Here’s my dilemma. We’re trying to decide between two similar-sounding names for a girl. Here are the options:
[name_f]Miriam[/name_f] Evarina
[name_f]Meribah[/name_f] Evarina
Meaning is important to us - [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] means bitter, which is unfortunate, but half of bitter is strong, so I’m kind of alright with it. We picked Evarina to honor DH’s grandmother, [name_f]Eva[/name_f]. [name_f]Eva[/name_f] means life, and the -rina ending can mean joyous song. So, the full name would be “bitter life, joyous song.” We’re [name_m]Christian[/name_m] and this meaning fits with our worldview (not that we hate the world, just that there is joy in the bitterness of life). So.
Option #2, [name_f]Meribah[/name_f], means Quarreling. So her name would be Quarreling life, joyous song. It could still work (there’s strife in life, but joy as well), but… Basically, I like the name [name_f]Meribah[/name_f] more, because we like more unusual names and I feel like [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] is a little too common, but at the same time, there’s just nothing redemptive about “quarreling.” “Bitter” at least as the Strong connotation to it. Thus my dilemma.
We already have a daughter and a son. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter’s name is [name_f]Havilah[/name_f] [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and my son’s name is [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Russell[/name_m] (we pronounce it EE-fray-im). Middle names aren’t really negotiable for the first two boys and two girls because we both have one grandfather and one grandmother we want to honor with namings. If this pregnancy turns out to be a boy, we will be naming him [name_m]Zebulon[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u]. Name requirements are that the first name be Biblical, not very common, and we’re trending toward three syllables, though that’s not a set “rule.” Other names we’ve considered for a girl include Bethlehem, [name_f]Vashti[/name_f] and [name_f]Atarah[/name_f].
[name_f]Havilah[/name_f] [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]
[name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Russell[/name_m]
[name_f]Miriam[/name_f] Evarina
OR
[name_f]Havilah[/name_f] [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]
[name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Russell[/name_m]
[name_f]Meribah[/name_f] Evarina
(I’ve also noted that [name_f]Meribah[/name_f] matches better with [name_f]Havilah[/name_f], while [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] matches well with [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m]. Not that I’m trying to match names, just thoughts in my head). So what’s your vote? The more common [name_f]Miriam[/name_f] or the more unfortunate meaning [name_f]Meribah[/name_f]?