I am not expecting but hopefully it won”t be so very long! I am already obsessing over names, which is probably good because I know I”ll need lots of time to ”marinate” on a name before deciding.
Our style is hard to describe. We go for the uncommon but familiar side of things and like names that sound fresh, breezy, and possibly nature-y. We tend to gravitate toward Irish and Scottish names (though the Scottish connection has more meaning as husband”s dad is from there,) especially for boys. Last name is [name]Penny[/name], so I”d like to avoid names ending in -ee sound (as well as the names [name]Owen[/name], [name]Iona[/name], [name]Lane[/name]”)
We”ll be using family names for MNs, so I won”t bring those to the party just yet”
GIRLS:
[name]Lyla[/name] (love, but is it becoming trendy? I think this spelling makes the pron more obvious)
[name]Ailsa[/name] (love the [name]Scotland[/name] connection)
[name]Seren[/name]
[name]Cora[/name]
BOYS:
[name]Oran[/name] (dh absolutely loves this, which is making me love it)
[name]Ronan[/name] (does this sound trendy?)
[name]Malcolm[/name] (not sure if it goes w/ the others, but we both like it)
[name]Alistair[/name] (like the connection to dh”s mn, [name]Alexander[/name])
[name]Sander[/name] (also from [name]Alexander[/name]; like this so much more than [name]Xander[/name], it sounds ”earthier” to me)
[name]Rowan[/name]
[name]Birch[/name]
If you have a feel for our style, do you have any suggestions to add to our list? Thanks in advance!!!
I hate to say this, but I’m not a huge fan of names ending in N with your last name (e.g., [name]Seren[/name] [name]Penny[/name]) - they just get jumbled for me. Oh, no!
[name]Lyla[/name] : [name]Love[/name] this too but I do see it becoming quiet trendy. I know this spelling is easier to pronounce but I prefer [name]Lilah[/name] as it looks less trendy.
[name]Ailsa[/name] : [name]Love[/name]! My fav from your choices
[name]Seren[/name]: I’m kind of on the fence with this, don’t love it but don’t hate it either
[name]Cora[/name]: Beautiful
[name]Oran[/name]: Never heard of it before but really liking it
[name]Ronan[/name] and [name]Rowan[/name]: [name]Love[/name] both, think I prefer [name]Rowan[/name], but think they’re gonna keep getting popular
[name]Malcolm[/name]: Very handsome and underused. [name]Love[/name] the nn [name]Mal[/name] and [name]Colm[/name]
[name]Alistair[/name]: I’ve always loved this! Sounds very distinguished and handsome
[name]Sander[/name]: My fav from the boys. It does sound earthier than [name]Xander[/name], and has a more softer, gentle feel, but still masculine which I love
[name]Birch[/name]: Not too sure for a first name but love it in the middle.
Thanks so much for the feedback and the fabulous suggestions!!
[name]Lemon[/name],
I had not thought about the -n ending being a problem with our surname; oh no, indeed! I agree that names with multiple n sounds (like [name]Ronan[/name]) are probably too n- heavy with [name]Penny[/name]. But I’m not sure I feel like the n’s get too jumbled when I say [name]Oran[/name] [name]Penny[/name] or [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Penny[/name]. I will have to give it some more thought, though!
I love your suggestion of [name]Ailis[/name], and I think I like [name]Fiona[/name], too! And for the boys, I really like [name]Carlisle[/name] (but will people think I’m a Twilight nut?) and [name]Ross[/name]. I love [name]Hamish[/name] and [name]Taggart[/name] in theory, but on a baby I think they might be a little too… Scottish, maybe?! I’ll have to see what dh thinks of [name]Ailis[/name], [name]Fiona[/name], [name]Carlisle[/name], and [name]Ross[/name]. Thanks again!!
[name]Minka[/name],
I am so glad you like my list! I know these names are not to everyone’s taste, so it is nice to get positive feedback! I agree that the nns [name]Mal[/name] and [name]Colm[/name] are definitely a selling point for [name]Malcolm[/name]. I am especially thrilled that you like [name]Sander[/name]-- I have never heard this name on anyone, so I wasn’t sure how it would go over!
Your suggestions were great, and definitely in line with our tastes!! I really like [name]Maren[/name] (and especially the ocean connection), [name]Freya[/name], and [name]Lorelei[/name] (but is the [name]Gilmore[/name] Girls connection still too strong?) [name]Calla[/name] is beautiful and was one of my faves, but I almost feel like it flows TOO well with [name]Penny[/name], if that makes any sense? It almost sounds like one word, to me. And I really like [name]Laurel[/name], especially to honor my mom, [name]Lauren[/name], but I feel like it sounds a little funny when I say it, like it gets stuck in my throat (haha, weird, I know.)
For the boys, again, I’m afraid that [name]Magnus[/name] and [name]Hamish[/name] might be just a wee bit too much. But I really love [name]Griffin[/name], and it would let us use the nn [name]Finn[/name]! This was my #1 fave until I realized that my whole family could only think of my cousin’s dog by that name (darn!) But as a nn for [name]Griffin[/name], it might work. I’m not sure if we’re bold enough to use this one, but I’ll think on it! [name]Lachlan[/name] is really growing on me, w/ nn Lach. I haven’t heard [name]Reef[/name] or [name]Flint[/name], but both sound very cool. Thanks again!!
GIRLS:
[name]Lyla[/name] (This is not too trendy.)
[name]Ailsa[/name] (love the [name]Scotland[/name] connection)
*[name]Lyla[/name] is beautiful, but I am sure no one will have trouble with pronouncing it as “[name]Lila[/name].” [name]Ailsa[/name] is also beautiful!
BOYS:
[name]Malcolm[/name] (not sure if it goes w/ the others, but we both like it)
[name]Alistair[/name] (like the connection to dh”s mn, [name]Alexander[/name])
[name]Rowan[/name]
*[name]How[/name] about [name]Malcom[/name] [name]Alistair[/name] or [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Alexander[/name]?
Thanks, Kyem! I’m glad you like [name]Ailsa[/name] and [name]Lila[/name]! I am warming up to this spelling of [name]Lila[/name]; I guess I thought people would say lee-la, but you’re probably right that the pron. is pretty clear. I really like the suggestion of [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]Alistair[/name]! [name]Do[/name] you think there’s too much of the ‘al’ sound, or is it okay since it’s separated by a syllable? What do you think of [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]Lewis[/name] or [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]James[/name]?
Dh says that [name]Rowan[/name] [name]Alexander[/name] reminds him too much of [name]Rowan[/name] Atkinson :. He liked [name]Ailis[/name], but we didn’t pronounce it the same (he said the first syllable as the letter ‘A,’ I say it as ‘I.’ Either way it’s really beautiful, but I worry about pronunciation problems. I think he is liking [name]Griffin[/name] and kind of likes [name]Carlisle[/name], [name]Fiona[/name], and [name]Maren[/name]. He said no to [name]Ross[/name] and [name]Lachlan[/name], and said [name]Lorelei[/name] was too [name]Gilmore[/name] in his mind.
[name]Just[/name] wanted to say I really like [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]Alistair[/name] - not too much [name]AL[/name] in my opinion. I like [name]Malcolm[/name] followed by a vowel name, myself. [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]Alistair[/name] and [name]Griffin[/name] [name]Carlisle[/name] would be cute brothers, I think!
I have heard of [name]Ailis[/name] said [AYE-lish] in [name]America[/name] - the only [name]Ailis[/name] I’ve heard of - but it is phonetically pronounced [EYE-lish] in Gaelic. Actually, I think I like the [AYE-lish] pronunciation better, personally! Surprising! I really like [name]Ailis[/name] [name]Fiona[/name], too…
[name]Hi[/name] Hoodie! (Your screen name always makes me smile.)
I love so many of your names! My favorite with your last name from the boys’ list is [name]Malcolm[/name]. I love [name]Malcolm[/name]!
I love [name]Alastair[/name], too, but when I say [name]Alastair[/name] [name]Penny[/name] out loud, it sounds really close to “I lost her penny” to me. I love [name]Sander[/name], too, but [name]Sander[/name] [name]Penny[/name] sounds like “sand her penny” to me. (I thought I’d mention it just in case you hear it, too.) Oh! I love [name]Ronan[/name], too, and [name]Ailsa[/name] is my favorite from the girls’ list.
[name]Finola[/name] [name]Penny[/name]
[name]Fiona[/name] [name]Penny[/name] (Oops! I hear “own a penny,” and with the word “fee,” there’s a money theme…)
[name]Maeve[/name] [name]Penny[/name] (I love the longer names with [name]Penny[/name], though)
[name]Bridget[/name]/[name]Brigid[/name] [name]Penny[/name]
[name]Talullah[/name] [name]Penny[/name]
There’s also [name]Annabel[/name], but I’m not sure how you’ll like the B and P sounds together.
[name]Lemon[/name], I figured out why the -n ending with [name]Penny[/name] doesn’t bother me; it’s because my name ends in an n sound too (duh!) So do my FIL and [name]BIL[/name]'s names, and I haven’t noticed that our names sound off with [name]Penny[/name]. But I am clearly biased, so I will try to be aware of too much -n sound!
I’m glad you think [name]Malcolm[/name] [name]Alistair[/name] works; I am loving it too! Other mn options for [name]Malcolm[/name] would be [name]Lewis[/name], [name]James[/name], and [name]Harper[/name], but right now I like [name]Alistair[/name] the best with it. [name]Griffin[/name] [name]Carlisle[/name] sounds pretty darn cool! It doesn’t have a family name, but it does have the Scottish connection… maybe that’s enough.
[name]Ailis[/name] is so pretty (either as EYE-lish or AY-lish), but I just worry that no one will say it right. I think [name]Ailsa[/name] has a similar feel, but pronunciation is more clear from the spelling. Having said that, people would probably say [name]Ailsa[/name] wrong too just because it’s not familiar. I suppose that is the price I will pay for liking uncommon names!
[name]Malcom[/name] [name]Alistair[/name] sounds great together–not too many al’s. I also like [name]Malcom[/name] [name]James[/name]! I also love the name [name]Griffin[/name]!
Haha, Hoodie is one of those nicknames with no relation to the actual name; we name fans tend to forget about those! I’m so glad you like [name]Malcolm[/name], too; it just keeps growing on me!
This last name just causes all sorts of unforeseen problems, doesn’t it?? It’s funny, I was saying names aloud while driving along (you know you all do it, too!) and came to the same conclusion about [name]Sander[/name] [name]Penny[/name]! Not only does it sound like a phrase, but also like some sort of euphemism (though I have no idea what ‘sand her penny’ could mean! blush) I didn’t notice ‘I lost her’ in [name]Alistair[/name], and I’m hoping most people won’t because I am really loving that name. Maybe it isn’t as much of an issue if I use it in the middle?
I see what you mean about [name]Fiona[/name] (fee, own a) as well.
[name]Maxwell[/name] (not sure I like this full name, and [name]Max[/name] is so popular…)
[name]Stewart[/name] (I like this! but dh doesn’t)
[name]Maeve[/name] [name]Penny[/name] (I think I like longer names with [name]Penny[/name], too)
[name]Bridget[/name]/[name]Brigid[/name] (sounds middle-aged to me for some reason!)
[name]Talullah[/name] [name]Penny[/name] (really pretty, but i’m not sure it’s the right feel)
[name]Donovan[/name] (I really like this one, but it does have two n sounds; I really don’t think that bothers me, though. Would people want to call him [name]Don[/name]?)
[name]Lachlan[/name] (I like this but don’t think dh does)
[name]Sullivan[/name] (ditto)
[name]Aveline[/name] (this is really pretty; would you say it [name]AVA[/name]-line?)
[name]Evaleen[/name] [name]Penny[/name] (pretty, but i’m not sure i like the -een ending)
Haha!!! I’m cracking up about “Sand her penny” being a euphamism. That’s hysterical.
I know a lot of people who go by their full names (including long names like [name]Victoria[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name]), so it’s definitely possible to avoid a nickname. [name]Even[/name] so, there’s no way of guaranteeing that a [name]Donovan[/name] wouldn’t be called [name]Don[/name] by his friends every now and then. I love [name]Donovan[/name] [name]Penny[/name].
I’ve been pronouncing [name]Aveline[/name] as av-uh-leen, but I’m not sure if that’s correct. (It’s the pronunciation I found on Behind the Name…) Hmm…
For what it’s worth, the Ns don’t bother me, either.
Oh! I just want to add again that I love [name]Malcolm[/name].
Our style is hard to describe. We go for the uncommon but familiar side of things and like names that sound fresh, breezy, and possibly nature-y. We tend to gravitate toward Irish and Scottish names (though the Scottish connection has more meaning as husband”s dad is from there,) especially for boys. Last name is [name]Penny[/name], so I”d like to avoid names ending in -ee sound (as well as the names [name]Owen[/name], [name]Iona[/name], [name]Lane[/name]”)
GIRLS:
[name]Lyla[/name] (love, but is it becoming trendy? I think this spelling makes the pron more obvious) - like it spelled [name]Lila[/name].
[name]Ailsa[/name] (love the [name]Scotland[/name] connection) - love it!
[name]Seren[/name]
[name]Cora[/name] - love
BOYS:
[name]Oran[/name] (dh absolutely loves this, which is making me love it)
[name]Ronan[/name] (does this sound trendy?) - sounds trendy, but it’s so handsome. [name]Love[/name] the meaning, too.
[name]Malcolm[/name] (not sure if it goes w/ the others, but we both like it)
[name]Alistair[/name] (like the connection to dh”s mn, [name]Alexander[/name]) - like it.
[name]Sander[/name] (also from [name]Alexander[/name]; like this so much more than [name]Xander[/name], it sounds ”earthier” to me) - I love [name]Sander[/name] and [name]Zander[/name].
[name]Rowan[/name] - love this, but I think it’s going to end up a girl’s name.
[name]Birch[/name] - makes me think of [name]John[/name] [name]Birch[/name]. Not good.
If you have a feel for our style, do you have any suggestions to add to our list? Thanks in advance!!! - You are welcome!
Boys
[name]Cormac[/name]
[name]Declan[/name]
[name]Lachlan[/name]
[name]Miles[/name]
[name]Reed[/name]
Girls
[name]Carys[/name]
[name]Elspeth[/name]
[name]Fiona[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name]
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Tamsin[/name] - like it with [name]Penny[/name].
Thanks for the fantastic suggestions, [name]Susan[/name]!
I really like [name]Cormac[/name], [name]Carys[/name], [name]Elspeth[/name] (though I’m not sure that one works as well with [name]Penny[/name]), and really love [name]Tamsin[/name]!
I think you are right that [name]Rowan[/name] is sounding more girly these days. And I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of [name]John[/name] [name]Birch[/name] so I looked him up; yeah, definitely not an association I would want! [name]Birch[/name] wasn’t my favorite anyway, I was just trying to think of more tree-related names that I like… on that note, I do like [name]Ash[/name], but don’t think it works with [name]Penny[/name]. For a girl I also like Elowen, which means elm. Not sure I love it, though.
Oh, and we were recently discussing [name]Flora[/name] in another topic (as a mn for [name]Emmeline[/name]), and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Mentioned it to dh and he loves it! So maybe that is in the running now.
Anyway, I will update the list and re-post, adding middle name options this time. Thanks all!
You guys have been so helpful in getting me to think about other name options! But it turns out that maybe the most important thing I took away from your comments was an even greater love for my original favorites. So I appreciate all the positive feedback that gave me an even stronger conviction in my choices! All of your suggestions were fantastic, and I really wanted to include some of them ([name]Tamsin[/name], [name]Griffin[/name], and [name]Carlisle[/name], among others!), but dh vetoed quite a few… When it comes down to it, though, I think these are just more right for us, anyway.
So, here is the current list, in order of preference at this moment. All the middles come from family names, so there isn’t too much flexibility there… also want to note that in my fam it’s normal to have surnames as middles, even for girls.
GIRLS:
[name]Ailsa[/name]
[name]Cora[/name] (since this is actually a fam name, any middle could work)
[name]Flora[/name]
[name]Lila[/name] (liking this spelling better, still worry about popularity though)
Middles:
[name]Byrne[/name] (pron. ”burn”)
[name]Harper[/name]
Lorien (from Tolkien; for my mom, [name]Lauren[/name])
[name]Faye[/name]/[name]Fae[/name] (love the meaning, as I am into fairies but dh says this sounds ”common” in the UK where many of our friends and family are…)
BOYS:
[name]Malcolm[/name]
[name]Oran[/name] (dh still loves this; I really like it but am still warming to it)
[name]Lewis[/name] (this had been only a mn option, but we’re liking it as a first)
So I know I haven’t given you a whole lot to work with, but would love to hear your favorite combinations in terms of first/middle as well as possible sibsets. Ideally, we would like to have 3 kids. Look forward to hearing your thoughts, thanks again!!
[name]Lila[/name] may not be very popular, but taken together with [name]Lily[/name]/[name]Lillian[/name]/[name]Lola[/name]/[name]Layla[/name]/[name]Leila[/name] it’s VERY popular.
Good point, it sounds like the repeating L names are a big trend right now. Since hard-to-please dh really loves it (and I like it too), I think we will keep it on the list and see what it does in terms of popularity. If it’s still rising when baby time actually comes, we’ll scrap it.
I really like [name]Lewis[/name]. Definitely my fave. I like the look and flow of [name]Lewis[/name] [name]Alistair[/name], although [name]Lewis[/name] [name]James[/name] I think sounds nice too.
So I don’t have time to give a full response right now but I wanted a throw in a quick thought: it looks like [name]Rowan[/name] is off your list, but I always have to write to support it for boys!
It’s my 21-month-old son’s name and it definitely sounds masculine on him! Whenever someone finds out it’s unisex, they are shocked. Then again, he’s the only one around here, so he’s kind of set the standard.
It’s such an awesome nature name (that’s why we picked it!), and I don’t think we should let the girls take it over!
Okay, I’ll have to come back later to look at your other names because it looks like you have some awesome names picked out!
