Tell me your favorite starting with C:
[name]Cordelia[/name] tops my list and would use it for a second daughter. Also:
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Claire[/name]
[name]Camellia[/name]
[name]Caroline[/name] / [name]Coraline[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
and J names:
[name]Jessamine[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Jane[/name]
[name]Jordana[/name] (Jor-day-nuh)
color names:
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Indigo[/name] (for a boy)
[name]Ruby[/name]
[name]Amethyst[/name]
[name]Anna[/name] and [name]Elisabeth[/name] variants.
[name]Annabeth[/name]
[name]Anastasia[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Annora[/name]
[name]Annabelle[/name]
[name]Andromeda[/name]
[name]Antonia[/name]/[name]Antonina[/name]
[name]Antigone[/name]
[name]Anya[/name]
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Isobel[/name]
My brothers (twins) were about 3 months old when they were adopted. They were given names, but since they were so young, I think my mom and dad didn’t think it would be problematic (to them) to change them. Their middle names are family names. My sister was 6 years old when she was adopted, so quite different. She had 2 middle names already, given by her birth family. When she was adopted, my parents wanted to make her feel comletely a part of our family. My parents swapped out one of her middles names and replaced it with my mom’s first name. So she had same fn, new middle, old middle, old last name, new last name. They kept her old last name as part of her name because she was 6, and because it was a part of her culture, and because she was still able to have a relationship with her much older bio siblings.
I don’t think you said how old [name]Sena[/name] is, so maybe your inlaws are right, but does it need to be your last name? If you are wanting to call her [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name], as a nn for [name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name], then maybe ‘ideal flow’ isn’t very important. Maybe she can be [name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name] _______. I’m assuming your last name is something more masculine, as most last names are, so what if you used your first name? Or your middle? Or something that has meaning to you. A favourite colour, your birthstone, your favourite flower, etc. to be inclusive in that way.
Edit: Oops! I just re-read your post, and I see that she’s 20 months.
I really like [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Marigold[/name] best of all. I think it flows well and I do think [name]Marigold[/name] qualifies clearly as a color. (Obviously a flower, too, but the same would be true of [name]Violet[/name] or [name]Rose[/name].)
I love the suggestion of [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Marigold[/name] for you!
Oh I love it when people are really specific about what they want in a name! I’m totally going to sit down and try to find something that will work…later tonight, when I’m not rushing to cook dinner and clean the house, and procrastinating on NB! This one requires thought and creativity =) (and sometimes I think posts just get lost depending on what time of day it’s posted)
My only concern is I really wanted my bio son to have my last name Ch- one syllable as it felt really important. I feel like she may feel left out, or I can’t really name what if she doesn’t have it too. Maybe this is unfounded?
My only thing is I really have disliked my name my whole life. It’s a unisex color name that is ungirly and I’d hate to pas on a name I don’t like! I’ll think on the special to me part. I feel like [name]Belle[/name] is special as it means beautiful, and she is! I just love [name]Annabel[/name] and the family connection with [name]Anna[/name].
I think that if you take the time to choose a name for her that holds special meaning for you, then she won’t feel left out. And maybe it’s not something related to you directly. It could be something that is special about her. …Did you love her the moment you saw her? Maybe you find a name that means love ([name]Carys[/name], [name]Kerensa[/name]). [name]Do[/name] you love her eyes? Maybe [name]Jade[/name], [name]Indigo[/name], or even [name]Iris[/name]. Was she wearing red the first you held her? That could lead you to [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Scarlett[/name], [name]Rose[/name], [name]Garnet[/name].
If she always knows about the special name that you chose for her, and why you chose it, then I don’t think you need to worry that she will feel left out by not having the same 2nd mn as [name]Leo[/name].
C + J names: [name]Clementine[/name], [name]Constance[/name], [name]Corinne[/name], [name]Juniper[/name], [name]Jubilee[/name], [name]Justice[/name]
Color names: [name]Olive[/name], [name]Ruby[/name], [name]Marigold[/name], [name]Sorrel[/name], [name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Anna[/name] and [name]Elisabeth[/name] variants: [name]Just[/name] plain [name]Anna[/name] and [name]Eliza[/name]. [name]Susannah[/name] and [name]Bethany[/name].
[name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] and [name]Sena[/name] [name]Rue[/name] are sweet NNs. I don’t think they necessarily have to be derived from the MN(s)…my name is [name]Hannah[/name] and I’ve had many (unrelated) friends refer to me as Hannahbelle. If it fits, it sticks, you know?
I really like [name]Sena[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Marigold[/name]. That’s gotta be my favorite!
What about [name]Marianna[/name] as a middle? It has [name]Anna[/name], it has [name]Mari[/name] from [name]Marigold[/name], and it sets the double N’s slightly “farther” away from [name]Sena[/name] (which sounds like it has double N’s in your pronunciation). I also like [name]Sena[/name] [name]Marina[/name]. [name]How[/name] about [name]Sena[/name] [name]Marina[/name] [name]Annabel[/name]?
@ labmama thank you for taking all that time and effort into your thoughts! I know this thread will help some floundering adopting mama out there someday in the future! I am taking our suggestions to heart and already came up with [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Lilou[/name] ( L connection to [name]Leo[/name] and I love Lilys!) And [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Imogene[/name] ( beloved child meaning) [name]TY[/name]!
@ capturedcastles [name]TY[/name] too! I like all your C and J suggestions and keep coming back to [name]Juniper[/name]. As for [name]Marianna[/name] I have a rogue aunt w the name. My mom would be very upset over the use of it!
I am still contemplating [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Marigold[/name] or [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Magnolia[/name] ( my pick for [name]Leo[/name] of he’d been a girl). I love the feedback and support.
I’m so glad you’ve found this helpful. I think [name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Lilou[/name] is so pretty, made even better because it has meaning for you. In my house, my siblings and I always knew that they were adopted. It was never something that my parents kept hidden from us. They taught us that the only difference between a bio child and an adopted child is how they became part of our family. My youngest brother was about 2.5/3 when he was adopted, but he lived with for a while before that, so I always forget when he officially became my brother. Is [name]Sena[/name] with you already? [name]Do[/name] you have a long wait until she is?
I love the name [name]Magnolia[/name] as well, and prefer [name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Magnolia[/name] over [name]Marigold[/name].
She isn’t home yet. We’ve been waiting since [name]November[/name] if that helps understand my obsession over her name-- I have nothing else and I’m going crazy! I think that’s a wonderful way to think about adoption, open, honest and loving. Hopefully we will travel in a few weeks and once we meet her the name will be solidified. My hubby thinks [name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Violet[/name] is a “big” of a name that we should use, but he can be persuaded 
My top three right now are:
[name]Sena[/name] [name]Belle[/name] [name]Violet[/name]
[name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Lilou[/name]
[name]Sena[/name] [name]Annabel[/name] [name]Violet[/name]/[name]Magnolia[/name]