I posted once before - now back looking for fresh ideas/opinions since many of my faves/peoples’ good suggestions were vetoed, ha.
We have a daughter named [name_f]Amelie[/name_f] [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]. I tend to like names that are “fancy” feeling and more obscure. He likes names that have a sporty/spunky/cute feel, and are familiar (but ideally, not someone he knows). I think [name_f]Amelie[/name_f] hit the sweet spot for us because I found it beautiful, unusual (where we are) and interesting, and he likes the -ie ending and (I’m guessing) that it feels familiar because similar names are very popular.
Now we have are having another daughter, and I like but don’t love our list of mutually agreed upon possibilities (which may be good enough!). Since we still have a few months, I’m on the hunt for fresh ideas that might work for both of us.
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] (my favorite of the mutual list, but has been quite popular for a very long time so doesn’t feel that exciting to me)
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] (very popular where we are, I’m feeling a bit Clara’ed out…but still a possibility)
[name_f]Calla[/name_f] (I really like [name_f]Calla[/name_f], big hesitations about its meaning in Spanish)
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] (both like, cannot agree on a long-form name, which I want to give her options).
We both like [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] but not rhyming sister names. We both like [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] but can’t use it. For [name_f]Nell[/name_f], I liked both [name_f]Arianell[/name_f] (Welsh, so ll is not pronounced as it would be in [name_m]English[/name_m]) and [name_f]Catrinel[/name_f] (Romanian) - but we aren’t from either culture and he wasn’t jazzed about either. I also tried to make [name_f]Leonora[/name_f] → [name_f]Nell[/name_f] happen, but he didn’t like [name_f]Leonora[/name_f] either. I’m not a big [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] fan, [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f] (love it!) rhymes with the kids’ last name, and I’d rather not do an El-name since there are a confusingly large number of El… little girls RN. Thanks!
I don’t think [name_f]Nell[/name_f] needs a long form, and there isn’t much point in having a long form if you plan to just call her [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. [name_m]You[/name_m] perhaps could call her by her first name + middle name if you want something longer.
From your list, I think [name_f]Calla[/name_f] is my favorite! I wasn’t even aware of the Spanish meaning until I looked it up, and the meaning of the name through its Greek origin is “beautiful” anyways, which I think will be a much stronger association. [name_f]Calla[/name_f] really hits that sweet spot between you & your husband’s preferences too, with its similarity to the spunky/sporty “Callie” and the flower association.
A few other suggestions you both might like:
[name_f]Linnea[/name_f]
[name_f]Maren[/name_f]
[name_f]Tessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Gemma[/name_f]
[name_f]Celia[/name_f]
[name_f]Esme[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f]
[name_f]Louella[/name_f] “Lou”
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Juno[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassia[/name_f]
[name_f]Indigo[/name_f] “Indie”
[name_f]Cosette[/name_f] / [name_f]Colette[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
Maybe [name_f]Helena[/name_f]? Gives you the nickname [name_f]Nell[/name_f], plus it feels both fancy and sporty/spunky to me.
[name_m]Other[/name_m] ideas you might like could be…
[name_f]Cleo[/name_f] (similar sounds to [name_f]Clara[/name_f] and [name_f]Calla[/name_f], rarer yet still familiar)
[name_f]Della[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwen[/name_f] / [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] “Gwen”
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Talia[/name_f] (might share too many sounds with big sister’s name, though)
[name_f]Cassia[/name_f]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Cora[/name_f]
[name_f]Petra[/name_f]
[name_f]Antonella[/name_f] (gives you the [name_f]Nell[/name_f] nickname. Also [name_m]Toni[/name_m] which is very sporty/spunky!)
[name_f]Ramona[/name_f]
I tried to suggest some of those “sweet spot” names that aren’t too common, but are still well-known, or otherwise sound like more common names so they feel more familiar than they are. Hopefully these provide some inspiration!
[name_f]Rosella[/name_f] nn [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], [name_f]Zella[/name_f], Zelli it’s classic with a twist and some spunky nickname options!
[name_f]Ivette[/name_f] nn [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], [name_f]Ettie[/name_f], [name_f]Etta[/name_f], [name_f]Vetta[/name_f] I think this one fits well and is both fancy and sporty!
[name_f]Lavinia[/name_f] nn [name_m]Avi[/name_m], [name_f]Nia[/name_f], [name_f]Vinnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Oriana[/name_f] nn [name_m]Ori[/name_m], [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Ria[/name_f]
[name_f]Idalia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Ida[/name_f], [name_m]Ali[/name_m], [name_f]Lia[/name_f], [name_f]Dali[/name_f]
[name_f]Merewen[/name_f] nn Mer, [name_f]Winnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Rohana[/name_f] nn Ro, [name_m]Han[/name_m], [name_f]Hanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Annelore[/name_f] nn [name_f]Anne[/name_f] or [name_f]Lore[/name_f] (this might be too close to [name_f]Laurel[/name_f] but I thought it might be a good alternative to [name_f]Annelise[/name_f] since you love it?)
Thanks! I love several of these and have been vetoed, haha. If I was naming her solo, she’d be [name_f]Linnea[/name_f]. Polling Spanish speaking friends on [name_f]Calla[/name_f] currently - I do really like it.
Thanks! I’ve floated [name_f]Talia[/name_f], [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] (really like them all!) and he was meh. I will have to think about [name_f]Helena[/name_f], that’s a great idea.
Really like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] for you. I also know a little [name_f]Nella[/name_f] if that could work?
Elowen/Elowyn could also be a [name_f]Nell[/name_f] or a [name_f]Winnie[/name_f]. I know it starts with El- but it’s much more unusual than it’s counterparts and sounds lovely with [name_f]Amelie[/name_f].
[name_f]Amelie[/name_f] and [name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
I think [name_f]Nella[/name_f] would be a cute option? It sounds similar to [name_f]Calla[/name_f], and gives you the nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f] quite instinctively.
I’m trying to think outside the box for [name_f]Nell[/name_f] names .
[name_f]Janelle[/name_f]
[name_m]Chanel[/name_m] / [name_f]Shanelle[/name_f] /Chantel
[name_f]Danielle[/name_f] - could be [name_f]Dani[/name_f] , [name_f]Nell[/name_f] , [name_f]Annie[/name_f] , [name_f]Nelly[/name_f] , [name_f]Dee[/name_f]
[name_f]Raynell[/name_f]
[name_f]Antonella[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
Renelle/ [name_f]Ranelle[/name_f]
If you both like [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] could an alternative work …
[name_f]Rosalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is really pretty too . Maybe change [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] to
[name_f]Siddalee[/name_f]
[name_f]Sybil[/name_f]
[name_f]Silvana[/name_f] / [name_f]Sylvana[/name_f]
[name_f]Calla[/name_f] is really cool with [name_f]Amelie[/name_f] . I wonder if you could use a variant and [name_f]Calla[/name_f] as a nickname and have the best of both worlds , [name_m]Callan[/name_m] , [name_m]Callahan[/name_m] , [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] ( [name_f]Calla[/name_f]) , [name_m]Clancy[/name_m], [name_f]Callalily[/name_f] , [name_f]Clarissa[/name_f], [name_f]Calpurnia[/name_f]
Some names that might hit sweet spot (have only skimmed above so you may have already responded to some of these), Amelie &
Zara
Tess
Nora
Nina
Juno
Rose
Willa
Heidi
Bridget
Bryony
Beatrice
Leonie
Louisa “Lou”
Serena
Frances “Franny” (or “Frankie” - but not a Frankie fan myself)
Lucinda “Cinda”
Ingrid “Indie”
Zosia “Zo”, “Zosh”
Paloma - “Polly”, “Lomi”
Juliet(te) - “Jules”, “Jet”
Fenella - “Nell”
I otherwise like Nell as a standalone. The suggestion of Nella is a good one! And Leonor(e) - giving you Nell but also the unisex sounding Leni and boyish, Leo!
I have to say that Annabel (Nell) is really clever and goes really well with Amelie if you don’t mind two ‘A’ names! Also gives lots of nickname flexibility, has the same elaborate but not overly popular feel, very wearable and timeless. It might also appeal as you both have Isabel on your list already.
I also quite like Della, Sylvia or Louisa or Noelle (Nell) as a sibling match that works with a blend of your styles
I LOVE [name_f]Louisa[/name_f] (and I think he’d like it) but it almost rhymes with the last name in a way that really bothers me, haha. We should revisit [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]. Weirdly and unfortunately, I really like [name_f]Fenna[/name_f], but not [name_f]Fenella[/name_f]
Thanks! Rosemary/Rosemarie is on the table. I suggested [name_f]Solvej[/name_f] for a [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] alt, but he wasn’t enthused. [name_m]Great[/name_m] idea re. finding a long form of [name_f]Calla[/name_f] - will think about this
