We have finally agreed on [name]Ren[/name] for a first name for our little girl. I know most people prefer the [name]Wren[/name] spelling, but DH loves Japanese anything and dropping the W just seems right for us. Now we have the struggle of finding a middle name to go with it. DH’s favorite combo is [name]Ren[/name] [name]Ame[/name] (ah-may), while mine is [name]Ren[/name] [name]Willow[/name]. Our compromise at the moment is [name]Ren[/name] [name]Winter[/name], but we would like to find a middle name we both love. DH thinks [name]Willow[/name] is too soft (which is why I like it with [name]Ren[/name]) and I think [name]Winter[/name] is too harsh sounding with [name]Ren[/name]. [name]Ren[/name] [name]Aria[/name] is an option, but it just runs together too much for me. He doesn’t want anything too feminine, yet isn’t a big fan of common unisex names. We both really like word/place names and if this baby had been a boy his name would have been either [name]Fox[/name] [name]Ronin[/name] or [name]Leo[/name] [name]Knight[/name]. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance! 
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! This name (with this spelling) has long been a favorite of mine. Simple, strong, with such a nice meaning. I do find it a difficult one, though, to match a middle name. Could you give an idea of how many syllables and the sound of your last name? Mulling over some suggestions…
Our last name is two syllables, [name]German[/name], and sounds like “stencil.” The [name]Ren[/name]-[name]Sten[/name] thing has bugged my a little bit, but I think I have gotten over it as anyone I ask (especially DH), doesn’t see the rhyme there. Ideally I think we would like a two or three syllable middle name. Also, is [name]Ren[/name] [name]River[/name] just too much R? DH doesn’t seem to have a problem with it.
Hmmm, this is a challenge! These are the first that came to mind (too girly?), though they may be way off. Let me know, still thinking!
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] Margeaux (spelling it this way makes it a place name)
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Augustine[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Amelie[/name] (like [name]Ame[/name], but I think this extra syllable improves the flow)
I agree with you that [name]Ren[/name] [name]River[/name] is too much “R.” Let me know if any of these strike a chord!
Two additions:
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Bryony[/name] (lovely flow, nature theme you seem to gravitate towards, and not-gender neutral but not too girly)
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name] (just like the look and sound of this one. Sounds like a movie star in a good way!)
Thanks for all the suggestions so far!
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Anneliese[/name] and [name]Ren[/name] [name]Amelie[/name] - I will have to run these by DH!
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Augustine[/name] - DH poopooed [name]August[/name] for a boy so I’m sure he won’t like this either.
[name]Ren[/name] Margeaux - not really my style.
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Bryony[/name] - DH is [name]Brian[/name], and he dislikes [name]Brianna[/name], so he probably won’t like this either, but I will run it past him.
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name] - I like!
[name]Ren[/name] is a hard name to match with a middle name, but even harder because DH and I have such different styles! For reference, some other names we both like but that do not work well with [name]Ren[/name] are:
[name]Quinn[/name]
[name]Nyx[/name]
[name]Nika[/name]
[name]London[/name]
Is [name]Ren[/name] [name]Onyx[/name] too masculine?
[name]Glad[/name] you like [name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name]! Too bad about [name]Bryony[/name], but that would probably look like you’re just trying to feminize his name! As for [name]Ren[/name] [name]Onyx[/name], to be completely honest, if I saw it I would guess “boy.”
Some more suggestions:
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Waverly[/name] (Nice flow, nature theme, very cool meaning: “meadow of quivering aspens,” and you seem to like “W” names!)
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Lilia[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Lake[/name] (has a very elegant sound, despite the double single-syllable)
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Talassa[/name] (an old Greek name meaning “the sea”…very pretty!)
Based on your list of names that you like but don’t work with [name]Ren[/name], I’ll look at some more “out-there” options…
I love the name [name]Onyx[/name] but do think of the combo as too masculine. Here are some of my suggestions!
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Talullah[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Eira[/name]-[name]Estelle[/name](this was on my list so jut throwing it out there)
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Gianna[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Delilah[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] Akivah
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Annora[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Neva[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Hermione[/name]
[name]Hope[/name] these will helpyou out a little! 
I feel like pigs are flying, but DH actually liked [name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name]. He thinks it sounds cool. So, that is definitely on the list now. Any other suggestions that “sound cool?”
[name]Just[/name] thought i’d point this one out:
I see your husband likes [name]Ren[/name] [name]Ame[/name] pn. [name]Ah[/name]-may? Written down the name seems kind of short, but may i suggest you used the name [name]Ren[/name] Aim”e? It is prn. [name]Ah[/name]-may as well, but it has a bit more stubstance. It is french and means “loved one” which is an amazing meaning!
[name]Ren[/name] Aim”e gets my vote!
Along the same lines as the previous post, how about [name]Ren[/name] [name]Esme[/name] (or Esm”)?
Ez-may sounds a lot like ah-may, but I think it would be easier for people to pronounce since it’s slightly more familliar. I think [name]Esme[/name] also hits the right note of not sounding overly feminine or frilly but also not really being a unisex choice.
One of my issues with [name]Ren[/name] [name]Ame[/name] was that it flows together and reminds me of the Twilight baby, whose name is Renesme… So while I love [name]Esme[/name], I just can’t get over the connection.
Hilarious! I didn’t realize the implications of what I’d suggested until just now. Absolutely disregard what I said about [name]Ren[/name] [name]Esme[/name]!
I love [name]Ren[/name]! My first thought was of the character [name]Ren[/name] from [name]Margaret[/name] Atwood’s “Year of the Flood” ([name]Ren[/name] was a nn for [name]Brenda[/name]…)
My favorite pairing is one that you will probably not like since it is a classic name… but I love the way [name]Ren[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] sounds!
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Paige[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Isolde[/name]
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Mireille[/name]* (pronounced Mee-[name]RAY[/name]) French name…
[name]Ren[/name] Mareile (pronounce Mah-[name]RYE[/name]-la) [name]German[/name] name…
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Midori[/name] (just had to add this since it is a Japanese name…)
I know these names probably aren’t to your taste but I just had to chime in. =) I think the feminine middle names really compliment the simple (but beautiful) sound of the name [name]Ren[/name]. [name]Ren[/name] IS a unisex name and is actually apparently one of the most popular male names (though also used for females) in Japan. I think a distinctly feminine mn will serve her well in the future.
I think I would hesitate about the “[name]Ren[/name] [name]Sten[/name]” part of the name too, but I am glad that you were able to get past it. Chances are she will get a new surname in the future anyhow so don’t let it bother you.
My first thought about [name]Ren[/name] is [name]Ren[/name] and Stimpy :oops: I do love the W spelling tho.
oooh, I really like pp’s suggestion of [name]Ren[/name] [name]Mireille[/name], very chic!
Some others with the same “feel” as [name]Harlow[/name]:
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Paloma[/name] (awesome meaning - [name]Dove[/name])
[name]Ren[/name] [name]Fallon[/name] (cool, but too much “n”?)
I think my favorites are still [name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name] and [name]Ren[/name] Mereille.
I think we have decided on [name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name]! Yay! DH loves it, finally! Thanks so much for all your help!
Awesome! So glad [name]Ren[/name] [name]Harlow[/name] worked for you!