We love Eleanor, BUT

Girl Names
1

DH and I have been creating a list of names to chose from when we find out what baby is here in a few weeks. So far, we haven’t made any major decisions, but it appears that we both really love [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] for a boy. Problem is… I love, love, love [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nora[/name_f] for a girl.

Crazy me was getting all excited thinking [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Knox[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] very well could be our top names. Then it dawned on me… we can’t have a [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and an [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]! Everyone will think they’re named after the Roosevelts and with them being siblings, that might be super weird lol.

We have a few other names in mind (listed below - DH doesn’t like a few of these - but for reference to get a feel for style), but I’m looking for some names similar to [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] (same vibe) with quirky nickname options. Preferably go well with the middle name [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f].

[name_f]Lucy[/name_f]
[name_f]Nora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isla[/name_f]
[name_u]Frankie[/name_u]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_u]Eloise[/name_u]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Gemma[/name_f]
[name_f]Hattie[/name_f]

Ugh. Still super disappointed about this one. But we have a harder time finding boys names we love. Or at least I do and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] has been my favorite for a long time now, so I think it takes priority over [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f].

2

Maybe you could use [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f] or [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]?

3

I do like [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f], but still feel that is too close. [name_f]Lenore[/name_f], I’m not too crazy about. Not sure why, but it sounds and looks a little masculine for my taste.

I so appreciate your help!

4

I didn’t think of the [name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m] (though I’m Canadian) at first glance, though it struck me right away that [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] rhyme, which also seems like a deal breaker (to me, at least).

I love [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] as well, and also probably can’t use it.

Maybe you’d like…
[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f]

For your list, [name_f]Nora[/name_f] and [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] seem like good substitutes.

5

I think many of the names on your back-up list are more unique than [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]! I love [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f].

6

I think Isadora Beatrix is the closest to Eleanor in sound. Izzy Bea or Dora or Dorie or even Dixie is super sweet. I personally love Frances nn Frankie. If you’re going for the full form of Theodore for you son, I think it’s fair to give your daughter a full form too. So Lucille and Henrietta or Harriet. I do love all your choices, great names. I do find Isla super trendy (it’s already top 10 where I am in Canada) but then Theo is everywhere too.

If not Isadora or Frances, I love Matilda or Eloise, but only if you avoid Matty and Ellie, too overused these days. Plus Tilly and Lulu or Lise are so cute. What will you call Theodore for short?

I sympathize on your issue, we chose the feminine form of a male presidential name and realized when naming our second girl that it ruled out one of our perfect choices.

One last thought - what if you never get your Theodore? Maybe think of the girl set you like and chose the non-Eleanor option for your first child. Use Eleanor next if you have another girl and are stopping there. Or and so on… Eloise rules out Eleanor, Nora rules out Eleanor, Isadora rules out Eleanor, Hattie might seem too casual for Eleanor… but Matilda & Eleanor = love! Or Matilda, Frances & Eleanor = swoon!

7

Honestly, I don’t think you’d have a problem at all with [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] were uncle and niece, not brother and sister or husband and wife. Either way though, they weren’t the first thing that I thought of at all, and I’m [name_u]North[/name_u] American.

From your list, I really like [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f], [name_u]Frankie[/name_u], [name_u]Eloise[/name_u], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] and [name_f]Hattie[/name_f]!

8

I also like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] but worry about it becoming too popular. Could you use [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] for the first name? I like [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Nora[/name_f], and [name_u]Eloise[/name_u] from your list.

[name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Cora[/name_f]
[name_f]Ellen[/name_f]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Eloisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f]
[name_f]Francesca[/name_f] nn [name_u]Frankie[/name_u]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f] nn [name_f]Hattie[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]
[name_f]Joanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorelai[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f]

9

I agree that I didn’t go to the Roosevelts, maybe because I’m used to thinking of him as [name_u]Teddy[/name_u] and not the more formal [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]? Plus, [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]'s FN was [name_f]Anna[/name_f]. :wink:

Why not just [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]? I prefer [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] to [name_f]Nora[/name_f], but since you love [name_f]Nora[/name_f], and its a name in its own right (I think?), I would go straight to her. I love [name_f]Isla[/name_f], [name_u]Eloise[/name_u], [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] from your other names–I think [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] (which I’ve considered myself!) or [name_u]Eloise[/name_u] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] (so cute!). I love [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] no less–I just don’t like them with [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] quite so much.

Good luck!

10

I don’t think that everyone would think you named them after the Roosevelts. If I were introduced to siblings [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], my first thought would not be “Your parents must be HUGE [name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m] fans!” I might notice that they both end in the “or” sound and are very nice names. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if someone does make the [name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m] connection… so what? Is it a bad connection? [name_m]Will[/name_m] they be teased? I don’t think so. Anyway, since you intended to call your [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] [name_f]Nora[/name_f], I think [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is a great alternative. Good luck!

11

I’m going to join with the others who have said I don’t think you necessarily have to rule out [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] if you have a [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. Yes, it does make me think of the Roosevelts, but it’s not as weird as naming them [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], for example. Especially if they may end up as [name_u]Theo[/name_u] and [name_f]Nora[/name_f].

I was going to second the suggestion of [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f], but I see that’s a no-go. I also thought of spelling [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] as [name_f]Elinor[/name_f]. Maybe that puts a little more distance between the name and (unwanted) namesake? Or the [name_m]French[/name_m] variation [name_f]El[/name_f]éanore (ell-ay-an-or).

I also think [name_f]Nora[/name_f] (or [name_f]Norah[/name_f]) completely works as a stand-alone name, even with a longer sibling name like [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], so you could just use it. In fact, I think [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Knox[/name_m] and [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] work really well together (they both have 4 syllables combined–or five for [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] depending on how you pronounce [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]–my point being I don’t think it feels to “short” next to [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Knox[/name_m]).

Or some other names that shorten to [name_f]Nora[/name_f] (apologies for repeats):

[name_f]Lenora[/name_f]: I saw you didn’t like [name_f]Lenore[/name_f], but does the “a” ending make it more to your liking?
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]: this is my prefered route to [name_f]Nora[/name_f], but I wonder if the [name_u]Theo[/name_u]-dore and [name_m]Leo[/name_m]-nora beginings might feel too similar to you…
[name_f]Honora[/name_f]/[name_f]Anorah[/name_f]: another way to [name_f]Nora[/name_f]

If you’re willing to sacrifice [name_f]Nora[/name_f] to get something more similar to [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]:
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] or [name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliette[/name_f]
(other “[name_f]El[/name_f]-” names suggested by pps)

From your list I love [name_f]Isadora[/name_f], but actually I feel like [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] are quite similar; it stands out to me more than [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. Otherwise [name_f]Stella[/name_f], [name_u]Eloise[/name_u], and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] (in that order of preference, for me) are great ways to keep the “el” sound of [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]. And I love [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] (which I see as a great match for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]), and since [name_f]Hattie[/name_f] is on your list perhaps you’d like [name_f]Tillie[/name_f] as a nickname? Or [name_f]Tilda[/name_f], or [name_u]Matty[/name_u], or just using the full name!

Honestly I think all your choices are nice, with the exception that I wouldn’t use [name_f]Hattie[/name_f] or [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] as full names myself (but for [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] or [name_f]Francesca[/name_f] I think they’re great!).

12

I like just [name_f]Nora[/name_f] ([name_f]Norah[/name_f]) [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f].

I also like [name_f]Leonora[/name_f], derived from the masculine name [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. The name would carry even more meaning if the baby was born under the [name_m]Leo[/name_m] sun sign, but even if not, the lion is a symbol of strength and courage. Besides the obvious nickname [name_f]Nora[/name_f], [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] is another popular [name_m]French[/name_m] name that is associated with [name_f]Leonora[/name_f].

13

Would [name_u]Billie[/name_u] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] be of interest. Either that or I could see [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] or [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] working

14

That’s a great point. Not even something I thought of yet. Now, I worry about [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] rhyming too much!

[name_f]Elowen[/name_f] is nice!!

15

I love those both, too. I do worry a bit that [name_f]Isla[/name_f] might be too trendy. And [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] is newish to our list so that one still may need to grow on us.

16

Yes, I do love [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] or even [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] [name_f]Calliope[/name_f], but not crazy about the nickname. Same goes for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]. I much prefer [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] over [name_u]Theo[/name_u], but I’m sure both would develop nicknames. If so, then I guess I prefer [name_u]Izzy[/name_u] and [name_u]Theo[/name_u] over all the options.

Excellent point! And these are some great sibsets! Oh boy would my husband be in trouble if we had 3 girls :wink:

17

Unfortunately, DH really doesn’t care for [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] at all but doesn’t mind in the middle spot.

These are wonderful suggestions. Thank you!!

18

[name_f]Nora[/name_f] I think would be the next best thing for sure. I know… [name_m]How[/name_m] cute are [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_u]Eloise[/name_u] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]!! I worry about [name_f]Isla[/name_f] becoming too trendy though. I love the looks and sound though.

19

Totally agree. It’s a great associate just a big laughable when you think about it. At least to me. Not sure if I can get past it, but I agree… [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is probably the next best thing.

20

Thank you!!! [name_f]Nora[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Knox[/name_m] do look and sound great together. I also think [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] and [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] work really well, too. These are some wonderful and very helpful suggestions and insight. Thanks so much!