To be clear, I’m not seeking arguments against the names that aren’t your taste. But I am looking for your strongest argument FOR the name you think is best for our [name_f]September[/name_f] baby if she’s a girl.
Top contenders:
[name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f], “[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]”
[name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], “[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]”
[name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] - for baby’s 3rd great-grandmother, [name_f]Hildred[/name_f] “[name_f]Daisy[/name_f]” and for “uncle” [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Paul[/name_m]
[name_f]Helen[/name_f] - baby’s 2nd great-grandmother, included in every name option ([name_f]Elin[/name_f] and [name_f]Helene[/name_f] derivative)
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f] - for baby’s great-grandmother [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and for [name_f]Margot[/name_f]'s father [name_m]Paul[/name_m] and other Pauls and Paulines
[name_f]Hildie[/name_f] - for baby’s 3rd great-grandmother, [name_f]Hildred[/name_f] “[name_f]Daisy[/name_f]”
[name_f]Frances[/name_f] - for [name_f]Frieda[/name_f], baby’s step great-grandmother, wife of [name_m]Herman[/name_m], and for baby’s 2nd great-grandfather [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Francis[/name_u]
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f] - for [name_m]Herman[/name_m], baby’s step great-grandfather, husband of [name_f]Frieda[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] - for baby’s 2nd great-grandfather [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_u]Francis[/name_u]
Last name one syllable Chinese surname beginning with K. [name_u]Baby[/name_u]'s ancestry: 1/2 Chinese, 1/4 Irish, approx. 1/8 [name_m]German[/name_m]/Swiss, 1/16 Dutch Scandinavian, 1/16 other Western European.
For your top contender I would pick [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], “[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]”. My reason is two fold. On a personal note I just [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] the name [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] and feel like it brings an added dimension to the name. Secondly, I think the addition of [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] almost helps to complete the flow. Because Chysanthemum and [name_f]Helen[/name_f] both end in a similar soft sound (m/n) you are almost left feeling like the name should continue. [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] really helps to finish it off nicely with a different sound. I hope that makes sense!
My favourites from your extended list in order are:
I love all of these names individually and in both combinations! But I think I would choose [name_f]Frances[/name_f] as a first name only because, as much as I love [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] (and I do [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it!), I wouldn’t want everyone to have this one strong association with my child’s name as it is still so much a part of our current popular culture. [name_m]Just[/name_m] my opinion and totally appreciate this might not be an issue for you personally. I think these are all gorgeous names!
I read a few of your other threads. And I was not a big fan of [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] at first. But just reading how passionate you are about that name is beautiful to me. I have a rare, unique name. It is an established name in other countries, not a made-up spelling. When I was younger, I used to hated it. But, growing up and knowing that it has ties to my family (as [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] has to yours) and that I probably won’t ever meet another woman with my name where I live makes it amazing. Yeah, when I go to Starbucks, I get asked if that’s my name or a nickname but, who cares. People tell me all the time how beautiful my name is. And I started to love it too. [name_m]Just[/name_m] seeing my mom’s face when she talks about my name and how much she loves it is amazing. You were so passionate about [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] that I feel your daughter would feel the same way.
Personally, I like [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] better. But, please, use [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. It really sounds like the name you truly love.
[name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] has grown on me too. It’s a ton of letters, but I like that it’s after your cousin. I tend to prefer just one middle but since they’re short you can probably get away with two. Second choice would be [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f]. Have you considered [name_f]Willa[/name_f] for [name_m]William[/name_m]? [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] is a bit harsh sounding to me.
I think [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] K*** sounds so punchy and awesome! I love the flow of [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] K***. I would save [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] for a possible #2, [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] would make a perfect sister name (:
I think [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] K___.
As others have said, [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] seems to be the name you’re connecting the most with. It is not any argument I have laid out, but the ones you have laid out, that tell me you’re passionate about [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f].
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f]! I love its energy, I love how it ties to her Chinese heritage, and still honors your family. I agree with others that suggested you save [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] for another baby; I think [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] has a lot of punch already and though I’m cool with individual names being a long, I think the length of the whole combination might get exhausting.
I wasn’t a fan of [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]…Until I read about your reasons for using it, and got a sense of all the love behind your choice. So, [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] gets my vote.
I think you should certainly use [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] after [name_f]Helen[/name_f]…I love the flow of the three names together, I like that [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] honours people in your life, and I just plain adore the name [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] is so lengthy, I really like two middle names. My daughter has two herself, as do I.
I say use [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], because you seem to love it the most. It’s a pretty, well-known flower and every single possible difficulties it present aren’t enough of a dealbreaker. My favourite, flow-wise is [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f]. [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] is absolutely lovely as well. The only thing I don’t like is the 1-1 syllable thing (with your last name). For this reason my vote goes for [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] K. But then again, it is it really [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] K. That you want, I say go for it. She won’t be called by her full name that often anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.
I agree with the general consensus, you seem really passionate about [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. It seems like you’ve put a lot of thought into the name, and I wouldn’t want to see you second guess yourself and regret it down the road. [name_m]Even[/name_m] completely average and common names like [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] (or [name_f]Ashleigh[/name_f] or [name_f]Ashlee[/name_f]) get misspelled and have to be clarified, so might as well go big or go home, and pick a beautiful name that means a lot to you. I’d go for [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] K. In theory, [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] on the end sounds lovely, but a PPs have stated, adding on your last name to it makes it sound a bit choppy.
I’m voting for [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] [name_f]Elin[/name_f] as a name, but I love [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] for you.
Like the other posters, I love how passionate you are about [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f].
I think I must have overlooked the [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]-[name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] connection earlier. I think that (and the [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Paul[/name_m] reference with [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]) really clinch it for me.
I agree with others that ‘[name_f]Pearl[/name_f] K___’ is a bit of an abrupt end, but I know you prefer ‘[name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]’ to ‘[name_f]Pearl[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f]’. I think the addition of [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] is actually what gives this combo the edge over [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] [name_f]Elin[/name_f]. I like that it honours [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and [name_m]Paul[/name_m] and CP. I also like that it could legitimately be a nn for [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] (because she’s named after ‘[name_f]Daisy[/name_f]’ which is also a nickname for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Marguerite[/name_f] etc), so if she decides she wants to go by a middle name she could do so without completely rejecting her first name. Not that I think she’ll feel the need to go by a middle when she has [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] and [name_u]Kit[/name_u]/[name_f]Kitty[/name_f] and [name_f]Chrys[/name_f] and [name_f]Anthea[/name_f] and Anthem (and many more options) as nicknames to choose from.
I know [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] makes the whole combo longer, but it’s still only 7 syllables. My mum has a 3-syllable first name, and 2 X 3-syllable middles (so, 9 syllables of given name), with a 2-syllable last name (so, 11 syllables total). It doesn’t sound too long. She also goes by an uncommon but recognisable 2-syllable nickname. Her name is foreign, so people do comment on it, but I’ve never heard anyone mention its length.
All your name combos are great, but at the moment C.H.P. has the edge for me (though I’d be almost as excited if you decide on M.E.)
For you I like [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] best. The more I think about it, the less crazy it seems. There’s nothing wrong with [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] per se - besides the length, one could argue, and maybe the strangeness of the “mum” ending. I kind of like that it is not really stylish, on trend or “cool” but doing its own thing (which is cool to me). I like that you have a deeper understanding/appreciation of the flower’s symbolism in Chinese art - how lovely and meaningful. At this point I can’t imagine you settling for [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] or [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] when your heart is with [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. I especially like [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] (its connection to [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] and the god [name_m]Hermes[/name_m]) and [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] (a strong medieval name - I think of the [name_f]Empress[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], and the [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl character) but in my mind they are outshone/eclipsed by [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. It’s out there but not in a pretentious, attention-seeking way. I picture a [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] being thoughtful, creative, maybe bookish but approachable and fun-loving.
And I’m glad you liked the story of Dr. Seuss’s uber-talented “daughter” [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]-[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]! I think it’s adorable and gives it another connection to children’s lit. I was thinking, reading her the picture book about the mouse would be a preemptive action against potential teasing - the character goes through the exact same experience and finds that she still loves being named [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], lending moral support for if/when she is given a hard time over it.
I always have to research a name’s history to get context and a better sense of it. The Nameberry article about regional names is fascinating, thanks! That’s wild you grew up with a [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f], [name_u]Cedar[/name_u], [name_f]Butterfly[/name_f], [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] Spray… I’m sure being raised in that environment would make me more open to names like [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. And you’re right, people who read the book as children are now of childbearing age and more likely to use it.
I would go with [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] because of the family significance. While I see pp’s argument about saving [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] for another daughter, there’s no guarantee [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] would have a sister and even if she did, you’re in no danger of running out of awesome names.
Thank you to everyone for the [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] love. My husband and I talked it over this morning and [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] she is if a she she is.
We love so many of the aspects of her name as I’ve already expressed in all my previous posts on the matter. But you all summed up those feelings really well in your posts:
This definitely articulated a big reason why we love it in a way that made it easier to talk about and come to our conclusion. Thanks.
It is certainly my hope that she will love her name, but either way, I believe in my ability to raise a daughter who can understand my multi-dimensional love for her and ultimately love herself. I hope she will view this name as a gift from her parents whether or not she loves it.
@[name_m]Yuma[/name_m], [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] K— “punchy and awesome” is a great praise! @lesliemarion, [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f] as an “inspired” nickname choice - thank you!
Thank you. The 4-2-1-1 rhythm is our least favorite thing about the name because of the bumpy end, but the [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]Paul[/name_m] connection is just too special for us to pass up.
My maiden name was 8 syllables, now 7. It doesn’t feel too long to me.
Honestly from the very beginning I really worried that [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] [name_f]Elin[/name_f] was just TOO on trend. I was never as in love with [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] as I am with [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], although I am still as in love with “[name_f]Hildie[/name_f]” as “[name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]” and [name_f]Hildie[/name_f] is the hardest part to let go. But I love that you essentially say that without being stylish or cool, [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] is just that.
I can also no longer imagine not picking [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f]. She has completely “eclipsed” my other options. I also agree that there’s no guarantee that [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] will ever have a sister, and while [name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] has been one of my very favorite names for a long time, I can let her go in favor of using this very special name for this very special babe who is already be on his/her way.
At the beginning of this pregnancy, I was dreading the potential of having a girl. Not because I don’t want to raise a girl, but because naming her seemed too daunting when we already knew our little boy would be dear [name_m]Horatio[/name_m] [name_m]Felix[/name_m]. Now I find myself hoping she’s a girl just so I can use this name I’m head over heels for. Now I just have to wait 6 months to find out.
Thank you to everyone who posted in this thread and the others. I’m so happy we have made a decision that feels so right.
