Does anyone have any suggestions for short, professional* sounding names?
I’d like something feminine, without being overly girly. I love names like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], and [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], but they’re too long and look odd with my 4-letter surname.
*By professional I mean that you can imagine it on a lawyer or author or something along those lines.
I think there are a lot of names that I believe fit your criteria.
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]/[name_f]Lucia[/name_f]/[name_f]Lucille[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Edith[/name_f]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]/[name_f]Eva[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
Some of my favourites and others that are similar:
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] - [name_f]Joan[/name_f] or [name_u]June[/name_u] would work too, I just don’t like them.
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f] - Biblical, classic, well-known, simple, and I just like it more than [name_f]Ann[/name_f]/[name_f]Anne[/name_f]/[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f] - the longer forms all feel frillier/girlier to me, but [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is a wonderful one for being inarguably femme but not sugary. [name_f]Rose[/name_f] [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] or similar would be stunning.
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] might balance well where [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] overwhelms?
[name_f]Amy[/name_f] has [name_m]Little[/name_m] Women cred that gives it historic weight despite being short. Actually a number of three-letter names work: [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Ivy[/name_f], [name_f]May[/name_f]/[name_f]Mae[/name_f] are my favourites that are classic in English.
[name_f]Elise[/name_f] and [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] both appeal, [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] moreso for me.
If your 4-letter name is short syllable-wise a name like [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_f]Ione[/name_f], or [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] might balance well - not too many letters, but 3 syllables? Is it syllable length or number of letters that makes a first name feel too long for the last?
I am going to try and find something, they might be all over, but I think these wll fit your criteria:
[name_f]Clarinda[/name_f] - Wouldn’t she be a beauty? [name_f]Clarinda[/name_f] could be nicknamed [name_f]Claire[/name_f]/[name_u]Clare[/name_u] and you hardly go wrong with a [name_u]Clare[/name_u]! She could be the shy girl in the corner, but she could also be the dancing ballerina. I just know this name will give her wings to fly. I know it might be longer that you want, but this name… She’s going to rock your world!
Frigg - You never go wrong with Norse names! This one might be a bit harder to convince upon you, than some of the others, but I can easily see a Director Frigg or Dr. Frigg (insert last name)
[name_f]Juliana[/name_f]/[name_f]Julianna[/name_f] - Loving [name_u]Julie[/name_u]/[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]/[name_f]Julia[/name_f], living the dream life. [name_f]Juliana[/name_f] can catch thieves, but she can still be a frilly girl in dresses and have a good time rocking the world!
[name_f]Laurina[/name_f] - This is a different take on the normal [name_f]Laura[/name_f], but for all I know, her nick name could be [name_f]Laura[/name_f] or [name_f]LuLu[/name_f]. [name_f]Laurina[/name_f] is more in to sports and could be on the swimming team, but if she cannot win the Olympics, she wants to be living the life as dentist or [name_m]Boss[/name_m] of a big company.
[name_u]Marian[/name_u] - I could totally see this used on a lawyer or police woman. She’s feminine, but still has a professional edge.
[name_f]Nanna[/name_f] - This is a really popular name in Denmark and she is a [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] of Norse Mythology, who died of grief, after her husband Balder died. Of course that might not funny to named after, but this is still crisp and stylish. It fits an [name_m]Author[/name_m], dancer or athlete.
Surname is 4 letters and 1 syllable.
It’s the number of letters that make certain names seem ‘unbalanced’.
I really like the suggestions of [name_f]Alice[/name_f] and [name_f]Eliza[/name_f].
I like [name_f]Clarinda[/name_f]. It is a little long but I it could be a possible middle name. And [name_u]Marian[/name_u] - I love [name_u]Marian[/name_u]! (But might prefer the spelling [name_f]Marien[/name_f]?)
I’m so happy that you like [name_f]Clarinda[/name_f], and [name_f]Marien[/name_f] [name_f]Clarinda[/name_f] would sound so beautiful, but I don’t know if that becomes unbalanced with your last name?
Personally, I don’t care that much for the spelling, as long as it’s a name you love and you want to show your child that!
I think the names you like would work beautifully with a four-letter surname, but here are some suggestions:
[name_f]Libby[/name_f] (which is also a nickname for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f])
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Kira[/name_f]
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Claire[/name_f]
[name_u]Eden[/name_u]
[name_f]Kate[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]
Probably you like these?
[name_f]Katherine[/name_f] (nickname [name_f]Kate[/name_f])
[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]
[name_f]Marie[/name_f]
[name_f]Elif[/name_f]
I think [name_u]Marian[/name_u] and [name_u]Marion[/name_u] are the more commonly accepted spellings; I’d use one of those, personally. 
Professional-sounding ideas:
[name_f]Audra[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f]
[name_f]Colleen[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Joanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Louise[/name_f]
[name_f]Maria[/name_f]
[name_f]Martine[/name_f]
[name_f]Maura[/name_f]
[name_f]Naomi[/name_f]
[name_f]Natalie[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
Good luck!
What about
[name_f]Claudia[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Esme[/name_f]
[name_f]Cerys[/name_f]
[name_f]Thora[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Enid[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Liv[/name_f]
My favorite would be [name_f]Elise[/name_f]. [name_f]Elise[/name_f] is very solid, strong, and professional but still feminine. Others you may like are
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Melody[/name_f]
[name_f]Corrine[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_u]Blair[/name_u]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Claudia[/name_f]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Bridget[/name_f]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f]Lauren[/name_f]/ [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]
[name_f]Susan[/name_f]
[name_u]Haley[/name_u]
[name_f]Alana[/name_f]
[name_f]Jillian[/name_f]
[name_f]Bethany[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]
[name_f]Leah[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Eva[/name_f]! Lush and feminine, but so professional. It fits on the same level as [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], and [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], imo, too. I would love to meet a little [name_f]Eva[/name_f]!
I personally can see any name on a lawyer or author I’m an [name_f]Ebony[/name_f] and hope no one refuses to hire me because my name is “unprofessional”. I think [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] seem professional
[name_f]Lourdes[/name_f]
[name_f]Helene[/name_f]
[name_f]Calista[/name_f]
[name_f]Arielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Esme[/name_f]
[name_f]Alice[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f]
[name_f]Elle[/name_f]
[name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Cora[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Tessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassia[/name_f]
[name_f]Celia[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]
[name_f]Lana[/name_f]
Sorry, but you can’t imagine a [name_m]Lawyer[/name_m] named [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] or [name_f]Willow[/name_f]? That says more about your personal prejudices than the names themselves.
(also some of my favourite and most renowned authors are [name_u]Harper[/name_u], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f], [name_f]Toni[/name_f], [name_u]Flannery[/name_u] which I assume aren’t ‘professional’ enough for you?)
I agree, there aren’t professional names; there are professional people. (coming from a “professional” with an unusual name)
Sorry, but you can’t imagine a Lawyer named Emmy or Willow? That says more about your personal prejudices than the names themselves
PREACH. I’m a lawyer named [name_f]Molly[/name_f] - and I graduated manga cum laude from law school, but perhaps it would have been summa if my name were more “professional.”
I understand what the question is getting at - girls’ names with some weight and gravity, that aren’t too juvenile or trendy - and those are wonderful qualities to look for in a name. But, implicit in most names that spring to mind are some classist, racist, ageist and sexist stereotypes. As in, [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f] but fitting the bill but not [name_f]Tawny[/name_f], [name_f]Natasha[/name_f] but not [name_f]LaTasha[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] but not [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], [name_m]Dave[/name_m] or [name_m]Steve[/name_m] but not [name_f]Lizzie[/name_f] or [name_f]Jenny[/name_f].
So, I don’t quite know how to answer it, except to say best of luck, and just know that your girl’s professional fate won’t really be in her name (as much as I love names), but in herself.
Edited to clarify: I’m not criticizing the OP (who just wants a nice, dignified name after all) or the berries who gave some great suggestions, just explaining why the “professional name” concept doesn’t work for me and, I think, some others.
I never said that. It’s not about my opinions; it’s about OTHER PEOPLE’S personal prejudices. It’s so easy to say “we define our names” etc, but that won’t stop other people prejudging her, will it? I’m going to close this thread now. You’ve obviously misinterpreted me, or I’ve come across in a way I didn’t intend to.