[name_m]Just[/name_m] curious from authentic American Southerners (not me unfortunately, instead I’m an Australian Southerner) what names embody a true Southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f]. It can be based on women you know or just imagery. Thanks! 
Actual women I know? All very stereotypical “white girl” names ie [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_f]Emily[/name_f]… A few [name_f]Megan[/name_f]'s… Names I think are Southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f]? [name_f]Susannah[/name_f], [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Carolina[/name_f]/[name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f]…
I think Southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f], I think of a white woman sunning herself on the porch while slaves are tortured, exploited, and abused in the background. So…[name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]?
This could be double first name:
[name_f]Mary[/name_f]-[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]-[name_u]Jean[/name_u]
Or family name/mothers maiden name even if it doesn’t seem like a usable name :
[name_m]Callahan[/name_m]
[name_m]Evans[/name_m]
[name_u]Campbell[/name_u]
Or very classic grandmas name/frilly ish names:
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
Really any 3 syllable name ending in a like [name_f]Miranda[/name_f], [name_f]Amanda[/name_f], [name_f]Sabrina[/name_f], [name_f]Savanna[/name_f], etc.
But more modern and unique but still screams Southern: [name_f]Maple[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mary[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]
Okay so super awkward slave comment…totally unnecessary. So many strange comments in the threads today!
As a lot of other posters said normal names like Sarah, Emily, Miranda, Savannah, Suzanne and similar names work. Also here in the south names that are double firsts are very popular southern names or adding Mae/Sue/Grace/Louise/Leigh/Jo and similar names as a middle are very popular. Sometimes more boyish names are popular as well such as Ronnie or Billie. (Ronnie Sue/Billie Jo ar two I’ve seen quite a bit)
Here’s a short list, there may be some repeats:
Charlotte
Olivia
Margaret
Caroline
Georgia
Georgiana
Maribelle
Betty (or a longer version)
Bonnie (again, a longer version could work)
Jane
Penelope
Wendy
Abigail
Anne
Ruth
Willow
Virginia
Dixie
Carrie
Also, if it helps, look up some american classic literature that takes place in the south and scan names I live in the southern US and there are quite a few southern names in the classic novels.
[name_f]Luella[/name_f] screams southern belle to me
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] [name_u]Leigh[/name_u]! It’s my name. People call me [name_f]Zanna[/name_f] and love my name!
(I’m not from the Southern US but I have relatives who live there!)
[name_f]Susanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Delia[/name_f]
[name_f]Jessamine[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Jemima[/name_f]
[name_f]Adela[/name_f]
[name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]
[name_f]Belle[/name_f] (well, duh! :P)
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Maureen[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Estelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Lavinia[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps!
Real Southern Belles - and I know a’plenty - are usually going to have a family name surname either in the first or middle spot. You find a lot of: [name_u]Berry[/name_u], [name_m]Smith[/name_m], [name_m]Evans[/name_m], [name_u]Hollis[/name_u], [name_u]Sloane[/name_u], [name_u]Blair[/name_u] etc. Otherwise, a lot of traditional names: [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Virginia[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
Sorry for any repeats…
Of course the ultimate Southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f] is [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] O’[name_f]Hara[/name_f] from Gone with the Wind.
Anything that relates to the south makes me think of Southern Bells
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]
[name_f]Carolina[/name_f]/[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Virginia[/name_f]
[name_f]Dixie[/name_f]
[name_f]Selma[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisiana[/name_f]/[name_f]Louise[/name_f]/[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
Short/sweet, nicknamey, or double barrelled names
[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_u]Lee[/name_u]/[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_u]Lou[/name_u]/[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f]/[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f], etc.
[name_u]Lou[/name_u] [name_f]Anne[/name_f]
[name_f]Leanne[/name_f]
[name_f]Azalea[/name_f]
[name_f]Missy[/name_f]
[name_f]Dixie[/name_f]
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]
[name_u]Dell[/name_u]/[name_f]Della[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Gardenia[/name_f]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
So what names are popular in the Australian south?
[name_f]Belle[/name_f] would make a good middle name.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] [name_f]Belle[/name_f]? Almost sounds like a play on the phrase Southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f].
To me, these ring as very ‘southern’…
[name_f]Virginia[/name_f]
[name_f]Darla[/name_f]
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Dixie[/name_f]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_f]Verity[/name_f]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]
[name_f]Alannah[/name_f]
[name_u]Rene[/name_u]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_f]Etta[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmylou[/name_f]
[name_u]Jessie[/name_u]
[name_f]May[/name_f]
but I’m not American so I don’t know! It’s not really my place to say, but I don’t think the slave comment was ‘‘unnecessary’’ or ‘‘awkward’’ but actually a very grounded reminder of the social history behind the idea of a ‘southern belle’.
Ironically, [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] isn’t used much in the South at all. Neither is the term “Southern belle.” At least in my area, “Southern belle” is either associated with pageantry (see: Toddlers and Tiaras) or used as a patronizing phrase to describe a pretty airhead with a strong Southern accent. I think what OP is asking for are names that feel like they belong to a Southern woman, yeah? In my experience the Southern feel comes more from the combination of the first and middle name than the first name itself, unless you’re looking for something hokey and stereotypical like, well, [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]. Some “current” double name trends:
[name_f]Mary[/name_f] paired with a family surname
([name_f]Mary[/name_f]/[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]/[name_f]Anna[/name_f]/[name_f]Lily[/name_f]/[name_f]Ella[/name_f]/[name_f]Emma[/name_f]/[name_f]Katie[/name_f]) paired with ([name_f]Kate[/name_f]/[name_f]Louise[/name_f]/[name_f]Anne[/name_f]/[name_f]Helen[/name_f]/[name_f]Ellen[/name_f]/[name_f]Claire[/name_f]/[name_f]Jane[/name_f])
I hear [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] a lot, more so than in any other region of the country. Honestly, putting a family surname in the middle spot next to a classic and/or Biblical name is a sure way to make your choice feel Southern. Family names are very Southern. Our naming trends really aren’t that different from the rest of [name_u]America[/name_u]. We just eat more collard greens and grits. 