This isn’t really for a baby, so I’m sorry for posting here. It’s just that I’m thinking of getting a first name change since I have a very ethnic and hard-to-pronounce name.
Two names I really like so far are [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] and [name_u]Alexis[/name_u].
I know that a lot of you will probably disagree with me on this, but for some reason I just love the way [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] sounds and looks and how it’s basically just “[name_f]Lily[/name_f]” except in Latin. [name_f]Lilies[/name_f] are a very significant flower to me, and the androgynous-gendered character [name_f]Lily[/name_f] Briscoe in “To the Lighthouse” is a character I admire greatly of whom I share several traits with. However, I find “[name_f]Lily[/name_f]”, “[name_f]Lilly[/name_f]”, “[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]” and other similar variants to be too feminine sounding for my liking. I am female btw, but I prefer more androgynous/unisex/masculine(ish) names.
[name_u]Alexis[/name_u] is my other current favourite. I love the way it looks and sounds and its meaning as well. It’s also a lot more of a safer and well known choice. However, it doesn’t carry as much significance to me as [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] does (though I still love it a lot more than many other names though).
However, I’d like a name that will age well, as I am 19 currently. I think that [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] might be a bit too weird and out there maybe? I’m just so confused and unsure at the moment, so if any of you guys could help me decide / discuss / basically just offer your opinions I’d be extremely grateful!
To be honest, all the “lili” names, including [name_f]Lilium[/name_f], feel quite girly to me. People are inclined to shorten longer names so they’ll most likely end up calling you [name_f]Lily[/name_f]. I’d go with [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] if you want a more unisex/androgynous name. [name_m]Both[/name_m] [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] and the nickname [name_u]Alex[/name_u] sound completely unisex.
Dusting off my Latin skills, I believe the pronunciation of [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] is more like “LIH-lee-oom” not “LIH-lee-uhm”. I don’t think it makes for a very nice name, to be honest - it has a very cold, scientific feel to me. I think [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilith[/name_f] are far better.
[name_f]Lilium[/name_f] sounds like Lithium to me and [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] on a girl makes me think of [name_u]Joan[/name_u] [name_u]Collins[/name_u] in Dynasty. If I were to pick one of them, I would go with [name_u]Alexis[/name_u].
@polina [name_m]Ah[/name_m] okay then, I see what you mean. I think I’d be fine with being called [name_f]Lily[/name_f] or having my name shortened by friends though, just not having [name_f]Lily[/name_f] as my actual first name. The only thing I’m concerned about is [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] being too weird sounding/looking potentially? If you don’t mind me asking, what were your first impressions on the name?
I think I probably will end up going with [name_u]Alexis[/name_u], for the androgynous reasons you mentioned, plus the fact that it seems safer and less weird sounding.
@rlinden Oh, whoops. I’m sorry about that, I didn’t realise, my mistake. Thank you though; I think I will consider both [name_f]Lilian[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilith[/name_f]; they do sound better.
@shvibziks Yeah, I guess you’re right. I can definitely see the lithium connection, which isn’t desirable at all, really. Thanks for pointing that out!
I like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f]. Not [name_u]Alexis[/name_u]. One potencial problem with [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] is that it would melt with all other, trendy, sounding names.
@sorceress Thanks! I just looked at that link, and wow… I actually didn’t realise the full extent of how much trendy names wwere actually used. Woah. It kind of does put me off using [name_f]Lilium[/name_f], but then at the same time, wouldn’t it be the same with [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] anyway since it’s around 40 on the name popularity charts? I personally like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] a lot as well, but do you have any first impressions that came to mind when you thought of it? Also, is there any particular reason why you don’t like [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] but like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f]? [name_m]Just[/name_m] curious, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Thanks for your input though!
@sorceress Thanks! I just looked at that link, and wow… I actually didn’t realise the full extent of how much trendy names were actually used. Woah. It kind of does put me off using [name_f]Lilium[/name_f], but then at the same time, wouldn’t it be the same with [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] anyway since it’s around 40 on the name popularity charts? I personally like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] a lot as well, but do you have any first impressions that came to mind when you thought of it? Also, is there any particular reason why you don’t like [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] but like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f]? [name_m]Just[/name_m] curious, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Thanks for your input though!
To be honest…
When I first saw [name_f]Lilium[/name_f], I though of Lithium, and other science-related things. I like the nn [name_f]Lily[/name_f], but if u wanted a longer first name, you could try one of these:
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f], [name_f]Liliana[/name_f], [name_f]Lilia[/name_f], [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_f]Leila[/name_f], [name_f]Laila[/name_f], or [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] (I’ve seen a [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] go by [name_f]Lily[/name_f] before).
But overall I like [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] better, although just like [name_f]Lily[/name_f] it is somewhat popular name (at least in [name_u]America[/name_u], and I don’t know if popularity bothers you).
I like both [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] though.
The first impression… well, I quite like [name_f]Lilium[/name_f], but if I didn’t know it was a baby name I’d probably assume it was a medicine or a drug. I know, doesn’t sound like a good association, but personally I don’t mind it. I was told [name_f]Polina[/name_f] sounds like a drug, too.
