Looking for more advice on specific names

Girl Names
1

I’m back with some follow up questions! I had posted about my name list being totally different from my husband’s and asked for some suggestions that might please us both. I like shorter, simpler names, and he likes longer, more popular/throwback to our generation-type names.

Mine are: [name]Tessa[/name], [name]Eliza[/name], [name]Greta[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Clara[/name]

His are: [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Genevieve[/name], [name]Valerie[/name], [name]Veronica[/name], [name]Vanessa[/name], [name]Alexandra[/name], [name]Eloise[/name], [name]Jessica[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Emily[/name], [name]Juliet[/name]

At this point I’m hoping maybe we can agree on [name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Eliza[/name], or [name]Tessa[/name] will grow on him because of his love of [name]Vanessa[/name] and their similarity. I do kind of like his suggestions of [name]Juliet[/name] and maybe [name]Genevieve[/name] (see question below).

Some questions about some of your recommendations:

[name]Annika[/name]: [name]How[/name] do you say this? Rhymes with Hannukah or [name]Danica[/name]?
[name]Elisabeth[/name]: with this spelling, is the pronunciation basically the same as [name]Elizabeth[/name]?
[name]Marina[/name]: what do you think of this name? I liked it a while back but took it off my list due to the association with boat docking - I thought people would find it odd for a name.
[name]Matilda[/name]: what do you think of this name? I don’t like [name]Mattie[/name] or [name]Tilda[/name] for a nn. Is [name]Tillie[/name] a good choice? Any others?
[name]Molly[/name]: I like this name but worry about its popularity and cutesy-ness. What do you think?
[name]Emilia[/name]: Is this basically pronounced the same as [name]Amelia[/name]? Any nn options?
[name]Quinn[/name]: Is this too unisex to use? Also, with the last name K***ler, do you think it sounds strange and too repetitive with the hard “k” sounds?
[name]Genevieve[/name]: What would you use for a nn? I don’t like the idea of [name]Genny[/name]/[name]Jenny[/name] or [name]Evie[/name]. Maybe [name]Genna[/name]?

Thanks again so much - you’ve all been a big help!

2

I always thought [name]Annika[/name] rhymed with [name]Danica[/name], but I’m not sure. I think [name]Elisabeth[/name] is pronounced the same as [name]Elizabeth[/name], but I prefer the Z myself. Plus, I picture her always having to correct the spelling. [name]Marina[/name] is too boat-ish for me, but I love your short list of names! I was thinking that [name]Vivi[/name] could be a cute nickname for [name]Genevieve[/name], but you might not like that because you don’t love [name]Evie[/name]. [name]Genna[/name] would definitely work.

3

[name]Annika[/name] - I always thought it rhymed with [name]Danica[/name].
[name]Elisabeth[/name] - Same pronunciation.
[name]Marina[/name] - I’m a city girl so the boating association wouldn’t be as strong for me. I do like it but I prefer [name]Marian[/name] or [name]Miriam[/name].
[name]Matilda[/name] - [name]Tilda[/name] is my favorite nickname with [name]Tillie[/name] as a close second. I love [name]Matilda[/name] it’s perfectly vintage. Another nickname option could be [name]Mimi[/name].
[name]Molly[/name] - Too cutesy for my taste. I don’t think it’s too popular, judging from girls I know named [name]Molly[/name], but it is somewhat dated. Also, it’s a slang term for marijuana.
[name]Emilia[/name] - It’s pronounced pretty much the same way just with more of an ‘E’ instead of an ‘A’. I personally prefer [name]Amelia[/name]. Nickname options could be [name]Emme[/name], [name]Amy[/name], [name]Mila[/name], and [name]Lia[/name].
[name]Quinn[/name] - Too unisex for my taste but I do find ‘Q’ names interesting. I wouldn’t find it too repetitive with your last name.
[name]Genevieve[/name] - What about just [name]Eve[/name]? I think [name]Genna[/name] could work, but it’s not my favorite. I’d use [name]Eve[/name].

4

I think that compromise is key with naming! I love [name]Eliza[/name] too, but would you be willing to have an [name]Elizabeth[/name] nicknamed [name]Eliza[/name]? To me that seems like a perfect way to keep both of you happy! I also think that [name]Tessa[/name] could work as a nickname for [name]Vanessa[/name], especially if her middle name started with a “T”. [name]Juliet[/name] is a sweet little name as well, and I would keep it in your back pocket for now, along with [name]Genevieve[/name]!

[name]Annika[/name]- I’ve always pronounced it like “[name]Danica[/name]”.
[name]Elisabeth[/name]- Same pronounciation as “[name]Elizabeth[/name]”, but it kind of takes away the possibility of [name]Eliza[/name] as a nickname, which wouldn’t be fair to you.
[name]Marina[/name]- I read a book with a main character named [name]Marina[/name], and thought it was a beautiful name. I wouldn’t discount it because of the boat association.
[name]Matilda[/name]- I love [name]Matilda[/name]! And [name]Tilly[/name] is a great nickname. I also think that [name]Mia[/name] could work.
[name]Molly[/name]- It is a cute name, but matures well too! I honestly don’t hear it all that much either, so I wouldn’t worry about popularity.
[name]Emilia[/name]- Pronounced like [name]Amelia[/name]! I actually prefer this spelling, and it makes the name unique without being weird. [name]Emmy[/name], [name]Mia[/name], [name]Lily[/name], and [name]Lia[/name] are all nickname possibilities.
[name]Quinn[/name]- Not at all too unisex! I love it with both genders, and I honestly can’t say that I prefer with one or the other. I also like alliterative names so I think that a [name]Quinn[/name] Kessler (as an example) would be fine.
[name]Genevieve[/name]- I like [name]Genna[/name] best! I’m stumped on other options though. Nicknames often come from the strangest of places though, so I wouldn’t cross it off your list because you don’t have one now.

Best of luck!

5

There should be many names that would appeal to both of you because you seem closer than you think :slight_smile:

[name]Marina[/name] is a lovely suggestion! [name]Miranda[/name] and [name]Tabatha[/name] came to mind for me… What about [name]Viv[/name] for a nn of [name]Genevieve[/name]?

What about [name]Margo[/name], [name]Daphne[/name], [name]Camille[/name], [name]Zara[/name], [name]Gretchen[/name], [name]India[/name], Jessamin, [name]Mara[/name], [name]Carina[/name], [name]Sabine[/name], [name]Elaina[/name], [name]Gemma[/name], [name]Laurel[/name]?

6

I think [name]Vivi[/name] is a cute nickname option for [name]Genevieve[/name]. :slight_smile:

7

Taking his favorites and giving them spunky nicknames:

[name]Charlotte[/name] - [name]Lotte[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]/[name]Emilia[/name] - [name]Millie[/name]
[name]Genevieve[/name] - [name]Gigi[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name] - Nothing I can do for [name]Valerie[/name]!
[name]Veronica[/name] - Vinca (Vinca is a neat little flowering plant, also known as periwinkle.) or lovely [name]Vera[/name]!
[name]Vanessa[/name] - This one’s hard to nickname. [name]Nessa[/name], but that’s a bit [name]Loch[/name] Ness.
[name]Alexandra[/name] - [name]Sasha[/name], [name]Sandy[/name], [name]Zandra[/name] (or spell it [name]Xandra[/name]) maybe [name]Zadie[/name]? It’s a bit of a stretch, but if [name]Sasha[/name] works, why not [name]Zadie[/name]?
[name]Eloise[/name] - [name]Lou[/name]
[name]Jessica[/name] - Jesca (Medieval version of [name]Jessica[/name]) or [name]Jess[/name], obviously
[name]Elizabeth[/name] - [name]Bette[/name] ("[name]Betty[/name]!") What could be better? or [name]Eliza[/name].
[name]Emily[/name] - There’s [name]Millie[/name] again.
[name]Juliet[/name] - [name]Etta[/name]

I also really like [name]Annika[/name] and [name]Marina[/name]. [name]Annika[/name] makes me think of [name]Pippi[/name] Longstocking. It’s spunky but also grown-up and Scandinavian without being unfamiliar. [name]Marina[/name] is watery of course, but also a bit mysterious and sexy.
Of your favorites, I adore [name]Lucy[/name] and [name]Greta[/name]. Perhaps your husband would like [name]Lucy[/name] more as nicknames for [name]Lucille[/name], [name]Lucinda[/name], [name]Lucia[/name], [name]Lovisa[/name]?
[name]Greta[/name]- [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Margareta[/name], [name]Marguerite[/name], [name]Gretchen[/name]?

8

I like [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Clara[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name] on your list.
I like [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Veronica[/name], [name]Juliet[/name], and [name]Genevieve[/name].

I like [name]Genevieve[/name] nn [name]Eve[/name], [name]Evie[/name]. I prefer [name]Tilda[/name] over [name]Matilda[/name]…

9

Another suggestion to consider: If you like [name]Tessa[/name] and he likes [name]Vanessa[/name], perhaps you would like [name]Nessa[/name]. Or [name]Essie[/name].

10

Have to voice my love for [name]Greta[/name] - my current #1 name.

For your questions
[name]Annika[/name]: I’d prn like [name]Danica[/name].
[name]Elisabeth[/name]: I’d pronounce it like [name]Elizabeth[/name], but agree that you should stick with the “z” name to get [name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]: NMS
[name]Matilda[/name]: I love this name, but maybe I’m biased because it’s what I chose to name my daughter. We decided not to use any nickname, but [name]Tillie[/name] definitely works. Also I have had people ask me if I might call her [name]Millie[/name] as a nickname, which is more of a stretch but I personally like it better than [name]Tillie[/name].
[name]Molly[/name]: I don’t see this as too popular, but it does seem slightly cutesy to me too. Like I’d want it to be a nickname for something more substantial.
[name]Emilia[/name]: I’d prn this basically same as [name]Amelia[/name], and at that point I feel like it’d be easier to just use [name]Amelia[/name] - more familiar, less confusion
[name]Quinn[/name]: I’m not a big fan, but don’t think it would be a problem with the 2 K sounds. I was a KK before I got married and never had any issue with it (other than people asking if my middle name started with K a lot, but with a Q you dont have to worry about that one)

11

I think [name]Elizabeth[/name] with the nn [name]Eliza[/name] would be a great choice. Or [name]Margaret[/name] with the nn [name]Greta[/name].

12

Great, thanks everyone. You’ve been such a huge help for me during this process. We’ll see where my husband and I land eventually - time to ponder and think things over for a while!

13

I know an [name]Annika[/name] who pronounces it like Hanneke without the H. It’s up to you. I think the majority pronunciation in [name]America[/name] is with the short A, but I like the other much better.

Your husband has very good taste actually, it’s just different from yours. I tend to like shorter, spunkier names too, but I like the idea of giving one of your favorites a more feminine spin and see how he likes it.
[name]Lucy[/name]>>[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Clara[/name]>>[name]Clarice[/name]

You like [name]Eliza[/name], he likes [name]Elizabeth[/name], that seems like a great option to me. [name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Eliza[/name]. Gorgeous.

I prefer [name]Marin[/name] to [name]Marina[/name]. [name]Marin[/name] is a chic place name.

14

The only [name]Annika[/name] I’ve ever met pronounced her name to rhyme with Hannukah, but people pronounce it both ways