See the results of this poll: Which name is best?
Respondents: 57 (This poll is closed)
- Tessa : 32 (56%)
- Kaia : 8 (14%)
- Lia : 7 (12%)
- Brynn: 10 (18%)
I think [name]Brynn[/name] is your best option. [name]Brynn[/name] & [name]Roby[/name] sound good together, and [name]Brynn[/name] [name]Carolina[/name] is super sweet. [name]Brynn[/name] P_____ looks good on paper.
I really like [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] or [name]Kaia[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name] with [name]Roby[/name] [name]Emmett[/name].
I love [name]Tessa[/name] the most, but with [name]Roby[/name] I prefer either [name]Kaia[/name] or [name]Lia[/name].
[name]Brynn[/name] with [name]Roby[/name] is a lot of B going on. They’re a bit too matchy for my taste.
[name]Roby[/name] and [name]Kaia[/name]
[name]Roby[/name] and [name]Lia[/name]
I like [name]Tessa[/name] the most, and think it complements [name]Roby[/name] so well. They’re both intriguing, uncommon yet familiar names; 2-syllables, ending with a vowel, but with no sounds in common.
My favorite middle is the evocative [name]Evangeline[/name], but it won’t work with [name]Tessa[/name] as the -ah sound repeats.
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] is my vote-- and you have the bonus [name]Christmas[/name] association of “carol.” 
If I might inquire, what sort of health problems are you expecting? We could potentially craft a name based on her specific situation…
After reading your post and the meanings of the names, I like [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name] best with [name]Roby[/name]. What will [name]Roby[/name]'s mn be?
Other options:
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Joy[/name]
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Grace[/name]
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Hope[/name]
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Dove[/name]
[name]Tessa[/name] Noellie
[name]Tessa[/name] [name]Noelle[/name]
If you appreciate the meanings of names, I would stay away from [name]Lia[/name] (“weakness”) and [name]Brynn[/name] just means “hill”, which isn’t so interesting.
I still vote [name]Tessa[/name]! Perfect with [name]Roby[/name]. [name]Lia[/name] would be my second choice.
[name]Lia[/name]!!! [name]Love[/name] it!!
~[name]Jasmine[/name]
I think if you spelt it [name]Leah[/name], then you would have more votes for that.
[name]Leah[/name] and [name]Roby[/name] are great together, separate and gender specific but go great as twins too
Still loving [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name], but [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] is sweet too
I like [name]Lia[/name] and [name]Roby[/name]!
A follow-up: I think [name]Tessa[/name] and [name]Roby[/name] sound good together, but i’ve never been a fan of [name]Tessa[/name]. It sounds very trendy to me
[name]Hope[/name] she’ll doing well then.
Btw, am I the first to suggest [name]Kaia[/name] [name]Winter[/name]? I really love [name]Evangeline[/name] but I think it’ll be long compared with [name]Roby[/name] [name]Emmett[/name]. [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] would be my second.
Thanks all for the feedback and suggestions! Need to run by dh. I really like [name]Brynn[/name], but I see the point about it having the same sounds as [name]Roby[/name]. I’ll see what dh thinks, but have a feeling we’ll be eliminating that one. For some reason I really prefer [name]Lia[/name] spelled this way, I just don’t like the look of [name]Leah[/name]. I think [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] is my fave [name]Tessa[/name] combo, for [name]Kaia[/name] still like [name]Evangeline[/name] and really like [name]Kaia[/name] [name]Winter[/name]! Also, maybe [name]Kaia[/name] [name]Noelle[/name]? For [name]Lia[/name], what about [name]Lia[/name] [name]Carolina[/name]?
As far as her health problems, she will be born with spina bifida, so she is going to need to be a tough little girl.
My favorite combos are [name]Tessa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] and [name]Lia[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name]! I also prefer [name]Lia[/name] over [name]Leah[/name]…it’s a prettier spelling, [name]IMO[/name]
I’m so sorry to hear about your little one’s spina bifida. I understand completely if you would like to omit mentions of this in her name (because it will by no means define her), but in case, I could offer a few tweaks.
Instead of [name]Kaia[/name], which is rather trendy, you could consider [name]Kyra[/name]. [name]Kyra[/name] means “strong woman” in Slavonic (the language of the Slavic Orthodox churches-- it’s like their Latin), and it means “[name]Lord[/name]” (a reference to [name]Christ[/name]) in Greek.
Instead of [name]Tessa[/name] (which I really like the sound of), you could consider the Irish [name]Treasa[/name] (or [name]Tressa[/name]). It means “strength” in Gaelic.
[name]Eloise[/name] is a very distinguished name, with a famous bearer in the little-girl-who-lives-in-the-Plaza-Hotel books. [name]Eloise[/name] is [name]German[/name] for “healthy and whole.”
I think these would continue to work with your middles-- [name]Tressa[/name] [name]Caroline[/name], [name]Kyra[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Eloise[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name], and pair with [name]Roby[/name].
I like blades suggestion of [name]Kyra[/name]! [name]Kyra[/name] and [name]Roby[/name] sound great
@blade:
Thanks for the suggestions! I agree that the spina bifida will not define her. I really like [name]Kyra[/name], but it is my husband’s cousin’s name, and I know he wouldn’t go for it. He already has concerns about [name]Kaia[/name] being too close to [name]Kyra[/name]. [name]Eloise[/name] I like but not as much as the others on our list. We were considering [name]Louisa[/name] for a while, but it didn’t seem right either. My biggest concern at this point is to find a name we love, that goes with her brother’s name, and won’t open her up to teasing. A name that is strong and not frilly. What do you all think about [name]Annika[/name]? I really like it, DH says that with [name]Roby[/name] and our [name]German[/name] last name sounds too international.
I think [name]Annika[/name] is very striking (unless your surname begins with a Ka- sound). It does have a Continental vibe, but it gives several sweet childhood nicknames while wearing well into adulthood.
[name]Annika[/name] has a nice balance of softer and stronger sounds. It’s a firm name but not too much so (i.e. Ermentrude or [name]Petra[/name]).
You absolutely don’t have to specify, but depending on the severity of her spina bifida (i.e. a myelomeningocele v. just a meningocele; an associated Chiari malformation or not) there might be another couple of considerations with regards to her name. If she is predicted to have neurological deficits, as you know, she will likely be in a chair and need help with self-care. It could mean a lot to a young girl with those challenges to have a very “pretty” name, in case she doesn’t feel pretty during those tough school years. If every time she met a new person, she heard “wow, that’s lovely!,” and if she had a name that the other little girls in her class admired, it could help her feel more “normal.” For those reasons I don’t think you should select a name that’s too unusual or uncommon-- she’ll really, really just want to fit in. And lastly-- if she did have some of the associated upper spinal cord problems, as you know she might have a bit of developmental delay. Giving her a shorter, easy-to-pronounce name could be beneficial.
I know that’s a tall order: a pretty 2-syllable name, easy to pronounce, but striking the right balance between girly and strong. [name]Tessa[/name] really fits the bill there! [name]Lia[/name] works too, though it’s a bit softer.
Other thoughts:
[name]Ava[/name] (I know it’s popular but that might be beneficial)
[name]Ayla[/name]
[name]Bella[/name] (same)
[name]Calla[/name]
[name]Giana[/name]
[name]Isla[/name]
[name]Katya[/name]
[name]Lila[/name]
[name]Lissa[/name]
[name]Lyra[/name]
[name]Maia[/name]
[name]Mila[/name] / [name]Milla[/name]
[name]Mira[/name]
[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Talia[/name]
[name]Thea[/name]
[name]Zara[/name]
If there are no concerns for developmental delay (i.e. no hydrocephalus or Chiari malformation), then [name]Annika[/name] is great!
Also lacy-strong:
[name]Arielle[/name]
[name]Alondra[/name]
Anyssa
[name]Annora[/name]
[name]Aurora[/name] (popular in the good way-- matches with [name]Roby[/name])
[name]Bianca[/name]
[name]Celia[/name]
[name]Sierra[/name]
[name]Elena[/name]
[name]Fiona[/name]
[name]Ilana[/name]
[name]Joelle[/name]
[name]Kiana[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Lisandra[/name]
[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Malia[/name]
[name]Marissa[/name]
[name]Melora[/name]
[name]Mirabel[/name]
[name]Nerissa[/name]
[name]Rosanna[/name]
[name]Sabrina[/name]
Sarielle
[name]Serena[/name]
[name]Tiana[/name] (Disney!)