We are expecting our 6th baby, a girl we will call Evangeline. We’ve had the name picked out for 10 years, since we were pregnant with our first and only other girl, who we ended up naming Elizabeth (it was between Elizabeth and Evangeline, and we ended up going with Elizabeth because my Dad said he liked it more, and it was the last time we spoke before he died). Our other children are John Daniel, James Monroe, Elizabeth Rose, Jude Arthur, and Benjamin Allen. They all have biblical first names and middle names after a family member. Here are the middle names we are trying to choose between, and the pros/cons of each one. We’d love to hear an outside opinion!
Evangeline Grace
Pros:
a. One of the most beautiful names to us
b. It’s the middle name we always planned on using for her for the past 10 years.
c. Perfect meaning: we finally have our Evangeline that we’ve been waiting for by the grace of God
d. Has the perfect 4-1-2 syllable combination
Cons:
a. Very common middle name
b. Breaks our tradition of the middle name being after a family member
Evangeline Laurel
Pros:
a. It’s a flower name, so it matches our daughter’s name, Elizabeth Rose
b. It’s a bit more different and unexpected
c. It honors my beloved birth home (state flower of Pennsylvania) and in a way, my family
d. It has a nice story, since we found out we’re having a girl while visiting family in PA
e. Since this will be our last baby, it’s also funny that we can say we’re done and “resting on our laurels”
Cons:
a. Breaks our tradition of the middle name being after a family member
Evangeline Opal
Pros:
a. It’s old-fashioned, yet unique and on trend
b. It honors the only grandparent I knew, and in a way, my dad (since it was his mother’s middle name)
Cons:
a. Not the prettiest sounding name, in my opinion
b. My grandmother actually hated it
Evangeline Ruby
Pros:
a. It’s also old-fashioned, yet unique and on trend
b. It honors my mom’s mother (who has passed away)
c. Evangeline will likely be born on or around that grandmother’s birthday, making four generations of girls born in March: My grandmother, my mother, me, and Evangeline
Cons:
a. I didn’t really know my grandmother and my mother was not close with her
b. The long “e” sound at the end, which is repeated with our last name, which also has a long “e” sound at the end
Evangeline Alice
Pros:
a. It honors my late sister’s middle name (Alison), who was one of the most important people in the world to me
b. It has the literary connection with one of my childhood (and adult) favorite books
c. It has a lovely meaning—“noble”
Cons: I do have some personal reservations about naming her after my sister that I’d rather not share.
[name_f]My[/name_f] vote goes to [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] it fits with your children’s names and doesn’t break the tradition if that’s very important to you. [name_f]My[/name_f] second choice would be [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Laurel[/name_u]! I think it’s such a pretty combo, and even though it isn’t a direct family name, I think it still honors you and your family, just in a different way
I also really like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]! It sounds really nice, and I love that it honors your sister, plus the connection to you as well
I think [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is the best idea! It fits in with the other children without being too matchy, and it’s a nice honor. And on top of that it just sounds really pretty.
Personally, I like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Opal[/name_f]. However, if neither you nor the person you’re honoring like it, there seems to be little point to it. So [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Laurel[/name_u] would probably be my second choice.
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] feels like a great choice - honours a family member you knew and value highly, is special to you, has literary links, has a good meaning, has similarities to [name_f]Grace[/name_f] in vibe/look/sound, the ‘al’ beginning could be a nod to [name_f]Opal[/name_f], is classic but still feels light and contemporary - and it flows well with [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f].
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Laurel[/name_u] would be my next pick - I like the meaning behind it, and for me, the way it links to your home, and to your family, is enough of an honour
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] gets my vote as it keeps the family name trend and you haven’t listed any cons. [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Laurel[/name_u] is the runner-up – I love the meaning for your family!
Congratulations!
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] or [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] would be my choice I slightly prefer [name_f]Alice[/name_f], it’s just so sweet, pretty and vintage.
I’m for [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or [name_u]Laurel[/name_u] as well.
I don’t usually warm to the name [name_f]Alice[/name_f] but I think it works here with [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] and especially given the importance of your sister. You could also use [name_u]Alix[/name_u], [name_f]Zélie[/name_f] (Zay-lie) or even Alais (UH-lace) as other versions of Alice/Alison.
[name_u]Laurel[/name_u] has so many pros for it - and just to say every year or two my youngest brother (of eight kids) reminds my parents he wishes they’d gone through with a middle name option for him that had embedded, a little joke about him being the last child. If you’re leaning this way, I say go for it!
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] opal is my favorite but [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] Is great and I really like [name_f]Alice[/name_f] as a middle name .
[name_f]My[/name_f] personal fave is [name_f]Opal[/name_f] - but it’s not yours so I feel like it should be scratched for that reason alone. No point in having a filler name you aren’t keen on and don’t find it pretty.
[name_f]My[/name_f] next favourites would be [name_f]Alice[/name_f] and [name_f]Grace[/name_f]. As [name_f]Grace[/name_f] is so ubiquitous, I’d go [name_f]Alice[/name_f], and you haven’t listed any cons.
Firstly [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] is beautiful such a gorgeous name that feels so holy and angelic truly stunning. I love all your kiddos names they are so classic.
Anyways for me it’s a no brainer you should go with [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]! The combination works honours your wonderful sister to whom I’m so sorry to hear about her passing along with your favourite fairytale. [name_f]Alice[/name_f] sticks to the tradition of using a family name and does not have a single con attached to her. I think you should go with [name_f]Alice[/name_f]!
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] is my daughters name I think it’s gorgeous, obviously!
Of your choices I like [name_f]Opal[/name_f] the best but as you don’t love it [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f] get my vote, [name_f]Grace[/name_f] maybe slightly more as it fits in with your other kids. All the best all your choices are beautiful
Thank you, everyone, for your opinions! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my long post. I did edit it to add one con to [name_f]Alice[/name_f], which I hesitated to include before. [name_m]Even[/name_m] still, I think [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_u]Laurel[/name_u], and [name_f]Grace[/name_f] are our current favorites!
[name_f]My[/name_f] favourites are [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] & [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] Lauel, both sound pretty and have meaning.
Also if your open to others, [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] is lovely 🫶🏻
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorites are [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Laurel[/name_u] and [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f].
[name_f]My[/name_f] daughter is [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Luna[/name_f]. I went back and forth for her middle name for ever too. Best of luck!
I slightly prefer [name_f]Alice[/name_f], it’s just so sweet, pretty and vintage. 
🫶🏻