Thoughts on my top 10?

[name]Hi[/name], all. Apologies for this being so long. I think I’m finally ready to share names I’ve been tossing around, after changing things about a million times. Since I’m constantly rearranging, now would be a good time to get lots of opinions and add new names to the list or cross off ones that make other people cringe. Last name is [name]Janusz[/name], said differently in Polish (yahn-oosh) but [name]Jan[/name]-OOse here. I’d love to get opinions and impressions of the following names so that I can talk about them with my husband and parents. [name]Feel[/name] free to be completely honest, although I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

[name]Guinevere[/name] [name]Elena[/name] – love it but I wonder if it’s too much for a little girl because of what she is most known for (adultery) and because it’s a little like naming your kid [name]Oprah[/name] or Pocahontas, they’re the only one and so well known. But then, there’s millions of [name]Jennifer[/name]’s, so why not? I would have been ok with it, which is why it’s on my list. Would be in honor of someone important.
Melusina [name]Guinevere[/name], Melusina [name]Snow[/name] – middle name ideas welcome, and I’d like to know if you’re familiar with the melusine myths. Not sure if this name would be a burden in the US. I like the nn Melu.
[name]Selina[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name] – I love the connection to [name]Selina[/name] [name]Kyle[/name], the strong/independent image it gives me, and this exact spelling, but most people tend to not like it. I have a family connection to the nn [name]Lina[/name].
[name]Phaedra[/name] ([name]FAY[/name]-druh) [name]Gwendolen[/name] or Phaedra Autumn– this has a negative association (the myth) but I think it’s so pretty and deserving of use, so the story doesn’t bother me at all.
[name]Freya[/name] Tigerlily or [name]Freya[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] – [name]Freya[/name] goes on and off my list all the time. I worry (not too much) about how popular it is in other countries just a little bit, because next year I truly believe it will appear on the bottom of the SSA chart, given its current number of births and recent interest in it, and then it will only go up. I love that she was a goddess and the stories about her chariot being drawn by two cats.
[name]Valencia[/name] Tigerlily – nn [name]Valley[/name]. Not usually a fan of place names but this one really caught my eye.
[name]Domenica[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] – for my grandfather [name]Domenico[/name]. [name]Dove[/name] or [name]Minna[/name] for a nn? Other?
[name]Ursa[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name] – the meaning has a special connection to a place I spent summers as a kid with my parents, and I love the constellation
[name]Jovana[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name]? nn [name]Joey[/name] – It’s interesting and confusing at the same time because some say [name]Jovana[/name] is a feminine Slavic form of [name]John[/name], other’s say it’s for the god [name]Jove[/name], while my last name is sometimes said to be the Polish form of [name]John[/name] or for the god [name]Janus[/name]…though I’m still learning, and I wonder if there are prettier J names out there. I used to love [name]Jessamine[/name] but not anymore. I like the alliteration.
[name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Elena[/name] – I know [name]Gwendolyn[/name] is very popular, but this original spelling is one of my all-time faves. [name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] [name]Janusz[/name]?

Here are my family names. I’d love to use one in the middle, but if it doesn’t work then I’ll deal with it.
[name]Elena[/name]
[name]Rosa[/name] ([name]Rosabelle[/name], [name]Rosemary[/name], [name]Rosetta[/name], Rosabellina, Rosaluna, [name]Penrose[/name] & [name]Primrose[/name] are acceptable forms)
Estreya (not a huge fan of [name]Stella[/name], [name]Estelle[/name], [name]Estella[/name] or [name]Estrella[/name])
[name]Mariana[/name] ([name]Marina[/name] and Marijka are acceptable)
[name]Domenica[/name] ([name]Dominica[/name] or [name]Dominika[/name] acceptable, though less desirable) works best as a first name
[name]Lina[/name] (lee-na) & [name]Lena[/name] (lay-na)
[name]Emiliana[/name] (could use as a fn but don’t know what middle…[name]Maple[/name]? [name]Melusine[/name]?)
[name]Francesca[/name]
[name]Guinevere[/name]

Names recently tossed off the list: [name]Saskia[/name], [name]Minerva[/name], [name]Fenella[/name], [name]Fernanda[/name], [name]Fabiana[/name], Faviana, [name]Oriana[/name], Theria, [name]Thalassa[/name], [name]Raina[/name], Ysela, [name]Xaviera[/name], Pomelina, [name]Arcadia[/name], [name]Ursula[/name], [name]Magnolia[/name], [name]Magdalena[/name], [name]Alvina[/name], [name]Minna[/name], [name]Araminta[/name], [name]Susanna[/name], [name]Serenella[/name], Caspara, Runa, [name]Jilliana[/name], Estreya, [name]Fiamma[/name], Alysiana/[name]Alysia[/name], [name]Fenella[/name], [name]Indiana[/name] (b/c I live one state up) and [name]Verbena[/name]

GP names I may not be brave enough to use but could probably be talked into (first or middle): [name]Andromeda[/name], [name]Cassiopeia[/name], [name]Calypso[/name], Nausika/Nausikaa/Nausica/Nausicaa (a princess from The Odyssey, an anime princess as well), Crystallina, [name]Emmanuelle[/name], [name]Parthenia[/name] nn [name]Athena[/name], [name]Elva[/name]

Lastly, criteria for suggestions:
Can’t start with B, Z or end in an S sound (Would like to get opinions on the initials VJ and SBJ/ZBJ) [name]Zenobia[/name], [name]Isis[/name] and [name]Belle[/name] are the only exceptions
Prefer nothing in top 1000 (the only top 1000 names I would use are [name]Claudia[/name], [name]Selina[/name] and [name]Raina[/name])
Could be one of the following: nature, exotic/unusual, celestial, goddess, queen/princess, legend/myth, witchy
Would prefer no religious names
E’s have to be soft like in [name]Freya[/name], not like [name]Athena[/name], and G’s have to be hard like [name]Gabrielle[/name], not soft like [name]Geneva[/name]

[name]Guinevere[/name] [name]Elena[/name] – would you expect her to go by [name]Guinevere[/name]? It is a whole lot of name and I think the nn’s are gorgeous–[name]Gwen[/name], [name]Eve[/name], [name]Winnie[/name]. I also like [name]Guinevere[/name] Runa, [name]Guinevere[/name] [name]Raina[/name], and [name]Guinevere[/name] Estreya

Melusina [name]Snow[/name] – No I’ve never heard of the myth or the name but it is very pretty. [name]Snow[/name] works well, also Melusina [name]Fenella[/name]

[name]Selina[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name] – I’ve known some very nice [name]Selina[/name]'s (with various spellings, so it has nice connections to me. I don’t like it with [name]Guinevere[/name] though, bit too different in sound to flow nicely. [name]Selina[/name] [name]Rosa[/name] is gorgeous. Also [name]Selina[/name] Nausica and [name]Selina[/name] [name]Alvina[/name]

[name]Phaedra[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] – I think it’s pretty, and I adore the name [name]Faye[/name] and the spelling Phay/Phae makes it interesting. Again, I think the sounds are very different and [name]Gwendolen[/name] doesn’t fit well. [name]Phaedra[/name] [name]Lina[/name] flows nicely, but you don’t have much on your list that doesn’t end in a, so while I love that sound I know it’s not everyone’s favorite.

[name]Freya[/name] Tigerlily or [name]Freya[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] – It’s not one I’m fond of. I prefer Fenja by miles, but [name]Freya[/name] Theria sounds cool

[name]Valencia[/name] Tigerlily – [name]Valencia[/name] is a pretty name, though I know quite a few people who live there so it’s a bit weird. I don’t like Tigerlily at all, just not my style. [name]Valencia[/name] [name]Maple[/name] would work.

[name]Domenica[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] – I prefer [name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Domenica[/name]

[name]Ursa[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name] – I don’t like it as a first. [name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Ursa[/name] sounds nice though

[name]Jovana[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name]? nn [name]Joey[/name] – pretty name, though I’m not sure how well that would go with your surname. [name]Jovana[/name] [name]Minerva[/name] is cool

[name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] - yes, I prefer this

I went to (elementary) school with a [name]Guinevere[/name]. Its uncommon, original, and very romantic. I don’t think of adultery when I hear it - it evokes medieval splendour and knights and chivalry instead.
I really like [name]Freya[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name] too. [name]IMO[/name], I don’t think [name]Freya[/name] will catch on here - it doesn’t fit in with the very sweet, girly styling of names that’s so popular - it seems - stronger.
I also really like [name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] [name]Janusz[/name]. It sounds lovely and strong.

Thank you both. Those are better reactions than I expected. [name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Calypso[/name] was thrown together last minute. Also, [name]Guinevere[/name]'s nn would be Guin.

Would really appreciate more feedback. Thanks!

I actually think all your names are very pretty, although Tigerlily might be a bit much even in the middle. I actually have some other ideas for combos with your names:

[name]Andromeda[/name] [name]Penrose[/name] - Very quirky but beautiful, and [name]Andromeda[/name] could sport the nn [name]Andi[/name]. Or you could switch the order for [name]Penrose[/name] [name]Andromeda[/name], whichever you prefer.

[name]Gwendolen[/name] [name]Elva[/name] - This is my favorite. It makes me think of fairies and magical forests!

[name]Ursa[/name] [name]Rosaline[/name] - I know you like other forms of [name]Rosa[/name], but I thought [name]Rosaline[/name] sounded sweet with [name]Ursa[/name]. I would say it rose-uh-LEEN.

Melusina [name]Fay[/name] - I’ve never heard of the myths, but I thought Melusina sounded musical with [name]Fay[/name].

[name]Selina[/name] [name]Emmanuelle[/name] - I just like how this one sounds!

By the way, [name]Calypso[/name] is my favorite guilty pleasure name and I adore the name [name]Guinevere[/name].

I think [name]Guinevere[/name]'s beautiful, and I really don’t think there’d be a problem with the association. The only problem I could forsee is with the nn-I knew a [name]Guinevere[/name] with the nn Guin, and she constantly had to correct people who thought she meant [name]Gwen[/name].

Thank you both. I am keeping Melusina [name]Fay[/name]/Melusina [name]Faye[/name] and [name]Andromeda[/name] [name]Penrose[/name], but I wonder if [name]Andromeda[/name] is useable? Is it a little too sci-fi mythy for someone who might go into a professional field? I think a lot of my names are out there but I was hoping they’d come across as foreign or something. Maybe I should put [name]Andrina[/name] back on my list in place of [name]Andromeda[/name]?

At this point hubby likes [name]Guinevere[/name], [name]Freya[/name], [name]Selina[/name], [name]Phaedra[/name] & [name]Delfina[/name] (new)
New to my list:
Gavrina nn [name]Gavi[/name]
[name]Selenia[/name] nn [name]Lina[/name]
[name]Antonia[/name] nn [name]Toni[/name] (dislike [name]Ann[/name]/[name]Ana[/name])
[name]Delfina[/name] nn [name]Fina[/name] (at hubby’s suggestion)
[name]Shannon[/name] nn [name]Shay[/name]

Other ideas: [name]Fenella[/name], Sevana, [name]Julina[/name], Theria & [name]Fiamma[/name], some of which were on my recently tossed list

I appreciate all your thoughts and suggestions!! Thanks!

I think [name]Andromeda[/name] is totally useable, but I like out-there names. I also love [name]Antonia[/name] nn [name]Toni[/name] on your new list.

I see some very interesting and pretty names in your top 10. I like the following: [name]Guinevere[/name] [name]Elena[/name], [name]Phaedra[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name] ([name]Phaedra[/name] [name]Parks[/name] is an entertainment lawyer in [name]Atlanta[/name] & she stars on the Real Housewives of [name]Atlanta[/name]), [name]Ursa[/name] [name]Gwendolen[/name], [name]Jovana[/name] [name]Guinevere[/name]. I also would like to suggest using [name]Emiliana[/name] [name]Maple[/name], [name]Dominika[/name] [name]Elaine[/name], [name]Gianna[/name] [name]Mabel[/name]

It’s funny, I just found out about [name]Phaedra[/name] [name]Parks[/name] about 20 minutes before you posted that. lol Does she pronounce her name [name]Fay[/name]-dra?

As an update, [name]Valencia[/name] and [name]Jovana[/name] are off the list, as hubby really doesn’t like, but [name]Delfina[/name] is on for sure. We are still talking about adding [name]Fenella[/name], [name]Fiamma[/name], Theria, [name]Julina[/name], Gavrina, [name]Antonia[/name], [name]Selenia[/name] and [name]Shannon[/name]. It’s hard because he gets so overwhelmed after just a few names, and I have to ask again the next day because he always changes his mind. Men…lol