Fiancée and I are expecting our first in [name_u]November[/name_u] don’t really want to tell friends/family about names until we’ve decided but I feel like I need an outside opinion since we’ve been talking about them for months and they’re all starting to run together in my head lol. Here’s our top 3 (in no particular order)-
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u]: [name_f]Clara[/name_f] was one of the first names we both liked and [name_u]Anne[/name_u] is a family name
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]: honestly now that I think about it pretty much the same reason as above😂 was surprised that my fiancée likes this one but it’s his favorite out of the three!
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]: okay so this one is the wildcard for sure, I alternate between this being my favorite one and my least favorite one like every day. [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] is a combo of our moms middle names (Marie and Anne) so I love the sentimentality, and I’ve just always loved the name [name_u]James[/name_u] for a boy but I know it’s gotten popular as a girls middle name and I feel like it kinda balances out the much more feminine/vintage first name. We also really like the potential nicknames [name_f]Mari[/name_f] and MJ for alternatives if [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] seems to not fit her personality as much😂 this is my fiancées second favorite probably.
Last name starts with N and is 3 syllables long if that sways anyone. Also open to suggestions but my fiancée is for some reason ultra picky with girls names and I feel like we’ve gone through every name under the sun so I’ll be shocked if you suggest something new that he likes😂 thanks in advance!
Didn’t used to be a huge [name_f]Clara[/name_f] fan but it has really grown on me in the past year! I think it’s my favorite, followed by [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. I do like [name_f]Claire[/name_f] in general more than Blair… but it’s a really nice combo, too! I think since [name_u]Blair[/name_u] is more unexpected, it feels a little less predictable than [name_f]Claire[/name_f] Elizabeth; which just sort of feels standard.
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f] is really sweet for your family reasons—I just can’t get into it myself. I just think of [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] Dashwood… which doesn’t do much for me, I’m afraid. I’m much more [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] than [name_f]Marianne[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] is fantastic, though—I haven’t yet met a real life little [name_f]Clara[/name_f] (the one I knew was in her 80s probably 2 decades ago), I know it’s getting more popular but I would be so happy to meet one. She’s my favorite for sure! I do know a little [name_u]Blair[/name_u] now though, and she’s really sweet. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of your options, though!
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] is my fave followed by [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]. I’d love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] or [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] even more
Congratulations!! I just want to say that all of your contenders are absolutely stunning , and there is no wrong choice !
[name_f]My[/name_f] input :
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] - [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is one of my favourite names. It feels stunning regal and timeless. I can’t thing of any negative associations or teasing potential . I love some of the nickname potential. I feel like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] is a safe and sophisticated name , and works well on a resume
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - [name_u]Blair[/name_u] is a little more bold and unexpected than [name_f]Clara[/name_f] .I really love the name and I like how it is unisex. [name_f]My[/name_f] hesitation would be the spelling. As a person who has had to correct people’s spelling of my name my whole life it can be annoying.
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f]- I am a sucker for a sentimental name ! I love that it honours both sides of the family and all the nickname potential too! I love MJ and [name_f]Mari[/name_f] . I think this one gets my vote as well as it is a little more unexpected and I doubt she will have anyone in her class with the same name
All of these first names seem to have a slightly different feeling to me, so my advice would be if you are considering have more children and if their names “going together” matters to you I would think about what direction each name leads you down. To me, [name_f]Clara[/name_f] feels like it would fit with sister names like [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], and [name_f]Violet[/name_f] (in other words a little more popular). [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] feels a little more clunky (but that’s pretty trendy!), and fits with names like [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], and [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. [name_u]Blair[/name_u] is more tailored and while not particularly unisex I think would fit best with names that are either unisex or nouns, so for instance [name_u]Sloane[/name_u] or [name_u]June[/name_u].
That aside I think all these are good names! I do actually really like [name_u]Blair[/name_u], but the sentimentality of [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] appeals to me. Any interest in using [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] as a middle name? I actually think [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] is sweet. It flows slightly less well than [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], but I think the emotional connection with the baby’s grandmothers is more important than flow.
I love [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] - it’s so beautiful to me (literary, pretty and academic). I would use [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]Blair[/name_u] rather than [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] to keep the smart, sophisticated feel.
I quite like [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. Fathers often go for the unisex / low key/ boyish name for some reason. I prefer [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] to [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] - find it more elegant - but I just like [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] (and Clara) more than [name_u]Blair[/name_u].
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] is very chic. I don’t love the A to A (Clara ending in A to [name_u]Anne[/name_u] starting in A). I would prefer [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f].
So my choices would be:
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]Blair[/name_u]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f]
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]
Clara is a gorgeous name! To my ear, it sounds like a bright, clear bell ringing.
With regard to the combo Clara Anne, I find myself tripping slightly over the -a ending + A- beginning. So I’m seconding the vote from @EloiseT for Clara Marianne, which I think is lovely!
Personally, I’m not a fan of Blair, which reminds me of “blare”… I do like Elizabeth, though, which is a great classic.
Marianne sounds sweet & a little old-fashioned (in a good way) as a first name. I agree with this, regarding associations:
Pretty much any Austen reference is a plus for me! Love the nickname Mari that you mentioned, too.
Re Marianne James: I’m personally not into male names for girls, but I do like the MJ nickname!
So overall, I’d vote for Clara Marianne, which I think is beautiful, and honours both grandmothers, too!
I love the double-honour of [name_f]Marianne[/name_f], but I’d be hesitant to use it with your last name. Maybe practice saying them out loud (without the middle) and see if they run into each other.
[name_f]My[/name_f] favourite is [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u], then [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], then [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u]. I find that [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u] doesnt flow great with the a-a; what about [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f]? I also love [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u], but that doesnt incorporate any of your honours.
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] Elizabeth!! Sweet and spunky. You might want to consider if you are going to use [name_f]Clara[/name_f] for a sibling at some point. I would not use [name_u]Blair[/name_u] and [name_f]Clara[/name_f] as siblings. Something to think about.
All great choices.
Love Marianne James! The sweet nicknames you have thought of are so cute, and I love the balance of an extremely feminine vintage name, and a timeless gender neutral name! As others have been saying, my true favorite would probably be Clara Marianne, but since that was not on your list Marianne James is my first choice, followed by Clara Anne and then finally Blair Elizabeth. Blair has just never been a name I like, but if you love it, go for it!
I love [name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and want to like [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]. I keep thinking of [name_f]Maren[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u], instead! Not sure if that’s your style, but I think it works in the same way [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] does but feels fresher.
[name_f]Clara[/name_f] is cute, but not loving it with [name_u]Anne[/name_u]. And it seems like [name_u]Anne[/name_u] might blend right into your last name, meaning that this combo might be hard to enunciate.
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is great, and I think it’s my favorite of the three. Great sound, and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is still a family name, right?
Again, I think [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] N______ might be hard to say.
I like [name_f]Claire[/name_f] too, unfortunately though it’s one of those that has too many associations for both of us😂 [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Claire[/name_f] was our top for a while but couldn’t get over the associations lol. Hate when that happens!!
Funny you say that, because I thought so too for a while but my fiancée and his brother both have first names that end in an “n” sound and I had never noticed it so decided it wasn’t reason enough to take it off the list lol
don’t really want to tell friends/family about names until we’ve decided but I feel like I need an outside opinion since we’ve been talking about them for months and they’re all starting to run together in my head lol. Here’s our top 3 (in no particular order)-
[name_u]Blair[/name_u] [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] would be cool too