I’ve been lurking on the forums for the past few days, trying to find some unique names for our baby girl due in [name_u]August[/name_u]. My husband and I are cutting it really close and I’m started to get worried, but we can’t agree on a name. We’ve gotten close with a few, but we feel like we’re missing something and aren’t sure if we’ve found the name just yet.
Names so far:
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] (considering [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Elisabet[/name_f] as a longer name, but this is our #1)
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] ([name_u]Jess[/name_u] for short)
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] (not sure what nicknames to make out of that)
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] (too common?)
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] (too weird?)
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] (not sure how we feel about calling her [name_u]Alex[/name_u] or [name_u]Ali[/name_u])
So I’m wondering what you all think when you hear those names, good or bad! My husband and I are at the point where we’ve looked at these names for so long that we don’t have any opinion on them - any suggestions for names similar are welcome as well. We’re looking for something that can be short but elegant, and that will age well with her.
I like [name_f]Mariana[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f]! [name_f]Mariana[/name_f] makes me think of an actress who loves playing [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m], [name_f]Grace[/name_f] - of a little chubby English girl with braids who loves tea parties, and [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] sounds like she is a daughter of kinda neo hippies who likes camping and wearing tie-dye clothes.
Nicknames for [name_f]Mariana[/name_f]:
[name_f]Maisie[/name_f]
[name_f]Marie[/name_f]
[name_f]Annie[/name_f]
[name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f]
[name_f]Mamie[/name_f]
[name_f]Mary[/name_f]
Ri
[name_u]Ari[/name_u]
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] is also nice. I’d picture an outgoing girl with long dark hair who likes skateboarding and watching horror movies.
I know a [name_f]Mariana[/name_f] and she goes by just [name_f]Mari[/name_f]. I always thought that sounded so sweet and simple. That name is my favorite from your list. I don’t think [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] is too weird and all of the others are kind of blended together in my head as nice names that I have heard a lot.
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] nn [name_f]Beth[/name_f] - [name_m]Little[/name_m] Women. If you don’t know, [name_f]Beth[/name_f] is the third sister, sweet, shy, gentle, quiet, etc. So all those qualities come to mind with the name [name_f]Beth[/name_f].
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] - A good friend of my mom’s. Blonde, bubbly, and spontaneous:)
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] - Beautiful! I have no association with the name, but it’s lovely and princessy. Nicknames could be the obvious [name_f]Mari[/name_f] or [name_f]Ana[/name_f].
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] - I know/have known a lot of Graces over the years. It is very common. I have mixed associations with the name bc I have know a mean and manipulative [name_f]Grace[/name_f], I have also known an spirited and friendly [name_f]Grace[/name_f], and then there’s an energetic, imaginative five year-old with the mn [name_f]Grace[/name_f], and so on.
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] - Quirky, unexpected, but not weird. [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] is perfectly fabulous!
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] nn [name_u]Ali[/name_u] - [name_u]Ray[/name_u] [name_m]Romano[/name_m]'s daughter on Everybody Loves [name_m]Raymond[/name_m]
Overall, my favs are [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Mariana[/name_f], and [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f]. [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] might be hard to match for future siblings, but it’s probably my top favorite:D
Names so far:
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] - [name_f]Lizbet[/name_f], [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] - Not a fan
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] - You need a quick nn or she’ll get [name_f]MAR[/name_f] I love [name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] - I don’t think it’s too common but how about [name_f]Gracie[/name_f]?
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] - Not weird at all! I think it’s beautiful and I love [name_f]Nia[/name_f] for a nn.
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] - [name_m]How[/name_m] about nn [name_u]Lexi[/name_u]?
These names all remind me of a spunky little girl!
Overall your name choices are classic well-known names in my book. [name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] is the only name that stands out, because I don’t hear it often. My no 1 is [name_f]Mariana[/name_f].
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] - the shy nice girl / I would go with a less common full name such as the suggested [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] - girl next door
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] - girl with spunky attitude / I really like [name_u]Marian[/name_u] or [name_f]Mary[/name_f] as a nickname.
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] - Girly soft spoken / middle name material to me
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] - dreamy outdoorish girl / not weird at all
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] - serious and girly / Maybe with nickname [name_f]Alexa[/name_f], [name_u]Alexis[/name_u], [name_f]Xandra[/name_f], [name_u]Alix[/name_u]?
Other suggestions:
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
[name_f]Jessamine[/name_f] / [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f]
[name_f]Ramona[/name_f]
[name_f]Cynthia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] is my favorite from your list! It strikes that right note between modern and classic. (at least those are names I enjoy.)
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] is also nice - it is popular, but it’s a classic and really a name you can’t go wrong with. [name_f]Grace[/name_f] is definitely a name that brings to mind the girl next door.
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] always strikes me as dated. I’m about 30 and I went to school with tons of Jessicas. So I would say [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] brings to mind a young mom and/or career woman.
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] - whimsical and dreamy.
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] makes me think of a tomboy.
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] is, by far, my favorite!! [name_f]Grace[/name_f] would be my second choice.
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] (considering [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Elisabet[/name_f] as a longer name, but this is our #1)
I love [name_f]Beth[/name_f], beautiful name imo.
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] ([name_u]Jess[/name_u] for short)
Also a lovely name, but I guess I just knew too many people with that name growing up with too many of them not being people I liked.
[name_f]Mariana[/name_f] (not sure what nicknames to make out of that)
Something I would have a bit of difficulty pronouncing, like there’s an unexpected syllable in there for me. But I’ve also never known someone with this name before.
[name_f]Grace[/name_f] (too common?)
I also love [name_f]Grace[/name_f].
[name_f]Zinnia[/name_f] (too weird?)
A little weird but not necessarily in a bad way. She may end up with the nickname Zinny, which I can’t imagine you enjoying if you are already a little skeptical with [name_u]Ali[/name_u].
[name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] (not sure how we feel about calling her [name_u]Alex[/name_u] or [name_u]Ali[/name_u])
My cousin’s name is [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] and everyone in the family calls her that while everyone outside of the family calls her [name_u]Alex[/name_u]. I think they’re both nice names, [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] is very elegant but if the [name_u]Alex[/name_u]/[name_u]Ali[/name_u] nicknames are dealbreakers you may have to pass on this one.
Thank you all so much!
We really love [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], and it’s our second choice right now, but the issue comes down to my sister in law, who is also named [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f]. My husband’s relationship with his family is fine, but we don’t see her often, and we’re not sure how we feel with having two Alexandras in the family.
[name_f]Beth[/name_f] is still the front runner - I’ve only ever known one [name_f]Beth[/name_f], who was my older brother’s high school girlfriend - she was sweet and very cool, so I don’t think it’s a bad choice. Our worry is that it’s too short, and [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] don’t sit well with either of us.
[name_u]Jess[/name_u] is our third choice, but again, we’re not fans of [name_f]Jessica[/name_f], don’t like the alternatives, and aren’t sure if it’s too masculine.
Of all the things in my pregnancy, trying to find a name for this bub has been the hardest! Her cousins have names like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Audrey[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], and [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], but none of those match our name style at all…
So I mentioned my cousin [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], there is also another [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] on that same side of the family, who was born a couple years before her. Like you said, my aunt knew they wouldn’t be seeing that [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] that often so wasn’t bothered and it hasn’t ever been an issue.
I think [name_f]Beth[/name_f] is fine on its own, but of course it’s up to you two. I know someone named [name_u]Kim[/name_u] with full name [name_u]Kimberly[/name_u] and her mom told her she wishes she could go back and just name her [name_u]Kim[/name_u], so I’d say go with your gut. Good luck!