[name]Cecily[/name] – I prefer [name]Cecelia[/name]. [name]Cecily[/name] sounds like “sissy” to me, and “sissy” is a very unattractive word.
[name]Augusta[/name] – While I like [name]Augusta[/name], it’s one of those names that I greatly prefer the male equivalents (like [name]August[/name] or [name]Augustus[/name])
[name]Florence[/name] – [name]One[/name] of my favorites. My husband likes [name]Flora[/name], but I just think there’s something really sweet and wonderfully old-fashioned about [name]Florence[/name].
[name]Cordelia[/name] – I like the idea of this name, but I can never get passed the “cord” in the beginning.
[name]Ophelia[/name] – I strongly dislike this name. [name]Ofelia[/name] is a little better, in my opinion, but not enough for me to like either of them. I just get a really bad feeling from [name]Ophelia[/name]. I’m not a fan of the [name]Shakespeare[/name] character, and it sounds too much like a suffix to me (-philia, as in pedophilia)
[name]Tabitha[/name] – I like this name in theory, but I would probably never use it myself. Also, the nn [name]Tabby[/name] is a little too cutesy for me.
[name]Harriet[/name] – [name]One[/name] of my favorites, and a name I will most likely fight for if I lose the [name]Harry[/name]-for-a-boy fight. It has that quirky/British feel you mentioned.
[name]Rowena[/name] – I want to like this name, but there are too many pronunciation issues. Some people say “[name]Ro[/name]-win-a”, some “[name]Ro[/name]-wee-na”, some “[name]Ro[/name]-een-a”… and I’m sure there are others, but I can’t decide which one I like best.
[name]Aurora[/name] – This name has always, always had an “exotic dancer” vibe for me. I know so many people love it and consider it an elegant classic, but I just see stripper.
[name]Violet[/name]/[name]Violetta[/name] – I prefer [name]Violet[/name], as [name]Violetta[/name] feels like an unnecessary mouthful. [name]One[/name] of my favorite girl names and the best color name, in my opinion.
[name]Sibyl[/name] – Sounds like Pit Bull and looks like a chemical element. Can’t say I understand the appeal of this one.
[name]Ottilie[/name] – [name]Lovely[/name], but creates too many pronunciation issues in my neck of the woods.
[name]Henrietta[/name] – Another beautiful feminization. It’s a whole lot of name, but I think it could work wonderfully.
[name]Thomasina[/name] – My least favorite feminization. The “sina” ending is just weird to me. I’m not a fan.
[name]Ida[/name] – I quite like [name]Ada[/name], but [name]Ida[/name] just reminds me of Ore [name]Ida[/name] and potatoes. I also picture an older woman with a scarf tied around her head, maybe actually harvesting potatoes.
[name]Georgia[/name]/[name]Georgina[/name]/[name]Georgiana[/name]-- [name]Love[/name] [name]Georgia[/name]! I really like Geogiana, too, but only with the “Geor-[name]JANE[/name]-a” pronunciation. If I did not live in [name]Georgia[/name], this would probably be at the top of my list.
[name]Veda[/name]-- I loved this name when I was a child and would watch My Girl, but now I prefer [name]Vera[/name], as I feel it has more substance and meaning as a name.
[name]Sabine[/name] – This is really nice, though I never gave it much thought before. It has a very lovely sound. It reminds me of [name]Satine[/name], though without the stripper/Satan connotations. I think it has cute nn options.
[name]Arabelle[/name]/[name]Arabella[/name] – Reminds me of Rubella (or some other disease your child would need to be vaccinated against)
[name]Rosalind[/name] – [name]One[/name] of my least favorite “[name]Rose[/name]” names. I like [name]Rose[/name] a lot on its own, or maybe even [name]Rosalie[/name], but the harsh “d” sound at the end is unappealing to me.
[name]Greer[/name] – This has an Old Hollywood feel to me, but I think it takes a very special child/woman to pull this off! It doesn’t work on just anyone, to me.
[name]Coraline[/name] – I like this, even with its trendy elements. I also quite like [name]Coral[/name], which is a nice nn option for [name]Coraline[/name].
[name]Bryony[/name] – I find this name really unattractive. It reminds me of “jabroni”, though this might not be a word many are familiar with. Also, if I were a mean-spirited, unimaginative pre-teen, I might just call her “[name]Bryony[/name] Baloney”
[name]Clemency[/name] – The French [name]Clemence[/name] is nice, but [name]Clemency[/name] reminds me of death row inmates getting pardoned.
[name]Eilidh[/name] – I love the look and sound of this, but it creates too many pronunciation issues.
[name]Aili[/name] – This just looks incomplete to me. I think a lot of [name]Eilidh[/name]'s appeal (for me, anyway) is in the spelling, so this alternate spelling isn’t as attractive.
[name]Betty[/name] – [name]One[/name] of my favorite nns for [name]Elizabeth[/name] (along with [name]Libby[/name]). I think this name works really well on its own, and is one that I would like to see make a comeback.
[name]Arusha[/name] – There’s nothing particularly appealing about this name except for the popular/feminine “a” ending.
[name]Mathilde[/name]/[name]Matilda[/name] – I love [name]Matilda[/name], and consider it a wonderful English classic. Very cute and spunky.
[name]Isla[/name] – Preferable to [name]Aili[/name], but not one of my favorites. It has a nice sound.
[name]Clementine[/name] – Better than [name]Clemency[/name], but a little too quirky for my tastes.
[name]Indira[/name] – Too closely associated to [name]India[/name] for me. [name]Lovely[/name], but I feel it’s very much a part of its namesake.
[name]Octavia[/name] – I love [name]Octavia[/name]! Sounds unique and classic at the same time.
[name]Juniper[/name] – A little too cutesy for me. [name]June[/name] is nice.
[name]Beatrice[/name]/[name]Beatrix[/name]-- [name]Love[/name] this. Another quirky, spunky, classic.
[name]Romilly[/name] – I still have mixed feelings about this name. I like the “Rom” beginning but not a fan of most “ly” names. [name]Roma[/name] is kind of nice. [name]Love[/name] [name]Ramona[/name] even more!
I think it’s cute but sophisticated all at once and [name]Etta[/name] is to die for!
