*After reading the comments on the name above, and seeing some of the other suggestions mentioned, I have decided to add alternatives to some of my names. Please let me know whether you like the original name or the new name. Thanks!
Originally I had Ella and Nora on my list. One pp suggested Eleanor nn Ella or Nora. I love this idea, but worry that Eleanor is a little too old fashioned. What do you think? Ella, Nora, Eleanor nn Ella, or Eleanor nn Nora.
Original name Elena or new name Emery
Original name Eloise or new name Everly
Isabel or Isobel spelling
Maya or Maia spelling
Original name Mila or new names Mia or Mara or Mira or Mirabel
I forgot to say, the names are in order starting with my favorite until the ams category. I just don’t have a specific rank there. Loves
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]- I have a thing for names that end in an “e” sound. The name is popular, but I’ve never known a [name_f]Natalie[/name_f].
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]- I’ve known 2. A new baby and an older 28 year old and the name seems to age well.
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]
These were so hard to rank, because a lot of them I love equally. But here goes…
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f] - I am really warming up to [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]! [name_f]Lovely[/name_f] name.
[name_f]Nora[/name_f] - Sweet, classic [name_f]Nora[/name_f]. Very pretty.
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] - I love nicknames [name_f]Nell[/name_f] & [name_u]Penny[/name_u].
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] - I prefer the [name_f]Milla[/name_f] spelling, I seems a bit more full. Gorgeous.
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] - This reminds me of [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_m]Fitzgerald[/name_m]! [name_u]Love[/name_u] it.
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] - [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is one of those perfect names that you can pair with almost anything. Very cute, but classy.
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - [name_u]Love[/name_u]! You could get the nicknames [name_f]Ella[/name_f] & [name_u]Lou[/name_u], which are so sweet!
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] - Despite it’s popularity, it’s still a lovely name.
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] - Gorgeous name, and I love this spelling! I prefer the clean [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] spelling, opposed to the slightly more frilly [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f].
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] - Very pretty. I am really warming to [name_f]Rose[/name_f]- names lately, too.
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] - I love the name [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], so I can’t help but like this too.
[name_u]Piper[/name_u] - I prefer [name_f]Philippa[/name_f] nn [name_m]Pip[/name_m], but this is also quite pretty.
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] - I prefer [name_f]Mara[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] brain, for some reason, isn’t too fond of AY heavy names.
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] - Pretty, but not my style.
[name_f]Ava[/name_f] - Again, with the heavy AY sound.
jasmine.lee - Thanks! I agree with you on [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]; I much prefer it to [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], which is too frilly. [name_f]Mara[/name_f] was on my long list, and barely missed being on the short list. I don’t really like the [name_f]Milla[/name_f] spelling, but I agree that [name_f]Mila[/name_f] seems a bit incomplete.
These are my favourites:
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]- Very classy, with a sort of [name_m]French[/name_m] polish about it, yet sweet and old-timey as well. I adore this name- the ‘[name_f]El[/name_f]’ sound is makes it seem familiar and friendly, without being lost amongst the crowd of [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Ella[/name_f]'s, [name_f]Elle[/name_f]'s (which are all popular for a reason- they are lovely names), etc.
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]- Still running in the same thread as above: classy and polished, but with a little spunk. It is a beautiful, classic name, with a multitude of pet names. I personally think it is underused, and it never really goes out of style. A beautiful, timeless name that isn’t boring.
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]- I think this is such a lovely name (I like most of the ‘[name_f]Ora[/name_f]’ names: [name_f]Cora[/name_f], [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], etc.) that is not very common, but still very approachable. It has a gorgeous sound, and reminds me of the singer [name_f]Norah[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m].
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]- Another underused gem. It is soft and gentle, with ‘[name_f]Rosie[/name_f]’ for a pet name (one of my favourites!). I also love [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f].
I think you have great taste, and I think that whatever you pick will be wonderful.
[name_u]Love[/name_u]:
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. Well duh, I’m going to love my own name! But I spell it [name_f]Nathalie[/name_f].
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] - pretty sound but nms
[name_f]Ava[/name_f] - I love it, it’s so short and simple and pretty. But, popularity bothers me, I don’t know how you feel about it being so popular
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] - it’s a nice name but I am not generally a fan of [name_f]El[/name_f]- names because of the potential nns [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] and [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. [name_f]Lena[/name_f] could be a nice nn?
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] - very pretty but, to borrow a phrase I’ve see many times on this website, it lacks substance
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - pretty
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] - I agree, [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] is too frilly. This spelling is much more elegant, but I like [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] even more
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] - a lovely flower and a pretty sounding name. But, it’s very popular, as a stand alone name and as a nn to other names such as [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_f]Calla[/name_f]?
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] - nms, the sound is nice but I often dislike the letter y in the middle of names. what do you think of the spelling [name_f]Maia[/name_f]?
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] - pretty but nms
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f] - nms, it feels dated to me in the UK, I don’t know where you live but I guess it might not be like that there. I know a lot of [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]/Nataley/Nataleighs - even a Nattalee - around my age. I also dislike the [name_u]Nat[/name_u] sound for some reason, it’s quite harsh (I feel the same about [name_f]Natasha[/name_f])
[name_f]Nora[/name_f] - short and sweet
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] - I really like it, definitely familiar but not too common
[name_u]Piper[/name_u] - I shouldn’t like this name, it doesn’t fit my usual style, but I actually kind of like it. I think it just sounds so happy, jolly and friendly
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] - elegant and underused. I agree with the pp who said that [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] would make a lovely nn
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] - overused
I once knew a girl with the name [name_f]Natalya[/name_f]…it doesn’t have an ‘e’ sound like you prefer, but is a twist on [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. She went by the NM [name_u]Tally[/name_u]. I still do like [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] though!
I’m a [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]… and I don’t like it!
I don’t know any other [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]'s, but I just feel it’s not me.
[name_f]My[/name_f] father (who isn’t going for any father of the year awards any time soon) always pronounced it ‘[name_u]Nat[/name_u]-lee’ when there is obviously another syllable in there!! It’s always grinded my gears. He would also call me ‘[name_m]Natty[/name_m]’ which I detested. The only, only time he would pronounce my name right was when I was in trouble, he would put on this sweet voice and say ‘Oh, [name_u]Nat[/name_u]-[name_m]Tah[/name_m]-Leee!’
So I guess my dad ruined it for me. But I never really liked it, I know theres only one way of pronouncing it but I always feel self conscious pronouncing it when someone asks me what my name is. And when I write a capital ‘N’ i can never quite get the angles right.
That being said, every single one of your names are lovely, and about half are on my list.
The only ones that are kinda iffy are [name_f]Mila[/name_f] and [name_f]Maya[/name_f].
I’ve heard [name_f]Mila[/name_f] pronounced ‘my-la’ and ‘me-la’
and [name_f]Maya[/name_f] pronounced as ‘my-ah’ or ‘may-ah’
But I guess the pronounciation just depends on where you are from.
Ranking from most to least liked (though I actually don’t dislike any of them)…
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] – I love this spelled [name_f]Maia[/name_f]!
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] – I do like a lot of [name_f]Lil[/name_f]- variants, and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is nice too, though terribly common which kind of puts me off a little.
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_u]Piper[/name_u]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] – I do prefer this pronounced eh-leh-nah, but I don’t mind eh-lay-nah either.
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] – Were it [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] (or better yet [name_f]Sofia[/name_f]) she would be ranked higher on my list.
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] – I prefer [name_f]Eloisa[/name_f].
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f] - very pretty
[name_f]Ava[/name_f] - sophisticated, glamorous
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] - NMS
[name_f]Ella[/name_f] - Okay
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] - nice, prefer [name_f]Heloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] - forever beautiful & charming
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] - sweet
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] - nice
[name_f]Mila[/name_f] - a bit bland compared to your other names listed
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f] - as above
[name_f]Nora[/name_f] - as above
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] - okay
[name_u]Piper[/name_u] - fun
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] - prefer [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f] - timeless & smart
So, my favorites are: [name_f]Aria[/name_f], [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] & [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]. But I would choose [name_f]Ava[/name_f] or [name_f]Isabel[/name_f].
… except maaaayyyybe switch [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_f]Elena[/name_f], as I know too many babies named [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_f]Lila[/name_f].
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]- It’s a lovely name and I like the musical connection but I associate it with the [name_f]ARIA[/name_f] music charts here in Australia, I think if I was back in the UK I would use it.
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]- I like [name_f]Ava[/name_f] and I like short names though I much prefer [name_f]Maya[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]- Beautiful name
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]- I prefer this as a nickname prehaps for your other ‘[name_f]El[/name_f]’ names
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]- [name_f]Lovely[/name_f] name with a vintage charm
[name_f]Isabel[/name_f]- I really like [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] and much prefer this spelling to [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]. I have yet to meet an [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f]- It’s a nice name, it’s just lost my charm from the multiple [name_f]Lily[/name_f]'s I know
[name_f]Maya[/name_f]- I’ve never met a [name_f]Maya[/name_f], I like the meaning though it missed out to [name_f]Mira[/name_f] in my list- [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] is another suggestion
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]- [name_f]Mila[/name_f] Kunis is my first thought when I see this name but it is a beautiful name
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]- I like [name_f]Natalie[/name_f] with the nickname [name_f]Talie[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]- I much prefer [name_f]Elinor[/name_f]/[name_f]Noor[/name_f], just one of those names I don’t like for no particular reason
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]- I don’t like this name much but I don’t hate it either
[name_u]Piper[/name_u]- I used to play Charmed at school with my friends and I was always [name_u]Piper[/name_u], it’s a sweet spunky name
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f]- I like [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] just not as much as I love [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] by itself
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]- See [name_f]Lily[/name_f]
potofgold - Popularity doesn’t really bother me. I’ve never heard of anyone named [name_f]Ava[/name_f] where I’m from. I would definitely use [name_f]Lena[/name_f] as the nn for [name_f]Elena[/name_f], instead of an “[name_f]El[/name_f]” name. I love the [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] spelling as well. I keep going back and forth on which spelling to use. I don’t really like [name_f]Calla[/name_f], or [name_f]Maia[/name_f]. I love [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] nn [name_f]Rosie[/name_f].
