So, just as one of my cousins is about to give birth to a baby, her sister has found out that she’s pregnant too! Though excited, she’s a little worried because her partner has insisted, from the moment they met, that he wants his daughter to be named [name]Mary[/name]! It’s after his grandmother, and as adorable as the name is, it’s really not my cousin’s style.
She’s only about 4 weeks pregnant, so no word on the gender for a while, but do any of you happen to have any suggestions on variations of the name [name]Mary[/name] that would fit in with her style? Her daughter’s name is єℓℓι мαу gαв”ιєℓℓє, goes by єℓℓι or єℓℓι мαу. My cousin doesn’t like [name]Mary[/name] because we know a very loud, cackle-y old woman named [name]Mary[/name]! She doesn’t want a name that sounds elderly, and I also think she is into the more popular/common names (as єℓℓι мαу shows). We live in [name]England[/name], if that helps.
I’ve also advised that she asks if his grandmother had any middle names that were more up her street, so we’ll see how that goes.
Thanks in advance!
~ [name]Genevieve[/name]
names in ‘special characters’ to prevent the names coming up in a Google search, please use these if you are going to refer to the name in your answer!
I recently saw this list here and I figured it might be helpful: 107 International Variations of Mary | Nameberry
It’s too bad she doesn’t like the name [name]Mary[/name] - I really love that name. But I just wanted to point out that there’s a long tradition of girls being given the first name [name]Mary[/name] (in honour of the Virgin [name]Mary[/name]), but being called by their middle name. So she might call her [name]Mary[/name] [name]Josephine[/name], for example, but use the name [name]Josie[/name] or [name]Josephine[/name] for every day use. [name]Just[/name] a thought. Otherwise, perhaps one of the variants of [name]Mary[/name], as suggested above, would work.
marybeth: I suggested calling her by a middle name, my cousin seems to think that’s just hassle though.
lc22033: Thanks for that link
From what I’ve said, any ideas on which sound most like her style? I’m finding it hard to be objective, the ones that stand out to me are the ones that I like ha!
My favourite [name]Mary[/name] variant is [name]Maria[/name], and I understand [name]Mia[/name] was originally a nickname for [name]Maria[/name]. [name]Mia[/name] seems as though it would fit your cousin’s style: popular, feminine but not over frilly and doesn’t sound elderly at all, plus it honours [name]Mary[/name], which is what her partner wants to do. I think £lli£ M@y and [name]Mia[/name] would make a lovely set of sisters.
Has your cousin considered [name]Molly[/name]? Historically it is a nickname for [name]Mary[/name] and has a current sound. [name]Molly[/name] and £lli£ M@y go well together, [name]IMO[/name], especially if she gives [name]Molly[/name] a middle name that can be used also. Like [name]Molly[/name] [name]Rose[/name] [name]Francesca[/name] - £lli£ M@y and [name]Molly[/name] [name]Rose[/name].
Other ideas:
[name]Marin[/name] - this doesn’t go as well with £lli£ M@y [name]IMO[/name], but is a pretty variation on [name]Mary[/name]
[name]Mara[/name] - again could pair with a middle name. [name]Mara[/name] [name]Lou[/name] or [name]Mara[/name] [name]Leigh[/name] for example
[name]Marley[/name] - somewhat reminiscent of [name]Bob[/name], but £lli£ M@y and [name]Marley[/name] sound cute together
[name]Margot[/name]
[name]Mariel[/name]/[name]Mariella[/name] - may be too similar sounding to £lli£ M@y
essjay: I really like [name]Maria[/name], I definitely think my cousin might be interested as it has an Italian feel, and our grandfather is Italian. Thanks!
dandelion: [name]Molly[/name]'s the main one I’ve thought of, because she considered [name]Molly[/name] [name]Blue[/name] alongside єℓℓι мαу. I’m personally not keen on it, as I know rather slutty twins named [name]Ellie[/name] and [name]Mollie[/name], but it’s not my baby! So I’m definitely going to suggest [name]Molly[/name]
I think she would like [name]Marley[/name], but her sister’s baby is going to be called [name]Harley[/name] so that’s a bit too much! I love [name]Marin[/name], [name]Mara[/name] and [name]Margot[/name] myself, not sure what she’d think of them. Thanks 
A big list of [name]Mary[/name] variations:
[name]Miriam[/name]
Mariyama
[name]Maryse[/name]
[name]Stella[/name] [name]Maris[/name]
[name]Marietta[/name]
[name]Marilyn[/name]
[name]Marion[/name] (my personal favorite)
[name]Mercedes[/name]
[name]Dolores[/name]
[name]Maira[/name]
[name]Mari[/name]
[name]Maribel[/name]
[name]Marigold[/name]
[name]Marisa[/name]/[name]Marissa[/name]
[name]Maria[/name]
[name]Maire[/name]
[name]Malia[/name]
[name]Mame[/name]
[name]Mamie[/name]
[name]Manette[/name]
[name]Manon[/name]
[name]Mara[/name]
[name]Maree[/name]
[name]Marella[/name]
[name]Marelle[/name]
[name]Maren[/name]
[name]Maridel[/name]
[name]Mariel[/name]
[name]Mariela[/name]
[name]Marietta[/name]
[name]Marilla[/name]
[name]Mariska[/name]
[name]Marita[/name]
[name]Maritza[/name]
[name]Marja[/name]
[name]Marla[/name]
[name]Marlo[/name]
[name]Masha[/name]
[name]Maura[/name]
[name]Maureen[/name]
[name]Maurita[/name]
[name]Maurizia[/name]
[name]Mavra[/name]
[name]May[/name]
[name]Meriel[/name]
[name]Mimi[/name]
[name]Minette[/name]
[name]Moira[/name]
[name]Molly[/name]
[name]Morag[/name]
[name]Moya[/name]
[name]Muire[/name]
[name]Muriel[/name]
[name]Polly[/name]
[name]Fatima[/name]
[name]Khadija[/name]
[name]Luz[/name]
[name]Marisela[/name]
Maristela
[name]Marjo[/name]
[name]Marlin[/name]
Marlisa
[name]Maya[/name]
Meiriona
[name]Merry[/name]
[name]Rosemary[/name]
Thanks all, I’m thinking I should suggest:
[name]Maria[/name]
[name]Molly[/name]
[name]Maribel[/name] / [name]Maribelle[/name]
[name]Marissa[/name]
[name]Do[/name] these sound similar to the style of єℓℓι мαу, in your opinion?
I know what you mean, genevie - [name]Molly[/name] is honestly not my favorite name either! But I think it does go with єℓℓι мαу fairly well. And yes, [name]Marley[/name] and [name]Harley[/name] would be way too cutesy!