Recently fallen back in love with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f], after deciding that [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] perhaps doesn’t quite cut it next to the other girls’ names on my list. I feel [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] has enough spark and sounds exotic enough to stand against [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f], [name_f]Rosamund[/name_f], and [name_f]Odelia[/name_f] (current top 3 - thinking they’d all be cute as quadruplets/two twinsets!), and although it’s in the top 200 in [name_f]England[/name_f] and [name_m]Wales[/name_m] (for some reason - does not strike me as popular though, or even trendy) I find that I can contemplate that with equanimity. Which isn’t really typical.
Anyway, I wondered whether you could help me find a combo I like. So far I have [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Iveta [name_f]Swan[/name_f], MAH-ree-am eye-VEE-tah. [name_f]Swan[/name_f]'s a bit of a here-today-gone-tomorrow - I’m liking [name_f]Snow[/name_f], [name_f]Swan[/name_f], and Song atm as middle names, and [name_f]Snow[/name_f]'s currently in my [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f] [name_f]Magdalen[/name_f] [name_f]Snow[/name_f] combo, while Song doesn’t seem complex/multi-layered enough to go with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]. Though, as always, the right combo . . .
Other names I like with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] include:
[name_f]Olivine[/name_f] - style-wise, but for some reason struggling to make it work sound-wise. [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]'s lovely too but I don’t like the popularity [#1 in E&W].
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] - I think it balances it beautifully, however [name_f]Violet[/name_f] seems to match most names beautifully so thinking something a little more distinctive.
[name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] - [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] sort of works, and then it seems a bit weird, partly because I’d got [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] down as a potential middle for my as-yet-unknown [name_f]Rosamund[/name_f] combo.
[name_f]Odette[/name_f] - love the sound of [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] ___ [name_f]Odette[/name_f] or [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Odette[/name_f] ____! However, it’s currently the front-runner for a nickname for [name_f]Odelia[/name_f] . . .
Also wondering about [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]/[name_f]Iseult[/name_f]. I’ve wanted to find a combo (= home!) for this name for forever but it’s never really worked. Could it fit in with a [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] combo? [name_f]Linnea[/name_f] is another consideration that could go well.
So, what do you think? What combos would you suggest to go with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f], in the light of my above comments? Could you work Song/[name_f]Isolde[/name_f]/[name_f]Iseult[/name_f]/[name_f]Olivine[/name_f] into a combo, perhaps? Any other suggestions for middle names that really set [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] off?
Thank you!
NOTES:
I’m not pregnant or anything, I just take names quite seriously and love thinking about them! I’m sure you understand
I’d like it if you could try match the feel of the names I’ve listed above, just because [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] has a particular feel that I’d like to try encapsulate/bring out with contrast in the combo - exotic, delicate, feminine, strong, Eastern, golden sands and camels and a sun-soaked white city with turban-clad, dark-skinned Arabs, graceful maidens, and deep, deep blue waves, blue folds of cloth. Very blue. Or something like that!
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] charts relatively highly on the popularity charts in the U.K. because it is an extremely popular name in the Muslim community. I don’t think that’s an issue at all by the way, just FYI.
Anway… I love [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] and I think [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Iseult[/name_f] is especially gorgeous! I’m guessing you want double middle suggestions to go along with your other names though, which isn’t my strong point but I’ll try:
My first thoughts were [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] [name_f]Delilah[/name_f] and [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] [name_f]Layla[/name_f], since they’re both Arabic in origin, but are mainstream enough that they don’t seem appropriative.
So I think these are not quite the style you’re looking for, but maybe they’ll spark some ideas for you:
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_u]Peri[/name_u] [name_f]Linnea[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Leila[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] (I like the repeating but changing i letters)
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] [name_f]Mazarine[/name_f] (this one is very Arabian Nights to me with the image of a deep blue sky with twinkling stars)
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Orla[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_u]Saheer[/name_u] Nectaria
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Oasis [name_f]Edena[/name_f] ([name_f]Edena[/name_f] can either mean restoration/rejuvenation or place of delight, either conjures the image of welcome respite from the hot desert sun)
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Zahra[/name_f] [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Ophira[/name_f] Lazuli (Lazuli conjures both the image of [name_f]Lapis[/name_f] and of the sky/heavens for me)
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Ophira[/name_f] [name_f]Cyane[/name_f] ([name_f]Cyane[/name_f] was a nymph who lived in a blue pool)
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]! And I love the imagery you’ve attatched to it. [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Iveta [name_f]Swan[/name_f] is very lovely. I also like a pps suggestion of [name_f]Noor[/name_f] as a middle name. It fits quite well I think.
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Olivet[/name_f] [name_f]Swan[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] [name_f]Swan[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f] [name_f]Noor[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Lumen [name_f]Iseult[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Aphra[/name_f] [name_f]Altalune[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Lumi[/name_f] [name_f]Olivine[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Linnea[/name_f] [name_u]Ember[/name_u]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Cassiane[/name_f] Song
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneira[/name_f] Song
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Kasimira Song
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Cyrenna [name_f]Azul[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Azula Noir
[name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Linnea[/name_f] [name_f]Azul[/name_f]
@katinka - good point, I didn’t think of that! I hope the name doesn’t carry that association with it though (since I’m not Muslim). I’m getting more reconciled to [name_f]Iseult[/name_f]/[name_f]Isolde[/name_f] as a MN for [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]; the feel certainly complements it! [name_f]Noor[/name_f] is actually a name I like and have considered before, but for some reason I don’t feel it does as much for [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] as you’d expect. But exactly the right kind of name, I agree! I like your suggestion of [name_f]Ayelet[/name_f] - not my type of name, usually, but [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Ayelet[/name_f] really works.
@yuma - I love the sound of [name_f]Eira[/name_f] with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f], and I like that it means “snow”, but forsome reason it’s not quite working for me. Annoying because it’s a really good suggestion . . . maybe it’ll grow on me though. I do like [name_f]Olivette[/name_f]/[name_f]Olivet[/name_f] a LOT, though, and [name_f]Fay[/name_f] would work but there seems to be a lot of As flying around to my picky gaze! :0
@sansavesper - I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_u]Vesper[/name_u] with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]!!! Thank you! I also like [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] and [name_f]Esther[/name_f], which I hadn’t thought of to go with it. [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f] . . . yes, I like that a lot. And I also like [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - but maybe a name like that with more edge??
@medfordkung - [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] [name_f]Mazarine[/name_f] is amazing! It did remind me of margarine at first, but I shook that association off very quickly. You’re right, I would usually play a little more conservative than many of your suggestions ([name_u]Saheer[/name_u] :)), but for [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] I feel something a little more unique is required I also like your suggestions of [name_f]Leila[/name_f] and [name_f]Ophira[/name_f]. I hadn’t thought of putting [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f], either.
@columbiacharm - [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] Azula Noir is very blue and Eastern! [name_f]Cassiane[/name_f] is lovely. [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] was one of the names I liked with [name_f]Mariam[/name_f] but forgot to mention. I’ve never heard of [name_f]Cassiane[/name_f] and it’s going straight onto my middle name list. I like [name_f]Olivet[/name_f] a lot too. And [name_f]Gwyneira[/name_f] Song . . . swoon Though I don’t think it’s quite right for [name_f]Mariam[/name_f]. But it’s gorgeous. We’ll see whether that changes!
Thank you, everyone! Any more opinions would be welcome