Overall, you have a lovely list. Here’s a couple of thoughts I had:
A lot of people will read [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] as dated (it did peak in the 1980s). I think it’s a sweet name and would still fit in well with a lot of names that are more popular today (Amelia, [name_f]Amaya[/name_f], etc).
I feel similarly about [name_f]Jessica[/name_f]!
I honestly wouldn’t worry about Emily’s meaning. Most people won’t know the meaning. It’s a lovely name that still deserves to be used despite its burst of popularity a few years back.
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - it has so many associations! [name_f]Twilight[/name_f] wouldn’t have even occurred to me. It’s a beautiful name, one of my favourites.
[name_f]Amanda[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] - Not my style personally and I know A LOT of Amandas (but they’re 40+) but I think now it would be refreshing albeit a little surprising [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - it’s classic and got great nn potential though your friend asking you to use another name does give me pause, perhaps a variation? [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - It is very popular but I think it is a gorgeous name [name_f]Emily[/name_f] - Meaning isn’t the greatest but how often do name meanings really come up IRL, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] feels like one of those names on the verge of being timeless [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] - same as [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Haley[/name_f] - one of my absolute favourite names - spelled [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] though – so I’m incredibly bias towards her. [name_f]Alice[/name_f] - Another classic timeless name - personally I’d think of [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland before [name_f]Twilight[/name_f] (association-wise) [name_f]Grace[/name_f] - It’s pretty and virtue names are always great though the negative association with [name_f]Gracie[/name_f] may give me pause [name_f]Lily[/name_f] - It’s very pretty and works well for all ages Jessie/Jessica - it does give a strong 90s vibe but I think it’s one of those names that you’re never surprised to hear no matter the age [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - Not personally my style but she is timeless and classic [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] - Another timeless name and ‘Abby’ is very sweet
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] - Not my personal style but another classic name
If I had to pick a top 3, I’d say: [name_f]Haley[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] & [name_f]Emily[/name_f]
[name_f]Amanda[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] - creative idea with sweet nicknames too (Mandy, [name_f]Ami[/name_f], [name_f]Andie[/name_f], [name_f]Maddie[/name_f], Aru, Mandy-Ru)
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] - classic with understated elegance
[name_f]Haley[/name_f] - pretty with a bit of glitz
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - strong but sweet. I don’t think people would tie it immediately to [name_f]Twilight[/name_f] (more likely [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland)
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] - bright and light
[name_f]Jessie[/name_f] - sweet and sassy
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - timeless and strong - love nn [name_f]Eliza[/name_f], [name_f]Libby[/name_f] and [name_f]Beth[/name_f]
[name_f]My[/name_f] top 3 from your list
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - I love [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] it’s one of my favorite names and it has great nickname potential.
[name_f]Haley[/name_f] - I love the vibes you get from this one! It’s such a friendly name.
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] - I agree about the 90s vibes, but it doesn’t feel dated or too tied to the decade, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
It seems you like classic & popular or more 90s/dated (but ready for renewal).
My personal faves are: Charlotte, Elizabeth (but I prefer Elisabeth nn Elsie/Elise/Sanny/Libby or even Lily), Emily, Haley, Olivia, and Abigail.
Prefer as a middle name: Catherine, Amanda, Jessica
Possibilities: Ruth/Ruthie as a first, Susannah nn Lily. You can also use Lily as a nn for Emily. I like Olivia as said, but could the swish Livia be an option just to have something less common? Or what about Lilia or Valerie as a mix of Olivia and Lily?
I don’t like the name Alice and I’m not drawn to Amanda. I like Grace but if it has a bad association for you, maybe cross it off?
amanda ruth - very pretty combo, but in the nicest way possible, how important is this friend to you for them to be honored in both names?
catherine - that’s real sweet honoring your friends like that. if both friends are equally as important and as steady in your life, i’d bump it to the middle spot
emily - i think meanings can be used in the context you give it. she could rival the patriarchy?
alice - i hardly think twilight is the association for such a classic name. will kids born in the 20s even truly know the 2000s vampires?
grace - depends how much you dislike that person or how much you’re into grudges? i personally could never, but i still hope to never meet someone i strongly dislike with the names i love the most
jessie - it’s actually rather in these days! even jesse, for girls
elizabeth - the greatest and timeless, i vote strongly for the family honor
abigail - love your reason!
susannah - underrated classic! it could go very well with lilith, then you have both the flower and the nickname, along with strong women
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - if one of the friends you’d be honoring would really like you not to use her name - don’t. Take this one off the list, even though it’s a nice name.
[name_f]Emily[/name_f] - People still use [name_f]Mallory[/name_f], [name_f]Kennedy[/name_f], and [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] even though they mean “unlucky”, “crooked nose”, and “blind”, which are all worse than “rival”. If you really want the names to have nice meanings then you should take this one off the list, but if you don’t care that much about meanings, I don’t think this has to be a deal breaker.
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - This is a common, traditional name. I don’t think [name_f]Twilight[/name_f] would be anyone’s first association with it.
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] - This would depend on how negative your association with [name_f]Gracie[/name_f] is.
[name_f]My[/name_f] three favorites of these:
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f]
[name_f]My[/name_f] three least favorites of these:
[name_f]Amanda[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f]
Top 3:
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f] - She sounds kind/friendly. I love this name + the association with [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] from the Bible
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] - Gentle with a nature feel. I could totally picture a little or grown [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] wandering through a sunny wheat field.
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - Sweet & feminine + my only association is [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland
While I have never read/seen [name_f]Twilight[/name_f], I do not think of [name_f]Twilight[/name_f] for the name [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. I get literary vibes and also think of [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland!
If the name is for you, I would not recommend [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] since your one friend doesn’t like the idea. If it’s for a character, I would still reconsider the name since she expressed that to you and since she you don’t sound convinced of it anyway.
I like [name_f]Haley[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Abigail[/name_f], and [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] the most based off of the reasoning you gave! These seem to have the strongest meanings for you and positive associations
