My wife and I are the proud parents of two children who joined our family via adoption, and we’re in the process of adopting baby number three. We are requesting an African-American girl, to join her African-American big sister and her African-American and Puerto Rican big brother. Our current children’s names are [name]Savannah[/name] [name]Harper[/name] and [name]Miles[/name] [name]Desmond[/name]. [name]Savannah[/name] got her first name from her birthmother, and while it wouldn’t have been our first choice, we loved the nickname Savvy. It’s grown on us since then and now we can’t picture her as anything but a [name]Savannah[/name]. [name]Harper[/name] was a nod to [name]Harper[/name] [name]Lee[/name], the author of my favorite book. [name]Miles[/name] came to us with a different name, but since it was the male version of my wife’s name we changed it to [name]Miles[/name]- which fits him perfectly. [name]Desmond[/name] was a nod to [name]Desmond[/name] Tutu who is a personal hero of ours. For this next baby we’ve narrowed it down to the few options we both agree on (which is no small task- I like about 100 names, while my wife agrees on just these).
The options:
[name]Coretta[/name] (nickname [name]Cora[/name])- this is our current favorite, as it is a nod to another of our heroes- [name]Coretta[/name] [name]Scott[/name] [name]King[/name]… though I fear it sounds a little dated, and a little like [name]Loretta[/name]. Also not a HUGE fan of the hard “C” sound since our other two have “softer” names
[name]Juniper[/name]- we like this name (with nickname [name]June[/name]) but I worry it doesn’t fit with the others or that it’s too out there for some family members
Tenaya- (nickname [name]Naya[/name]) we like this one because it’s a nod to Tenaya [name]Lake[/name] in [name]Yosemite[/name], which is our favorite place in the world. If there are any other [name]Yosemite[/name] place names anyone can suggest that aren’t impractical (ie. Wawona, Ahwahnee, etc.) we’re open
[name]Magnolia[/name]- (nickname [name]Nola[/name]) I like this one a lot, but am a little worried that [name]Nola[/name] is close to “[name]Nona[/name]”- which is what my mom goes by with my kids. My wife worries that people would use “[name]Maggie[/name]” as the nickname and that the child would be teased with a gay slur that rhymes with [name]Mag[/name] since she’d have two moms… I think kids will always find something to tease a kid about
[name]Zahara[/name]- (nickname [name]Zia[/name] or [name]Ari[/name]) [name]One[/name] of our original favorites, but I worry about the [name]Jolie[/name]-[name]Pitt[/name] association since this child would be adopted as well.
I’m open to suggestions of any other names in a similar vein. Our last name is B@iley-G@rdner, in case that influences your choice(s). Thank you!!
[name]Coretta[/name] nn [name]Cora[/name] - I like this and I don’t think it is dated in the same way as [name]Loretta[/name], because its never been really popular like [name]Loretta[/name] was. In fact, [name]Coretta[/name] was only in the top 1000 in 1968-70. It’s a great namesake. I do see what you mean about the hard sound - but I think the more I say it, the less noticeable it is. I don’t think its a dealbreaker at all.
[name]Juniper[/name] - I love this one and think it actually goes great with your other names. [name]Juniper[/name] might be a little out there for some family members, but then [name]June[/name] is very traditional so that might balance it out.
Tenaya - I feel like this one doesn’t go with your other childrens’ names as well
[name]Magnolia[/name] - I like this, but not nearly as much as [name]Coretta[/name] or [name]Juniper[/name]. [name]Nola[/name] and [name]Nona[/name] are a little close.
[name]Zahara[/name] - I immediately think [name]Jolie[/name]-[name]Pitt[/name] with this name
[name]Savannah[/name] and [name]Magnolia[/name] are perfect! [name]Maggie[/name] , or [name]Nola[/name] are both sweet. [name]Juniper[/name] is also great, or [name]Junia[/name]. I love [name]Cora[/name], not sure about your other choices.
Congrats! We’re in process but keeping our daughters given name of [name]Sena[/name]. Working on middles since I’m such a name nerd
[name]Coretta[/name] by a mile! [name]Savannah[/name], [name]Miles[/name], and [name]Coretta[/name] sound so wonderful together :). You could also use [name]Etta[/name] as the NN as a more softer option since you have concern about the hard C. I think [name]Coretta[/name] Tenaya would be a beautiful combo especially since both names have special meaning to you. Good [name]Luck[/name]!
Totally random, but my cousin has two kids, a brother and sister named [name]Miles[/name] and [name]Savannah[/name]! I think those names sound wonderful together!
Of your choices, I like [name]Magnolia[/name] nicknamed [name]Nola[/name] the best. Also, how about [name]Corrina[/name] instead of [name]Coretta[/name]?
I really like [name]Coretta[/name] too. If you’re not sure about [name]Coretta[/name] though, you could still honor [name]Coretta[/name] [name]Scott[/name] [name]King[/name] by using another name that starts with [name]Cora[/name] -[name]Coralie[/name], [name]Coraline[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Corinne[/name], [name]Coralyn[/name], [name]Cordelia[/name], etc., etc. There are 175 “[name]Cor[/name]-” names on Nameberry if you use the supersearch. [name]Cora[/name] and [name]Coretta[/name] both mean “maiden” -so I think another [name]Cor[/name]- name with the same meaning would be a nod to [name]Coretta[/name], even though it may be more subtle. Without the 't’s near the end, the name sounds softer than with them.
I really love [name]Savannah[/name], [name]Miles[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name] or Savvy, [name]Miles[/name] and [name]June[/name] together. I don’t think that [name]Juniper[/name] is too out there since I feel that [name]Savannah[/name] and [name]Miles[/name] have very different feels to me and I would just embrace that and go with it.
I think that [name]Juniper[/name] [name]Coretta[/name] or [name]Juniper[/name] [name]Cora[/name] would be beautiful combos.
To me [name]Magnolia[/name] is a little odd with [name]Savannah[/name] and [name]Miles[/name]. It feels like a mix between the southern charm of [name]Savannah[/name] and the first letter of [name]Miles[/name]. It also kind of make [name]Miles[/name] stand out as an odd-ball to me. Which isn’t really a bad thing considering he’d be the “man” of the house. I actually think [name]Maggie[/name] would be a cute nn for [name]Magnolia[/name] and I wouldn’t worry about the teasing potential - I think if kids want to tease and be nasty they will find a way.
[name]Coretta[/name] does strike me as a little difficult. I love [name]Loretta[/name] and am not usually a fan of C-names so I think this would be a wonderful and inspirational mn choice.
Tenaya - I like the impetus and thought process behind this name, it’s just not my style. And while it shares the location/distance feel that both [name]Savannah[/name] and [name]Miles[/name] evoke I just feel that it’s so completely different in feel and clashes with your other two kids names.
[name]Zahara[/name] - The [name]Jolie[/name]-[name]Pitt[/name] connection would bother me less than that I’d find [name]Zahara[/name] and [name]Savannah[/name] a bit too close in sound to me.
Our first son came to us through adoption, so solidarity!
We’re also a mixed race family, and for a lot of reasons, it’s made naming more difficult. I am black and the S.O. is white. Our first son is black, and second is black/mixed race.
Okay, anyway
I don’t think [name]Coretta[/name] could work, even though [name]Cora[/name] is a gorgeous nick name. It’s just a lot, and the association is very strong. I can’t hear [name]Coretta[/name] without thinking of [name]Coretta[/name] [name]Scott[/name] [name]King[/name].
[name]How[/name] about [name]Harriet[/name], for [name]Harriet[/name] Tubman? I think it fits well with [name]Savannah[/name] and [name]Miles[/name] : ) You could also call her [name]Etta[/name], which would be a nod to [name]Etta[/name] [name]James[/name].
[name]Juniper[/name] is gorgeous, and I think it goes fine with your other two names. [name]Savannah[/name] has a country twang to it, and is a nature noun, like [name]Juniper[/name]. [name]Miles[/name] is one of those names that gives off a number of different vibes, and fits in well with anything, to be honest.
[name]Zahara[/name], I think that’s not a great idea. It works for an Ethiopian-born girly, but is maybe otherwise appropriative? Also, it’s hard not to think of the [name]Jolie[/name]-Pitts, like you said.
Other historical nods to black Americans that might be nice: [name]Nella[/name] (as in [name]Nella[/name] [name]Larsen[/name]), [name]Zora[/name] (as in [name]Zora[/name] [name]Neale[/name] Hurston), [name]Rosa[/name] (or [name]Rose[/name]?).
Congrats! From your list, I like [name]Coretta[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name] best with either Tenaya or [name]Magnolia[/name] as a mn (or [name]Juniper[/name] [name]Coretta[/name] works well too). If you really don’t like the hard C in [name]Coretta[/name], then I like the suggestion of using another [name]Cor[/name]- name such as [name]Corrine[/name]. I don’t think [name]Loretta[/name] is too dated either-- you could use it as well.
