We are expecting a girl in a few weeks and we decided on [name_f]Clara[/name_f] for her first name. Any advice on a middle name?
Our last name is a single syllable starting with N, and her brother’s name is [name_m]Liam[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m]. We are looking for a middle name that is strong and not frilly to balance the sweet feminine sound of [name_f]Clara[/name_f]. These are the options we are considering:
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f]
Also, we like the pronunciation CLAH-ruh, but are worried it won’t be pronounced correctly in the US where [name_u]CLAIR[/name_u]-a is more common. Should we go with our favorite pronunciation or pick the more expected version? Thanks for your help!
Personally I would struggle with remembering the clah-ruh pronunciation. I have only known people with it pronounced clare-ah. [name_m]Even[/name_m] trying to choose my favorite middle name from your list I struggled to pronounce it clah-ruh. That said, my favorites are -
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u], I also would love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f]
of your ideas i like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] the best.
I like all of them except for [name_u]Harper[/name_u]. The flow just seems sort of…off, I guess. You and your SO have amazing taste. 
Maybe you’ll like:
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Angeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Felice[/name_u]/[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Lucille[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Lucia[/name_f]
I agree with tfzolghadr- while I think [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] is stunning, it would be clumsy and slurred-sounding with an N- surname. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Viviana[/name_f], maybe?
Of your other combos, I think [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f] are the best. There’s a nice rhythm of syllables and diversity of sounds in both cases. The only one I don’t like is [name_u]Harper[/name_u], which feels like a huge style mismatch next to her brother’s fantastic name and your other lovely middles.
Also, you should absolutely go with the pronunciation you love. There are always going to be people who say [name_u]Clair[/name_u]-uh (in Southern accents, it’s kind of impossible to say it any other way) but that doesn’t mean you should settle for a pronunciation you think is second-best.
I love pps’ suggestions of [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Hazel[/name_f]. Other ideas:
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Silvia[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Mireille[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f] stands out to me.
I love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]. [name_u]Harper[/name_u] is one of those names I want to go away.
I have a [name_f]Clara[/name_f] pronounced [name_f]Claire[/name_f] uh. I really dislike the other prn. You should use what you love but be prepared for people to use the American version
I personally prefer CLAH-rah. That is the only way I have ever heard it said, though I don’t live in [name_u]America[/name_u]. I like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f] the best. Here are some others that I came up with:
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] (as long as your last name doesn’t start with C).
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_m]Augustine[/name_m]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Evangelica[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Coralie[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Marisol[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Isabeau[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u]–so stunning!
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f] is my favorite!
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] are my favorites.
Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts on our name choices. We are pretty close to choosing [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Vivian[/name_u], but any other suggestions are welcome!
To me, since I am not used to it, the pronunciation Clah-ra comes across as a bit awkward. It sounds unnatural and forced to say it that way. I do think she would struggle with constantly have her name mispronounced.
For middle name ideas: Clara Louise - Clara Violet - Clara Juliet are all DYNAMITE combinations! I’m not a big fan of Vivian, but it flows fine with Clara. To me, the only combo that is NOT good at all is Clara Harper. Harper would spoil the beauty of the name, in my opinion.
Best wishes!
For what it’s worth, I’ve discounted [name_f]Clara[/name_f] even though I love it as I just don’t like the US pn (sorry lovely Americans, I love the accent the rest of the time) and I know my older DD will pick up a US accent and (in my eyes) mispronounce her sister’s name. So if you don’t mind which pn I would go with the one most commonly used as you will probably have to either correct people or let it go.
Anyway, that aside, I would have chosen [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as a MN and I know of a [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Jean[/name_u] that was just born which is very sweet. From your names, I like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Louise[/name_f] best.