Still trying to think of a girl name for my second daughter, and running into road blocks. I’ve been thinking a lot the past couple of days on naming styles and why I like the names that I like. Basically, my name is the very common name name [name]Rachel[/name]. I was never the only [name]Rachel[/name] in my class. In high school, I always wanted to change my name to [name]Summer[/name] [name]Sky[/name]. And I grew up with cousins with the names [name]Brook[/name] and [name]Storm[/name]. The name [name]Brook[/name] wasn’t intended to be the now super popular [name]Brooke[/name] (ala [name]Brooke[/name] Shields), it was more like a babbling brook. I always thought how special and unique their names were. So I guess when I grew up I unconciously decided to go with nature sounding word names for my own daughters.
So here is what I am looking for, a word name that is preferably nature oriented in some way. I also like virtue names. My first daughter’s name is [name]Autumn[/name] [name]Grace[/name]. Which I love and adore. I want to find something that I love as much for my second daughter. I love word names that are still recognized as names (for my husband’s sake) I suggested a couple that I liked that are more unusual (ie. [name]Saffron[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name]) and he literally laughed. I also liked [name]Scarlett[/name] but our last name is [name]Carlisle[/name] so it sounded very clunky. I definitely don’t want a word name that is too popular since I don’t want my daughter to always be [name]Lily[/name] C. I know it’s hard to avoid that it will happen at least once in her life, but I want to minimize the chances.
So the only two names that I am left with are [name]Ruby[/name] (which I am trying to avoid… but the more I think about what I like, the more perfect [name]Ruby[/name] seems) and [name]Hope[/name]. [name]Hope[/name] is the name that we planned to use for our second daughter back when I was pregnant with my first child thirteen years ago. But now that there is an actual child, I am balking. I don’t know if it reflects some of the feelings that I have about becoming a parent again, or if it is the actual name itself that I am balking at. So I would love to know what you think about the name [name]Hope[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you think it fits my above criteria? [name]Do[/name] you have a picture in your mind about what a [name]Hope[/name] would look like? [name]Do[/name] you have any other suggestions that I might not have thought of? Thanks again for all the help you berries are giving me!
Personally, I’ve never liked the sound of [name]Hope[/name]. It is short and abrupt, and unfortunately has the same general sound as the word “poop” to me. That said, I do love the concept of hope, and I actually like it as a middle name to first names that have a long O sound in them: [name]Winola[/name] [name]Hope[/name], [name]Zoya[/name] [name]Hope[/name], [name]Shiloh[/name] [name]Hope[/name]. I just dislike it as a first name, as the sound just doesn’t appeal to my taste. That doesn’t make it a bad name for you; plenty of people have used the name [name]Hope[/name] and it seems generally well-loved. Other ideas that may appeal:
I’m not a fan of the name [name]Hope[/name] as a first name, sorry. I knew three girls named [name]Hope[/name] in middle school and high school and it soured the name for me. I do like it in the middle name spot, however.
The first name that came to mind for you is [name]Reina[/name] (or I suppose you could spell it [name]Raina[/name]). It’s an actual name, it means queen, and it has a nature theme to it. And if you’re in the U.S., it’s not very popular, so I doubt she’ll ever have another one in her class.
Another option is to just name her [name]Rain[/name], but I prefer [name]Reina[/name]/[name]Raina[/name] because it gives the option of the nn [name]Rain[/name] and also gives her a full first name if she chooses.
I know a wonderful elementary school girl named [name]Hope[/name]- when she was younger, we called her Hopi. [name]Hope[/name]'s name has special meaning to her parents- their second daughter, [name]Kendall[/name], was stillborn, and little [name]Hope[/name] represented a new future for them. I think [name]Hope[/name] is one of the easier virtue names to live it up to, and I think if you can find a special meaning its wonderful.
If you want a virtue name: [name]Verity[/name], [name]Amity[/name], [name]Faith[/name], [name]Felicity[/name] (Not a virtue name, but has a virtuous meaning)
Nature names that go well with [name]Autumn[/name]: [name]Rain[/name], [name]April[/name] (might be too much), [name]Magnolia[/name], [name]Wren[/name], [name]Halcyon[/name], [name]Ever[/name], [name]Lark[/name], [name]Ember[/name], [name]Amaryllis[/name], [name]Lapis[/name], [name]Willow[/name], [name]Acacia[/name], [name]Azalea[/name], [name]Aspen[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Eve[/name] (sibset [name]Autumn[/name] and [name]Eve[/name] might be too close to [name]Adam[/name] and [name]Eve[/name]), [name]Nova[/name], [name]Luna[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Jade[/name]
If not [name]Hope[/name], what about [name]Esperanza[/name]? However, that might be too much if you’re not of Hispanic descent.
I love [name]Hope[/name]! It has so much meaning and significance I would love to bestow it on my own daughter. I think [name]Hope[/name] and [name]Autumn[/name] are amazing together.
[name]Ruby[/name] is a wonderful choice with [name]Autumn[/name] or search the nature names lists on here for great options. [name]Hope[/name] seems dated to me- [name]Verity[/name] is pretty.
I love [name]Hope[/name]. I don’t find it to be abrupt, I think it’s soft, almost a whisper.
A couple of thoughts for an evocative feel like [name]Autumn[/name] [name]Grace[/name]: [name]Aurora[/name] [name]Hope[/name] or [name]Violet[/name] [name]Hope[/name]
If [name]Hope[/name] is too low-key for you (I’m comparing the soft, dusty image I have of [name]Hope[/name] to the vibrancy of [name]Scarlett[/name] and [name]Ruby[/name], and your member name) you might consider [name]Joy[/name].
I think [name]Ruby[/name] [name]Joy[/name] has a sunkissed, sparkling feel to it, though it may be a little too southern double-name for some.
I think some names are very evocative. [name]Autumn[/name] [name]Grace[/name] has a glittering, golden feel to me, for example. I can almost see the little yellow leaves falling from a live oak tree, catching the late afternoon sunbeams.
I actually like the name [name]Hope[/name] quite a bit.
I’ve never met one, but it’s definitely recognizable as a name.
Maybe you can get him on board with a more unusual name as a middle–like [name]Hope[/name] [name]Juniper[/name].
[name]Autumn[/name] [name]Grace[/name] is lovely, and I think [name]Hope[/name] fits well with it. [name]Hope[/name] [name]Winter[/name]?
Some more accepted nature and virtue names:
[name]Willow[/name] - [name]Willow[/name] [name]Eve[/name]
[name]Charity[/name] - [name]Charity[/name] [name]Jasmine[/name]
[name]April[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name]
[name]June[/name]
[name]Raina[/name] - [name]Raina[/name] [name]July[/name]
[name]Verity[/name]
[name]Jasmine[/name]
[name]Winter[/name]
[name]July[/name]
[name]Faith[/name]
[name]Laurel[/name] - [name]Laurel[/name] [name]Faith[/name]
[name]Amber[/name] - bit dated, but it sounds well with [name]Autumn[/name]
[name]Dawn[/name] - same as above
[name]Mercy[/name]
[name]Eve[/name]
Thanks everyone for the thoughts and name suggestions! I especially appreciate the “word pictures” that were offered. I definitely have a picture in my mind when I envision “[name]Autumn[/name] [name]Grace[/name]” and I would love to have a similar type of feel with the name of our new daughter.
You make them colorful.