I’ve had [name_f]Harper[/name_f] on my girl’s list for years and unfortunately, it’s time to retire it due to the [name_m]Boston[/name_m] accent. For reference, I am a Bostonian and don’t have the stereotypical accent but know many who do and after hearing a coworker say [name_f]Harper[/name_f] one to many times with their accent, it made me rethink and knew it was time to say goodbye. I still love the name but just regionally, it’s no longer going to work for me personally.
Now, I’m looking for a replacement girl name to go with my current list:
[name_m]Everett[/name_m] [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_m]Archer[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m] [name_m]Joel[/name_m]
I’m looking for opinions on the following girl names and to see what people think would be the best fit:
[name_f]Holland[/name_f]
[name_f]Story[/name_f]
[name_f]Ember[/name_f]
[name_m]Camden[/name_m]
[name_m]Montana[/name_m]
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
Middle name would be [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or a variant of [name_f]Alice[/name_f].
Also, feel free to share your retired names!
Oooffff. Losing a name due to regional pronunciation is tough. Unfortunately I can hear [name_f]Harper[/name_f] with the [name_m]Boston[/name_m] accent (I’ve spent too much time there for not living there and picked up the accent) and it definitely does not work. Hopefully you find a name to replace it soon that you love just as much.
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With your current list, I’m really liking [name_f]Holland[/name_f] in place of [name_f]Harper[/name_f]! She’s got the same bright, spunky sound, and fits well with your other names. [name_f]Holland[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is gorgeous 
[name_f]Story[/name_f] would be a runner-up for me, I’m loving [name_f]Story[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]!
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Doesn’t [name_m]Archer[/name_m] have the same issue as [name_f]Harper[/name_f] in a [name_m]Boston[/name_m] accent?
I think [name_f]Holland[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is the best replacement. H name, androgynous, no R sounds to be dropped.
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Valid point, yes it does. However, it has not yet been “ruined” for me yet so for now, it’ll remain.
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I really like [name_f]Holland[/name_f] for you – it feels stylish and grounded as well! [name_m]Camden[/name_m] and [name_f]Story[/name_f] are charming too!
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I actually think [name_f]Holland[/name_f] is a fabulous alternative to [name_f]Harper[/name_f]. [name_f]Holland[/name_f] has massively grown on me partly because of [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] [name_m]Ryan[/name_m] naming her daughter [name_f]Holland[/name_f] [name_f]Juliette[/name_f] which I think is beautiful. I think [name_f]Holland[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is just fine has a nice sound.
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I think Story!
Means everyone gets own starting letter and ending sound. Holland and Rowan are a little too close for me. (Harper and Archer too close for me too).
I like Montana as well - maybe more than Story - but not with Alice, I’d pair with Eilish, Alis, Alicia, or Heidi.
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I love [name_f]Harper[/name_f] too, but I’m thinking of it in that accent now and it would be a dealbreaker for me too.
From your list, [name_f]Ember[/name_f] and [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] are my favorites. My only hesitation is that a more “wordy” word name makes [name_m]Everett[/name_m] stick out to me as the only non word name. (I know [name_f]Harper[/name_f] is a word name too, but it’s so much more popular as a name that I don’t think of it that way first). [name_m]Archer[/name_m], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m], and [name_f]Ember[/name_f] are awesome together! [name_m]Everett[/name_m] fits, it’s just a slight odd man out.
Speaking of being read as a word first and a name second, [name_m]Montana[/name_m] is one of those place names that is so well-known as a place and unusual as a name that I would only put it on the list if you have a personal connection with the state. I’d expect that a person named [name_m]Montana[/name_m] would be answering questions about the place their whole life.
Throwing out others I personally love that have a similar feel or energy as [name_f]Harper[/name_f] to me: [name_m]Hollis[/name_m], [name_m]Ellis[/name_m], [name_m]Denver[/name_m], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_f]Halston[/name_f], [name_f]Darcy[/name_f] (maybe also bad in a [name_m]Boston[/name_m] accent…), [name_m]Pippin[/name_m].
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I agree with this, that changing [name_m]Everett[/name_m] could be worth considering. Eg:
[name_f]Ember[/name_f], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m], [name_m]Archer[/name_m] & [name_f]Story[/name_f] (nice that all contain an R)
Or [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Story[/name_f] for a more established set (Story does seem more trendy/ of our time)
Or tweak [name_m]Everett[/name_m] to [name_m]Ever[/name_m] - [name_m]Ever[/name_m], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m], [name_m]Archer[/name_m] & [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] or [name_m]Hollis[/name_m]
Or [name_m]Ellis[/name_m] as suggested - [name_m]Ellis[/name_m], [name_m]Archer[/name_m], [name_m]Rowan[/name_m] & [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
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I love [name_f]Holland[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or [name_m]Camden[/name_m] [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. I think they would work great on your current favs.
I’m from MA too and I totally get it. I can hear my family saying [name_f]Harper[/name_f] in my head and it would probably change it for me too.
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