20 weeks and the ultrasound says… It’s a girl!
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband suggested the name [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] a few weeks ago and though it wasn’t really on my radar it fits my criteria. I like that it’s feminine and on the frilly side without being over used.
I like names with personal meaning. [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] has meaning in that it’s one of the only names my husband has brought forward in two pregnancies worth of discussion. I also love butterflies.
The hiccup now is that I’m stuck for a middle name. I wanted to use two: [name_f]Michaela[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]… [name_f]My[/name_f] father is [name_u]Michael[/name_u] and my mother is [name_u]Jan[/name_u]. They are divorced and my mother is very competitive. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband would prefer ONE name though. [name_f]My[/name_f] preference is to use my father’s name, but the drama it would cause is daunting. So I’m trying to figure out if there’s something else I can use that will have meaning and not be filler (otherwise my husband doesn’t see “the point” of a middle name).
Our surname starts with M, is barely 2 syllables (in some dialects it’s spoken as 1), and has a strong ARR sound.
Other names I’m thinking about, and other areas of inspiration:
[name_f]Marlene[/name_f] (M from [name_u]Michael[/name_u] with my mom’s middle name, [name_f]Arlene[/name_f])… it’s just so old sounding!
[name_f]Mariska[/name_f] ([name_f]My[/name_f] middle name)
I’m a musician… classically trained but now mostly playing jazz saxophone (bari sax), our son is named after [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] [name_u]Parker[/name_u]
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband is a civil engineer, working in the sand and gravel industry (lots of great boys names there!). He loves math and Hockey.
I’m half Jamaican on my father’s side but a lot of the ideas I’ve had around this ([name_f]Jamaica[/name_f], [name_u]Calypso[/name_u], [name_f]Irie[/name_f]) are a bit bold for my hubby’s taste.
We have a pile of family names we just don’t like enough to use, and don’t feel strongly enough about the family members to “use them anyways”.
I’m looking through lists and such but I thought I’d put the challenge out there for any particularly creative berries 
Thanks in advance!
I really like [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Michaela[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f].
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Mariska[/name_f] would be great too!
Could you use a shorter version of [name_f]Michaela[/name_f]?
Ie [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Mekea[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
With [name_u]Parker[/name_u] [name_m]Scott[/name_m], a short middle could work well too.
Ie [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Rae[/name_u]
This has a bit of a jazz vibe too. Sorry I can’t be more help, creative juices aren’t flowing today!
Thanks for the input! I’m looking at short names too but some just feel like filler. And I did consider [name_f]Jane[/name_f] on it’s own but [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] is very close to a student I had who was called to the office a lot…
[name_m]Even[/name_m] shortening [name_f]Michaela[/name_f] and using both won’t stop them from being two names. I’m still hoping he’ll come around, but we’ll see!
Here are a few more ideas [name_f]Jen[/name_f].
I don’t know much about classical or jazz music, but here are a few music names…
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Allegro[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_m]Amadeus[/name_m]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Aretha[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] Artemy
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Bechet[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Cadence[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Calla[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Calliope[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Celeste[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Harmony[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Jean[/name_u] (after [name_m]Django[/name_m])
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Lark[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Maria[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Melody[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Sonatina[/name_f]
Other names inspired by [name_u]Michael[/name_u], [name_f]Jane[/name_f] or [name_f]Arlene[/name_f]…
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Alena[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Alina[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Ara[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Arabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Arlea[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Arlena[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Arletta[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Arlette[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Arlie[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f] ([name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] is the other archangel)
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Janette[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Linnea[/name_f] (Li-NAY-a)
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Madelene[/name_f] (part [name_u]Michael[/name_u], part [name_f]Arlene[/name_f]) you could also use [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] or [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], depending on the pronunciation you prefer.
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Micheline[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] Mikkelina
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_u]Mischa[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] Mihaela
Another way to get a middle name with meaning would be to use a virtue name…
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Amity[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Faith[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] [name_f]Hope[/name_f]
Good luck!
Great lists, thanks! And a few crossovers with what I’ve been throwing out for my husband too. I hadn’t thought to combine [name_u]Michael[/name_u] and [name_f]Arlene[/name_f], and [name_f]Micheline[/name_f] is appealing. And you added a couple of music names I’d forgotten about ([name_f]Celeste[/name_f]! how could I forget?). We may have to try a few out to see what feels right, good thing we have time.