We are expecting our first bubba this year & I’m so happy because I have been obsessed with names since I was a little girl (ALL my toys had first & middle names haha). Also we want the middle name to have special significance & honour a grandparent. Anyways here goes:
[name]Emmeline[/name] [name]Tess[/name] (nn [name]Millie[/name]; [name]Tess[/name] is in honour of DHs mum “therese”) Malie [name]Tess[/name] (Malie is a Samoan of [name]Mary[/name] which is DHs granma, and DHs father is samoan) Is Mahlie nicer spelling? Liliele [name]Tess[/name] (nn [name]Lily[/name]; Liliele is a Samoan name) [name]Polly[/name] McKinnon (McKinnon = mum’s maiden name) [name]Heidi[/name] [name]Tess[/name]
[name]Jack[/name] Ariu (my grandpa which we both just happen to love; DHs father’s name) [name]Harry[/name] McKinnon (McKinnon = my mum’s maiden name) [name]Henry[/name] McKinnon (am leaning away from this because bub will have a step-grandad with this first name) [name]Archie[/name] McKinnon (have loved this for years… getting too popular?)
Other middle names for girls: [name]Dee[/name] (short for [name]Doris[/name] which I actually love); [name]May[/name] (poss [name]Mabel[/name]?); [name]Adah[/name]; [name]Mary[/name]; [name]Lillian[/name]; [name]Margaret[/name]; [name]Joyce[/name]; [name]Joy[/name]
Other middle names for boys: [name]Frank[/name]; [name]Sydney[/name]; Alroy; Europa; Hereme; [name]Neville[/name]; [name]Bruce[/name]
I think these are almost all fabulous options! The only girls’ name I don’t quite care for is Lilliele [name]Tess[/name]–while I think Lilliele is pretty, I think she will ALWAYS be explaining how it is spelled and pronounced, and nn [name]Lily[/name] is very popular. I find Malie or Mahlie much more approachable and sweet. I do find the Mahlie spelling helps me with pronunciation more, but Malie looks cleaner and it only takes her saying her name out loud once for people to figure out how to say it. So I would do Malie. I think [name]Polly[/name] McKinnon is adorable (would love to meet a [name]Polly[/name]) and [name]Emmeline[/name] [name]Tess[/name] is very sweet, too. I find the [name]Heidi[/name] combo a little plain–I think [name]Heidi[/name] Lilliele (paying homage to [name]Lillian[/name] and your husband’s roots) would be gorgeous. Malie [name]Lillian[/name] would be sweet, too.
I love [name]Jack[/name] Ariu–ties in the Samoan culture and has great rhythm! I prefer [name]Henry[/name] McKinnon over [name]Harry[/name] McKinnon because you can use [name]Harry[/name] as a nn for [name]Henry[/name] anyway. I find [name]Archie[/name] very nicknamey and would personally opt for [name]Archer[/name] McKinnon or something with [name]Archie[/name] as a nn. In the States, [name]Archie[/name] isn’t particularly big yet, but I believe it’s very big in [name]Britain[/name]. That being said, [name]Jack[/name] and [name]Henry[/name] are both enjoying a lot of use these days, too. (I think they’re classic enough to weather potential trendiness, though.)
I adore [name]Emmeline[/name] [name]Tess[/name] and I think [name]Polly[/name] McKinnon is very sweet. I agree with ellenelle about spelling Mahlie this way as it helps pronunciation. I’m not sure about Mahlie [name]Tess[/name]… I think Mahlie [name]Therese[/name] would flow better.
As for the boys, I really like [name]Jack[/name] Ariu and [name]Henry[/name] McKinnon
Thank you so much, I’m really flattered you guys took the time to reply.
I’m in Australia and I’ve been looking at the bonds baby & bump contest entrants for the popularity of names! Quite a few [name]Archie[/name]'s popping up, and on my local radio station one of the announcers just called his baby [name]Archie[/name], so I think all it’s going to do is climb. Now that it’s pointed out to me, I agree that it’s nicknamey and with myself having a 3 letter name, I am finding that I would really like a name that is long & formal, and can be shortened!
[name]Henry[/name] is definitely our favourite boys name too, it just might be a little confusing with my mum’s partner being named [name]Henry[/name] too! [name]Harry[/name] is a great nickname for [name]Henry[/name] though you are right.
I love these names!
[name]Emmeline[/name] [name]Tess[/name]- I like the flow of [name]Emmeline[/name] [name]Therese[/name] myself, but [name]Tess[/name] works well, too.
Malie [name]Tess[/name]- I prefer this spelling to Mahlie. It’s very beautiful. I like!
Liliele [name]Tess[/name]- While this is a beautiful name, I agree wholeheartedly with the pp who said she will be explaining the spelling, etc, her entire life. It will be easily confused with [name]Lillian[/name].
[name]Polly[/name] McKinnon- [name]Polly[/name] is not my favorite, but I love McKinnon! Would you consider it for a first name?
[name]Heidi[/name] [name]Tess[/name]- I think you need a longer mn with [name]Heidi[/name].
[name]Jack[/name] Ariu - very cool. Also has a nice flow.
[name]Harry[/name] McKinnon- Like.
[name]Henry[/name] McKinnon- love.
[name]Archie[/name] McKinnon- this is my favorite of your boys. Oh, I would swoon if I met a little [name]Archie[/name]. I do think [name]Archer[/name] is better as a full first name, nn [name]Archie[/name], but either way you get the name you want.
