Okay, so for some reason this name came to me today – [name_f]Villette[/name_f]. I knew it was the name of a novel by one of the [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] sisters and assumed it was the name of the novel’s heroine, though I’ve discovered that it isn’t.
Anyways, as I started thinking about it more and more I started to become somewhat smitten with it. Now I’m not sure if it’s this specific name I’m liking or more the ‘feel’ of the name – that it’s unexpected, yet still sounds like a name that isn’t too ‘out there’ (albeit almost completely unheard of in N.[name_u]America[/name_u], yet it still ‘feels’ to me like a name and not something people would think is made-up), feels feminine etc.
However, I’m pretty sure hubby won’t go for it (we’re expecting baby #4 and don’t know the gender). Oh, and the other problem is that it means ‘small town’. We generally like to choose names that have more substantial meanings, if that makes sense.
So, can you berries give me some lists of names that you think have a similar ‘feel’ (maybe a similar sound, though not necessarily) as [name_f]Villette[/name_f]?
Something unexpected yet not bizarre sounding, something feminine (though not too sugar-y sweetly feminine).
Avila – bird, strength, desired
[name_f]Maravilla[/name_f] – marvelous
Sevilen – one who loves and is loved
Vevila – melodious voice
Vilana – inhabitant of a small village
Vilina – one who is dedicated
Vilmaris – of great fame
Villanelle – this is a type of poetry, but I think it’s cool as a name
Milvina is the first name that came to mind. It was the name of a women who escaped the titanic. It’s thought to be a feminine form of [name_m]Melvin[/name_m]. Other similar names I thought of are;
[name_f]Cosette[/name_f]
[name_f]Colette[/name_f]
[name_f]Viola[/name_f]
[name_u]Averil[/name_u]/Averilla
Everild
[name_f]Evanthe[/name_f]
[name_u]Valentine[/name_u] has that sort of feel to me. I’ve loved it since reading The [name_m]Count[/name_m] of [name_m]Monte[/name_m] Cristo for the first time :). [name_m]Just[/name_m] random suggestions that give me that sorta vibe:
I immediately thought [name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] or [name_f]Viviette[/name_f] because of the sound, and [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] for both sound and literary meaning. Other suggestions: [name_f]Eulalie[/name_f] (used by [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] in The Professor), [name_f]Viola[/name_f] ([name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m], 12th night), [name_f]Cressida[/name_f] ([name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m])
I like [name_f]Villette[/name_f] as well - I’m more familiar with as the iconic [name_u]Rue[/name_u] de [name_f]Villette[/name_f] in [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]'s [name_u]Les[/name_u] Miserables. Maybe another Parisian literary name could do the trick?
It’s sort of sweet.