[name]Caroline[/name]. This is classic, beautiful, and not dull in the least. But don’t ever use [name]Carolyn[/name]! It’s much too dated. If you want to use a variation, try [name]Carolina[/name] (personally, I like it care-oh-LYE-nah, versus care-oh-[name]LEE[/name]-nah).
[name]Ava[/name]. However, these are all too popular for me. Something similar in feel or look might be [name]Abra[/name], [name]Ivana[/name]/[name]Ivanka[/name], [name]Cora[/name]/[name]Dora[/name]/[name]Nora[/name]/[name]Flora[/name], [name]Vienna[/name] (possibly as a nickname for Vivienna), or [name]Viva[/name]/[name]Vida[/name].
[name]Calla[/name]. It’s just so simplistic-pretty and I like the meaning & background, although I’d rather use it as a nickname for [name]Callista[/name] (or even [name]Calypso[/name] or [name]Calliope[/name]). My second favorite here is [name]Fiona[/name]. I love the vowel-y feel of this one–it works so well. The two could even be a quite pretty combo.
I’m not sure which is my favorite between [name]Calla[/name] and [name]Caroline[/name], but as a compromise, you could use [name]Calla[/name] as a nickname for [name]Caroline[/name]. A little classic, a little exotic. I love it!
[name]Love[/name] [name]Love[/name] the name [name]Fiona[/name]! [name]Fiona[/name] is so pretty, and not “overdone” in terms of popularity, femininity or uniqueness. 2nd fave would be [name]Natalie[/name], I don’t think it is dated at all, it is classic and beautiful.
From the Classics:
[name]Abby[/name] - so cute, but very much a nn. not very professional
[name]Katharine[/name] - love [name]Katharine[/name], hate [name]Kathy[/name]. afraid you can’t fully get away from [name]Kathy[/name].
[name]Caroline[/name] - okay. I would use the nn [name]Carly[/name].
[name]Natalie[/name] - really like it. but don’t like [name]Nat[/name] or [name]Nattie[/name] much. again can’t get away from nns
[name]Rachel[/name] - not my style
From the Popular list:
[name]Ava[/name] - cute, but way too popular for me
[name]Avery[/name] - cute, but I’m not sure it’s feminine enough, though I wouldn’t use it for a boy becuase it’s too feminine. it’s kind of lost in the middle.
[name]Blake[/name] - just reminds me of [name]Blake[/name] Lively. don’t think it’ll last long as a girl’s name
Other names:
[name]Calla[/name] - okay. like the idea of a nn for [name]Caroline[/name]
[name]Fiona[/name] - really, really don’t like it. but I’m from the US - west coast. my sister lives in Australia and I know it’s really popular there.
[name]Scarlett[/name] - okay.
If I had to pick just one, I’d got with [name]Natalie[/name]. You could use [name]Natalie[/name] [name]Blake[/name]. That’s cute.
If it’s one from each list, then I choose [name]Abigail[/name] (if it’s strictly just [name]Abby[/name] then I would choose [name]Natalie[/name] instead), [name]Ava[/name], and [name]Fiona[/name]. If I have to choose one out of all three lists, then it just barely goes to [name]Fiona[/name]. There are so many cute choices here; I especially like your “other” list.
[name]Natalie[/name] is so soft and gentle. My problem is that I love the French pronounciation so much more than the American one. It’s so much more flowing and has character when pronounced the French way.
