I don’t think I have a lot, but my few naming rules are pretty strict. I can’t stand nickname names or ones I hear all the time. But for some reason I still love [name_f]Kate[/name_f]. It’s simple and sweet and definitely not too frilly. I’ve loved it ever since I was little. I’d never use it as a first (much prefer [name_f]Cathleen[/name_f] or [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]), but maybe as a middle with a longer name. So, what’s a name that breaks all your rules but you can’t help but love?
[name_m]Fergal[/name_m]- I know, I know, it sounds like feral to most people but I just love it.
[name_m]Mingus[/name_m] - It’s extremely close to a not every nice word to call someone but I think its so cute and fun sounding.
[name_u]Salem[/name_u] - it doesn’t have the best history attached to it, to say the least, but I love the way it sounds.
[name_m]Remus[/name_m] - Very commonly associated with a character and it rhymes with a word I won’t repeat lol.
[name_u]Yael[/name_u] - I like even though a lot people I know will pronounce it as Yel. And knowing it means mountain goat still does not stop my love for this name.
Annemone - simply sounds beautiful to me. It reminds me of the many [name_f]Anemone[/name_f] plant species which are lovely and colorful. Too bad most people just hear and think sea [name_f]Anemone[/name_f].
[name_f]Destiny[/name_f], [name_u]Courtney[/name_u] and [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] for me. I know most dislike them, including my fiancé - but I can’t help but think that they’re beautiful and underrated now. I think the whole “stripper name”/cheerleader stereotype is to blame though.
[name_u]Sailor[/name_u]. I’m really not even sure why I love it so much, but I do. When I was pregnant with my first daughter it was at the top of my list, but of course my husband shot it down fast and hard. :rolleyes: We ended up naming our daughter [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], and now even if I could get him on board there’s no way I’d have a [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] and a [name_u]Sailor[/name_u]. That’s a bit much haha.
I know I’ve already posted in here, but I’d like to add [name_f]Nevaeh[/name_f]. I never used to like it, but I ended up teaching one a few years ago, and I’ve slowly grown to love it. I think it’s rather sweet.
– [name_f]Hanita[/name_f]
I like the sound of [name_f]Hanita[/name_f], and I love H names; the HT combo is great
Rules? What are rules? I have none.
Anyway, I guess it’d have to be Saiorse, [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] and [name_f]Myfanwy[/name_f]. I especially love Saiorse because of the sound; I like names with “sh” and this one reminds me of “sheen” and “sheer” and silky or velvety fabric. But of course the spelling makes it out of the question for characters or actual children. Same with [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] (love how it sounds, but too unusual to burden anyone with) and [name_f]Myfanwy[/name_f].
I really like [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f], regardless of the [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] tragedy
[name_f]Fleur[/name_f]
I find it to be impractical, but so much fun!
I really like [name_u]Merritt[/name_u] for a girl. That was the name of a character in a book I read a few years ago and it just stuck and I would totally use it should we ever have another girl someday. My DH wouldn’t hear of it.
And, of course, [name_f]Laurel[/name_f]. Not really a good answer since it’s my daughter’s name but I still love it so much. Watch her grow up and ask me why I named her that, haha!
[name_f]Neve[/name_f]: I’m usually pretty adamant about “proper” spellings but I find this so much prettier than [name_f]Niamh[/name_f].
[name_f]Liv[/name_f]: I’d pronounce this as it looks in English, rather than the “proper” LEEV. But I’d still see it as the Nordic name, not a nickname name from [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]. This kind of pettiness and wrongness would usually bother me, but not here for some reason.
[name_f]Anoushka[/name_f], [name_f]Demelza[/name_f], [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], [name_f]Endellion[/name_f], [name_f]Valentina[/name_f], [name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f]: I tend to like short, frills-free names but I adore all of these.
[name_f]Kitty[/name_f], [name_f]Polly[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Peggy[/name_f], [name_u]Teddy[/name_u]: “cutesy” names ending in the “ee” sound usually feel too nicknamey to me, but I like these.
[name_m]Samson[/name_m]: the only -son name I like, but I love it.
I feel the exact same way about [name_f]Kate[/name_f]! I love it as a stand alone name, but my heart is always set on a formal name. [name_m]Just[/name_m] like [name_m]Jack[/name_m], I always want to use [name_m]John[/name_m] as a formal name but I don’t like [name_m]John[/name_m].
I love [name_f]Ava[/name_f], it sounds beautiful, looks beautiful, short and sweet, and will age well. Sadly SO DARN POPULAR!!! I love [name_u]Cade[/name_u] too, not [name_m]Caden[/name_m], just [name_u]Cade[/name_u]. But I feel like he’ll always have to say, “just [name_u]Cade[/name_u].”
[name_u]Landry[/name_u] - it looks and sounds a bit like laundry and I don’t think it fits with the other names i like, but I can’t help but love it
[name_m]Kerrigan[/name_m] - it’s traditionally masculine, it’s clunky and I don’t like the inevitable nickname [name_u]Kerry[/name_u], yet I love the full name [name_m]Kerrigan[/name_m]
[name_m]Heathcliff[/name_m] - a name linked to one character and probably not one you’d want to name your kid after yet i still really like the sound and feel of it
I have no naming rules, but I do have some preferences (e.g. more unusual/fresh names).
But I have a story to tell as well! 
In my family, almost all women have double names starting with [name_f]Maria[/name_f], but none of them goes by “just [name_f]Maria[/name_f]”. Take into account that [name_f]Maria[/name_f], for me, is one of the most beautiful names e.v.e.r., I think this double names are such a waste of [name_f]Maria[/name_f]. I certainly never expected to fall in love with [name_f]Mary[/name_f] doubles though… Everyday, I have a new favorite: [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Isabeau[/name_f], [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f], [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]; just so many possibilities. I also was never a fan of double names in general (like I said, the full name normally is not used in my family) now, however, I have this enormous list of double names, some are more normal like [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and some… aren’t ([name_f]Polly[/name_f]-[name_u]Blue[/name_u]). And it all started with my love for [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_f]Mary[/name_f].
My style is so all over the place there aren’t really any surprises. However I think my biggest obsession right now is [name_m]Baker[/name_m]. A) For the deckhand on below deck who I love (she’s so cool) and B) As an honor name for my grandmother’s maiden name.
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]. ”
I don’t really have rules or even many trends in my names but a few of the more “outliers” are:
[name_u]Corbyn[/name_u]- wrong spelling, more modern and virtually Unnicknameable. Also very short.
[name_u]Aspen[/name_u]: pretty much all of [name_u]Corbyn[/name_u] plus the ass pen thing makes it super easy to tease.
Double names- [name_f]Libi[/name_f]-[name_f]Rose[/name_f]/[name_f]Libi[/name_f]-[name_f]Christine[/name_f], [name_f]Marie[/name_f]-[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f]-[name_f]Eugenia[/name_f]: all different styles/cultures and I usually don’t like [name_f]Marie[/name_f], [name_f]Christine[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Eugenia[/name_f] or [name_f]Anna[/name_f] but I love them together. Also I’m not a massive fan of double names anyway.
[name_f]Jessica[/name_f]! It was the most popular name in the year I was born so I’ve known dozens of them in my life. I should be bored of it but I still love it.
I typically get bored with names pretty easily, but I never get tired of [name_f]Kate[/name_f] and [name_m]Jack[/name_m].