Too boring? Need advice!!

My husband and I are having a hard time agreeing on a girl name this time around. I prefer simple Irish names and would prefer something pretty, yet unique (we already have a [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]). The only name we’ve both agreed on is [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], but while I think it’s a beautiful name, feels a little boring and common. What are your thoughts? Any other names you love that might fit the bill? Thanks so much!!!

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I agree it is a little too common and worn out for my personal taste, and a bit too far in style from the mythological feel of [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. Might I suggest something that sounds like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], but closer in style to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]?

[name_u]Seren[/name_u]
[name_f]Cerys[/name_f]
[name_f]Saoirse[/name_f]/[name_f]Sorcha[/name_f]
[name_u]Sorrell[/name_u]

Other names like [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] that might fit the bill:
[name_f]Iris[/name_f]
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]
[name_f]Luna[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
[name_f]Willa[/name_f]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[name_f]Thalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f]

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps!

What about [name_f]Kira[/name_f]?

I do agree that the overuse of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] has made it boring and uninteresting, for me at least anyway… what about using it as a middle name, if you both like it?

My sister is [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and often wishes she had a more unusual name. However I’m an [name_f]Emily[/name_f] and don’t have an issue with my name. I think it depends more on the personality of the person.

What about…

[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
[name_u]Seren[/name_u]
[name_f]Zara[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
[name_f]Heidi[/name_f]
[name_f]Nahla[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]

X

[name_f]Sarah[/name_f] is a little unexciting but I’ve only ever met one little [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] so maybe it’s less expected these days?

Some names that came to mind:
[name_f]Sarai[/name_f] (variation of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f])
[name_f]Zara[/name_f] (variation of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f])
[name_f]Una[/name_f]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]
[name_f]Cara[/name_f]
[name_f]Vera[/name_f]
[name_f]Lyra[/name_f]
[name_f]Saoirse[/name_f]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwen[/name_f]

What about [name_f]Tara[/name_f]? It’s very similar to [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], more unique, and Irish.

I also like a previous suggestion of [name_f]Kira[/name_f] but I’m pretty sure the Irish spelling would be either [name_f]Ciara[/name_f] or [name_f]Kiera[/name_f]… it’s one of those names that can be spelled many different ways. I just think that the [name_f]Kira[/name_f] spelling holds a different meaning but I’d have to double check.

Other ideas are [name_f]Fia[/name_f] and [name_f]Erin[/name_f]

What about [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]? It’s a diminutive of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], but seems more stylistically similar to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f].

[name_f]Maeve[/name_f] is gorgeous! I do agree that [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] sounds rather dull, I’m afraid, especially with [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] - though I would prefer [name_f]Sara[/name_f]. Some other ideas:

[name_f]Ciara[/name_f]
[name_f]Eve[/name_f]
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Sienna[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Posy[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Florence[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Edith[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Amalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Maren[/name_f]
[name_f]Thea[/name_f]
[name_f]Alba[/name_f]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_f]Elise[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]
[name_f]Polly[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]

I hope you like some of these :slight_smile:

I was also going to suggest [name_f]Sarai[/name_f]! It’s a gorgeous variant, just different enough to feel really distinctive, but simple, strong and wearable at the same time. I also love the similar (and highly unusual ) Saro for a girl.

I do think [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] seems a bit plain when next to a sister [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]. I second previous suggestions of [name_u]Seren[/name_u], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Keira[/name_f] and [name_f]Tara[/name_f].

Others you might like:
[name_u]Sloane[/name_u]
[name_f]Taryn[/name_f]
[name_u]Darcy[/name_u]
[name_u]Fallon[/name_u]
[name_f]Carys[/name_f]
[name_f]Kara[/name_f]
[name_f]Fia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mona[/name_f]
[name_f]Neve[/name_f] (although might be too similar to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f])
[name_f]Kate[/name_f]

Though not both Irish names, I love the sibling set of [name_f]Juno[/name_f] {and} [name_f]Maeve[/name_f].

It has certainly been used by a lot of people throughout the years but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to spice it up, like an interesting middle or an unusual nickname.

I second the suggestion of [name_f]Isla[/name_f]! I think it goes beautifully with [name_f]Maeve[/name_f].

Maybe just using the spelling [name_f]Sera[/name_f] is nicer next to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]?

[name_f]Terra[/name_f] is my only suggestion not already mentioned

2 ways to make [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] more interesting: use it as a nickname ([name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] nn [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]) or make it a double name ([name_f]Sarah[/name_f]-[name_u]Ellis[/name_u]).

I used to think [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] was quite dull and dated, however, after meeting a newborn [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] some years ago and watching her grow into a now five year old, somehow, the name felt quite light and fresh. That said, next to [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], it does tend to look a little ‘plain’. I agree with suggestion of [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] (as either a nickname for [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], or as a standalone name) and [name_f]Sarai[/name_f].

I’ve read that [name_f]Sorcha[/name_f] is sometimes referred to as ‘the Irish form of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]’, however, the correct pronunciation with the harder C/K sound (as in ‘loch’) and three syllables would make it a very complicated name to bare outside of [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] & [name_f]Scotland[/name_f]. I imagine most unfamiliar with the name would say sor-sha.

As for other ideas that fit the style of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], as well as your fairly straightforward Irish names preference, I think [name_f]Bridget[/name_f] (perhaps with the nickname of “[name_f]Bridie[/name_f]”), [name_f]Fiona[/name_f], [name_f]Ciara[/name_f], [name_f]Erin[/name_f] & [name_f]Moira[/name_f] fir the bill.

I love the name [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f]. Maybe [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] with the nickname [name_f]Sera[/name_f] would feel a little bit more fresh?

There’s also the name Sira, which is a rare Catalan name and I don’t think it’s even on Nameberry (I first heard it in the TV show [name_f]El[/name_f] Tiempo Entre Costuras, which was popular in Spain.)

I think [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] is lovely. You could go for [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f], with [name_f]Sera[/name_f] as a nickname, as eleventhbelle suggested. There aren’t many Sarahs out there in schools right now. I can think of one at my daughter’s school. Avas, Madeleines, … all have an initial after their names because there are multiples of them in a single class.

[name_f]Susan[/name_f]