Renaming Yolanthe

For one of the novels I’m working on, I have two main characters, [name_f]Bryony[/name_f] and [name_f]Yolanthe[/name_f]. They’ve had those first names for several years, and I still love their names, but now that I’m working on it more, I’ve realised that I don’t actually like [name_f]Yolanthe[/name_f] for that character. I’ve tried changing it a bit, to [name_f]Iolanthe[/name_f] and [name_f]Iolantha[/name_f] and [name_f]Yolantha[/name_f], but nothing feels right.

So, I want something new for her. The novel in mainly set in the country she is from, roughly based on a medieval-esque [name_f]Scotland[/name_f], so I’d like her to have a name that is Celtic, specifically Irish/Gaelic, in origin, that doesn’t feel modern. Also, as she and [name_f]Bryony[/name_f] spend a fair amount of time together, I don’t want her name to end in an EE sound. I’d also love her to have a spunky nickname.

Her parents are named [name_m]Caelan[/name_m] and [name_f]Sorcha[/name_f], but she is raised mainly by her grandfather, [name_m]Findlay[/name_m], whom she still sees regularly.

Names I can’t use:
[name_f]Roisin[/name_f]
[name_f]Nuala[/name_f]/[name_f]Fionnuala[/name_f]
[name_f]Niamh[/name_f]
[name_f]Orla[/name_f]
[name_f]Aoife[/name_f]
[name_f]Iona[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorna[/name_f]
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]/[name_f]Islay[/name_f]

This is a really tall order, but I’d love any input.

[name_f]Elva[/name_f]/[name_u]Ailbhe[/name_u]
Granya
[name_f]Honora[/name_f]
[name_f]Maurine[/name_f]
Mallaidh
[name_u]Tierney[/name_u]

This is just a few of the names that I thought might fit the girl :slight_smile:

Thanks for you ideas! I really like [name_u]Ailbhe[/name_u], though I think I would spell it [name_u]Alva[/name_u].

You’re welcome! It is often hard finding the right name for a character when you have stared so long for one, and had another for them.
I do think that [name_u]Alva[/name_u] would be easier for the reader to pronounce as well, plus it sounds beautiful with [name_f]Bryony[/name_f]