Nightingale has been a guilty pleasure of mine for ages. I would only use it as a middle name. Is it too much? I am rather a bird lover, and I like the poetic nod. ([name]Keats[/name]’ [name]Ode[/name] to a Nightingale.) [name]Annabel[/name]'s middle name, [name]Hope[/name], while normal, was chosen for [name]Emily[/name] [name]Dickinson[/name]'s [name]Hope[/name]-is-the-thing-with-feathers.
So, Nightingale as a middle?
P.S. What first name would you find particularly stunning paired with Nightingale?
I’m not sure if it’s too much - I’ve been wondering myself about the name [name]Starling[/name] for a mn (for a girl). I love it - but I wonder if it’s too much - too silly. I think Nightingale is beautiful. I think my final decision would rest on the chosen first name…
I think Nightingale definitely works for a middle. I hope to use [name]Elise[/name] [name]Petunia[/name], so my first thought was [name]Elise[/name] Nightingale.
I think as a middle it would be fine. It is unusual, but not awful. It is actually kind of cute. I would think using a simple first name would be best for flow. Something like [name]Alice[/name] Nightingale, [name]Ella[/name] Nightingale, [name]Layla[/name] Nightengale, [name]Lux[/name] Nightingale .
[name]Aurora[/name] Nightingale, [name]Victoria[/name] Nightingale and [name]Colette[/name] Nightingale all come to mind.
I think it’s very sweet actually, reminds me of [name]Florence[/name] Nightingale, as leysin mentioned It’s also got great literary ties as you mentioned, which makes this name all the more better!
Nightingale is a great middle name. My daughter’s middle name is [name]Bellatrix[/name]. I would never use it as a first name, but as a middle? Why not? I don’t see any problems with Nightingale, either.
[name]Lovely[/name], definitely works as a MN. I agree with some pp choices to use a simpler first name.
I love [name]Colette[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Audrey[/name], [name]Aurora[/name] etc.
I think it would be a beautiful middle name! I really love the pairing of a more familiar (yet still interesting) first name with a more out there middle name. I think these would be a good fit with your other kiddos’ names:
[name]Selena[/name] Nightingale
[name]Lucille[/name] Nightingale
[name]Rosalie[/name] Nightingale
[name]Lila[/name] Nightingale
[name]Amy[/name] Nightingale
[name]Celia[/name] Nightingale
[name]Gloria[/name] Nightingale
[name]Viola[/name] Nightingale
[name]Evelyn[/name] Nightingale
[name]Eliza[/name] Nightingale
[name]Lydia[/name] Nightingale
[name]Felicity[/name] Nightingale
I think mjeezy13 has a pretty good list that fits well with the style of the sibs’ names. Depending on how long your last name is, I’d try to keep the first name somewhat short. If for some reason you decide that Nightingale in full isn’t going to work for you, [name]Gale[/name] would still go very nicely with some of those names.
Thank you all so much! It’s so funny to see so many suggest [name]Alice[/name] Nightingale, as that is the name I lobbied hardest for when pregnant with [name]Caleb[/name], before we knew he was a boy. DH shot it down, but as he’s given me free reign this time… Also, I can’t believe I forgot to mention [name]Hans[/name] [name]Christian[/name] [name]Anderson[/name]'s The Nightingale. I don’t know that [name]Alice[/name] fits the best with [name]Caleb[/name] and [name]Annabel[/name], though. Also, I’m not a fan of reusing first initials.
I’m becoming completely sold on Nightingale for the middle, though. [name]Nick[/name] and I were both, inadvertantly, named after the first males in our paternal lines to come to [name]America[/name] ([name]Nicholas[/name] and [name]Christian[/name].) [name]Caleb[/name] received [name]Nicholas[/name], and should we have another boy, his middle will be [name]Christian[/name]. We chose [name]Annabel[/name]‘s middle name before her first. [name]Hope[/name]-is-the-thing-with-feathers has always been my favorite poem. It makes my heart swell just thinking about it. Nightingale does the same thing. I love the fairytale and [name]Keats[/name]’ poem. We both come from musical families, so that fits, as well. To top it off, my great-grandmother was a great bird lover, the nightingale being one of her favorites. Now to find the perfect first name to go with it.
ETA: Our last name is only 5 letters long and 2 syllables.
Nightingale? Oh my gosh, that’s absolutely gorgeous! I honestly never thought of using it, but it’s absolutely stunning, though I’d be more inclined to use it as a middle rather than a first, because it would be a mighty hard name to live with unless you really live up to that kind of a name.
Nightingale! [name]How[/name] whimsical and lovely! Much loved, although I agree, pair it with a classic, simple and sweet first name like [name]Celia[/name] ([name]Celia[/name] Nightingale sounds gorgeous to me).
My husband and I have a daughter named Nightingale [name]Elise[/name]. We have been in love with the name “Nightingale” since it first came to mind in 2009 when we were pregnant with our first child, who turned out to be a little boy. The name combined elements of three things that were important to us: music, birds, and science. Luckily, our second pregnancy finally allowed us to bring our beautiful Nightingale into the world, and we couldn’t be happier. :>
You have beautfully named children. I, too, have considered Nightingale in the middle spot. I think it is so meaningful and pretty! It’s got a touch of romance, too. I would suggest:
It’s also got great literary ties as you mentioned, which makes this name all the more better!