Hello!
I’m not pregnant, but lately I’ve been thinking about ways to “update” some of my family names that are a little too frumpy for my taste. Does anybody have any suggestions for names I could use instead to still honour these beloved family members but give their names a bit of a facelift?
[name_f]Enid[/name_f] - could [name_u]Eden[/name_u] work?
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m] - I thought about [name_u]Clare[/name_u] for a girl
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f]
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f]
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f]
[name_f]Enid[/name_f]- [name_u]Eden[/name_u], Eni
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m]- [name_u]Claude[/name_u], [name_u]Clare[/name_u], [name_u]Ari[/name_u]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]- [name_f]Amber[/name_f], [name_u]Berry[/name_u], Bera, [name_f]Etta[/name_f]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f]- [name_f]Bara[/name_f], [name_f]Vary[/name_f] (International ver.)
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f]- [name_f]Esther[/name_f], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m]
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f], [name_f]Lori[/name_f], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f]- Hillie, Illy, [name_m]Hill[/name_m], [name_f]Ida[/name_f]
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f]- [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_f]Atti[/name_f], [name_f]Ishi[/name_f]
Maybe try looking at international versions as well, they might be good ideas as well.
[name_f]Enid[/name_f] - [name_u]Eden[/name_u] works fine
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m] - [name_u]Clare[/name_u] is good, I also like [name_f]Clara[/name_f] and [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f] - [name_f]Bethan[/name_f], [name_f]Bethany[/name_f], [name_m]Albert[/name_m]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f] - [name_f]Babette[/name_f], although just as frumpy
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f] - [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f] - [name_f]Lauren[/name_f]/[name_u]Loren[/name_u], [name_f]Laura[/name_f]/[name_f]Lora[/name_f]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f] - [name_m]Holden[/name_m]
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f] - [name_m]Patrick[/name_m]
This was hard!
sorry if I repeat
[name_f]Enid[/name_f] - [name_u]Eden[/name_u] works. [name_f]Edie[/name_f] could be another option
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m] - [name_u]Clare[/name_u] or [name_f]Clara[/name_f] as pp have mentioned are good! [name_u]Clancy[/name_u], [name_f]Clarice[/name_f], [name_u]Ren[/name_u], [name_m]Clarke[/name_m]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f] - [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Bella[/name_f], [name_u]Brett[/name_u]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f] - [name_f]Aria[/name_f], [name_f]Arbor[/name_f]
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f] -[name_f]Etta[/name_f], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m]
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f] - [name_f]Lottie[/name_f], [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m], [name_u]Rex[/name_u], [name_f]Elora[/name_f]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f] - [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_f]Hallie[/name_f], [name_f]Heidi[/name_f], [name_u]Hadley[/name_u]
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f] - [name_u]Paisley[/name_u], [name_f]Tia[/name_f], [name_u]Pax[/name_u], [name_u]Paxton[/name_u], [name_u]Reese[/name_u], [name_f]Pippa[/name_f]
Also, you could combine some of them to make new/fresher names?
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f]+[name_f]Loretta[/name_f] - [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f] +[name_m]Clarence[/name_m] - [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f] +[name_f]Ethel[/name_f] - [name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there.
Lets see…
[name_f]Enid[/name_f]-I think that [name_u]Eden[/name_u] could work. [name_f]Edith[/name_f] is also cute. Old fashioned, but seems more ready for a comeback than [name_f]Enid[/name_f].
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m]-Yep. [name_u]Clare[/name_u] or [name_f]Clara[/name_f] for a girl are lovely. Maybe [name_m]Clark[/name_m] for a boy?
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f]-[name_f]Bernadette[/name_f] for a girl? [name_f]Bette[/name_f] or [name_f]Nettie[/name_f] are cute nns. [name_m]Bernard[/name_m] for a boy is handsome. You could always do the nn [name_m]Ben[/name_m] too.
[name_f]Barbra[/name_f]-That’s a tough one. Although I love [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] for a boy.
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f]-[name_f]Estelle[/name_f]?
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f]-[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]?
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f]-The only thing I can think of is [name_f]Holly[/name_f].
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f]-I like [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] or [name_m]Padraig[/name_m] for a boy. [name_f]Patricia[/name_f] is a little outdated, but if you did [name_f]Patricia[/name_f] for a full name, the nn [name_f]Tess[/name_f] could work. Right?
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps. 
I have suggestions for girls and boys.
[name_f]Enid[/name_f] - See, I think this is quirky cute and usable, but [name_u]Eden[/name_u] could work if you aren’t convinced.
[name_m]Clarence[/name_m] - [name_u]Clare[/name_u], [name_u]Wren[/name_u]
[name_f]Bertha[/name_f] - [name_u]Bertie[/name_u], [name_f]Birdie[/name_f]
[name_f]Barbara[/name_f] - [name_u]Barrett[/name_u], [name_f]Bara[/name_f]
[name_f]Ethel[/name_f] - I like this one too. If [name_f]Edith[/name_f] can come back, why not [name_f]Ethel[/name_f]?
[name_f]Loretta[/name_f] - [name_f]Laura[/name_f], [name_f]Etta[/name_f], [name_m]Rhett[/name_m]
[name_f]Hilda[/name_f] - Also has potential imo.
[name_f]Patricia[/name_f] - [name_m]Patrick[/name_m], [name_u]Patrice[/name_u]