Should they stay or go? Convince me!

Girl Names
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Recently, I’ve found myself in a slump when it comes to two names on my list. They’ve been favorites of mine for years so it doesn’t feel right to just cast them aside since they’ve survived style changes and multiple stages of my life. At the same time, I don’t know if they feel like names for my daughter anymore. I’m hoping you guys can help.

The names are [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. If you want to read about my individual issues and uncertainties for each name, you can read the summaries. If not, you can skip to defending why these names should or shouldn’t stay on my list.

Iris

This name held the #1 spot on my list back in 2015-2017, when I was in high school. She’s sat comfortably in my top 5 since then, until earlier this year.

Initially, I was drawn to the name [name_f]Iris[/name_f] when I went through my “vintage phase” back in 2014/15. In all honesty, that phase was heavily influenced by the names Nameberry embraced at the time and when I took a step back, I found that many of them were lovely but ultimately not names I envisioned myself using. [name_f]Iris[/name_f], however, stuck around.

Pros: I love the sound. The long “I” sound is a favorite of mine because it gives the name a soft strength. It sounds sassier and spunkier than a lot of other vintage names, and has more energy than others in its class. [name_f]My[/name_f] mom’s friend has an [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and she was a little firecracker when we met.

Cons: I’m worried it’s too vintage, to the point of feeling one-dimensional. I’m not a vintage person. I don’t see myself as the type of person to raise a child who loves wearing tea dresses and lacy socks. It’s just not my aesthetic. I’m worried that [name_f]Iris[/name_f] wouldn’t fit my future daughter but maybe you guys have a different vision of [name_f]Iris[/name_f] that you want to share.
Another con is popularity. Nameberry predicts that [name_f]Iris[/name_f] will one day break the top 100 and I’m inclined to agree, given her current trajectory. She’s a vintage name that feels like the trendy [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. Popularity is absolutely a dealbreaker for me, although I haven’t decided if my cutoff point will be the top 100, top 50, or something more subjective.

Maeve

This is a day I never thought would come. I first heard [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] back in 2012 and I’ve been in love ever since. She is the longest standing name on my girl list, although it took her until around 2017 before she took the top spot. Before that, she hovered comfortably in my top 5, and after losing the throne, she still hung there as well. I was drawn to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] because she was soft and feminine, yet strong, and wasn’t popular at the time.

Pros: Obviously, there’s something to say about [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] being on my list for over 8 years. That’s longer than any other name has kept my attention. There must be something in the water that’s kept me loving [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] for so long.
I’ve shared [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] with my friends as a favorite and I love hearing the name coming out of their mouth in reference to my (future) daughter. It feels natural.

Cons: I’ve had reservations about [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]’s simplicity for years. That was what kept her out of the top spot. She never felt like a punchy name that would start my sibset (ie, be given to my first daughter) but rather one that padded it. I don’t want any of my kids’ names to feel like an accessory or an accompaniment to my other kids’ names, like just something to add flair to the sibset. I want to love the name enough that I wouldn’t feel as though something were missing if [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] happened to be my only child or only daughter.
Is [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] too simple? Does it feel like an accessory name rather than a full name? Maybe you guys can show me the spiciness in [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] that I’ve lost.

Other names on my list that I have no issues imagining on my future daughter include: [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f], [name_u]Parker[/name_u], [name_f]Juno[/name_f], [name_f]Amaia[/name_f], [name_f]Eleni[/name_f], [name_f]Megara[/name_f], [name_u]Ridley[/name_u], and [name_u]Holland[/name_u]

ETA: I really like Marvel “Maeve” as a potential alternative. I also think Mavis could really grow to be a favorite of mine, although I wouldn’t call her Maeve because it would bother me that Maeve is visually longer than Mavis so it doesn’t seem like a nickname. I have nothing similar to replace Iris.

So what do you think? Is there something you can think of that will make [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and/or [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] sparkle again? Do you think they do sound like daughters of mine? [name_u]Or[/name_u] do you have the final words that will convince me to let them go?

Thank you!

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First of all, some advice I’d give is maybe just take a step back. Let [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] rest for a while, and revisit them in half a year, or a year. Maybe use them as middles, until then.
More specifically though! Regarding [name_f]Iris[/name_f], I have never thought of it as a vintage name. Sure, it is one, but it’s never been my first association with it. It’s a flower name first, a mythological name second, a stylish trendy name third, and finally a vintage name. I think there’s a lot of beautiful imagery when it comes to [name_f]Iris[/name_f]: stunning flowers, the colour purple, rainbows, golden wings, the reflection of water. The goddess [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is also associated with clouds, the sky and the sea: she created rain by watering clouds. I think [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is a name that, due to its sound and long history, will be forever stylish. As for popularity, yes, I do think it will enter the top 100. The top 50? Maybe, but maybe not, -s names aren’t too hot for girls right now. In fact, [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is the only girls’ name in the top 200 with an -s ending.

As for [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], I think it has the potential to be fierce. There’s the zippy -v sound ending, the bright and cheerful [name_f]May[/name_f] sound. It’s a lot like other favourites of yours, short and with a distinctive sound. I genuinely just think you need a break from it, but a book/show/movie/anything with a fun character called [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] might help you remember why you loved it in the first place!

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I, much like [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], don’t see [name_f]Iris[/name_f] as very vintage. However, my first exposure to the name was [name_f]Iris[/name_f] from Pokemon back in 2012 or so, then the goddess’ cameo in [name_m]Son[/name_m] of [name_u]Neptune[/name_u] a few years later. [name_f]Iris[/name_f] comes off as artsy and indie to me, like the girl who wears overalls with paint smeared on them. The popularity is a concern. It’s already charting even higher in other western nations (#34 in [name_f]France[/name_f] and #81 in the UK). Greek names are especially on-trend for girls, just look at mega-popular [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] isn’t too far behind, and [name_f]Theodora[/name_f] was one of the fastest rising names last year. I’d drop it.

I guess you could say [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is intoxicating. [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] does have spiciness in my opinion, but it might lose that. It’s not as popular as [name_f]Iris[/name_f], but it still jumped a whopping 90 places between 2018 and 2019. Irish names are more of a mixed bag in the US, so it’s hard to tell what its future is, but keep that in mind. I’d keep it on a type of B list or something.

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I agree with @tallemaja that maybe stepping back from the names could be helpful. But, in the meantime, here are my thoughts:

Iris – [name_f]Iris[/name_f] doesn’t feel all that vintage to me. Yes, it is vintage and fits in with vintage names, but it also feels pretty modern with the ‘s’ ending and the cool, floral feel. I do agree that it might gain in popularity, but maybe that’s something you could set aside until you’re actually naming a child? That way you don’t have to stress about it now, because the popularity will certainly change.

Maeve – I don’t think [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] feels too simple. That strong “v” ending makes it feel cool and exciting to me. And I think of it as a full name, personally. Also, if you’re looking for a refresher of reasons to like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], I would recommend the Netflix TV show Sex Education. Warning that’s it’s not totally PG so maybe do some research into it before watching if you’re worried about that. There’s a main character called [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] in the show who is very strong, smart, feminist, and bad@ss, but also a super supportive friend and very kind. She’s a very fiery person who wears the name well.

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I go back and forth about [name_f]Iris[/name_f]. It rhymes with “virus” and the eye imagery is so extreme, but it’s also bright and floral and exciting and quirky amidst all the soft girl names these days. I’ll go against the grain and say [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is vintage, but not in a dusty way whatsoever. It’s fresh! [name_f]Iris[/name_f] jumps out of the fray, so I’ll give it a thumbs up :100:

[name_f] Meanwhile, Maeve[/name_f] is super cute and powerful at the same time, just like Iris! It’s another delightfully quirky choice and I love it’s clearly Irish sound too. Since it is so simple, how about keeping it as a middle name option? It sounds a bit like “maze” to me, which is why I wouldn’t use it as a FN.

Both names seem to fit your style :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I guess I sorta got caught up with all the Nameberry sibsets of [name_f]Iris[/name_f] with names like [name_f]Clara[/name_f], [name_f]Vera[/name_f], [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], [name_m]Edward[/name_m], etc. that I forgot it’s a goddess name!

I quite like this!

I do this to an extent. There are a few names on my list that worry me in terms of popularity and if I were to list cons for them, that would be on there.

This could be true! Although, I’d always worry about a [name_f]Khaleesi[/name_f] situation occurring with a prominent character.

She sounds awesome, although that show seems like it wouldn’t be my taste.

I could see myself using [name_f]Iris[/name_f] as a MN for a longer name but I don’t have many long names on my list. [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is much too simple to be a middle for me, I’d be worried that it would die in the middle spot and lose any spiciness it has left.

I agree!

The only association I have with [name_f]Mavis[/name_f] is the character from Hotel Transylvania, who is supposed to be a vampire teenager so the name has always felt quite youthful to me. I’ve never heard of or met a person named [name_f]Mavis[/name_f] IRL.

Thanks for the responses so far!

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Iris doesn’t quite feel like you to me and it doesn’t quite fit the list. I’d strike it off if you’re feeling uncertain about it.

Maeve on the otherhand, I’d keep. Warm, bold and strong

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It might be difficult but if you can’t imagine these on potential daughters, then there’s no reason to hang onto them. Ultimately they are just names that you admire.

I do think [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] nn [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is precious! But i also wonder if youre trying too hard to incorporate the name so you don’t have to discard your old time favorites or you can actually see yourself using [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] in the future. If you can, then definitely go for it, its a great name & nn!

Names that sound close to [name_f]Iris[/name_f] would be [name_f]Agnes[/name_f] or [name_f]Alice[/name_f] imo.

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How I see [name_f]Iris[/name_f]:

Business woman
Slender and tall
Soft voice
Well-organized
Well-read
Welcoming phone voice/bedside manner
Slightly mysterious, but warm and kind
Quiet but with a big laugh
Great style; tailored suits, bold patterns and boho chic
Focused, determined, confident yet humble

I see it as a modern, on-trend name with history. I don’t get [name_f]Alice[/name_f] or [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] vintage vibes from it.

Maeve feels old-fashioned but on-trend, warm, and quiet.

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I think [name_f]Iris[/name_f] should stay! It’s a wonderful flower and mythology name. To me, [name_f]Iris[/name_f] doesn’t seem very vintage nor trendy because where I live, it wasn’t often used until around 1940 and it reached its peak popularity in the 90’s.

However, if you do decide to let [name_f]Iris[/name_f] go, these are some similar names that could replace it: [name_f]Irati[/name_f], [name_f]Irida[/name_f], [name_f]Irit[/name_f], [name_f]Iro[/name_f], [name_f]Irune[/name_f].

I personally don’t like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] that much so I think it could go. I like [name_f]Mavis[/name_f] as an alternative!

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I think [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] is on the braver side of what I imagine myself using in the future and I actually like that [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is a more normal, tame nickname. If my daughter doesn’t like [name_u]Marvel[/name_u] or if it’s too brave for her, she has [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] to fall back on.

I don’t expect that you meant it like this but this almost strikes me as a way of saying [name_f]Iris[/name_f] is boring but trying to be polite :joy:.

This might be true. It sounds a bit crazy to say but I think I almost feel like an element of loyalty to these names? Like they’ve been favorites for so long, I’m just worried that any decision to cut them from the considerations list will feel hasty, no matter how long I spend thinking about it.

Thanks guys!

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Iris - This doesn’t strike me as overly vintage in the way that some others do – it definitely has more strength to it than similar vintage names. To me, the connections to the flower and the Greek goddess make [name_f]Iris[/name_f] seem anything but one-dimensional! I can imagine [name_f]Iris[/name_f] on a range of different people; I think of it as very versatile. And just because it’s a vintage name it doesn’t mean you’re going to incorporate vintage aesthetics into your life – most of my favourites are vintage but that doesn’t mean I plan on raising little girls in tea dresses and lacy socks. I think that names become what we make of them in a way. People will always have their own perceptions of a name, but once you actually meet someone with it then a lot of the time your perception changes to fit the person you know. If [name_f]Iris[/name_f] really isn’t the one for you, then only you will know! It’s hard to let go of old favourites, but if they just don’t seem as sparkly as they once did (or if popularity is a big factor for you) then it’s ok to let them go.

Maeve - While at first [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] appears simple, to me she doesn’t feel simple. I think it’s a zippy, cool choice and I could definitely imagine a [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] in your sibset. If [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is falling flat lately, maybe try and think about what it was that kept her on your list for such a long time. Are there any old posts where you talk about [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] that you could look through?

I hope this helped in some way, and that you figure out what to do with [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]!

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Oh no! Are businesswomen boring? :grimacing: It sounds like a compliment to me :blush:

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Ditto @tallemaja.

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I understand that 100% I’ve done that with a few names that I first fell in love with. I swore they would be my future daughters names, but one day I realized my style had changed, and they just didn’t fit anymore. I still love the names, but they’re not for me to use.

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@rosajune Probably not boring! Maybe I’m just too inundated with commercials about overworked businesswomen who learn the true meaning of [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] and quit their job :grin:

[quote=“[name_f]Gia[/name_f].berry, post:13, topic:363380”]
To me, the connections to the flower and the Greek goddess make [name_f]Iris[/name_f] seem anything but one-dimensional!
[/quote]
I love these new images of [name_f]Iris[/name_f]! It might need a MN that’s edgier to stand out for me. Ultimately, the popularity might sink it though.

[quote=“[name_f]Gia[/name_f].berry, post:13, topic:363380”]
I could definitely imagine a [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] in your sibset.
[/quote]
I can too! The problem is that I’m not sure I can see it alone, outside of a sibset. This makes me wonder if it’s not so much a name as it is an accessory.

Thank you!

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Iris paired with an edgier middle would be amazing! It’s a shame about the popularity though :confused:

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A little update…

I think [name_f]Iris[/name_f] has saved herself on the style front. The reassurance here was amazing but the final piece was the Goo Goo Dolls performing [name_f]Iris[/name_f] on [name_u]New[/name_u] Year’s Rockin’ [name_f]Eve[/name_f]. The name feels fresh and fun again. Unfortunately, the popularity issue is out of my hands.

As for [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], one word came to me as I was thinking about her one night. Stale. In theory, I can imagine all of the beautiful aspects I loved about her but when she enters my mind or comes out of my mouth, she just feels stale. So I will keep her in my top 50, probably even top 25, but I doubt she will be a future contender for a daughter. I kept thinking about names that I’d be excited to show my SO when he comes along, and I just wasn’t as excited about [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] as I would be to show him [name_u]Fable[/name_u] or [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] or [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] or even [name_f]Iris[/name_f].

Thank you for all your help!

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