Pretty on paper

[Laxthomps0n]

What are your prettiest names, visually[name_f][/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]? You’re not allowed to factor in how they sound, just how they appear on paper. [name_f][/name_f] [name_f][/name_f] As our society becomes more digital, I think it’s possible we encounter names first, mostly, or only in written form. Maybe that’s part of the reason creative spellings are taking off too (…who cares how [name_m]John[/name_m] is spelled if you’re never texting him, writing him an email, Googling him? If you only ever see him at the market, it doesn’t really matter…I digress…).

[name_f][/name_f]

Anyways! [name_f]Share[/name_f] some of your names that you love visually + why! I’ll start…

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Saoirse[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Johannah[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Noam[/name_m]

[Sorceress]

Noisette
Meadow

[mellona]

This is such an interesting idea for a thread!

[name_f][/name_f]

I seem to find longer names the prettiest visually, though I am not sure why!

[name_f][/name_f]

Castalia
[name_f][/name_f]Gwenvaela
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Rosafiere[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Astrophel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Aurelien[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Cassiodore
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Endymion[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ilmarinen[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Melchior[/name_m]

[EloiseT]

I love your choices especially Saoirse!

Some visually pretty names:

Eve
Lilia/ Lilias
Niamh
Saskia
Jocelyn
Phaedra
Amoret
Manon
Phryne
Sabine
Opaline
Anouk
Serena
Iolanthe
Sunniva
Lilouenn
Ariadne
Pomeline
Endellion
Magdalene

Cy
Lev
Ivo
Max
Leif
Elias
Axel
Nico
Fenn
Joss
Bram
Otto
Nils
Rhys
Emrys
Alaric
Felix
Tallis
Pippin
Simon
Lucien
Matteo
Ambrose
Vincent
Tavian
Peregrine
Sebastian
Aloysius

Edit: forgot to add why: most because they look tailored to me, some because they’re all upright letters, some all low-medium rise, often gave a “clean”, non-ie, non-cutesy ending, it seems most have an N ending of sorts, across both groups. Often have an irregular letter - V, X, D, K, Y etc. Apparently hard to separate visual from vibes, as many also have a storybook, enchanted feel. There’s a few I wouldn’t use in real life due to sound/ act of saying it - would only use in print/digital works - eg Ariadne, Jocelyn, Amoret, Bram, Tallis, Peregrine.

[Johannaa]

I think palindromes look pretty

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Aziza[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Otto[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Reinier[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Savvas

[Greyblue]

I like the look of names with a slight symmetry or mirroring [name_f][/name_f]- or like, rounded ends [name_f][/name_f]- names with lots of curved letters?

[name_f][/name_f]

I’m thinking: [name_m]Cormac[/name_m], [name_m]Samsa[/name_m], [name_m]Otto[/name_m], [name_m]Sholto[/name_m], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f], [name_f]Coco[/name_f], [name_m]Barnabas[/name_m], [name_f]Ondine[/name_f], [name_f]Alma[/name_f], [name_f]Alba[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

But at the same time, I love spiky names that look jaunty and fun: [name_f]Mabli[/name_f], [name_f]Heidi[/name_f], [name_f]Katri[/name_f], [name_f]Kaia[/name_f], [name_m]Ziggy[/name_m], [name_f]Lexi[/name_f], [name_f]Capri[/name_f], [name_f]Saskia[/name_f], [name_f]Mitzi[/name_f], [name_m]Kyffin[/name_m], [name_f]Noxli[/name_f], [name_f]Nyx[/name_f], [name_f]Roxi[/name_f]

[orangeblossom]

I love -ine ending names on paper; especially [name_f]Delphine[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]! I also like -o ending names; like [name_m]Viggo[/name_m], [name_m]Jacopo[/name_m], [name_m]Otto[/name_m], etc. And -a names.

[rosajune]

I think repeat or double letters tend to look really pretty. [name_f]Ava[/name_f], [name_f]Belle[/name_f], [name_f]Vivian[/name_f], [name_f]Saffronia[/name_f], [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f], [name_m]Isaiah[/name_m], [name_m]Wells[/name_m], etc.

[name_f][/name_f]

If I had to pick one off the top for each gender, I’d go with Florabella for girls and [name_m]Augustine[/name_m] for boys. Simply gorgeous

[winterlyricalfox]

Girls: Concordia, Eulalie, Gwenaelle, Altalune, Cleocharia

Boys: Augustine, Faraday, Beckett, Sylvelin, Valentine

Guess I like the look of long, sweeping names (no surprise there)!!

[Laxthomps0n]

Oo I’m reacting really strongly to your “spiky” names! Idk if it’s postive or negative yet, but you definitely nailed a visual style!

[Laxthomps0n]

I think I like [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] for the same reason i like your amazing suggestion of [name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- the vowel pair that starts with the letter A.

[Laxthomps0n]

[name_f]Rosey[/name_f], compared to [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- the R goes high while the y goes down [name_f][/name_f]- a nice balance there!

[name_f][/name_f]

On a different note, I wonder how society’s declining use of cursive affects which names are visually appealing. [name_m]Jesse[/name_m] in print vs. [name_m]Jesse[/name_m] in cursive = wildly different

[atomicginge]

I agree [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] is very pleasing to the eye. I would also say…

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Caolán[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Connor[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Perry[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jameson[/name_m]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Aoife[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f]

[Rosebeth]

[name_f]Naoise[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Zion[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Maccabee[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Gable[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Endymion[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Anthime

[name_f][/name_f]

Polyxo
[name_f][/name_f]Mariotte
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Jocosa[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ffion[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Rosemonde[/name_f]

[GinnyPotter]

I agree with [name_f]Aoife[/name_f] & [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f].

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- The visual repetition of the ‘ar’ looks so open and friendly, I love that the only letter which dips down is the ‘g’ and that it cuts it into two almost symmetrical halves [name_f][/name_f]- the slight lopsidedness is charming.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- The ‘I’ and the ‘l’ at the end and beginning have a nice tailored look, but the middle letters are full and rounded, so the name as a whole isn’t too austere.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Bridget[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- I like ‘d’ and ‘g’ next to each other, and it also has that not-quite-symmetrical appeal.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- The superfluous vowels look nice.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Marguerite[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Luisa[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Katherine[/name_f] / [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Elisabetta[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Edgar[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- Another ‘d’ and ‘g’ cluster.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Lewis[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- No explanation, I mostly like the ‘w’.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Graham[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- Symmetry.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Michael[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- I don’t really know why I think it looks good, it just does [name_f][/name_f]- the wide ‘M’, the slim ‘i’, the slightly angular ‘ch’, the rounded ‘ae’ and the ‘l’ to wrap everything up.

[baya44]

This question prompted me to write out several of my favorite names on paper, and I noticed a few patterns with the names I found the prettiest written out!! First of all, length does seem to matter slightly— I tend to find long names prettier than shorter ones. Secondly, I like it when a letter appears multiple times in a name, whether it’s in a row (chhaya) or spread out (ziazan). Lastly, I really love the “long loopy letters” in a name (this in part has to do with my own handwriting). These letters are j,g, and y. Specifically y. If there is a y in a name, I will most likely think it’s gorgeous. Same with i. It’s just a letter I find visually pleasing!!

[name_f][/name_f]

Some of my favorites are…

[name_f][/name_f]

Girls: aishwarya, ayelet, ayodele, bahiyya, calafia, chhaya, duniya, eyerusalem, hayati, jayanti, laasya, layali, leyli, pacifica, qaraqat, roshanara, sumayya, sunshine, tzufit, vidyalaya, yazhini, ziazan

[name_f][/name_f]

Boys: alemayehu, azhar, chaitanya, chayim, dunixi, halil, hidayat, irie, miladin, murali, tulasi, surya, wahyudin, yalwa, zarathustra, ziaettin

[DropOfsunlight]

[name_f]Violetta[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Fayola[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Eirlys[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Fifi[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Toulouse[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Winika[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Aurora[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Louisette[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Alicie[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Tinsdel
[name_f][/name_f]Ailith
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Elswyth[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Rosette[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Winslet[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Celeste[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Apricity[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Bellina[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Eiryth
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Exie[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Faerydae[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Fairylithe[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Feather[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Joy[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Kalliste
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lilith[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Lilura
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Mayflower[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Merryweather
[name_f][/name_f]Olathe
[name_f][/name_f]Periwinkle
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Rhosyn[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Rosanthe
[name_f][/name_f]Rosyth
[name_f][/name_f]Talaitha
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Theodosia[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Theophania[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Thisbe[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Tinika
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Tuilelaith[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Twilight[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ettie[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Aurelian[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Leon[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Perseus[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Fifer[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Locksmith
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Tholf[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Tolkien[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Toulouse[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Wynkyn
[name_f][/name_f]Leorith
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ardith[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Winnick
[name_f][/name_f]Gryff
[name_f][/name_f]Fenrick
[name_f][/name_f]Thompkyn
[name_f][/name_f]Vidith
[name_f][/name_f]Abernathy
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Acacius[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Aleksander[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Charlston
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Claudius[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Edrich[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Falkner[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Fitz[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Folk
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Frey[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Godric[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Kristoff[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Leander[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Napoleon[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Owynn
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Poseidon[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Prewitt[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Reinhart[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Swanson
[name_f][/name_f]Timotheo
[name_f][/name_f]Weatherford
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Whitaker[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Wisby
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Wynn[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Zenith[/name_m]

[Silverthorn]

A very interesting question, indeed!

[name_f][/name_f]

Ligature names:

[name_f][/name_f]

Ælfwynn, Ælfwine, Leofdæg, etc

[name_f][/name_f]

Miscellaneous:

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Arden[/name_f], [name_m]Adair[/name_m], [name_f]Aurora[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_m]Clarence[/name_m], [name_m]Endymion[/name_m], Lohengrin, [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f], Lyonors, [name_m]Hrafn[/name_m], [name_f]Nyx[/name_f], [name_m]Onyx[/name_m].

[name_f][/name_f]

Diacritics:

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Alizée[/name_f], [name_f]Azélie[/name_f], [name_f]Maëlle[/name_f], Gaëlle, Anaëlle, Nimuë, Ĉiela, [name_f]Linnéa[/name_f], [name_f]María[/name_f] de los Ángeles, etc

[flamingo]

[name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Calla[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Stella[/name_f]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Can[/name_m] you tell that I think a double ‘l’ is pretty?

[Susette]

[name_f]Love[/name_f] your “-ine” names, not so much the “o”’s.