What are some ways to honor a Sylvia without directly using the name?

General Name Discussion
1

[name_f]My[/name_f] grandmother [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] passed away 6 years ago, but I was very close to her growing up. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I are usually not fans of using family names, but if I were going to honor anyone at all, it would be my grandma. I like the name [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], but love many other names and would like my child to have their own first name. However, I just don’t think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] sounds very good in the middle with any of the names that I like, and flow is a big deal to me. I will most likely call my children by both names frequently, so I want something that rolls off the tongue.

Right now, our top girl’s names are:

[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] (pr. Au-[name_u]Ray[/name_u]-lee-ah)-[name_f]My[/name_f] husband loves this one, but I feel that it will get mispronounced.
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Ivy[/name_f] (Although it is becoming a bit trendy for my liking)

[name_f]Camille[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] isn’t that bad, but I don’t like the way the repeated L sounds clash, and I have other names that I prefer with [name_f]Camille[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband can’t stand the variant [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] (too bad -_-), so that’s out as an option.

Note: I am not pregnant yet, but would like to have children in the next year or so. We’re just planning ahead.

Thanks! : )

[name_f]Edit[/name_f]: Also, our last name is a common one-syllable patronymic name beginning with H.

2

Sylvanie is an option. It’s a name mentioned in [name_m]Hugo[/name_m]'s [name_u]Les[/name_u] Miserables (the book).

3

For a boy, how about [name_u]Silver[/name_u]? If you like that sort of thing (I do).

4

You can use the variants [name_f]Sylvianne[/name_f], Sylviette, [name_f]Silveria[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvanna[/name_f], [name_f]Silva[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvinnia[/name_f], [name_f]Silvaine[/name_f], [name_f]Silvania[/name_f], [name_f]Silveria[/name_f], Sylvinia, or [name_f]Sylvonna[/name_f].

5

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I just don’t love any of the variants of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] that much. The only thing I do like is [name_m]Silas[/name_m] (has the same meaning as [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]) for a boy, but it clashes with our surname.

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think another S name would be stretching it too far. I like the name [name_u]Simone[/name_u], and I think it pairs well with a few of my name choices…but does it seem too unrelated to [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] to be an honor?

6

I don’t think using [name_u]Simone[/name_u] really counts. [name_f]Imagine[/name_f] yourself explaining “her name is [name_f]Camille[/name_f] [name_u]Simone[/name_u], after my grandmother, [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]”.

I think it’s up to you to decide if “flow” is more important to you than honouring your grandmother, whose name you actually seem to like. For what’s worth, I think [name_f]Camille[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], etc. all look beautiful and roll of the tongue fine. Another option is to keep looking for other first names ([name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]? [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]? [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]?) use [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] as a second middle (e.g. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]).

7

Well, I’m an [name_f]Amanda[/name_f] named after an [name_f]Anna[/name_f], and that was never an issue. [name_f]My[/name_f] family tends to use first initials over repeating the same name. It still opened up opportunities to hear stories about my great-grandma.

That being said, honoring through names is not a big deal for us (in fact, my husband is almost against it). We feel that there are other ways to honor family, and that everyone should have their own name. [name_f]My[/name_f] middle name was a family surname, and I feel that I got cheated having a beautiful middle name, so I’d love my kids to have a name that flows well. Also, there are no other family names we’d use outside of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], so I’d hate to feel obligated to honor family for future kids.

Anyway, if I can make it flow, great. But I won’t look for new first names (since I already know the ones I love) just for a family name.

8

[name_f]Sylvaine[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvana[/name_f], [name_f]Silvana[/name_f], [name_f]Silvia[/name_f], [name_f]Sylva[/name_f]/[name_f]Silva[/name_f], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]…

9

For boys: [name_m]Forrest[/name_m] / [name_m]Forest[/name_m], [name_m]Silvano[/name_m], [name_u]Silver[/name_u], [name_m]Silvius[/name_m], [name_m]Mori[/name_m], [name_u]Roscoe[/name_u], [name_m]Sylvester[/name_m].

Girls: [name_f]Sylvana[/name_f], [name_u]Roscoe[/name_u], [name_f]Via[/name_f], Sia.

Maybe you could pick another tree related name? The above names are either related to [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] or have a similar meaning, related to ‘forest’, but if you can’t find anything you like, maybe a name relating to trees, e.g:

Boys: [name_m]Ewan[/name_m], [name_u]Oak[/name_u], [name_u]Elm[/name_u], [name_u]Linden[/name_u], [name_m]Ivo[/name_m], [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], [name_m]Oren[/name_m], etc.

Girls: [name_f]Aveline[/name_f], [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], [name_f]Laurel[/name_f], [name_f]Geneva[/name_f], [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_u]Linden[/name_u], [name_f]Idra[/name_f], [name_f]Ivara[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Olea[/name_f], [name_f]Linnea[/name_f], [name_u]Perry[/name_u], [name_f]Tupelo[/name_f], [name_f]Tamara[/name_f], [name_f]Tamala[/name_f], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], etc.

Or you could use the name of a tree / forest god / dryad’s / wilderness gods, etc.:

[name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], Lotis, [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], Leuke, Mint, Mintha, [name_u]Echo[/name_u], [name_m]Pan[/name_m], Syrinx, [name_u]Aja[/name_u], Artio, Druantia, [name_u]Ash[/name_u], Selvans, Lempo, [name_f]Antheia[/name_f], [name_f]Persephone[/name_f], [name_u]Demeter[/name_u], [name_f]Gaia[/name_f], Meliae, [name_f]Rhea[/name_f], Abu, Damu, [name_f]Ceres[/name_f], [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Terra[/name_f], [name_m]Silvanus[/name_m], [name_f]Pomona[/name_f], Feronia, [name_f]Diana[/name_f], Veles, etc.

10

I know it is a Jewish tradition to use the first letter of a deceased loved one. For me, [name_u]Simone[/name_u] isn’t a stretch. As a middle name, I don’t think you’ll be bringing up the name too often. Also, it is in memory of your grandmother, so even if it isn’t direct, it still counts because you named your daughter [name_u]Simone[/name_u] in honor of your grandmother. Middle names aren’t really for other people to see. As long as you know that [name_u]Simone[/name_u] is for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], then that’s all that matters, right?

I agree, though, that the variants of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] aren’t very pleasing. I know [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] means “from the forest”, so you could build off of that. I also used to think that [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] and [name_f]Sibylla[/name_f] looked and sounded very similar, so you could also do something with [name_f]Sybil[/name_f] and its variants. [name_m]Just[/name_m] a suggestion. :slight_smile:

Good luck, though!

11

Could you just choose something that reminds you of her? A bird or flower or place or book or movie even actor?

Sounds like you’re open to creative interpretations, so:

[name_f]Vianne[/name_f]
[name_u]Vivian[/name_u]
[name_f]Viviana[/name_f]
[name_f]Alysia[/name_f]
Ailys
[name_f]Livia[/name_f]

12

I’d suggest splitting the name up into it’s syllables and looking at other names containing them. For example, my [name_f]Nan[/name_f] [name_f]Geraldine[/name_f] died one month and four days ago and I want to name my first son [name_u]Dean[/name_u] (ger-ell-[name_u]DEAN[/name_u]) after her. It’s not an obvious link but it’s there if you take the time to look.

In my opinion ‘via’ is the most promising part of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], as it gives [name_f]Violette[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f] and [name_f]Vianna[/name_f] as well as being a name in its own right.

Sylviolette flows (though not quite a name) so I would suggest [name_f]Violette[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] or [name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Violette[/name_f].

13

Her favorite flower
Her middle name
Something related to her favorite hobby
Her maiden name as a middle name
Her initials

14

[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] is definitely a very beautiful name for a girl. As you like it, you can use it as a first name. However, if you want to use it along with another name I will share with you my personal experience :
My daughter has a Belgian friend whose name is [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Elaine[/name_f]. We call her mostly [name_f]Sylvana[/name_f].
From the names you chose, I would like mostly the [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] combination. It reminds me of something like stars. Think of using it as a first name, it doesn’t matter if it is a name of your family if you like it.
:slight_smile:

15

[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is cute.

I’d go with the meaning, personally: Xylia for a girl, [name_m]Forest[/name_m] for a boy.