My husband and I are anticipating adopting a baby girl in [name_f]February[/name_f] 2016. After MUCH discussion, we have agreed that her middle name will be [name_f]Rose[/name_f], to honor a deceased family member. My husband is adamant that our baby cannot have the same name as any living family member.
We originally liked the name [name_f]Anna[/name_f] (years ago) but my husband thinks that it has become too common. I love the name [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], but he doesn’t. He wants [name_f]Athena[/name_f], which I hate. We are discussing [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] (it’s growing on me). Then today my mother-in-law suggested that we use my middle name, [name_f]Amalie[/name_f], pronounced [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-MAH-lee-uh, and nickname her [name_f]Mollie[/name_f]. I am named after my great-grandmother, who was a pretty tremendous woman, so I’d be pleased to name our daughter after her as well–but no one has [name_u]EVER[/name_u] been able to successfully pronounce my middle name right on the first try (and sometimes not on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 17th try). Also, we live in Tampa, home of the Tampa [name_u]Bay[/name_u] Lightning hockey team, which plays their games in the [name_f]Amalie[/name_f] Arena (pronounced AM-uh-lee). I certainly don’t want anyone thinking that we named our child after a hockey arena or an oil company (who the arena is named for). Also, I’m not sure how much this matters, but we will be white parents of a biracial (black/white) baby. My husband thinks the name [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] is too white for a biracial baby, and I disagree.
What do you think? I’m open to other suggestions. We like classic names, not trendy ones, and would prefer that she not have any of the super-common names. (I love the name [name_f]Emma[/name_f], but as soon as I saw that it’s been the most popular name for multiple years in a row I decided against it.)
I like [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] too, but here are a few other suggestions.
[name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_u]Kelsey[/name_u] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
Matlida [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_u]Andrea[/name_u] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Anthea[/name_f] (if you don’t like [name_f]Athena[/name_f])
[name_f]Annaliese[/name_f]/[name_f]Annalise[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] (a variation of [name_f]Anna[/name_f] and you could still call her [name_f]Anna[/name_f] for short)
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] (Close to your name, and perhaps she could be [name_f]Milly[/name_f] for short instead of [name_f]Molly[/name_f]?)
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]/[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Edith[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Sybil[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] ([name_u]Abby[/name_u] for short)
What about [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f]? Nn [name_f]Nora[/name_f]. I don’t think race matters but the name [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] brings up images of an old fashion, no nonsense, English women for me. I’d still use it.
Could you just name her [name_f]Mollie[/name_f]. That way there’s a connection but no confusion.
If [name_f]Amalie[/name_f] is pronounced [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-MAH-lee-uh, then why not spell it Ahmalea?
Ahmalea [name_f]Rose[/name_f] sounds lovely and doesn’t violate your rule about not using the name of any living relative.
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is a novel written by [name_m]Frank[/name_m] De Felitta, published in 1975 about a couple confronted with the idea that their young daughter might be the reincarnation of another man’s child. The book was followed by a 1982 sequel, For [name_u]Love[/name_u] of [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f].
… Audrey Rose (novel) - Wikipedia
You might want to follow the (above) link and read the plot synopsis before using this (well known) name.
President [name_m]Barack[/name_m] [name_m]Obama[/name_m] has two daughters. The older daughter is [name_f]Malia[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f], born [name_u]July[/name_u] 4, 1998. The younger daughter is [name_f]Natasha[/name_f] ([name_u]Sasha[/name_u]), born [name_u]June[/name_u] 10, 2001.
Would you consider [name_f]Malia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]? Seems perfect for a mixed race child as [name_f]Malia[/name_f] [name_m]Obama[/name_m] is 25% white. You could still call her [name_f]Molly[/name_f].
I wouldn’t use your middle name because it honestly is too difficult to spell and pronounce.
I will suggest [name_f]Coralie[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f].
When I think of strong black women I think of [name_f]Coretta[/name_f] [name_m]Scott[/name_m] [name_m]King[/name_m]. I think [name_f]Coretta[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is lovely.
If it’s pronounced [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-mah-lee-uh, why not spell it [name_f]Amalia[/name_f], with an a? That’s a legit, beautiful and not overly popular (I believe it’s somewhere in the 800s/900s of the SSA list) name that is pronounced exactly that way, and you can still honor [name_f]Amalie[/name_f] with it.
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] are lovely but indeed rather common, especially paired with mn [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] is quite popular as well, it’s in the top 50, but [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is darling.
Although the name [name_f]Amalie[/name_f] is beautiful, I think if you go with it, it’s going to be mispronounced constantly. If that is going to bother you, I wouldn’t do it. Your other names seem to lean towards the classic / vintage side. Since neither of you are sold on one together, here are some thoughts:
[name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Arabelle[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Coraline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmaline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Lavender[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] (I know it’s two word names, but I actually really like the sound/flow personally)
[name_f]Lavinia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_u]Marian[/name_u] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Sybil[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Vera[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Verity[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
I think [name_f]Mollie[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] would be a wonderful way to honor your grandmother without the trouble of [name_f]Amalie[/name_f].
I’m definitely in the [name_f]Amalia[/name_f] boat. That only leaves the “aw” vs “ah” issue of pronouncing it, but I know an [name_f]Amalia[/name_f] and never been confused by the pronunciation. With a nickname she won’t even have to worry about it that much.
[name_f]Amalia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] nn [name_f]Molly[/name_f], or [name_f]Malia[/name_f] was a lovely suggestion
A replacement for [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] would be [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f].
I think that [name_f]Audrey[/name_f] has a blend of many good qualities. The connection to “[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]” doesn’t bother me.
Other names beside [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]:
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - has a goddess connection, and softer, subtle sounds.
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - just as simple as [name_f]Emma[/name_f], but with a
[name_f]Sara[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - soft sounds, but has a lot of character
[name_f]Theadora[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - shortform [name_f]Thea[/name_f] sounds like [name_f]Athena[/name_f], but it’s softer.
[name_f]Diana[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - goddess connection, strong but has a delicateness.
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - means “beautiful rose”, it has a touch of grandeur and strength.
[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] - obviously strong, it also has subtlety and seems quaint. Nicknames are endless, and include [name_u]Sasha[/name_u].
[name_f]Claudia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Callista[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
