We are starting to think about TTC in the next year or so, and of course that gets me thinking about baby names! Our son’s name is [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u], and I’d like some help thinking about his little sister’s name. We are pretty much set on [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] for the first name; we have both loved it for a long time. What I’d like some opinions on are [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]'s nickname and middle name (I love the full name, but we tend to be nicknamey people, and I enjoy calling my son both [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] and [name_m]Gabe[/name_m], for example).
We have planned on using [name_f]Addy[/name_f] as a nickname, which I do like, but it is SO popular, so now I’m thinking about using [name_f]Ada[/name_f] or [name_f]Della[/name_f]. Thoughts on those? I know [name_f]Ada[/name_f] is generally pronounced ay-duh, but if it was short for [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], should it be [name_m]ADD[/name_m]-uh? I don’t really care for the [name_f]Adah[/name_f] spelling, but I do like the [name_m]ADD[/name_m]-uh pronunciation. I like ay-duh too; just wondering if that’s strange to do for [name_f]Adeline[/name_f].
As for a middle name, lately I am really crushing on [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]. [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]…WDYT? ([name_f]Ada[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Della[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]?) Others I like are [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], [name_f]Fiona[/name_f], [name_f]Nora[/name_f], [name_f]Esme[/name_f], and [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]. Thoughts?
Our last name is incredibly short (3 letters and one syllable), so I strongly prefer a 2 or 3 syllable middle name. Also, we really like Jospehine for a first name too. If we ever have two girls, and we’ve named the first [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], would it work to have [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] as sisters? Or are the endings too similar?
Why not spell it Adda? I don’t think Adeline and Josephine are too similar. The endings are pronounced differently and one is a feminization while the other is not.
ETA: I just checked, and Ada and Adeline are related names, so I think you can get away with “ay-duh” if you want. And Adeline Rosemary is gorgeous.
I really like the idea of [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] nn [name_f]Ada[/name_f], I think it’s just lovely. [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is just beautiful.
One question though: how do you pronounce [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]? I pronounce it as -LEEN at the end, as it was my great-aunt’s name and that’s how hers was pronounced, but I know that a lot of people pronounce it -[name_u]LYN[/name_u]. I think [name_u]Ade[/name_u]-LEEN and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] are too close, but not [name_u]Ade[/name_u]-[name_u]LYN[/name_u] and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f].
I pronounce [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_m]ADD[/name_m]-uh-[name_f]LINE[/name_f] (like [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]), so yes, the ending is different than in Jospehine (EEN).
Thanks ladies! I’m glad you like [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] and that [name_f]Ada[/name_f] seems to work with [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] (I will have to contemplate the [name_f]Adda[/name_f] spelling, not sure how I feel about it).
I think [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] and [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] are great. I’d spell the nickname [name_f]Ada[/name_f] and pronounce it as you wish - by the way, I’ve recently really gotten into that name! I agree “[name_m]ADD[/name_m]-a” makes more sense as a short form for [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], and I think you can spell it however you want since it’s just a nickname. I also like Dela, but [name_f]Ada[/name_f] feels more natural…
As for middle names, I don’t care for the flow of [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Nora[/name_f], but [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Esme[/name_f] and [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] are quite perky! With [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u], I agree that [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is nice and classic. With your last name, I would use a two-syllable middle name, as you mention. Something like [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Margo[/name_f], [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], or [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Violet[/name_f] would be pretty.
[name_f]Adeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] would bug me with the endings, but that’s just me. [name_f]Ada[/name_f] and [name_u]Josie[/name_u] are such sweet sisters. Maybe [name_f]Johanna[/name_f] instead?
[name_f]Adeline[/name_f] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] is just beautiful.