[name]Ottilie[/name], it’s a very big list. A couple of things to start out with to make selection easier:
- each potential first is 3 or 4 syllables, paired with a monosyllabic surname. This means optimally your two middles would be:
3-1-2-1; 3-2-3-1; 4-2-2-1; 4-1-3-1; 4-1-2-1
There is a paucity of 1/2 syllable middle name options.
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I think the first names are so strong and evocative that they could be paired with, at best, one equally strong mythological, literary or historical middle.
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the phonetics of each first will automatically rule out some middle options.
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lastly-- could you tell us if [name]Baby[/name]'s surname is a word-name, and what letter it begins with?
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from a metrical perspective, your middles are very similar except the French e-[name]LAINE[/name], where the emphasis is on the second syllable. [name]Dido[/name] is very hard to use since each syllable is equally emphasized; it sounds choppy in nearly any combination.
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Since a painterly middle must be included, I’ll start with those:
Belphoebe can go with nothing ending in the Greek -e; no repetitive B; and the best option would be something ending in a consonant:
[name]Dido[/name]/[name]Elissa[/name]
[name]Elaine[/name]
[name]Eos[/name]
[name]Lamia[/name]
[name]Miranda[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Pandora[/name]
For meter: the best by far is Belphoebe [name]ELAINE[/name].
[name]Ceridwen[/name] should be paired with something ending in a vowel; nothing longer than [name]Ceridwen[/name] itself; no repetitive D/C sound:
[name]Beata[/name]
[name]Elissa[/name]
[name]Lamia[/name]
[name]Miranda[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Pandora[/name]
[name]Psyche[/name]
To my ear, the smoothest sound by far is the starts-and-ends-with-a-vowel [name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]OPHELIA[/name]. Also works: [name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]BEATA[/name], [name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]ELISSA[/name], [name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]MIRANDA[/name], and [name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]PANDORA[/name].
Hespera : no 4-syllable names; nothing ending with A. It sounds nice with your Greek -e, and very nice with [name]Elaine[/name], with the stress on the ultimate syllable. No S sounds-- too hissy.
[name]Beatrix[/name]
[name]Dido[/name]
[name]Elaine[/name]
Hespera [name]BEATRIX[/name] and Hespera [name]ELAINE[/name] both work.
Illyria is very, very smooth. Liquid and gliding. Illyria needs consonants, and nothing ending with -a nor starting with a vowel ([name]Eurydice[/name] works since it actually begins with a Y consonant sound). It too sounds great with your Greek -e. [name]Don[/name]'t repeat the L sound.
[name]Circe[/name]
[name]Beatrix[/name]
[name]Dido[/name]
[name]Eurydice[/name]
[name]Psyche[/name]
Illyria [name]EURYDICE[/name], Illyria [name]BEATRIX[/name], and Illyria [name]CIRCE[/name] all work.
Tinuviel Beautiful and lilting; cannot go beyond 3 syllables. Would be lovely with more vowel sounds, similar to [name]Ceridwen[/name] in that respect. Can’t repeat the [name]EL[/name] sound.
[name]Circe[/name]
[name]Beata[/name]
[name]Dido[/name]
[name]Eos[/name]
[name]Miranda[/name]
[name]Pandora[/name]
[name]Psyche[/name]
My favorite is Tinuviel [name]BEATA[/name], but Tinuviel [name]EOS[/name], Tinuviel [name]CIRCE[/name], Tinuviel [name]MIRANDA[/name], Tinuviel [name]PANDORA[/name], and Tinuviel [name]PSYCHE[/name] are possible. The best possible pairing with Tinuviel would be a 2-syllable name with emphasis on the last syllable, starting with a vowel. Consider (just for meter/flow, not an actual suggestion): Tinuviel [name]ARLENE[/name].
- OK. Since each painterly middle is actually a mythological name, that strikes a great deal from your other possible middles. You are left with:
[name]Arcadia[/name]
Evelake
Evenstar
[name]Thalassa[/name]
Villanelle
Bluebonnet
Fairywren
[name]Fawn[/name]
Meadowsweet
Rosefinch
Snowfinch
Vivendel
Winterrose/Winterose/[name]Winter[/name]-[name]Rose[/name]
Most of these are far too long to work well. I would amend them, if you’re open to it, to:
[name]Arcadie[/name]
Evelake
Evenstar
[name]Maris[/name]
[name]Nelle[/name]
[name]Wren[/name]
[name]Fawn[/name]
[name]Meadow[/name]
[name]Finch[/name]
[name]Snow[/name]
Vive
[name]Winter[/name]
[name]Rose[/name]
So, working with the shortlist:
Belphoebe [name]ELAINE[/name]
[name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]OPHELIA[/name]
Illyria [name]EURYDICE[/name]
Illyria [name]BEATRIX[/name]
Tinuviel [name]BEATA[/name]
Tinuviel [name]EOS[/name]
Tinuviel [name]CIRCE[/name]
Tinuviel [name]MIRANDA[/name]
Hespera [name]BEATRIX[/name]
Hespera [name]ELAINE[/name]
My thoughts:
Belphoebe [name]Arcadia[/name] [name]Elaine[/name]
[name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]OPHELIA[/name] [name]Snow[/name]
[name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] Vive
[name]Ceridwen[/name] [name]Ophelia[/name] Mist
Illyria [name]EURYDICE[/name] [name]Rose[/name]
Illyria [name]Eurydice[/name] [name]Snow[/name]
Illyria [name]Eurydice[/name] [name]Wren[/name]
Illyria [name]BEATRIX[/name] Mist
Illyria [name]Beatrix[/name] Wilde
Illyria [name]Beatrix[/name] Evenstar
Tinuviel [name]BEATA[/name] Wylde
Tinuviel [name]CIRCE[/name] Evenstar
Tinuviel [name]MIRANDA[/name] [name]Maris[/name]
Hespera [name]BEATRIX[/name] [name]Snow[/name]
Hespera [name]Beatrix[/name] [name]Nelle[/name]
Hespera [name]Meadow[/name] [name]ELAINE[/name]
To be honest, I really like some of your beautiful mythological middles (like Niniane and [name]Nephele[/name]) more than your painterly names.
I’m not crazy about any of these combos… I wonder if there are other 1/2 syllable names you’d consider to throw into the mix?
