We’ve narrowed our girl names down to 3 with [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] being the front runner for me. We are American and would pronounce it the way that is most common here, but it sounds so pretty pronounced any way!
I’ve been wondering about the ending of it, though. It has always struck us as both old fashioned and [name_m]French[/name_m], but is that the impression it would give most Americans? I expect most nameberries have a similar impression to us. I don’t know if the general population would.
Since it ends with “ie,” would it be grouped with trendy names like [name_f]Kaylie[/name_f] or [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]? It’s not that we’re desperate to avoid common names but a name like that would stick out like a sore thumb with our other children’s names. Maybe the most important aspect of a name, to me, is the vibe or impression or whatever you want to call it. I’d be really disappointed if I named my daughter something I thought left an elegant and graceful impression (which [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] does so well!) and found out everyone else found it cute, modern, and trendy.
Any thoughts? What’s your impression of [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think others would think differently?
Hmmm… I see your concern with the “ie” ending. I really like [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] and I can see where you are going with it. I don’t know if I can really predict how most people would see it? Maybe post it on BabyCenter or something and if people call it fusty and old-fashioned, you’ll know that it is actually elegant and graceful. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_f]Leonia[/name_f] nickname [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]? Or even [name_f]Leonora[/name_f], which is an entirely different name but you could still nickname [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]?
Would you mind sharing your other children’s names? That might be helpful in judging whether [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] would stand out.
To me, it has serious European flair, because of both of the Leonies that I know are [name_m]German[/name_m]. I think it’s a good sweet spot name, because it has things in common with names that are trendy, but it’s not overly common or recently invented.
Not sure if you were trying to be funny but that made me lol! Great idea, though! Especially as we’re uncomfortable sharing with friends and family before baby is born.
This might seem strange, but neither of us like any other version of this name. I think it’s the french-ness of [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] that looks appealing to us? [name_f]Leonora[/name_f] or [name_f]Leonia[/name_f] are fine. [name_f]Leona[/name_f] seems like an easy alternative but is just completely unappealing to us both.
I can give some other names we’ve (or at least I’ve) seriously considered. That might help more 
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f], [name_u]Adaire[/name_u], [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f], [name_f]Lorelie[/name_f], [name_m]Soren[/name_m], [name_u]Oakley[/name_u], Meritt, [name_m]Ezra[/name_m]
Wow! Your other names are really, uh, varied! Of those, [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] has exactly the same image as [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] to me. Elegant, subtle glamor, rich, luxe, sophisticated, feminine, and vintage. And, yes, [name_m]French[/name_m] but not too [name_m]French[/name_m] to pass in the good ole’ USA. PS, [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] is a [name_m]French[/name_m] diminutive foremost. The new [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] with a less cute twist is [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], who is similar to [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] as well. For what it’s worth, I love [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. I happen to really like [name_f]Leona[/name_f], too, but [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] has a little more glitz and pep. 
I like a few of the names on your list. [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] is gorgeous. I also like [name_u]Adair[/name_u] (this spelling) and [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] (this spelling) for a girl. [name_m]Ezra[/name_m] is classic boy to me and [name_m]Soren[/name_m] has a very masculine feel as well, for me. [name_u]Oakley[/name_u], [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f], and [name_f]Elowen[/name_f] just aren’t personally for me.
If you’re worried about what would stick out like a sore thumb with your other kiddos’ names, could I ask their first names?
I don’t think anyone could mistake it for a trendy or modern name. The [name_f]Leonine[/name_f] names are all quite classic. I think I would group it in the elegant, and perhaps Georgian, class.
That’s exactly what I thought at first. But as time goes, the more it seems like the name (!), the more I worry about this. I don’t think most people my family comes in contact with know 2 European Leonies. I wonder if people would think it is recently made up. Maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion. [name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to tell me if I am.
Like a lot of people, we’re a little uncomfortable choosing less common names, but the names we love happen to be at the tail end of the top 1000. Having a similar sound to more common names helps with that. I’m worried that [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] sounds a bit too similar. I wouldn’t mind choosing a name that gets lost in the Violets, Charlottes, and Evelyns, but not so sure about the Kaylies, Sophies, and Makenzies.
[name_f]Leonie[/name_f]: European hipster import. Similar to many names, with just a couple tweaks. Snazzy.
This is a good example of what I’m afraid of- of course Sophie is french, but I think the average Midwesterner thinks its cutesy and trendy. I doubt Europe crosses their mind if you ask what the name makes them think of.
We only have one other child right now, but plan on having quite a few more. So at this point, it’s probably more helpful to know names we are seriously considering. Those are other names we’ve liked for a long time and would feel comfortable giving to a future child.
This is good to hear! It sounds like you guys mostly think I’m being ridiculous with this fear I think I might be ready to commit to this name (although I doubt my husband is yet) and this was my last minute panic.
This makes me happy! [name_m]Soren[/name_m] is our son’s name and I think it’s also quite a “european hipster import”.
[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] peaked in popularity in Australia (where I am) between 1940-1960. It was the name of one of my teachers and was always a middle aged woman’s name to me but I think it has the potential to become fashionable again. The [name_m]French[/name_m] sound to it and the -ie ending make it chic.
I think [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is more likely to get lumped with [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] than [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. It’s a stand out name! Gorgeous. I agree that it feels like an import, semi hipster (but not really - hipster feels like [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], not [name_m]Soren[/name_m]), and it will work well with [name_m]Soren[/name_m].
[name_m]Soren[/name_m] makes me think of names like [name_f]Linnea[/name_f] and [name_f]Freya[/name_f], [name_f]Thea[/name_f], [name_f]Violetta[/name_f], [name_f]Vittoria[/name_f], [name_f]Cybele[/name_f], [name_f]Daphne[/name_f]…
Our 3 year old is named [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. We love it. [name_m]How[/name_m] are you planning to pronounce?
We have not met another [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. She does get called [name_m]Leo[/name_m] sometimes, since we say lee-oh-nie (I think this way sounds more old-fashioned than french), little kids call her onie and she says her name “yonie”…not sure if that helps your decision.
I’m curious s to what the different pronunciation options are. Could someone advise?
I love [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. I also do not care for [name_f]Leonor[/name_f] or [name_f]Leona[/name_f] much at all. But [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] is stylish without being silly.
I like that here in the US, it has not been used enough to come off as matronly, old fashioned, or even classic. It seems that it’s a relatively uncommon name here in the states so I find it to be refreshing.
I think [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] is lovely and is really not common enough to get grouped in with [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], I think it does have a distinctly European feel that won’t get lost due to overuse the way [name_f]Sophie[/name_f]'s has.
I’m in Australia and I know two Leonies one is middle aged and pronounces it lee-OH-nee the other is a [name_m]French[/name_m] girl I met on exchange who pronounced it lee-oh-NEE.
We have’t decided for sure because I think all the pronunciations are so pretty! But most likely with the first syllable as “lee” because we’re huge nickname people (for fun and endearment, not as the actual name) and calling a little girl [name_m]Leo[/name_m] seems cute!
That’s all helpful information, thanks. Has anyone every thought you invented it? We get that all the time with [name_m]Soren[/name_m] (?) and it’s gettin old. I’m guessing these names have similar familiarity, except that there are other [name_m]Leo[/name_m]- names to help [name_f]Leonie[/name_f].
That’s a wonderful description and makes me want to settle on this name! Thanks!
So helpful, thank you!
The “lost in overuse” was exactly what I was getting at. I don’t expect [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] to be overused, but it has a similar sound to a lot of overused named.
I asked around on a few other parenting sites and the general consensus was that [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] is a pretty name that “stands out without being weird”. And that its Hawaiian.
Huh? Does this sound Hawaiian to you?