Like [name_u]Anne[/name_u] with an E, I definitely find that for some names, spelling dictates whether I like it or not. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you all find this to be true? What names are like that for you?
For me, [name_u]Anne[/name_u] over [name_f]Ann[/name_f], [name_f]Marjorie[/name_f] over [name_f]Margery[/name_f], and [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] over [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] are all important distinctions. I’m sure there are others that I just can’t think of right now.
Yes! Haha. I don’t know why, because they sound exactly the same when I say them out loud, but I love [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] way more than [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f].
Off the top of my head, I prefer…
[name_f]Elinor[/name_f] over [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] over [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_m]Quade[/name_m] over [name_m]Quaid[/name_m]
[name_f]Adaline[/name_f] over [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucie[/name_f] over [name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_u]Freddie[/name_u] over [name_u]Freddy[/name_u], but [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] over [name_m]Teddie[/name_m]? 
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u] over [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
Scarlet over [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f]
[name_f]Bryony[/name_f] over [name_f]Briony[/name_f]
[name_f]Montserrat[/name_f] over [name_f]Monserrat[/name_f]
[name_f]Star[/name_f] over [name_f]Starr[/name_f]
[name_u]Forest[/name_u] over [name_m]Forrest[/name_m]
You may sensing a pattern here,
If a name is quite common, I usually prefer a slightly different spelling, but only one thing is changed.
For example, I prefer [name_u]Cassady[/name_u] or [name_f]Cassidee[/name_f] over [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u], but I don’t like [name_f]Cassadee[/name_f] at all.
Tɛgᴀn (pronounced tee-gan) over Tɛᴀgᴀn or Tɛɛgᴀn
Absolutely agree about [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], [name_u]Laurence[/name_u], and [name_u]Teddy[/name_u].
Seconding [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_u]Laurence[/name_u], [name_m]Graham[/name_m], and [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f].
I prefer [name_f]Scarlet[/name_f], [name_u]Forest[/name_u], and [name_f]Star[/name_f] as well.
@almostactually I have to agree. Many names are made for me by the spelling.
@floatinthesky I agree with you about [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] and [name_u]Laurence[/name_u].
@Theodora_Phoenix I have to say the same when it comes to [name_f]Bryony[/name_f], [name_f]Star[/name_f] and [name_u]Forest[/name_u].
@anon68906791 Agreed. [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] win out for me too. Also, [name_u]Laurence[/name_u], [name_m]Philip[/name_m] and [name_m]Graham[/name_m] as well.
Definitely [name_u]Anne[/name_u] over [name_f]Ann[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/Isobel over [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f].
I second these, too:
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f] > [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] > [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u] > [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
[name_m]Philip[/name_m] > [name_m]Phillip[/name_m]
Others I prefer:
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] > [name_f]Elinor[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] > [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f] > [name_f]Juliette[/name_f]
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] > [name_f]May[/name_f]
[name_f]Merry[/name_f] > [name_f]Mary[/name_f]
[name_f]Niamh[/name_f] > [name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Rebekah[/name_f] > [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f] > [name_f]Sara[/name_f]
[name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] > [name_f]Serafina[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivien[/name_u] > [name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Wynnie[/name_f] > [name_f]Winnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f] > [name_f]Zoey[/name_f] ( 
)
[name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] > [name_m]Alistair[/name_m]
[name_m]Geoffrey[/name_m] > [name_m]Jeffrey[/name_m]
[name_m]Nicolas[/name_m] > [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m]
There are a few names for which I don’t have a preference on spelling. I like both [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] and [name_f]Susanna[/name_f], [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_f]Lucie[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f].
I guess I’m in the minority for preferring [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] with two Ls, the only [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] I know spells his name that way so it just looks more balanced and right to me.
Catherine > [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f] > [name_f]Lucie[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f] > [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] > [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] > [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_u]Anne[/name_u] > [name_f]Ann[/name_f]
[name_m]Erik[/name_m] > [name_m]Eric[/name_m]
For me;
Annabelle > [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Esmae[/name_f] > [name_f]Esme[/name_f]
[name_u]Freddie[/name_u] > [name_u]Freddy[/name_u]
[name_f]Tillie[/name_f] > [name_f]Tilly[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillie[/name_f] > [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_u]Abbie[/name_u] > [name_u]Abby[/name_u]
[name_f]Darcie[/name_f] > [name_u]Darcy[/name_u]
Agree on [name_u]Laurence[/name_u], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_m]Philip[/name_m], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f], and [name_f]Zoe[/name_f].
I agree on [name_u]Anne[/name_u], [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f].
I agree with [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and [name_u]Forest[/name_u] especially- I’m just not a fan of [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], but [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] is lovely! And [name_u]Forest[/name_u] is so much nicer than [name_m]Forrest[/name_m], in my opinion. I prefer [name_f]Lilly[/name_f] to [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] to [name_f]Zoey[/name_f], and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] to [name_f]Elinor[/name_f], but I don’t dislike the other spellings.
For names where I love one spelling but don’t like the other at all:
[name_m]Sampson[/name_m] > [name_m]Samson[/name_m]
[name_u]Casey[/name_u] > [name_u]Kacey[/name_u], [name_u]Kasey[/name_u], etc.
[name_u]Glen[/name_u] > [name_u]Glenn[/name_u] ([name_u]Glen[/name_u] feels nature-y, calm, and cool, while [name_u]Glenn[/name_u] feels like an adult’s name that I can’t see on a kid?)
[name_f]Daniela[/name_f] > [name_f]Daniella[/name_f]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m] > [name_m]Lewis[/name_m]
[name_f]Ximena[/name_f] > [name_f]Jimena[/name_f]
Isabelle rather than [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/Isabel/Isobelle
[name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] rather than [name_f]Annabel[/name_f]/Anabel
[name_m]Bryan[/name_m] rather than [name_m]Brian[/name_m]
[name_m]Damien[/name_m] rather than [name_m]Damian[/name_m].
I definitely prefer [name_u]Anne[/name_u] over [name_f]Ann[/name_f] as well. and technically I think the pronunciation is different here, but I strongly prefer [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] over [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] (I just really dislike the sound of “[name_f]Liz[/name_f]”)
I also like [name_f]Margo[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and [name_u]Everly[/name_u] over [name_f]Everleigh[/name_f]
I like [name_f]Margo[/name_f] without the t as well.
Ha, I’m glad that the rest of you are crazy too! I completely agree that [name_u]Anne[/name_u] is lovely & elegant whereas [name_f]Ann[/name_f] is just blah.
I’ll stick w/ones that are popular both ways or that I have really strong feelings about.
I’ve also got…
Girls-
[name_f]Annelise[/name_f] is the only way I like it.
[name_u]Abbie[/name_u] way better than [name_u]Abby[/name_u]
[name_f]Cate[/name_f] is amazing. [name_f]Kate[/name_f] is just okay.
[name_f]Giulia[/name_f] is gorgeous, but [name_f]Julia[/name_f] is just ‘not bad’.
Same w/Giuliana vs. [name_f]Juliana[/name_f]
I had a cat whom I named [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] in the early 90s. So, I just adore [name_f]Hayley[/name_f]. [name_f]Hailey[/name_f] just seems trendy & over done. Ridiculous, huh?
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] is the best! [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] is acceptable, but [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] is meh.
[name_f]Lilian[/name_f] needs to have one ‘l’ only.
[name_f]Maia[/name_f] is so much more elegant than [name_f]Maya[/name_f]
[name_f]Sofie[/name_f] is darling & [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is just kind of of over done & not exciting. Same w/Sofia vs. [name_f]Sophia[/name_f].
[name_f]Scarlet[/name_f] w/one ‘t’ only. Two 't’s is too much.
Boys-
[name_m]Ciaran[/name_m] is way better than [name_u]Kieran[/name_u]. I love [name_m]Ciaran[/name_m]! Although my sweet little nephew is [name_u]Kieran[/name_u], so I try to like it for that reason.
I like [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] or [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] a lot. But [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] looks way off.
I like [name_m]Hughie[/name_m] as a nn for [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] or [name_m]Hugh[/name_m], but [name_m]Huey[/name_m] looks doofy to me.
[name_m]Iain[/name_m] is handsome. [name_m]Ian[/name_m] is blech.
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u] is handsome. [name_m]Lawerence[/name_m] seems like a cranky old man.
[name_u]Reilly[/name_u] is the only way to spell that name.
[name_m]Rider[/name_m] is fun & a rugged cowboy name. [name_u]Ryder[/name_u] looks trendy.
[name_m]Zac[/name_m] is cool! [name_m]Zach[/name_m] is kind of tired.
I completely agree with [name_m]Iain[/name_m] vs. [name_m]Ian[/name_m]! Same with [name_m]Zac[/name_m] and [name_u]Reilly[/name_u] (although I do like [name_u]Riley[/name_u] or [name_u]Rylie[/name_u] for a girl)
These are my preferred spelling for names:
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Wolfe[/name_m]
[name_m]Alastair[/name_m]
[name_u]Forest[/name_u]
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u]
[name_m]Philip[/name_m]
[name_u]Finnley[/name_u]
[name_m]Dimitri[/name_m]
[name_f]Megan[/name_f]
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
[name_f]Lotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Hallie[/name_f]
[name_f]Scarlet[/name_f]
[name_u]Skye[/name_u]
[name_f]Layla[/name_f]
[name_f]Reyna[/name_f]
[name_f]Liesl[/name_f]
[name_f]Anya[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
[name_f]May[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f]