I want to name my baby girl (due in early [name_u]December[/name_u]) after my paternal grandmother - her name was [name_u]Averil[/name_u]. She was the only grandmother I ever had, and she passed away when I was 13. I can’t think of a better person to name my daughter after: my grandmother had a rich, full life and was a wonderful human being. I feel like it would be a good omen to name her after her.
But I don’t want to be blinded by my love for my grandmother (and her name) if the name is weird and likely to be made fun of.
Our 3 year-old son’s name is [name_m]Marshall[/name_m], so the names sound pretty nice together, I think. Last name Burlock.
What do you guys think?
For middle names we are thinking probably [name_f]Colleen[/name_f] (husband’s mother’s name) or [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] (because [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] sounds very pretty).
I’m not fond of [name_u]Averil[/name_u], but definitely understand where you’re coming from- I am constantly trying to find out how to use my grandmothers name in a combo.
Maybe you could find another way to honor her, or go with another version like [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_f]Aveline[/name_f], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Aviva[/name_f], ect.
I don’t think that [name_u]Averil[/name_u] is very usable or goes well with [name_m]Marshall[/name_m], sorry.
[name_u]Averil[/name_u] isn’t confusing or associated with anything negative, so I think it’s definitely usable. A name like [name_u]Avery[/name_u] could still be a totally plausible nickname if she ever felt like it was a burden, but the meaning is so special that you should definitely use it.
I’ve never been a big fan of the name [name_u]Avery[/name_u]. I’m not sure why… And I know my husband wouldn’t go for it at all.
He was super sold on [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], which I absolutely adore but can’t do because it’s just so popular right now. She’d be one of 8 Olivias in her class at school every year.
I admit, I like old fashioned names that sound like they could go with old people: [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], [name_u]Averil[/name_u], [name_f]Edith[/name_f]. For boys: [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_u]Stanley[/name_u], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_u]Charlie[/name_u]. I am not at all a fan of names that are “unique” spellings of common names or made-up sounding. Anything that sounds like it could be a character on a CW show ([name_u]Sam[/name_u] and [name_u]Dean[/name_u] Winchester notwithstanding) is a no fly zone for me. lol.
[name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_u]Averil[/name_u]! You could also do [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] since you love [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] so much!
I love [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]! [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] also makes a perfect middle name. I think you’ve got two great options between [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] and [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]!
[name_u]Averil[/name_u] is not my style, but I don’t think it’s unusable…
It’s just [name_f]Avril[/name_f], like [name_f]Avril[/name_f] Lavigne, but spelled differently, right? Totally not a big deal. Except that since you’re trying to honor your grandmother, and people might think [name_f]Avril[/name_f] Lavigne like I just did. =\
I really am liking the suggestions of [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]. I’m not a fan of alliteration in names, so no [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] for me, sorry! [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] is gorgeous, though.
It’s so sweet that your grandmother made such an everlasting impression on you, and you’re carrying it on in your daughter =]
Yeah, my grandmother was very dear to me. As I said, she was the only one I ever had (my mother’s parents had both died by the time she was 15) so she’s all I know of what a grandmother is. And she was so warm and wonderful. A great cook, wet kisses, a knee-slapper when she laughed. She and my grandfather had 5 children, 11 grandchildren, and over 100 foster children and boarders live at their house. They touched a lot of people in their 50+ years of marriage.
(And out of those 11 grandchildren, I was her dolly.)
My son was named after a favourite uncle (my mom’s brother, [name_m]Marshall[/name_m]) so I really like the idea of honouring cherished family members. And to me, [name_u]Averil[/name_u] has always been such a great name.
Her sisters had great names too: [name_f]Emma[/name_f] and [name_f]Maida[/name_f].
As a side note, my sister named her daughter after our other grandmother (the one we never met). Her name is [name_f]Audrey[/name_f].
Wow, that’s amazing. You really hit the nail on the head when you said she lived a full life!
I really think you should name your daughter [name_u]Averil[/name_u]. Think of the stories you could tell her when she asks about how she got her name and what the woman she is named after was like!
Name honoring is very special, and it clearly means the world to you. You need to just go for it =]
Thank you so much ladies for your replies! I feel pretty good about this decision. There are always going to be people who don’t like the name you picked, but as long as it’s not an overwhelming majority - it’s not a name that’s generally repulsive to most people - then I feel I’ve done my job.
I just hope she ends up liking it. It’s a very special name.
[name_u]Averil[/name_u] is cute! And I personally think it sounds good with [name_m]Marshall[/name_m]!
I would definitely go with the [name_u]Averil[/name_u] [name_f]Colleen[/name_f] combo!
My name is [name_f]Carolina[/name_f] (after my mother’s paternal grandmother) and I love it (although it was uncommon in her generation, it was fairly common here when I was born)! I love the story behind my name. The great-grandmother I’m named after took care of my mother when she was a child and she died when my mother was 19. My mother had some of her best childhood memories with her grandmother and she said she always knew that no matter what, when she had a daughter, she would name it [name_f]Carolina[/name_f].
So, if [name_u]Averil[/name_u] is special to you, I say do it!
I’m so happy you are going with [name_u]Averil[/name_u]! Your grandmother would be so honored. I’m named after my great grandmother, who I never met. I love hearing about how sweet and loving she was. She greatly touched my mofher’s life.