Hey Berries -
Today’s Name Sage post is from a mom looking for classic girl names with sweet nickname options.
Her boys are:
Benjamin “Benji” John
William “Will” Henry
Their daughter’s middle name will almost certainly be Marian. They both love the Elle/Nell sound but can’t agree on a formal name. And they’re open to other ideas, too!
Read my suggestions here, and please add your own, too!
Best,
Abby
The Name Sage
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f], or [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
And I like all of Abby’s suggestions, especially [name_f]Helena[/name_f] (I like [name_f]Elena[/name_f] too), [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] and [name_f]Mariel[/name_f] as a [name_u]Marian[/name_u] alternative
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite of the suggestions is [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] with the nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f], but I also think [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] is such a good match with [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] and [name_m]William[/name_m] (also less popular, if that matters), and both [name_f]Elle[/name_f] and Delle/Della are super cute! Also have to plug [name_f]Helen[/name_f], which is a personal favorite of mine.
I think [name_u]Abby[/name_u] already covered the best classic names that could get you to Elle/Nell (only others I could think of were maybe [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] and Anneliese), so here are some ideas of other classics with sweet but spunky nicknames (which is the vibe I get from Elle/Nell):
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f] - [name_f]Maisy[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Midge[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f] (or the more common [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], Meggie)
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] - [name_u]Kit[/name_u], Wren/Rin
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] - [name_f]Millie[/name_f]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] - [name_f]Posy[/name_f], [name_u]Josie[/name_u], [name_f]Sosie[/name_f]
[name_f]Therese[/name_f] (some might argue “classicness” of this one I suppose) - [name_f]Essie[/name_f], [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Rosy[/name_f], [name_u]Reese[/name_u]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] - [name_f]Vivi[/name_f], [name_f]Evie[/name_f], [name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] - [name_f]Callie[/name_f], [name_f]Caddie[/name_f]
I love [name_u]Marian[/name_u] for you! She could go by [name_f]Annie[/name_f]?
[name_m]Benji[/name_m], [name_m]Will[/name_m] and [name_f]Annie[/name_f] 
I think [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] as a nickname would be lovely for you as well. Maybe [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f], [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosalia[/name_f]?
[name_u]Or[/name_u] how about:
[name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cora[/name_f] or Del/Della
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] nn [name_f]Evie[/name_f]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f] nn [name_f]Elle[/name_f] or [name_u]Haze[/name_u]
[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Millie[/name_f]
[name_f]Amabel[/name_f] nn [name_f]Belle[/name_f] or [name_u]Ami[/name_u]
[name_f]Coraline[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cora[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f] or [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cece[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Danielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Noelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
[name_u]Ellery[/name_u]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Colette[/name_f]
[name_f]Ellen[/name_f]
[name_u]Ellender[/name_u]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Adeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
[name_f]Elinor[/name_f]
[name_f]Elaine[/name_f]
[name_f]Fenella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elisabetta[/name_f]
[name_f]Giselle[/name_f] / [name_f]Gisella[/name_f]
[name_f]Janelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Thessaly[/name_f]
[name_f]Angelica[/name_f]
[name_u]Antonia[/name_u]
[name_f]Astoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucinda[/name_f]
[name_f]Frances[/name_f] / [name_f]Francesca[/name_f]
Oh, I thought about [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], too - so glad you mentioned it!
I love [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], and I’m crushed that it’s so out of favor. I think it’s a classic! And I agree it could work well for them …
[name_f]Annie[/name_f] for [name_u]Marian[/name_u] is so smart!
So many good suggestions, thank you all for the help!
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f], it would be my first choice if my close friend didn’t just use it for her little girl.
[name_u]Marian[/name_u] nn [name_f]Mae[/name_f], I will have to give this one more thought! I hadn’t considered it as a first option before because we were so set on it for the middle.
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f] nn [name_f]Elle[/name_f], I like this option too!
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is darling, so my style! Unfortunately not a useable option for us 
I like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] with [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. So lovely.
Other Elle/Nell options:
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f] (rather than Elizabeth)
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Belinda[/name_f]
[name_f]Zelda[/name_f]
[name_f]Belle[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivendel[/name_u]
[name_f]Giselle[/name_f]
[name_f]Delphine[/name_f]
[name_f]Antonella[/name_f]
[name_f]Ornella[/name_f]
[name_f]Danielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Raphaelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Dianella[/name_f]
[name_f]Yareli[/name_f]
[name_f]Narelle[/name_f]
Oh, too bad that [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] is off the table!
But Marian/Mae + Eloise/Elle are lovely.
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f] or Leonor(e)
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f] (with nn Nell?)
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f] (also could use Nell)
[name_f]Margaux[/name_f]
[name_f]Philippa[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Diana[/name_f]
[name_f]Johanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Alethea[/name_f]
I love [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] or [name_f]Helena[/name_f] for you.
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Sybil[/name_f] / [name_f]Sybelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Melanie[/name_f]
[name_f]Janelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Melody[/name_f]
[name_f]Olenna[/name_f]
What about [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]? Sweet nn [name_f]Emmy[/name_f]!
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is another choice which fits the bill, but nn [name_f]Lottie[/name_f] is a better fit with your boys names in my opinion.
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f].
[name_f]Nell[/name_f]:
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonore[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Elena[/name_f]
[name_f]Magdalena[/name_f]
[name_f]Elle[/name_f]:
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
Elisabeth/Elizabeth
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Arielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Elaine[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloise[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]My[/name_f] favourites for them is [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_u]Marian[/name_u] It matches [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] and William’s timeless feel well.
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f]
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Sarah[/name_f]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f]
[name_f]Samantha[/name_f]
[name_f]Rachel[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_u]Anne[/name_u]
Also would you feel more sold with [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] if you used a different nickname? [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] or [name_f]Ella[/name_f] or [name_f]Beth[/name_f] or [name_f]Lizzy[/name_f]
Let me begin by saying, I love classic names. Personally I think it would be a mistake to use [name_f]Elle[/name_f] as a nickname. Though I like it, i feel it is much too similar to [name_m]Will[/name_m]. [name_m]Benji[/name_m], [name_m]Will[/name_m] and [name_f]Elle[/name_f] just doesn’t sound right to me.
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] is a classic name that will never go out of style and is on the same par as [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u]. [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_u]Marian[/name_u] flows beautifully and I love the classic nickname [name_f]Libby[/name_f] or Liddy. Another idea is [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Elise[/name_f], nickname [name_f]Lise[/name_f] or Lisi. (LEE see)
I also like [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], nickname [name_f]Meg[/name_f] and [name_u]Antonia[/name_u], nickname [name_f]Annie[/name_f].
Other ideas: [name_f]Rachel[/name_f], [name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_f]Suzanne[/name_f] (Suzy,Suki) [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_f]Nora[/name_f], [name_f]Hannah[/name_f], [name_f]Johanna[/name_f], [name_f]Louisa[/name_f],
I like the double barrel name [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Alice[/name_f], Mary-Alice could honor [name_u]Marian[/name_u]. It sound very traditional.
Somethings to think about. Congratulations on expecting a girl and good luck with the decision of naming her. It will all work out.