Short on Girls!

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] Berries,

We have a list of boys’ names we love. We’re so pleased with the names on our boys’ list, we have no idea how we’ll ever choose just one. But we have only a few girls’ names we really like. We’d like to put a few more on the list and maybe find something to commit to (with most of our girls’ names, we have very short flings). Please help! We aren’t really bold namers like some here; we tend toward somewhat more traditional names, though with some notable exceptions. I feel like I’ve looked at every name in existence at this point, but sometimes having someone else make the suggestion can make a difference.

I tend to really dislike girls’ names that begin with G. I really prefer names whose formal version would well-fit a president or a Supreme [name_m]Court[/name_m] justice and which lend themselves to nn that will sound good over the loudspeakers at sporting events. Most names that end with an “er” sound or an “s” will not work well with our last name. We would prefer names that are compatible with mn [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]. We live in the Midwest and would like to avoid names that are popular in this region, especially. We’re not nature-y people at all; our idea of nature is the trees that line a park with tennis courts and sidewalks.

While there are no guarantees about the sort of child one will have, we’re expecting a daughter who will be bright and precocious, funny, athletic, and quite the handful. She’ll almost certainly have brown hair and wide eyes (brown or blue, most likely).

For guidance:

Here are names we really like that are on our list already:

[name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]

Some names that cycle on and off the list:

[name_f]Ariella[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Estella[/name_f]

Names that have been on the list but we’re pretty sure we’ve removed permanently:

[name_f]Arielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Arianna[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
[name_f]Marina[/name_f]
[name_f]Portia[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabina[/name_f]
[name_f]Enid[/name_f]
[name_f]Persephone[/name_f]

Some names we really like but are too popular (both generally and around here) for our comfort:

[name_f]Abigail[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]

Anyone who has actually read all this and reached the bottom, thank you! I’m looking forward to suggestions, both fresh and freshly considered!

I can understand why you’re having problems, I am too. I think it has to do with the fact that I spend more time and effort on my boy’s names and girls just seem to be an afterthought. Anyhow, here are my fresh suggestions!
Avelyn “[name_f]Ava[/name_f]/[name_f]Avie[/name_f]”
[name_f]Georgina[/name_f] “[name_f]Gia[/name_f]/[name_f]Gina[/name_f]”
[name_f]Fiona[/name_f] “[name_f]Fia[/name_f]”
[name_f]Edith[/name_f] “[name_f]Edie[/name_f]”
[name_f]Elaine[/name_f] “[name_f]Ella[/name_f]”
[name_f]Leonore[/name_f] “[name_f]Leah[/name_f]”
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] “[name_f]Eva[/name_f]/[name_f]Evie[/name_f]”

Thanks, Oiseau! [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is a name we’ve kicked around from time to time, never quite liking it enough to put it on the list, but I’m going to put it on our re-consideration list now! Husband doesn’t want anything with root [name_u]Avi[/name_u] because he hates birds; it’s practically a phobia. I knew a [name_f]Georgina[/name_f] growing up, and she was the most odious girl alive. We have living relatives named [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and [name_f]Elaine[/name_f]. I can’t here [name_f]Fiona[/name_f] without thinking [name_f]Apple[/name_f]. [name_f]Leonore[/name_f] is a name we like; it has a sound similar to [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. We always end up saying that for a similar sound, we’d rather have the history and prestige of [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. But I hadn’t really thought of nn [name_f]Leah[/name_f] before, so I’ll put that on our consideration list as well!

Thank you so much.

Any other ideas anyone?

[name_f]Arianne[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Elora[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabrina[/name_f]
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Calista[/name_f]
Cassiana
[name_f]Eleni[/name_f]
[name_f]Elin[/name_f]
[name_f]Nina[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Mira[/name_f]
[name_f]Niamh[/name_f]/[name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Oona[/name_f]
[name_f]Sidony[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]/[name_f]Louise[/name_f]
[name_f]Zada[/name_f]
[name_f]Zadie[/name_f]
[name_f]Sanna[/name_f]/[name_f]Zanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Myra[/name_f]
[name_u]Arya[/name_u]/[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Morgana[/name_f]
[name_f]Liana[/name_f]
[name_f]Elula[/name_f]

[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
Endora (nn [name_f]Nora[/name_f])
[name_f]Eirene[/name_f]/[name_f]Irene[/name_f]
[name_f]Viola[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Minnie[/name_f])
[name_f]Zelda[/name_f]
[name_f]Helen[/name_f]/a

[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecelia[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] (is the s sound ok with your last name, probably not, sorry!)
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Esther[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] (too biblical?, I love [name_f]Esther[/name_f])
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]/[name_f]Lucille[/name_f]/[name_f]Lucinda[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]

Thank you so much for the suggestions so far! I have plucked several possibilities from them and put them on the list of names we’ll be doing additional research on and reconsidering.

The name suggested that we had not previously even thought of that is going on our ponder list is [name_f]Esther[/name_f]. At first glance, I thought, “no way!” But when I looked at it a second time, I started to see the appeal. Now I find myself rapidly warming to it. That’s why this sort of thing is so helpful!

Hmm…a friend re-suggested [name_f]Aviva[/name_f] this morning. We’re worried it would get shortened to [name_u]Avi[/name_u], which will make my husband think of birds. Any thoughts on other nn possibilities? Is [name_f]Viv[/name_f] a stretch? I’m not sold on the name nn aside, but I probably like it enough to put it on the reconsideration list.

I think these names would go perfectly with your list:

[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] (nn [name_u]Penny[/name_u])
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Annie[/name_f]/[name_f]Belle[/name_f], etc)
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] (nn [name_u]Alex[/name_u])
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] (possible nn [name_f]Amy[/name_f], though [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] is lovely on its own)

Lots of lovely names on your lists, good luck choosing! :slight_smile:

When I read this the first thing I thought was [name_f]Clara[/name_f].

Here are some other ideas:
[name_f]Rowena[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Annora[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f]
[name_f]Lyda[/name_f]
[name_f]Lara[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Luella[/name_f]
[name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
[name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]
[name_f]Cara[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]

About some of these:

♢[name_f]Lola[/name_f]
♢[name_f]Jade[/name_f]
♢[name_f]Tara[/name_f]
♢[name_f]Holly[/name_f]
♢[name_f]Elvira[/name_f] ([name_f]Elle[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f])
♢[name_f]Clarissa[/name_f] ([name_f]Claire[/name_f])
♢[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] ([name_f]Vivi[/name_f])
♢[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] ([name_f]Gigi[/name_f])
♢[name_f]Mona[/name_f] (or maybe [name_f]Romona[/name_f])

Good luck ツ

The first name that popped to mind was [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. Then I saw you had [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]. Let me explain why the K works better. The nickname [name_f]Katie[/name_f]. [name_f]Katie[/name_f] makes the name a perfectly well rounded name. If she plays soccer, then you can just hear the loudspeakers blasting [name_f]Katie[/name_f] Last Name is the winner! If she’s a supreme court judge, then [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] is very acceptable.
Some other ideas:
[name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f] “[name_f]Katie[/name_f]”
I love [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Maeva[/name_f]?
[name_f]Willa[/name_f]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_f]Diane[/name_f]/[name_f]Diana[/name_f]
[name_u]Allison[/name_u] “[name_u]Allie[/name_u]” - [name_m]Just[/name_m] as good as [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] for the same reasons. [name_u]Allison[/name_u] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] works.
[name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] nn [name_f]Jen[/name_f] or [name_f]Jenny[/name_f] - same as [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] works too.
[name_u]Marlowe[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Erica[/name_f]
[name_f]Talia[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Sophie[/name_f]
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Emily[/name_f] - [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoe[/name_f]
[name_f]Valerie[/name_f] - A wonderful name! [name_f]Valerie[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] is stunning!

Given the fact that you like traditional, classic names, but don’t like popularity, here are some suggestions:

[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], or [name_f]Millie[/name_f] as nicknames)
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_f]Annie[/name_f], [name_f]Anne[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f], or [name_f]Liese[/name_f])
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_u]Sam[/name_u], [name_u]Sami[/name_u])
[name_f]Aislinn[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] (prn [name_u]Ash[/name_u]-lyn)
[name_f]Marlena[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_f]Lena[/name_f] or [name_f]Mari[/name_f])
[name_f]Nicolette[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_u]Niki[/name_u], [name_u]Nic[/name_u], Ette, or [name_f]Etta[/name_f])
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Katerina[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] (all the nicknames that go with [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] work here, but [name_f]Katerina[/name_f] isn’t nearly as popular; also you could use the nickname [name_f]Rina[/name_f], which no one uses)
[name_f]Michaela[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_m]Mick[/name_m], [name_u]Mickey[/name_u], or [name_f]Kayla[/name_f] work as nicknames)
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f] [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] ([name_f]Mira[/name_f], [name_f]Randa[/name_f], or [name_u]Randi[/name_u] if she’s a tomboy)
[name_f]Alexandria[/name_f] ([name_f]Andi[/name_f], [name_u]Ali[/name_u], [name_f]Andria[/name_f], or Dria)