This generous community helped me name my first two daughters and hoping for all the help I can get! I’m due this month with baby #3 (team green) and would love honest feedback/opinions on our not-final-at-all list. Current daughters are [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Elle[/name_f], pronounced just “[name_f]El[/name_f]”) and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]).
Boy: Middle name will be either [name_u]Michael[/name_u] or [name_m]John[/name_m] (honor names). The current frontrunner is [name_m]Philip[/name_m], nn [name_u]Pip[/name_u]. Hesitation remains because I don’t love the meaning (lover of horses) and don’t like nn [name_u]Phil[/name_u]. The only other name we’ve sort of agreed on is [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] ([name_m]Artie[/name_m]). Any other suggestions?
Girl: Middle name will be either [name_f]Ann[/name_f] or [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] (honor names). The current frontrunner is [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], nn [name_f]Dot[/name_f]. I have a soft spot for this name but do worry it’s too old-lady and not in the good way. I also love [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] (great-grandma’s name) and have [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] on the list (though I’m worried it’s too popular).
Any feedback is welcome…I appreciate any insight or opinions! Thank you!
Dorothy [name_f]Ann[/name_f] or [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] are absolutely my favorites for a girl. [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is sweet and very ready for revival (and fits very well with your other girls), and it flows well with both [name_f]Ann[/name_f] and [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]. [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] is more common, but I also think it has a different vibe than your daughters’ names. [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] seems less ready for a comeback than the other names, but it’s still respectable.
For boys, [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] seems the right fit. [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] matches very well with the girls and I just prefer [name_m]John[/name_m].
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f] is amazing. I don’t think it’s too old-lady at all. [name_f]Ann[/name_f] is probably the best middle name with your first name picks imo.
Another option that may work as a first name is [name_m]Peter[/name_m] nn [name_u]Pip[/name_u]. It’s not as common, but it is not unheard of. [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] or [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Michael[/name_u] would both be great.
I think either [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] or [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] would be fantastic options. I understand being put off by the nickname [name_u]Phil[/name_u], but if your son is always introduced as [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] or [name_u]Pip[/name_u] or by another nickname, then it’ll be natural to call him by those - so the possibility of someone using another nickname should not stop you! [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] is also a wonderful name - it has a lovely timeless but modern quality especially with the nickname [name_m]Artie[/name_m].
Other boy names I would suggest are:
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]/Michael
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m]
I agree that [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f] or [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] does not seem old lady-ish at all. I actually think it matches your other daughters’ names beautifully both in terms of sound and in terms of how they’ve all been due for a resurgence this past decade. [name_f]My[/name_f] second favourite on your list would be [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]. I again think it fits well with your children’s names and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f] flows besutifully in my opinion. I understand the concern of it being too popular, but it’s such a classic name that it’ll always be in and out of top baby name lists, so imo don’t let this stop you if you love it otherwise.
I absolutely love [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]! Those are two of my top names.
I really like [name_m]Philip[/name_m] or [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] and would probably lean slightly toward [name_m]John[/name_m] as a middle name. I just think it flows a bit better for some reason, but I do not know your last name. Of those two first names, I would probably pick [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], but that’s just personal preference. If you’re not sold on either [name_m]Philip[/name_m] or [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], some others that I think could potentially work with [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] would be [name_m]Calvin[/name_m], [name_u]Jasper[/name_u], or [name_m]Simon[/name_m].
For a girl, I think [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is wonderful. I also really like [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]. [name_f]Ann[/name_f] would probably be the best middle for [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]. For [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], I think perhaps [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]? I don’t think [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is too “old-lady,” but I think it is still just on the cusp of making a comeback. If you want a name that feels maybe slightly fresher, have you considered [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] or [name_f]Theodora[/name_f]? I’m not sure what part of [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] you like best, but they both have the “dor” sound in them. I am particularly attached to [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] personally, with the nickname [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. I also immediately thought of [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] as another name possibility when I saw the title of your post.
Do you prefer the spelling [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] with two "L"s? I’ve been trying to track down which spelling is the most traditional (1 or 2), but it doesn’t seem to be a clear cut answer. Your name list is great–one of the names here is my husband’s and the other is my dog’s
@je_m_appelle Thank you for the kind words about the names of my girls. Their names fit them perfectly, though I do wish [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] would stop climbing in popularity! Oh well, with such a classic name I suppose it was bound to happen. [name_u]Jasper[/name_u] was on our shortlist for a time…at this point, I can’t remember why we removed it. Maybe it needs to be reconsidered again! I think I like [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] so much because it’s just such a classic name tied to so many great women in history. I don’t mind [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] or [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] but it loses that aspect a bit. I love, love the name [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] but it doesn’t work with our last name.
@anon68906791 I totally get it…[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] is such a great name with so many awesome nns. [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Louis[/name_m]/Louise, just not usable because of close family already using it.
Dorothy is one of my favorite girls names! I think it goes so nicely with [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]! It doesn’t seem too old lady to me, it actually gives off a kinda youthful vibe, esp with nn dot! (but probably because I have an older name myself haha).
I just naturally write [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] with two L’s as it’s more common where I live. Since spelling wasn’t standardised back in the day, I think it’ll be impossible to see which is more traditional. I’d just go purely on aesthetic
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] out of your boy choices.
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] is also lovely with NN [name_f]Dottie[/name_f]. I don’t think it’s too old ladyish at all. If you wanted a bit more modern there is [name_f]Dulcie[/name_f] doll-see. And it means sweet in Latin.
Arthur with your daughter’s names, which I just love (my daughter was nearly [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]), is fantastic and [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], whilst not a favourite, fits in well.
I can’t say I like [name_m]Philip[/name_m] (although I do like [name_u]Pip[/name_u]), [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] or [name_f]Josephine[/name_f]. To me they don’t have the freshness, elegance and spunk of your daughter’s names - they feel a little too dated.
If you like [name_u]Pip[/name_u] as a nickname, have you thought about [name_u]Kit[/name_u]? I think [name_u]Kit[/name_u] would go brilliantly with your daughter’s names. Some others I think would be perfect are:
I especially love [name_f]Freya[/name_f], [name_u]June[/name_u], [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_m]Hugo[/name_m], [name_m]Felix[/name_m] and [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] (and [name_u]Kit[/name_u]!) with your daughters’ names.
I like [name_m]Philip[/name_m] nn [name_u]Pip[/name_u] a lot, & agree that [name_u]Phil[/name_u] isn’t nearly as good. I also like the nn [name_u]Flip[/name_u]. [name_u]Flip[/name_u] works better on an adult too in my opinion. [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] nn [name_m]Artie[/name_m] is really cute & charming.
Here are a few other boy ideas:
Archer
Atticus
Albert
Alfred
August
Bernard
Barnaby
Charles
Desmond
Edward
Edwin
Edgar
Finn
George
Henry
Harrison
James
Jameson
Knox
Louis
Milo
Maxwell
Nathaniel
Niles
Nathan
Oliver
Oscar
Otis
Owen
Peter
Rowan
Ronan
Sawyer
Samuel
Simon
Silas
Sebastian
Theodore
Thomas
Winston
I like [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] for a girl w/Eleanor & [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. [name_f]Dot[/name_f] is old fashioned, but it’s charming & refreshing. I love [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] too. [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] is not my cup of tea, but it’s unique & the nn [name_f]Gigi[/name_f] would be cute.
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] [name_m]John[/name_m] & [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f] are my favorites
I actually know two little Dorothys, and the first time I heard it revived I was surprised, but it sure is cute. I LOVE [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] as sisters and agree that [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] should be under consideration (though I admittedly have a soft spot for [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]). [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] would be lovely. Barring that, I might suggest [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], just because I think she fits a little better with the timeless and regal ring of [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. I have a friend named [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] and we use it in full. I love the sound of [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] but again don’t think she has the staying power strength of [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]. [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] would certainly work, though!
For boys, I think you could use [name_m]Philip[/name_m] in full since it’s not a long name, and it would fit perfectly. And I LOVE [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]. He’d be a perfect match.
This is probably a silly question, but do you pronounce [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f] with the second “o” or does it get dropped as it often does in [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]? (DOR-THEA or DOR-O-THEA)? I love [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] too! It just isn’t a perfect fit with our last name.
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] out of your boy choices.