Looking for something unusual...Seaton too masculine?

Girl Names
1

[name]Hi[/name] Everyone,

My Husband and I are looking for an unusual name for our baby girl due in [name]May[/name].

I do not want anything in the top 1000, nor do I want anything that cannot be spelled phonetically, I know, tough order.

The husband prefers a “sea” or “ocean” name, problem being her last name is going to start with “M” and most sea names I like start with an “M” and I don’t care for the alliteration. So, [name]Marin[/name], [name]Maren[/name], [name]Marina[/name], etc. are out of the running.

Care to give your opinions of some of the names in the running?

I had a dream we named her “[name]Seaton[/name]” which means “from a sea town” which is perfect but I am worried it is too masculine and I don’t know how I feel about unisex names. This name is by far the husband’s favorite name, so I am trying to keep an open mind about it.

Other names we like:

[name]Odette[/name]
[name]Ottilie[/name]
[name]Elodie[/name]
[name]Ramona[/name]
[name]Ula[/name]
[name]Juniper[/name]
[name]Navy[/name]

I always thought I would “just know” when we found the right name, so, so far this quest has been disappointing and I am running out of time.

Any opinions or other name suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

2

[name]Hi[/name] and Congratulations!

[name]Seaton[/name] made me think Seton, as in [name]Anne[/name] Seton, [name]Saint[/name] (I tthink she was [name]Anne[/name], My memory’s gone a bit goofy with this pregnancy). I really think [name]Seaton[/name] is pretty awful on a girl, more for the obvious “seat” in the name. I’d save it for a boy, myself.

But, I can think of two names that might work for you:
[name]Delphine[/name] - is said exactly like you think: del-FEEN (rhymes with [name]Josephine[/name]). Mean dolphin in French.

[name]Oceane[/name] is said something like oh-[name]SAY[/name]-ahn, I think. Not quite phonetic but is easily figured out nonetheless. Simple [name]Ocean[/name] may work for you too. [name]How[/name] about [name]Bay[/name]? Feels a bit masculine to me, but not so much that it’s awful on a girl.

I’m out of ideas, but I’m sure the other wonderful berries here will come up with more! Good luck! :smiley:

From your list, I adore [name]Ottilie[/name]. Means ‘wealthy’ though. Which isn’t awful,but it’s not water related either.

3

Thank you for your response!

I like [name]Ottilie[/name] too, and DH has conceded as far as the name absolutely having to have a water meaning…I think she would probably have misspelling issues with [name]Ottilie[/name] but it may be worth it.

I’m wondering if this name would age well.

Thanks again for your input.

4

[name]Hi[/name], I love your curren list! [name]Ottilie[/name], [name]Elodie[/name], [name]Juniper[/name], and [name]Ramona[/name] are great.

Okay, names that have meanings related to water (my faves in bold):

[name]Cordelia[/name] (daughter of the sea)
[name]Nerissa[/name] (from the sea)
[name]Coralie[/name]
[name]Elodie[/name] (marsh flower) - not exactly related to the ocean/sea but is marsh good enough? Really loving this one for you!
[name]Guinevere[/name] (white wave) - this is my favourite name from this list
[name]Genevieve[/name] (white wave)
[name]Genevra[/name] (white wave)
[name]Maisie[/name] (pearl)
[name]Nahla[/name] (drink of water)
[name]Rhea[/name] (flowing stream)
[name]Tallulah[/name] (leaping waters)

There are many more but this is all I can think of for now. [name]Do[/name] you like any of these?

5

Although [name]Chelsea[/name] is in the top 1000 at the moment, it is a name whose popularity is declining and perhaps would meet your requirements. I haven’t checked but is [name]Oceane[/name] too popular too?

6

I absolutely adore [name]Seaton[/name]. I think it would be precious on a little girl! But then again, I have a thing for surname-y boyish names on girls. :smiley:

Arnava - ocean; sea
[name]Ama[/name] - water
Adva - wave; ripple
[name]Delmar[/name] - of the sea
[name]Iara[/name] - water lady
Inia - body of water
Kailani - the sea and the sky
[name]Kairi[/name] - ocean village
[name]Kyla[/name] - strait of water
Kaito - ocean
[name]Laine[/name] - wave
[name]Narissa[/name] - sea sprite
[name]Nautica[/name] - navigator on the sea
[name]Nerina[/name] - water
[name]Neela[/name] - blue; color of the sea
[name]Oceana[/name] - ocean
[name]Ondine[/name] - wave; water spirit
[name]Pela[/name] - of the sea
[name]Romy[/name] - sea dew
[name]Rosemarie[/name] - sea dew
[name]Rosemary[/name] - sea dew
Saelufu - strength of the sea
[name]Thalassa[/name] - ocean; sea
[name]Talise[/name] - beautiful water
Varisa - sleeping on the sea
Vailea - water that speaks
Yamit - small sea
Yoka - ocean smell

7

hmmm how about…

containing ‘sea’…
[name]Sealey[/name]- means blessed, but it contains ‘sea’
[name]Season[/name]- same idea…

meaning sea/ocean/water/etc…
[name]Kai[/name]- sea
[name]Ione[/name]/[name]Ianthe[/name]- means violet flower, sea nymph in Greek Mythology
Derya- ‘ocean’ in turkish
[name]Darya[/name]- ‘seas’ in iranian
Kaimana- ‘power of the ocean’ hawaiian
Sedna- Inuit goddess of the sea
[name]Dalit[/name]- to draw water
[name]Undine[/name]- wave (though definitely has teasing potential)
[name]Nerida[/name]- Mermaid

names related to water…
[name]Briny[/name]
[name]Delta[/name]
[name]Harbor[/name]

8

I definitely think of [name]Seaton[/name] as very masculine. My first thought was Seton [name]Hall[/name], probably b/c basketball season is finishing…

I’m guessing that since this name is your favorite that you will not go for some of the more girly names like [name]Nerissa[/name]. There have been many lovely suggestions, with my favorites being [name]Ondine[/name] & [name]Ione[/name]. I admit when I first heard [name]Ondine[/name] years ago I thought it was strange but it has really grown on me.

I think you will have both spelling and pronunciation issues with [name]Ottilie[/name]. I don’t know which syllable is supposed to be stressed. Ie. Is it Oh-TELL-ee or OT-ill-lee?

I’m guessing [name]Dylan[/name] is too popular for you?

9

[name]Hi[/name] guys,

Thank you for your replies!

I told DH that I thought [name]Seaton[/name] was off the table tonight and he is really bummed about it…

I think [name]Ottilie[/name] will run into problems with pronunciation, and I wonder if [name]Elodie[/name] would get mistaken for [name]Melody[/name] all the time.

I very much like [name]Ondine[/name], I had seen that one a while ago too, but still searching for the name that just feels right. I think we are going to have to go beyond the water names to find something that we both like.

Still have [name]Odette[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name] on the table. Wish [name]Ramona[/name] didn’t come with such easy bullying potential.

Thanks again for all of the beautiful suggestions.

10

____________________________________________________-

Funny, [name]Moxie[/name] was one of the first names we were considering when we found out it we were having a girl. We stopped considering it because I was nervous about the fact that maybe she wouldn’t have “moxie”. Lol.

I like [name]Dylan[/name], but we have a close friend with that name.

11

Why not use [name]Seaton[/name] in the middle? I love that it came to you in a dream, and that way dad can have a special nickname for his daughter. I just personally find it too masculine and surname-y for a girl, but I know that is a popular style (that quite honestly I hope passes)

I like [name]Ramona[/name] and don’t think it has more teasing potential than the average name.

[name]Ramona[/name] [name]Seaton[/name]
[name]Juniper[/name] [name]Seaton[/name]

I have looked and looked for a full name that could be shortened to [name]Moxie[/name] b/c I love the name!

I’m going to just throw these next names out there:

[name]Ciel[/name] (SEE-elle)
[name]Sigrid[/name] (SEE-grid)

They both contain the sounds “sea” even if they don’t mean “sea”. I think both are great names.

12

Change of plans…now we are considering [name]Ione[/name].

It has a water meaning, is unusual, but…the spelling might not be ideal, I have a feeling she might have to explain that a lot.

Any opinions on [name]Ione[/name]?

Thanks again, your suggestions have been so helpful!

13

I have a [name]Maren[/name] and love the sea connection. Someone suggested [name]Romy[/name] for me which means “dew of the sea”. I’m working on getting my husband to love it… it might meet all of your criteria???

Good [name]Luck[/name]!

14

I’ve loved [name]Ione[/name] since [name]Ione[/name] [name]Skye[/name] was in [name]Say[/name] Anything in the 80s! I think it’s a striking, sophisticated, beautiful name! If you still want to use [name]Seaton[/name], [name]Ione[/name] [name]Seaton[/name] is a fine pairing.

15

I think [name]Seaton[/name] is fine although I see the “seat” thing. I think if you’re not set on it, it’s good to keep looking. If you are set, more power to you, maybe pick something more feminine for the middle name spot. I think it would be a great middle name - I love the coming from a dream thing. My mother had a dream story for my name and I always appreciated it. I also have a suggestion or two connecting to [name]Seaton[/name] below.

I really like [name]Ione[/name]. I do think spelling/prn could be hard. I kind of prefer [name]Iona[/name] personally. [name]Ione[/name] [name]Seaton[/name] and [name]Iona[/name] [name]Seaton[/name] are both pretty nice.

[name]Elodie[/name] - love this name, it does remind me of [name]Melody[/name], I think it could jump in the coming years given all the [name]Ella[/name] love, if that matters to you (I mean, one can’t predict the future completely on any of this stuff!).

A few suggestions that I don’t think have been posted yet follow.

All best!

[name]Anemone[/name] - probably too out there and has the “moan” problem of [name]Ramona[/name] a little bit, although not as badly. Phonetic if people know the word, tricky if not. [name]Annie[/name] or [name]Emmy[/name]/[name]Emma[/name] as a nn, not sure how you feel about that.

[name]Gretchen[/name] - means pearl by way of [name]Margaret[/name], at 996 in 2009. Pretty recognizable and spellable.

[name]Pasha[/name] - Greek (by way of Russian?) - of the Sea, very spellable / prn-able, NB mentions some cartoon reference I don’t know about.

[name]Palasha[/name] - Very spellable / prn-able (more prn-able than spellable), Russian from Greek [name]Pelagia[/name] of the sea.

[name]Pearl[/name] - per NB, dropped off the top 1000 in the 1980s. SSA has it popping up to 995 in 2007, nothing since, probably hovering just below the bottom. TOTALLY spellable/pronounceable.

[name]Pelagia[/name] - Greek of the sea, as another pp added [name]Pela[/name], must be related?

Sagara - Indo-Pakastani for the sea - easy to say, easy enough to spell, probably misheard as [name]Sarah[/name] sometimes.

[name]Sidonia[/name] - to me, captures a lot of the feeling of [name]Seaton[/name]. Means “from Sidon” - like [name]Lydia[/name], one of those old Latin place-name names, a city in modern day Lebanon (ancient Phoenecia) sitting on the Mediterranean sea. So it is a sea name of sorts, and definitely a “sea town”. [name]Sedona[/name], [name]Arizona[/name], probably comes from this - it was named after a woman with that name, which seems likely to have been a take on [name]Sidonia[/name]. Now, [name]Sedona[/name] is certainly a desert place, not an ocean/sea place…but it is a beautiful one. To me, [name]Sidonia[/name], or [name]Sedona[/name] might have some prn/spelling issues, but none horribly. More spelling than prn, actually. Also captures some of what you like from [name]Ione[/name], I think.

[name]Turquoise[/name] - color name for blue water, that would be spelled and pronounced easily enough by those familiar enough with the word.

Virva - a Finnish name referring to will 'o the wisp - light appearing over water. Fairly easy to spell and prn, but would probably be misheard as [name]Vera[/name]/[name]Vivian[/name]/[name]Viva[/name]

16

I found a few water names you might like:

[name]Kia[/name]- water in Hawaiian
Gwennant- Welsh for white stream
Pelunia- Greek for of the sea

Also a bunch of Greek gods and godesses:

Akelos
Amphitrite
Arnemetia
Asopos
[name]Doris[/name]
Eurynome
[name]Nereus[/name]
Palaemon
Ritona
Sequana
Tethys
Tiberinus
[name]Thetis[/name]

17

Wow, some great suggestions!

I forgot to mention the other name in the running…[name]Navy[/name].

It is an easy name to pronounce/spell, just worried that she will have to explain the name all the time. Last night I was really set on [name]Ione[/name], but still have the fear of the pronunciation.

We already have a middle name, Bluebird. [name]Long[/name] story, but it has a personal meaning for us so we are not up for changing it unless we absolutely had to (even though it’s terribly hippie, lol).

So she would be [name]Ione[/name] Bluebird which I think it has a nice lyrical quality to it.

If we were to use [name]Navy[/name] I think we would have to change the middle name, [name]Navy[/name] Bluebird is just too ridiculous.

I am pretty sure that people at this point do not remember [name]Ione[/name] [name]Skye[/name] anymore right?

Ugh, this is SO hard!!!

Thanks again for all the advice.

18

Re: [name]Ione[/name] [name]Skye[/name]. I don’t really know who she is, I think actress, right? [name]Even[/name] so, it’s such an unusual name that [name]Ione[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is what immediately popped into my head upon reading the name. I don’t know if that’s a negative thing or not, but it is there. I think [name]Ione[/name] Bluebird is cute, even though nms. Another thing to consider, it doesn’t have an intuitive prn, at least from an American perspective, not the worst thing, but you’d have to be prepared for a lot of corrections/explanations.

19

I adore the sound of [name]Navy[/name], [name]Navy[/name] blue is a great color, and it has positive associations for me as there are a lot of [name]Navy[/name] men in the family. But, besides all the explaining, it makes me think of Old [name]Navy[/name] and [name]Navy[/name] the perfume which I think was kind of down-market, so those are kind of lower-quality associations than others of the name. Not that I think most people will know of the perfume, but Old [name]Navy[/name] is pretty widespread. And then I just see teasing potential. If you do use it, yes, definitely let go of Bluebird (cute!), and if it has that much meaning to you, why bother? There are clearly loads of sea/ocean names for you to choose from.

Bluebird is such a distinctive choice that I like something more grounded and accessible in front -

Now knowing the middle name, these are the combos I like best:
[name]Cordelia[/name] Bluebird
[name]Elodie[/name] Bluebird
[name]Greta[/name] Bluebird (2-2 but it works more than most)
[name]Nerissa[/name] Bluebird
[name]Pearl[/name] Bluebird (a lot of word, but it still works for me, a very sweet even vintagey thing)
[name]Rosemarie[/name] Bluebird (in the 900s, and I think you could still use nn [name]Romy[/name], very rare, sounds better than just [name]Romy[/name] Bluebird to me)
[name]Rosemary[/name] Bluebird (ditto [name]Pearl[/name] and [name]Rosemarie[/name])
[name]Sedona[/name] Bluebird
[name]Sidonia[/name] Bluebird

[name]Ione[/name] Bluebird meets the criteria for the above list, but it sounds like I own a bluebird, less so than [name]Iona[/name], but still there. Not the worst, not ideal. I do associate [name]Ione[/name] with [name]Ione[/name] [name]Skye[/name] but really don’t remember anything about her other than the name!

Does a different word meaning Bluebird have meaning to you? It might sound better with some different names to use, if so. Sialia is the Latin genus name, apparently, and it’s pretty, although it makes me think of Sialis - I guess they named the drug after bluebirds! Sinikka is a legitimate name in Finnish some websites give the meaning as blue, and other dictionary sites say this is the word for bluebird in Finnish and Estonian (I am not 100% sure of accuracy). Azulejo is the Spanish word, I am pretty sure that is right. You can keep looking in languages relevant to you if this works. [name]Azure[/name] or [name]Azura[/name] are pretty and allude to blue without saying the bird part specifically.

All best!