Currently pregnant with #2. We don’t know gender and aren’t planning to find out. We have settled on a boy name (Arthur) but are struggling to settle on a girl name. Our daughter’s name is Ad@ J@yne (middle is a family name). Middle name this time will be [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] (family name) or possibly [name_f]Elise[/name_f] or [name_f]Beth[/name_f] to honor [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. Looking for some extra insight and opinions.
Contenders:
[name_f]Marla[/name_f] - probably my favorite
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] - my husband’s absolute favorite
[name_f]Clare[/name_f] - this was on the list for our first daughter and we both love it but it also seems to get overlooked? I worry about popularity (I work with kids & see a lot of names)
[name_f]Maggie[/name_f] - not short for anything, only [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] (husband’s preference, I’d probably go for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nn Maggie)
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband really loves [name_f]Polly[/name_f] and I want to love it but it doesn’t seem to click. He feels the same about [name_f]Marla[/name_f]. He was more confident in [name_f]Ada[/name_f] when we picked that and I now absolutely love it so maybe I just need to spend more time with [name_f]Polly[/name_f]?
Also we have a dog named [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] (Nora).
[name_f]Marla[/name_f] → distinctive and charming, unexpected and bright! [name_f]Marla[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] sounds good to me
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] → lovely - bubbly, sweet but confident too - [name_f]Polly[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is lovely
[name_f]Clare[/name_f] → sweet, clear and simple, but with substance - I prefer your others but this is still a good choice
[name_f]Maggie[/name_f] → sparky, sweet and fun, but with solidity too. [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is nice
I do like [name_f]Polly[/name_f] best, but spend some time thinking about it; see if it clicks, but if not, keep looking maybe?
A few others that came to mind were: [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Lois[/name_f], [name_f]Etta[/name_f], [name_f]Coralie[/name_f], Una/Oona, [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] and [name_f]Flora[/name_f]
If [name_f]Clare[/name_f] doesn’t feel quite right maybe [name_f]Clara[/name_f]? Ad@ J@yne and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] are a darling sister set!
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] is very sweet but doesn’t feel quite as established as [name_f]Ada[/name_f]. Maybe [name_f]Molly[/name_f] as a way to bridge the gap between [name_f]Marla[/name_f] and [name_f]Polly[/name_f]?
I was going to say basically the same exact thing. [name_f]Molly[/name_f] or maybe [name_f]Marley[/name_f] (for Marla/Maggie) would be great ways to bridge the gap between your two favorites. [name_f]My[/name_f] other idea is finding other well established nickname names like [name_f]Sadie[/name_f].
I love the name [name_f]Polly[/name_f], and I think it goes very well with [name_f]Ada[/name_f]. But if you aren’t crazy about it, you should use another name. If your husband can’t get on board with [name_f]Marla[/name_f], then you’ll just have to compromise with a different name.
Marla - not heard much, has the old school, tailored and sweet vibes of Ada. I personally prefer when sibs get their own starting and ending letter so it’s not my immediate fave but this name would she well and gives you Marley as a nn.
Polly - I love Polly! An option for you is naming her Mary, the traditional “long” name for Polly and using Polly from day 1. I love Mary - and it’s not too different to Marla. I also think it gives her a more mature sounding name like Ada, when she’s older if she feels she needs it. Or just keep seeing if Polly clicks for you - and obv there will be loads of adults with diminutive names in her gen.
Clare - I like the simple beauty of Clare, and it has the same honest quality that Ada does, I also like it as a break from the popular Clara, but it doesn’t quite grab me as your others do.
Maggie - Maggie is a happy (artsy and bucolic) name to me! Instead of Margaret though - why not keep the letter count closer to Ada especially if you also use Elizabeth, and go for Margot nn Maggie, Meg and even the similar-to-Polly (and my current fave Margaret diminutive), Peggy?!
Overall, I would choose (non ranked order):
Polly
Mary nn Polly
Margot nn Maggie or Peggy
Otherwise, consider:
Elise or Beth as a first
Elsie or Betty (again, the honour in top spot, these could also be nicknames for the two above)
Lottie
Tess
Martha
Willa
Romy
Kitty
Sylvie
Penelope (nn Polly/Penny/Nell/Poppy) - not my fave but gives you options
I really like Ada & Polly together, I think they make for a sweet, vintage-but-modern set of sisters.
You could choose a longer name, such as Penelope, if you don’t feel Polly is quite enough, but I think it’s established enough on its own to work next to Ada.
If you generally like Polly, I can recommend the first Narnia book, which has a Polly as a main character. I find that characters can often help with falling in love with specific names.
As for the rest of your list; I do like Clare, however, whenever I hear it on a child, I find it a little bit boring - perhaps that’s the monosyllabic sound paired with the popularity of the name? I think it absolutely works with Ada, though.
Marla, unfortunately feels a bit stuffy to me, it doesn’t have the melodic sound of Ada and just generally feels a lot more dated.
Maggie is nice, but to me feels very nickname-y, I’d assume is short for something (compared to Polly, which I see as a stand-alone as it’s not obvious which name would be the longer version). I don’t mind Margaret but find her a bit stiff, I do think Margot would be perfect next to Ada though.
[name_f]Marla[/name_f] ~ feels a little country southern [name_f]Belle[/name_f] and is packed with energy. She’s quirky and I think adds a little funk to A.
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] ~ I love the ever so adorable [name_f]Polly[/name_f] she’s sweet, cosy, warm and feels like the perfect sister for A. I think [name_f]Polly[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] would be lovely. [name_f]My[/name_f] friend has a P0llyanna and I love her daughter’s name.
[name_f]Clare[/name_f] ~ she’s very classic, enduring and very timeless. I think [name_f]Clare[/name_f] is actually underused I’ve never encountered a baby [name_f]Clare[/name_f] and I have a toddler along with working as a job supporting woman and children. However I do prefer [name_f]Claire[/name_f] spelling wise.
[name_f]Maggie[/name_f] ~ a sweet nostalgic choice that does feel very cottagecore which is a vibe I love!
[name_f]My[/name_f] favourite is [name_f]Polly[/name_f] followed by [name_f]Maggie[/name_f]
Between Marla, Polly, Clare and Maggie, I don’t really like any of them. I think Polly and Maggie sound too much like nicknames and I just don’t like Marla or Clare. However, I do like Claire and Clara. Also, because the middle name is going to be Elizabeth, which is a very common middle name, I recommend a more unique first name. More specifically, I recommend a first name that isn’t in the top 100. That leaves out Claire but Clara is still usable as Claire was ranked number 66 and Clara was ranked number 110. I was also thinking that Ada is a vintage name that is coming back in style and I thought you might want to consider some more vintage names.
Here are some suggestions:
Clara Elizabeth
Constance Elizabeth (nn Connie)
Agnes Elizabeth
Allegra Elizabeth
Susannah Elizabeth (nn Susie)
Nancy Elizabeth (nn Nan)
Frances Elizabeth (nn Fran or Frankie)
Georgina Elizabeth (nn Georgie)
Cordelia Elizabeth (nn Corrie)
Augusta Elizabeth (nn Gussie)
Dorothea Elizabeth (nn Dora, Dot or Dottie)
Dorothy Elizabeth (nn Dora, Dot or Dottie)
Wilhelmina Elizabeth (nn Willa or Mina)
I hope this helps.
I don’t think [name_f]Polly[/name_f] or [name_f]Marla[/name_f] are the ones based on your comments. I would narrow in on [name_f]Clare[/name_f] and [name_f]Maggie[/name_f]. However, I would suggest that you put [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] called ‘Maggie’ on the table. It seems more your personal style as I notice you tend to like tailored names and this seems like a fairer compromise.
We did something similar for our son. I preferred the nickname as a stand alone name and my husband wanted to have the longer form. So we went with the long form and it’s been a happy compromise. We call him by the nickname almost all the time.
Since [name_f]Clare[/name_f] has been on your list for many years, I’d consider it the stronger option. That said, when it has been years sometimes names don’t feel as fresh as they did when you first considered them. I wonder if a casual nickname would help brighten [name_f]Clare[/name_f]. Perhaps something sweet like [name_f]Polly[/name_f] e.g. [name_f]Coco[/name_f], [name_f]Cece[/name_f] and [name_f]Clarey[/name_f] or a name that combines with [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] such as [name_f]Clarabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Claribel[/name_f].
If [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] ‘Maggie’ becomes a contender, I think I’d go with [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Elise[/name_f] or [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] instead of the traditional combination of [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f].
For [name_f]Clare[/name_f], I’d be more inclined to go with [name_f]Clare[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. I wonder if you’d like [name_f]Clare[/name_f] [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] or [name_f]Clare[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] if you’re open to other ideas.
[name_f]Marla[/name_f] is cute, retro and quirky. In an ideal world I prefer different ending sounds for siblings but this is good, different yet familiar and vibes well with [name_f]Ada[/name_f]. [name_f]Marla[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] would be best of your mn options.
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] - similar vibes to [name_f]Marla[/name_f] for me in terms of cute, retro and quirky, also has sort of alternative / grungy vibes (I’m thinking of PJ [Polly Jean] [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] and the nirvana song Polly). I’ve always liked the vibes of [name_f]Polly[/name_f] and wanted to love it but i think I’ve been held back by it making me think of the plastics prefix eg polyethene, polyester etc. Right now I prefer other similar P names [name_f]Penny[/name_f], [name_f]Posie[/name_f], [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], but I’d like this less popular option to grow on me. It matches the retro vibes of [name_f]Ada[/name_f] but is more cutesy / nursery rhyme sing-songy rather than classic old Hollywood like [name_f]Ada[/name_f].
Not going to say too much on [name_f]Clare[/name_f] as it’s just not my thing at all and I find it very dated. It’s definitely having a moment though at least on forums which puts me in the minority and is also presumably the reason for your concern re popularity… it might be worth seeing how this translates to real life in terms of charts and projected trajectory if you haven’t already.
I love [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] but as a nickname, it feels a bit insubstantial alone. [name_f]My[/name_f] favourite long forms are the sparkly [name_f]French[/name_f] [name_f]Magali[/name_f] which makes me think of shimmering seawater, [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f] or [name_f]Magdalena[/name_f]. [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is cool too though, a bit dustier and clunkier but vibes well with [name_f]Ada[/name_f], though I concur with other pps that the more streamlined and tailored [name_f]Margot[/name_f] would work even better.
Have you ever seen the show Peaky Blinders? Ada, Arthur and Polly are all characters on the show and are family members as well. In fact Polly is actually a nickname for Elizabeth Pollyanna there. Probably not a strong association for anyone, but thought it was interesting.
Polly is my favorite from your list. I think it’s sweet, vintage and not too popular. Pollyanne or Pollyanna are also options if a longer name is desired. Maggie is a similar vibe to me and I think both would be excellent choices.
Marla and Clare are not my personal cup of tea but are lovely names. Of the two I think Marla is a better pair with Ada just popularity wise
some suggestions:
Polly Elise
Marla Beth
Maggie Elizabeth
Pollyanna Elizabeth “Polly”
Clare Elise
Polly Elizabeth
Thank you so much for all of the feedback! I’m going to take some of these suggestions to my husband and see where we land. I should also mentioned he has previously vetoed Vera, which is/was probably my very top choice, but liked Marla enough to keep it on the short list. All of the positive feedback about Polly is interesting. I would love it as a nickname but I am a little afraid as a full name…our last name is also long (3 syllables) and I worry about a long name looking mismatched paired with Ada.
I do appreciate all of the suggestions!
Also as far as the Peaky Blinders, yes we have seen it and I told my husband people may start thinking we only take our names from there we don’t - it is coincidence but still funny.
For some reason, I think [name_f]Polly[/name_f] works totally fine as a stand-alone, whereas to me [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] is defs a nickname and needs a longer form. Not sure why… maybe it’s the name [name_f]Polly[/name_f] prevalent in nursery rhymes which means I’m used to hearing it in its own right… [name_f]Polly[/name_f] put the kettle on… Miss [name_f]Polly[/name_f] had a dolly… I mean what is [name_f]Polly[/name_f] even supposed to work as short for, today? It was traditionally a nickname for [name_f]Mary[/name_f] (from Molly), so I guess it’s similar to [name_f]Peggy[/name_f] via [name_f]Meggy[/name_f] from Margaret… but the only names I can think of that are intuitive to yield it now are [name_f]Pollyanna[/name_f] and Pollyanne.
Not sure how I feel about [name_f]Ada[/name_f] and [name_f]Marla[/name_f] as siblings- I don’t think I’d use it personally.
I’m with you on [name_f]Polly[/name_f]. I should love it but I just don’t.
However I ADORE [name_f]Clare[/name_f] with [name_f]Ada[/name_f]- especially this spelling of [name_f]Clare[/name_f] without the I. I work with kids too as a teacher and I can’t even remember the last time I taught a [name_f]Clare[/name_f] so I don’t think I’d worry about it’s popularity. I’m fact where I am I’d be willing to put money on [name_f]Ada[/name_f] being used more frequently than [name_f]Clare[/name_f].
I think we have officially replaced [name_f]Polly[/name_f] with [name_f]Molly[/name_f]. I can’t seem to love [name_f]Polly[/name_f] the same way he couldn’t love my top pick of [name_f]Vera[/name_f], so we are agreeing to let them both go. [name_f]Polly[/name_f] got so much love and I thought it would change my mind, but I can’t truly love it.
We discussed [name_f]Martha[/name_f], [name_f]Maura[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] with nn options, [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], using [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] with a nn, [name_f]Ruby[/name_f] and [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] and eliminated all of those (mostly my husband didn’t like them).
We added the possibility of [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. He wasn’t ready to take [name_f]Marla[/name_f] off the list, which I was happily surprised about since it’s one of my personal favorites! We are currently at: [name_f]Marla[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Clare[/name_f], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], and [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] (but [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] is feeling unlikely - we would very likely use [name_f]Molly[/name_f] instead).
we don’t - it is coincidence but still funny.