quote]
I guess it depends on pronunciation - I pronounce [name]Elena[/name] as “ah-[name]LAY[/name]-nah” or “ah-[name]LEN[/name]-ah” but I pronounce [name]Eliana[/name] as “ell-ee-[name]AH[/name]-nah” which is a pretty strong difference to me (the ‘ah’ vs. ‘eh’ sound I think).
Am I missing something? [name]How[/name] is there no [name]El[/name] sound in [name]Elena[/name]?[/quote]
I guess it depends on pronunciation - I pronounce [name]Elena[/name] as “ah-[name]LAY[/name]-nah” or “ah-[name]LEN[/name]-ah” but I pronounce [name]Eliana[/name] as “ell-ee-[name]AH[/name]-nah” which is a pretty strong difference to me (the ‘ah’ vs. ‘eh’ sound I think).[/quote]
[name]Ah[/name], well I guess that’s true. I think I say ah-[name]LEN[/name]-ah. But when I say it the other way I pronounce the E, el-AY-nuh… I’ve also heard it [name]Ellen[/name]-uh, but much less often. Oh man, now that I’ve said [name]Elena[/name] 100 times, I can’t tell anymore how I naturally say it.
I say [name]Elena[/name] the Spanish way- uh-[name]LAY[/name]-na. It’s different to me the ell-[name]LAY[/name]-na. Not by much, but enough for me to think it’s different than the sound in [name]Gabriella[/name].
Personally, I think there are way too many pronunciation variations on [name]Luciana[/name], [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Elena[/name], etc. I know a lot of people who pronounce [name]Lucia[/name] like LOO-sha, and DH already nixed [name]Lucy[/name], anyway. Also, we are of [name]German[/name]-Norwegian decent, and I wouldn’t want both our children to be named Spanish-y type names! Sorry if that sounds horrible.
Sorry to be so picky. 