Spectacular Spelling - A or B? (Girls)

Which spelling do you prefer for each name? They have identical pronunciation and meaning (in the UK at least) and a variety of reasons for the alternative spellings. [name]Love[/name] to have your feedback. Thanks berries!

[name]Ann[/name] or [name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name] or [name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name] or [name]Debra[/name]
[name]Elinor[/name] or [name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name] or [name]Fflur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name] or [name]Jeraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name] or [name]Hollie[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name] or [name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name] or [name]Juliette[/name]
[name]Kezia[/name] or [name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name] or [name]Lora[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name] or [name]Madalyn[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name] or [name]Ofelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name] or [name]Phebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebekah[/name] or [name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name] or [name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabatha[/name] or [name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name] or [name]Oonagh[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name] or [name]Valory[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name] or [name]Zenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name] or [name]Evonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name] or [name]Zea[/name]

[name]Ann[/name]
[name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Kezia[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name]
[name]Rebekah[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Oonagh[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Zenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

~[name]Jasmine[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Elinor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]
[name]Juliette[/name]
[name]Kezia[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name]
[name]Zenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Hollie[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Neve[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name]
[name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Debra[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Neve[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zea[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name] or [name]Anne[/name] - [name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name] or [name]Bryony[/name] - Can’t decide. [name]Bryony[/name] is authentic but [name]Briony[/name] looks better.
[name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Kathryn[/name] - [name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name] or [name]Debra[/name] - [name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Elinor[/name] or [name]Eleanor[/name] - [name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name] or [name]Fflur[/name] - [name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name] or [name]Jeraldine[/name] - [name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name] or [name]Hollie[/name] - [name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name] or [name]Isobel[/name] - [name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name] or [name]Juliette[/name] - [name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Kezia[/name] or [name]Keziah[/name] - [name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name] or [name]Lora[/name] - [name]Laura[/name] - I consider these two different names ([name]Law[/name]-ruh v. Lor-uh)
[name]Madeleine[/name] or [name]Madalyn[/name] - [name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name] - Naimh
[name]Ophelia[/name] or [name]Ofelia[/name] - [name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name] or [name]Phebe[/name] - [name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name] - [name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebekah[/name] or [name]Rebecca[/name] - [name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name] or [name]Sabina[/name] - [name]Sabine[/name] - I pronounce these differently
[name]Tabatha[/name] or [name]Tabitha[/name] - [name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name] or [name]Oonagh[/name] - [name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name] or [name]Valory[/name] - [name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name] - [name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name] or [name]Zenia[/name] - [name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name] or [name]Evonne[/name] - [name]Evonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name] or [name]Zea[/name] - [name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
Isabellel
[name]Juliet[/name] - but like [name]Juliette[/name] too
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name] - ? Can’t decide
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name] - (Some people mistakenly think “[name]Rebekah[/name]” is THE Biblical spelling. However, not only is “[name]Rebecca[/name]” used in the Bible too (see Romans 9:10 KJV), it happens to be the OLDER Biblical spelling. (The Latin Vulgate version of the Bible from the 4th Century A.D. spelled the name “[name]Rebecca[/name]” exclusively. The Latin Vulgate was the Bible used through the centuries until it was finally translated into English in the 1600s. The translators changed the spelling to “[name]Rebekah[/name]” for the Old Testament, but it is “[name]Rebecca[/name]” in the New Testament. The original spelling, of course, was in Hebrew, which uses an entirely different set of alphabet characters.) In English-speaking countries, the spelling has traditionally been [name]Rebecca[/name]. There are even some old [name]German[/name] records from the 1600s that spell it “[name]Rebecca[/name].” Whenever possible, I am all for using the traditional spellings of names that will give children the least chance of having their names misspelled. Also, I tend to prefer the look of classic spellings.
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name] – the E makes it look more complete
[name]Bryony[/name] – I don’t like the name so I picked the one i’m more used to seeing
[name]Catherine[/name] – The different spellings give me different feelings and this one is sophisticated
[name]Deborah[/name] – I pronounced them differently though. [name]Deborah[/name] = deb-or-ah and [name]Debra[/name] = deb-rah
[name]Eleanor[/name] – this spelling looks complete and beautiful
[name]Fleur[/name] – the other doesn’t look like a real name, sorry
[name]Geraldine[/name] – the G is the original and looks better
[name]Holly[/name] – trendy IE at the end is a no for me
[name]Isobel[/name] – I pronounce these differently too. [name]Isabelle[/name] = is-a-bell and [name]Isobel[/name] = is-oh-bell. I think [name]Isobel[/name] is much prettier and underused
[name]Juliet[/name] – I never understood adding the ette at the end of names
[name]Keziah[/name] – I don’t like this name so I picked the one I’m used to seeing
[name]Lora[/name] – I say these slightly differently. [name]Laura[/name] = law-ra and [name]Lora[/name] = lor-ah
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name] – don’t like this one so I picked the original
[name]Ophelia[/name] – dislike the association with madness and suicide, but the original is better
[name]Phoebe[/name] – beautiful Greek name and i don’t see why the spelling needs to be changed
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name] – I don’t recognize either of these and they look like different names to me. [name]Querida[/name] = kwe-ree-da and [name]Cherida[/name] = cher-ee-da to me
[name]Rebecca[/name] – I dislike the K in the other
[name]Sabine[/name] – very pretty
[name]Tabitha[/name] – i know people with both, and I hate this name and every [name]Tabitha[/name] I’ve met, but the original is better
[name]Una[/name] – but I love [name]Oona[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name] – again, original is better
[name]Wallace[/name] – these aren’t girl names to me
[name]Xenia[/name] – The X is pretty cool
[name]Yvonne[/name] – I think this is the original
[name]Zia[/name] – very cool and pretty

[name]Ann[/name] or [name]Anne[/name] – I prefer [name]Ann[/name] if that is what she is going by, but [name]Anne[/name] when used in a double-name (like Faithanne or [name]Annemarie[/name]).
[name]Briony[/name] or [name]Bryony[/name] – I love this name and can’t decide on which looks prettier to me. [name]Bryony[/name] wins though, since it’s the more normal spelling.
[name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Kathryn[/name] – Of these I prefer [name]Catherine[/name], but I’m a [name]Katharine[/name]-loving girl myself.
[name]Deborah[/name] or [name]Debra[/name] – [name]Deborah[/name] for sure!
[name]Elinor[/name] or [name]Eleanor[/name] – [name]Eleanor[/name] but not by much.
[name]Fleur[/name] or [name]Fflur[/name] – [name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name] or [name]Jeraldine[/name] – [name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name] or [name]Hollie[/name] – [name]Hollie[/name]. I’m a sucker for the -ie
[name]Isabelle[/name] or [name]Isobel[/name] – [name]Isobel[/name] by a mile!
[name]Juliet[/name] or [name]Juliette[/name] – [name]Juliet[/name] seems more simple and beautiful.
[name]Kezia[/name] or [name]Keziah[/name] – [name]Keziah[/name]. [name]One[/name] of the times I like the added h.
[name]Laura[/name] or [name]Lora[/name] – [name]Laura[/name] (Ingalls [name]Wilder[/name] – my fave!)
[name]Madeleine[/name] or [name]Madalyn[/name] – [name]Madeleine[/name], although I do find the other cute
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name] – Hard one. [name]Neve[/name] is easier
[name]Ophelia[/name] or [name]Ofelia[/name] – [name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name] or [name]Phebe[/name] – [name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name] – [name]Querida[/name] ?
[name]Rebekah[/name] or [name]Rebecca[/name] – [name]Rebekah[/name]. So sweet and simply beautiful
[name]Sabine[/name] or [name]Sabina[/name] – [name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabatha[/name] or [name]Tabitha[/name] – [name]Tabitha[/name] is much better
[name]Una[/name] or [name]Oonagh[/name] – [name]Una[/name] is simpler
[name]Valerie[/name] or [name]Valory[/name] – [name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name] – [name]Wallis[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name] or [name]Zenia[/name] – [name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name] or [name]Evonne[/name] – [name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name] or [name]Zea[/name] – [name]Zea[/name] is one of my favorite names!

Thanks for opinions and esp. comments. Much appreciated, and interesting to see no-one chose exactly the same (or the same as I would) although some have similar ‘rules of thumb’ e.g. preferring original to trendy spellings, simplicity.

For info: [name]Fflur[/name] is an older, Welsh name with same meaning as [name]Fleur[/name]. [name]Cherida[/name] and [name]Querida[/name] are both pronounced with a hard ‘k’ at beginning, a la Spanish. [name]Sabine[/name] is pronounced [name]Sabine[/name]-uh in its language of origin. And I’ve only known fabulous Tabithas!

Please could someone from USA explain the difference in pronunciation of [name]Laura[/name] and [name]Lora[/name] - I know you’ve tried to do it, but even when reading your phonetic spellings they come out the same for me! Could you tell me what the first syllable rhymes with, maybe? [name]Ah[/name], the joys of cross-atlantic communication :slight_smile:

[name]Ann[/name] or [name]Anne[/name]
[name]Briony[/name] or [name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Kathryn[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name] or [name]Debra[/name]
[name]Elinor[/name] or [name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name] or [name]Fflur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name] or [name]Jeraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name] or [name]Hollie[/name]
[name]Isabelle[/name] or [name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name] or [name]Juliette[/name]
[name]Kezia[/name] or [name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name] or [name]Lora[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name] or [name]Madalyn[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name] or [name]Ofelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name] or [name]Phebe[/name]
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebekah[/name] or [name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name] or [name]Sabina[/name]
[name]Tabatha[/name] or Tabitha
[name]Una[/name] or [name]Oonagh[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name] or [name]Valory[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name] or [name]Zenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name] or [name]Evonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name] or [name]Zea[/name]

For me, it like this:

[name]Laura[/name] is like law-rah — law rhymes with draw

[name]Lora[/name] is like lore-ah — lore rhymes with door (or just the word [name]Lore[/name])

Does that help?

[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Bryony[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Deborah[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Fleur[/name]
[name]Geraldine[/name]
[name]Holly[/name]
[name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Keziah[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Niamh[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Cherida[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name]
[name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Una[/name]
[name]Valerie[/name]
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name] - First is the female spelling, the latter is the male spelling
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Yvonne[/name]
[name]Zia[/name]

[name]Anne[/name] - as Ms. [name]Shirley[/name] says :slight_smile:
[name]Elinor[/name] - [name]Austen[/name]'s way
[name]Holly[/name] - much prefer!
[name]Juliet[/name] - all the way
[name]Ophelia[/name] - with an f it looks too much like awful.
[name]Phoebe[/name] - [name]Phebe[/name] is just lazy imo
[name]Tabitha[/name] - pretty and historical, and without bath in the name.

[name]Briony[/name] - I’ve never met a single person with this name or even heard it pronounced irl, sooooo I’m going solely on looks
[name]Niamh[/name] or [name]Neve[/name] - are these pronounced the same?? yikes. Never heard either irl.
[name]Querida[/name] or [name]Cherida[/name] - never heard of this name in my life, even on nameberry, so I have no idea

[name]Isobel[/name] - hmm, though I do like [name]Isabel[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name] or [name]Madalyn[/name] - neither, I like [name]Madeline[/name]
[name]Catherine[/name] or [name]Kathryn[/name] - meh, neither. I like [name]Katherine[/name]. I guess with a C if I was forced to choose
[name]Rebekah[/name] or [name]Rebecca[/name] - I like both, maybe with a slight preference for [name]Rebekah[/name] because it feels more exotic

[name]Kezia[/name] or [name]Keziah[/name] - either, I have no preference
[name]Laura[/name] - yes, I’m American and I pronounce [name]Laura[/name] as [name]Lore[/name]-uh. Though I’ve never in my life heard the name [name]Lora[/name]. There’s a character named [name]Lore[/name] in [name]Star[/name] Trek though! super helpful? yep, that’s me :slight_smile:

I actually know a woman named [name]Laura[/name] [name]Lara[/name] (first,last) and she pronounces it [name]Lore[/name]-uh, Lar-uh, crazy. Her daughter’s name is [name]Tara[/name] (tear-uh)

[name]Zenia[/name] - I suppose
[name]Zia[/name] - again, meh

[name]Fleur[/name] -huh? [name]Fflur[/name]? yuck, that’s super weird, like Ffloyd? horrible!
[name]Wallis[/name] or [name]Wallace[/name] - tell me this isn’t a girls name! I beg you! I kinda like [name]Wallis[/name] for a boy, but it’s not something I’d pick
[name]Yvonne[/name] - meh, it’s stupider with an e, but not a ton better
[name]Valerie[/name] - [name]Valory[/name] seems like a totally different name.
[name]Deborah[/name] - though I’m not fond of the name
[name]Sabina[/name] - I suppose. I don’t like the name
[name]Geraldine[/name] - horrible name though
[name]Una[/name] or [name]Oonagh[/name] -grog! bleh! yuck! blech! don’t make me!

lol, it’s really hard for me to pick when I hate the name, it’s like choosing who to vote for president!

Preferences are in Italics

[name_f]Ann[/name_f] or [name_f]Anne[/name_f]
[name_f]Briony[/name_f] or [name_f]Bryony[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Kathryn[/name_f]
[name_f]Deborah[/name_f] or [name_f]Debra[/name_f]
[name_f]Elinor[/name_f] or [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Fleur[/name_f] or [name_f]Fflur[/name_f]
[name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] or [name_f]Jeraldine[/name_f]
[name_f]Holly[/name_f] or [name_f]Hollie[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] or [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f] or [name_f]Juliette[/name_f]
[name_f]Kezia[/name_f] or [name_f]Keziah[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f] or [name_f]Lora[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] or [name_f]Madalyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Niamh[/name_f] or [name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] or [name_f]Ofelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] or [name_f]Phebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Rebekah[/name_f] or [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabine[/name_f] or [name_f]Sabina[/name_f]
[name_f]Tabatha[/name_f] or [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
Úna or [name_f]Oonagh[/name_f]
[name_f]Valerie[/name_f] or [name_f]Valory[/name_f]
[name_u]Wallis[/name_u] or [name_u]Wallace[/name_u] - Neither
[name_f]Xenia[/name_f] or [name_f]Zenia[/name_f]
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f] or [name_f]Evonne[/name_f]
[name_u]Zia[/name_u] or [name_f]Zea[/name_f]

[name_f]Anne[/name_f]
[name_f]Bryony[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Deborah[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Fleur[/name_f]
[name_f]Geraldine[/name_f]
[name_f]Hollie[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliette[/name_f]
[name_f]Kezia[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f]
[name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Cherida[/name_f]
[name_f]Rebecca[/name_f]
[name_f]Sabina[/name_f]
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
[name_f]Una[/name_f]
[name_f]Valerie[/name_f]
[name_u]Wallace[/name_u]
[name_f]Zenia[/name_f]
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f]
[name_u]Zia[/name_u]