Our New List of Names for Little Baby (Girl version)

Girl Names
1

I’m starting a new thread for our girl names, it all became such a mess. While our boy list is taking shape and nicely narrowing down, our girl list is out of control and ever growing. So these are our new “loves”. We still want a name that evokes images of lush forests and waterfalls and a starry sky, a name that will suit an independent, self sufficient little creature. So, if you feel like giving it a go, we want to hear it all!

Again, we have been through a lot of books, but if you’ve got suggestions we’d love to hear them!

[name]Amoret[/name]
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Callisto[/name]
[name]Circe[/name]
[name]Ceres[/name] ([name]Demeter[/name]?)
Dracaena
[name]Eurydice[/name]
Endellion
Everild
Fiametta
Ferelith
Halcyon (or Alcyone)
[name]Hippolyte[/name]
Hedone or Hesione
[name]Lorca[/name] or [name]Lorelei[/name]
Lùthien or Ludivine
[name]Melusine[/name] or Melpomene
Moriko
Niniane
[name]Ourania[/name]
[name]Pomona[/name]
Proserpine ([name]Persephone[/name]?)
Saturnina
[name]Sequoia[/name]
[name]Tempest[/name]
[name]Thalassa[/name]
[name]Vesper[/name]
Viatrix

Our top boys names are (at the moment) [name]Endymion[/name], [name]Heron[/name], Loxley, Skyros, [name]Tiberius[/name], [name]Orpheus[/name], [name]Wilder[/name], [name]Robin[/name] and [name]Solomon[/name].

edit: eliminated Indigo and added Halcyon/Alcyone (she got lost somewhere when we made the new list!).

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From your list, I really like:
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Indigo[/name]
[name]Lorelei[/name]
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Vesper[/name]

I find all of your choices very intriguing…I just worry that some might cause pronunciation issues, or be too heavy for a little girl. The only one I deem completely unusable would be [name]Hippolyte[/name] - no girl wants “hippo” in her name!

Maybe you’d also like:
[name]Xanthe[/name]
[name]Flavia[/name]
[name]Veda[/name]
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Callista[/name]
[name]Jania[/name]
[name]Cordelia[/name]
[name]Ianthe[/name]
[name]Acacia[/name]
[name]Persis[/name]
[name]Delyth[/name]
[name]Maris[/name]
[name]Phaedra[/name]

Looking at your favourite boys’ names, I quite like [name]Wilder[/name], [name]Robin[/name] and [name]Soloman[/name].

Good luck choosing!

3

I am so rediculously excited about all of these! Are you thinking you’ll use nicknames or full names most of the time?
Ok so I’m going to eliminate names starting with the same letter as these boy choices, simply to have something to eliminate.

[name]Amoret[/name]: still one of my favorites from your list, it sounds darling and the meaning is so romantic!
[name]Ariadne[/name]: like this more than a few of your other -e ending Greek choices because of the ‘ad’ sound. Possible nn [name]Ari[/name]
[name]Callisto[/name]: I prefer [name]Callista[/name], but it is essentially the same sound so I still love this. nn could be [name]Callie[/name] or [name]Isa[/name]
[name]Ceres[/name]: in my opinion a much better history than [name]Circe[/name] and more wearable than [name]Demeter[/name].
Dracaena: I have one of these on my porch! Haha, a favorable -ae- combo, but unforutnately I think most people will only see Dracula
Fiametta: this is a new one to me, I had to look it up. Italian for “fire” is that correct? The nn’s Fi or [name]Etta[/name] would be adorable
Ferelith: well I love that it seems to have Scottish and Danish history, plus it seems to have great meanings!
[name]Indigo[/name]: very very pretty. I have always loved this name, and I don’t think you could go wrong with it. nn [name]Indi[/name] or [name]Ginny[/name]?
[name]Melusine[/name]: is my vote, and definitely a water name. It just seems more familiar to girl territory for me, along the lines of [name]Melissa[/name]
Moriko: is this the only Japanese name on your lists so far? I [name]LOVE[/name] it, and it’s easier to spell/say than some others if that matters
Niniane: I think I like the idea of this name in theory more than I like it in sound, but still how cool is the Lady of the [name]Lake[/name]? nn [name]Annie[/name]?
[name]Pomona[/name]: you’re not in the States so it seems usable you shouldn’t get the [name]California[/name] reference, but sorry I just see a brand of produce
[name]Persephone[/name]: seems like the more well-known/practical choice, though she will still have a very unique name as I’ve never seen it used
[name]Vesper[/name]: is starting to grow on me. I definitely see the appeal in this name, but it seems to be rising in popularity (and not just on nb)
Viatrix: Interesting! [name]Beatrix[/name] does absolutely nothing for me so I have to wonder why this wasn’t ever the favored option? It’s pretty!
=]

4

Really, really neat list! Melpomene and Viatrix have been on my long list for ages, I never see anyone mention Melpomene. I also adore Fiametta, [name]Eurydice[/name], and [name]Pomona[/name].

Maybe…

[name]Fiorella[/name]
Erzebet
Nimue
[name]Roksana[/name]
Beatriu
[name]Gwyneira[/name]
Edelweiss
Madelief
[name]Ishbel[/name]
Mythily

5

Thank you so much!

claireelise: we were thinking that about [name]Hippolyte[/name], it might be teasing. But it’s so pretty! I like [name]Calliope[/name] (it isn’t on our list because I feel [name]Callisto[/name] is a little more badass maybe?) and [name]Xanthe[/name]/[name]Ianthe[/name]. I also like [name]Persis[/name] and [name]Phaedra[/name]. Thank you!

amydomsmom: Fiametta means “little flame”! Isn’t that cute? We aren’t planning on using nick names, unless they happen on it’s own. And Moriko is super cute isn’t it? I love this name. It’s quite similar to the dutch [name]Marike[/name], so it doesn’t feel to unfamiliar. Viatrix is amazing isn’t it? It means “voyager”! And thank you for being ridiculously excited!

flick: Ooh, I love Mythily! It’s cute! I also really like Edelweiss, but doesn’t go with last name. [name]Roksana[/name] and Nimue are really pretty too. I’m glad to see someone else liking Melpomene, it’s so pretty!

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The concise version of this is that I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Vesper[/name] for you, I think it fits the bill of what you are looking for perfectly. Everild, Ferelith, [name]Pomona[/name], [name]Ceres[/name], [name]Callisto[/name], and [name]Thalassa[/name] would be runners-up (more or less in that order). I know you are looking to eliminate names, but [name]Artemis[/name] and [name]Apolline[/name] seem like such natural additions to this list…would you consider them? Edmee and Sunniva come to mind as well, though I think Sunniva is perceived as a bit trendy/passe in Norway.

[name]Callisto[/name]- like it. Pretty enough on its own to overcome the bear thing.

[name]Ceres[/name] ([name]Demeter[/name]?)- [name]Ceres[/name] I like! I went to high school with one who pronounced her name like [name]Carys[/name] (I think her parents were classicists)- slightly ambiguous pronunciation would be my only very minor concern. [name]Demeter[/name] is all right, but I think I’d avoid it because of the nickname [name]Demi[/name] ([name]Demi[/name]/[name]Demi[/name]-[name]Leigh[/name] being not quite what you’re going for in a name, I don’t think?)

[name]Circe[/name]- Turning men into pigs (or other animals) isn’t the kindest thing in the world-- and as much as I think there is something to be said for reclaiming powerful female characters who have been witchified over the years, I don’t think I’d want to be the one doing it every day with my given name.

Endellion- This is gorgeous, but a very unusual with one reasonably well-known bearer- the Camerons’ youngest daughter, [name]Florence[/name] Endellion. If I met one born now (or while [name]Cameron[/name]'s the PM) I would probably assume that her parents were admirers of Mr [name]Cameron[/name].

Everild- [name]One[/name] of my very favourites on your list. Strong, feminine, unusual but not unheard-of, and free from strong associations.

Fiametta- pretty, but perhaps a little insubstantial compared to the others?

Ferelith- Up there with Everild as one of my favourites here :slight_smile:

Hedone- stick with [name]Joy[/name]; what if she’s a stoic little thing?

Hesione- my only point of reference is the Trojan princess; not a story I think I’d want for myself?

[name]Indigo[/name]- Eh. Neither as pretty or substantial as some of the others. Bit old-school hippy?

[name]Lorca[/name] or [name]Lorelei[/name]- neither is as interesting as many of the others on your list. [name]Lorca[/name] is the daughter of [name]Leonard[/name] [name]Cohen[/name], and the mother of [name]Rufus[/name] [name]Wainwright[/name]'s child (baby is [name]Viva[/name]). I think [name]Lorca[/name] [name]Cohen[/name] was named for [name]Federico[/name] [name]Garcia[/name] [name]Lorca[/name]? I’m not sure what to think of it- much too cool for me, but could work for artsy Londoners :slight_smile: Edited to add that I was surprised to see Lorca included in the nb db! And mentions Cohen too…I forget that he’s one of those Canadian artsy types who’s well-known outside Canada too…oops.

Lùthien or Ludivine- both are pretty in English. I like that Luthien is a more subtle Tolkein name, but you’d probably have to explain it a lot, and the pronunciation could prove difficult in other languages (also, is the accent grave or acute? Would you include the accent on her name if you were to use it?). I think Ludivine is sort of an 80s name in [name]France[/name], if that is of any concern.

[name]Pomona[/name]- I like this one. Friendly and approachable, but still quite regal. I think of orchards rather than forests, but close enough!

[name]Sequoia[/name]- this is the name of a HUGE 4x4/SUV by Toyota in [name]North[/name] [name]America[/name]. The name is thus a little less natural and a little more like other nature/truck/SUV names in [name]North[/name] [name]America[/name]- [name]Sierra[/name], [name]Dakota[/name], [name]Aspen[/name], [name]Cheyenne[/name]- it probably doesn’t matter if she spends her years in Europe, but here the name has a very different set of associations.

[name]Tempest[/name]- middle? I would hate to have this name if I had a tempestuous nature. Which most (pre)teens do, which is also the time at which they are most sensitive about names…not sure. I know it’s been done; I also know that I wouldn’t have appreciated this name myself from the ages of oh, eight to eighteen? Twenty?

[name]Thalassa[/name]- this one works a little better than some of the other Greek deities. Definitely think more of the sea than starry skies and forests, but that’s not a bad thing!

[name]Vesper[/name]- in with Everild and Ferelith as one of my favourite three of your names. Definitely, definitely calls to mind a starry sky above a lush forest.

Viatrix- I like the history behind it. Two things would bother me, I think- it would be forever heard as [name]Beatrix[/name], and looks a little like a pharmaceutical name. They like their Vs and Xs in that trade (or a least the marketing departments do)-- I know the history of Viatrix and I still see it that way, sadly!

[name]Hippolyte[/name], Dracaena, [name]Eurydice[/name], [name]Melusine[/name], Melpomene, Proserpine, Saturnina do seem like too much in the first name spot for various reasons, but I think anything goes in the middle name spot.

Moriko, Niniane, and [name]Ourania[/name] I like and I think would work as first names, but I don’t have anything else to add (other than wondering how Moriko is perceived in Japan).

7

I think in real life, the only usable ones would be:
[name]Amoret[/name]
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Callisto[/name]
[name]Circe[/name]
[name]Ceres[/name]
Fiametta
[name]Indigo[/name]
[name]Lorelei[/name]
[name]Melusine[/name]
Moriko
[name]Pomona[/name]
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Sequoia[/name]
[name]Tempest[/name]
[name]Vesper[/name]

These were narrowed down considering pronunciation issue and teasing issues. I think many of the names I took away are beautiful, and shouldn’t be taken off the list completely, but are suited better for a middle name. An example of this would be [name]Eurydice[/name]. I think she is so stunning and lyrical, but in real life the name would, unfortunately, be absolutely butchered.

Changing some of the names on the list slightly, could also give you a more usable name. So maybe you would like:
[name]Demetria[/name]
Draca
[name]Oriana[/name]
[name]Carys[/name]
[name]Paloma[/name]
Saturna
[name]Satyana[/name]
[name]Thessaly[/name]
[name]Elysia[/name]
[name]Melisande[/name]
[name]Eulalie[/name]
[name]Etta[/name]

What do you think?

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I [name]LOVE[/name] Edmee (and Sunniva!) so much! No one ever mentions Edmee, either - it’s always [name]Esme[/name], which is nice, but Edmee is just…better, [name]IMO[/name]. (lol)

9

Thanks ladies!

maple_blythe: Woha, someone who knows about [name]Lorca[/name] [name]Cohen[/name] and [name]Rufus[/name] and [name]Viva Katherine[/name] and everything. We both love [name]Leonard[/name] [name]Cohen[/name] (I’ve grown up listening to him) and [name]Rufus[/name] is one of our favourite musicians ever, so for us [name]Lorca[/name] would be an amazing way to honour them and we adore [name]Federico[/name] [name]Garcia[/name] [name]Lorca[/name] as well. Sunniva is beautiful, but I’ve got several friends with nieces with this name (there are lots of them in Norway and while we probably won’t ever live there, we’ve still got friends there). Edmee is pretty, but not really what we’re going for. Besides, [name]Endymion[/name] is front runner on the boy’s side, and they’re too close I think. [name]Circe[/name], yeah she was kind of mean, but people name their kids [name]Loki[/name] and [name]Juno[/name] and they were no angels. [name]Sequoia[/name] is a car? Thanks for telling me. Abd an SUV… ugh. And we might scratch [name]Indigo[/name], it doesn’t look right with our boys names either. [name]Artemis[/name] and [name]Apolline[/name] are on our list, we just prefer [name]Ariadne[/name] (they’re the same type of name).

asophie1: Thank you, we like [name]Oriana[/name] (or [name]Oriane[/name]), [name]Paloma[/name], [name]Elysia[/name], [name]Melisande[/name] and [name]Eulalie[/name]. All very pretty!

10

Great names! [name]Vesper[/name] is my vote.

11

[name]Glad[/name] you liked some of the options, though i’m sure you had thought of some of them already. I feel like [name]Eulalie[/name]/[name]Eulalia[/name] would be a great fit for you guys. I especially like [name]Endymion[/name] & [name]Eulalie[/name] together!

Would you ever consider [name]Aurelia[/name] or [name]Aurelie[/name]? If [name]Endymion[/name] is your top boys name, I just love [name]Aurelia[/name] & [name]Endymion[/name] as siblings. [name]May[/name] I also suggest [name]Delphine[/name]/[name]Delfine[/name]/[name]Delphina[/name]/[name]Delfina[/name]? I think [name]Delphi[/name] could also be a great boys name option for you as well.

12

[name]Aurelia[/name] sounds kind of whiney to me. I wished I liked it (she’s one of my favourite characters in [name]Love[/name] Actually). [name]Delphine[/name] is very cute, it’s on our slightly longer list!

13

I’m so glad sleepysesha suggested [name]Kay[/name]'s book. It’s phenomenal; I deeply respect her research and her approach to naming.

[name]Amoret[/name]: still like [name]Amoret[/name] as a very fresh, exciting alternative to [name]Esme/name. It is a little less substantial than your other options; on the one hand you have these incredible mythological heroines, on the other you have this sweet name, meaning simply ‘beloved.’

[name]Ariadne[/name]: “most holy.” It used to not be given to girls due to this meaning, but it’s approachable, beautiful, and again has great mythological connections.

[name]Callisto[/name]: The same as the more common name [name]Callista[/name], meaning “most beautiful.” I like the astronomical ([name]Ursa[/name] [name]Major[/name]) and mythological connections, though personally I’ve never been fond of the rape-y elements of Greek mythology and find all those tales of nymphs/youths turned into inanimate objects to avoid being raped a little alarming.

[name]Circe[/name]: I don’t think [name]Circe[/name] was a misunderstood figure who was later turned into a witch by a later generation of puritanical historians. She was written into the Odyssey, whenever it was all collected and put together, as a bad guy.

[name]Ceres[/name] ([name]Demeter[/name]?) Personally prefer [name]Demeter[/name], as I like the measured way it rolls off the tongue.

Dracaena: This is nice, meaning “precious” (not ‘dragon’ like many think). I think it will be nearly unusable in an anglophone country, though.

[name]Eurydice[/name]: Still fond of [name]Eurydice[/name], but am curious if you’re planning on preserving the Greek pronunciation (eu-ry-[name]DEE[/name]-keh)? And again, not usable with brother [name]Orpheus[/name] or [name]Endymion[/name] (too similar).

Endellion: this features on my own short list, and I am very fond of it. Endellion was a Welsh/Cornish saint, and it’s a beautiful Cornish village and church ([name]David[/name] [name]Cameron[/name]'s daughter got the name-- and it’s her third name-- because she was born unexpectedly early on a Cornish holiday). Very close to [name]Endymion[/name], so obviously one or the other. I love its phonetics, and find it a lush and imaginative name.

Everild: also on my short list; a beautiful name that’s come down as the surname [name]Averill[/name]. She, too, was a saint (in the north of [name]England[/name]), and a pretty decent namesake. It has the double bonus of looking like “[name]Ever[/name] [name]Wild[/name].”

Fiametta: very sweet. A rare name with gorgeous imagery. You might also like Nourielle / Nouriel (“flame of God,” one of the apocryphal angels outside the Jewish Tanakh).

Ferelith: I admit never hearing this before and having to look it up. It has a very interesting history but I’m not sure that the phonetics are workable. It’s idiosyncratic to my job, I admit, but I keep misreading it as “fecolith,” which is a small ball of poop that becomes impacted in the appendix and causes appendicitis. “Lith” means ‘stone’ in Greek so there will be some unfortunate false etymologies.

[name]Halcyon[/name] (or [name]Alcyone[/name]): still very fond of the beautiful, serene imagery in this one.

[name]Hippolyte[/name]: This is an exclusively male name in [name]France[/name]. Although ‘hippo’ means ‘horse,’ the hippo association is loud and proud here (versus something like [name]Philippa[/name]). Have you thought instead about Eponine? It comes from Epona, the pre-[name]Christian[/name] goddess of horses for the Celts.

Hedone or Hesione: Hedone = hedonic, hedonism, etc. Not usable. Hesione: slightly better, but it looks like ‘lesion.’

– second half to come later-- my experiments are boiling over!!

[name]Lorca[/name] or [name]Lorelei[/name]:
Lùthien or Ludivine
[name]Melusine[/name] or Melpomene
Moriko
Niniane
[name]Ourania[/name]
[name]Pomona[/name]
Proserpine ([name]Persephone[/name]?)
Saturnina
[name]Sequoia[/name]
[name]Tempest[/name]
[name]Thalassa[/name]
[name]Vesper[/name]
Viatrix

14

Ok, I figured nn’s weren’t that important but I just wanted to make sure because some of the prettier names are better left whole.

In that case my favorites are [name]Amoret[/name], [name]Ariadne[/name], Everild, Fiametta (omg little flame is so adorable!), Lùthien, Moriko, Niniane, [name]Pomona[/name], [name]Vesper[/name], and Viatrix. And I’m sorry, I didn’t even remember that there was a Toyota [name]Sequoia[/name], I was just thinking of the cypress tree, but that is a really unfortunate reference. Luckily someone pointed it out. =(

15

You have some inspiring, gorgeous choices. My favorite is Fiametta.

Ideas…

[name]Alphonsine[/name]
[name]Anselma[/name]
[name]Apollonia[/name]
Belphoebe
Coelia
[name]Dulcinea[/name]
[name]Elysia[/name]
[name]Hannelore[/name]
Lilavati
[name]Mazarine[/name]
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Phaedra[/name]
[name]Primavera[/name]
[name]Querida[/name]
[name]Sancia[/name]
[name]Silvana[/name]
[name]Thisbe[/name]
[name]Tosca[/name]
[name]Verena[/name]
Zoraide

16

[name]Callisto[/name] is so spirited and energetic, I love it! Not to mention there’s a great [name]Titian[/name] painting as a namesake.
[name]Amoret[/name] for some reason evokes star-gazing, but I feel you have better names on your list.
[name]Ariadne[/name] is a classic, and I myself love it to bits so I hope you’re keenly considering this one!
Endellion is quite beautiful and medieval-sounding, but again, I feel there are stronger names on your list. If you use Endellion on a girl, you’re immediately cancelling out [name]Endymion[/name] as a possiblity for future sons because they’re so alike.
I can definitely picture the appeal of Everild, with the “ever” and “ild”, which are quite delicate, poetic sounds on their own. But when compounded all I see and hear is the “rild”, which is a little too unpleasant. Ferelith is quite similar in this regard - the sound of “feral” is hard to disregard. Moriko is cute, but if you’re not Japanese I think it’d be a little awkward on your daughter.

I prefer Halycon to Alycone, and Ludivine to Lùthien (l’ve been crushing on Ludivine since primary school). And whilst I think both [name]Melusine[/name] and Melpomene are beautiful, my vote would go for Melpomene simply because I’m a sucker for the “[name]Pom[/name]” sound, as you’d find in [name]Pomeline[/name] and [name]Pomona[/name]. [name]Lorca[/name] in the meantime would be very meaningful, but [name]Lorelei[/name] is more fluid, elegant-sounding and thoroughly aquatic. On my list is the combo [name]Calla[/name] [name]Lorelei[/name] so I may be partial :wink:
I think the suggesting of Niniane is perfect! The Lady of [name]Lake[/name] was known by many other equally gorgeous such as Evienne, Nimuë, Nivian, Evienne and my favourite, Nyneve. Also Lady-of-the-Lakish is [name]Avalon[/name], which very cutely comes from the Welsh form of “apple”.

Unfortunately the names that I don’t like are [name]Circe[/name], [name]Ceres[/name], Dracaena (brings to mind caecum), [name]Eurydice[/name] (brings to mind urine), Hedone, Hesione and [name]Hippolyte[/name]. [name]Hippolyte[/name] is the surname of my French family so the French pronunciation I can guarantee is very nice (and very cute on a little girl!) but in a non-French setting your daughter would be constantly troubled by “hippo” which isn’t an attractive prospect as another commentor mentioned. Ipolita could be a compromise? [name]Tempest[/name] has a bold and adventurous ring to it, but you might as well be calling your daughter Hurricane or Monsoon so I’m also a little so-and-so about this one. The “pest” in it is also not very appealing. Viatrix looks a little too pharmeceutical to me, but [name]Vesper[/name], quite the opposite, is starting to grow on me! The fact that is sounds like whisper brings to it a great softness.

Sorry to burden you with more names, but your taste is so intriguing that I can’t help myself!

[name]Ophelia[/name] - as watery and floral and literary as you can get. The [name]Millais[/name] painting of her on the river is one of my absolute favourites. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Millais_-_Ophelia.jpg
[name]Loch[/name]
[name]Celestine[/name]
[name]Leda[/name]
[name]Jubilee[/name]
Athénaïs
[name]Severine[/name]
[name]Briar[/name]
Galene - a sea nymph from Greek mythology
[name]Sailor[/name]
Varuna - Hindu god of the “celestial ocean” which encircled the world. Though a male deity, the name could work just as well on girls
Mimir - Norse god of spring
Sigrún - Valkyrie, whose name means victory rune
[name]Rune[/name]
Océane - after the [name]Roman[/name] [name]Oceanus[/name] (or Greek Titan) who was similarly associated with a celestial body of water

I absolutely adore basilla’s suggestions of [name]Anselma[/name], [name]Apollonia[/name] (nm [name]Apple[/name]?), Belphoebe, Cloelia, [name]Hannelore[/name], [name]Mazarine[/name], [name]Primavera[/name], [name]Sancia[/name] and [name]Thisbe[/name]…too many to count!

17

Ugh, I just wrote this long reply, and then my computer shut itself down. Oh, well.

blade: I’m with you on the rape thing, it’s just almost every figure in greek mythology was raped (or almost) or a rapist. I’m trying to look beyond that… [name]Leda[/name], however, is too much for me. And I agree with you on [name]Circe[/name], I just love the name, and two of my favourite Waterhouse paintings are of [name]Circe[/name] and they are utterly beautiful. I do love your suggestion of Nouriel. Fiametta is another Waterhouse painting I love.

amydomsmom: Isn’t little flame just the cutest? The [name]Sequoia[/name] thing is too bad, but I can’t have my daughter named after a SUV.

basilla: I do love Belphoebe (The Faerie [name]Queen[/name] is a big favourite of mine!) I also love [name]Hannelore[/name], [name]Thisbe[/name], [name]Primavera[/name] and [name]Phaedra[/name].

minisia: I love that painting! I’m a huge fan of the pre-raphaelites, and although I prefer Waterhouse’s paintings of [name]Ophelia[/name], this one is stunning. Boyfriend is having a hard time coming around on [name]Ophelia[/name], it was his first big no. Océane is gorgeous, as is Mimir. And we love Evienne, Nyeve and Nimuë (how cute is that?). [name]Leda[/name], as mentioned, is a too horrible myth for my taste. [name]Jubilee[/name] is a tube line in [name]London[/name], I used to live right by it, so not a name for me. But it is cute. [name]Sailor[/name] will go on our middle list.

Thank you all for replying, you are being most helpful!

18

I know I’m going to drive you crazy, but we also love these:

Illyria, [name]Sirocco[/name], Venatrix, [name]Lilith[/name]/Lilitu, [name]Pandora[/name], Erato, [name]Harmonia[/name], [name]Eudora[/name], [name]Antigone[/name], [name]Atalanta[/name], [name]Keturah[/name], Leto, Ishtar, [name]Dione[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name], Euterpe, Polyhymnia, [name]Thalia[/name], [name]Theia[/name], [name]Jezebel[/name], [name]Nephele[/name], [name]Eos[/name], [name]Psyche[/name], Mythily, Perimede, Merioneth, Cyrene.

19

I really appreciate the imaginative and daring quality of many of the names you’re listing…I’m going to confess something though. I’m fairly well read and fairly well educated, yet reading all the names as a list makes me feel intellectually inadequate, and I assure you those who know me would tell you this is a next-to-impossible effect to achieve. So this led me to start wondering if and when the names we choose might have a distancing effect on others, might actually create a response we wouldn’t want a grown person, not to mention a child, have to deal with socially. I think there might be a golden mean to reach for, something poetic, evocative of myth and wilderness, yet still accessible, with intuitive spelling and pronunciation, something universal enough so one could travel anywhere and meet strangers without having to have a long initial conversation about one’s name…I love the name [name]Pandora[/name], which is known but little used, but Euterpe, say, is out there on a limb to me. I’ll have to google it…

And I do understand that at the beginning of a name search or writing project it’s best to toss all the names into the ring before starting an editing process, and surely you’re doing this exceptionally well. I hope I’m writing these thoughts gently enough, because I mean them with utter kindness and have much respect for your process. My daughter is actually expecting a baby boy in [name]January[/name], and as a name nerd type I’m practically beside myself that she wants to name him [name]John[/name]! (I’m on good behavior, though–not my baby to name). She and her husband arrived at [name]John[/name] after questioning all their myriad friends as to what they liked and didn’t like about their given names. The results? Their friends said they liked names that had a universal quality–names that could go anywhere from [name]Africa[/name] to [name]Asia[/name] to South [name]America[/name] and others would be able to pronounce, remember, and not have to spend time doing so. Which is of course what got me thinking about all this…

20

Thank you, thuja, I get what you mean. We’ve had a really long process (well, say three months) of going through what we want in a name, and while I’m sure it looks like we do, but we don’t need a super weird name, but most names that evokes the feeling we want are more unusual. We do like [name]Daphne[/name], [name]Phoebe[/name] and [name]Laurel[/name] (for example) but we’re not sure they’re quite right. We are both artistic (boyfriend is a sculptor, I’m trying to be a painter) and cultural people so there’s a lot of inspiration from the things we love (paintings, music, mythology, theatre, books). Most of our friends have pretty eccentric names on their kids (Sophus, [name]Calypso[/name], [name]Plum[/name], Ethiopia, Fionnoulah) and they all get compliments on their childrens names. Of course we don’t want a name that makes life difficult for our child, we are so excited to meet our baby and just want him/her to have a name that we love and feel will suit our little one. Again, thank you for your well written words, I’m not offended at all.