Which "Lil-" Name For Theo's List?

Girl Names
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Hello, friends!

As I am working on rounding out my girl name list, I’d love to have a “Lily” name in there, but I simply can’t decide which one!

I’ve considered a number of variants, all with their own pros and cons, which I’ll talk about below. None of them are out of the running, but none feel quite right, either.

The Maybes:

Lilidora: This is a smoosh name that I created when playing with some of my favorite girl name sounds. I think it’s quite pretty, but I don’t love that it’s completely made-up.

Lillianna: I absolutely adore this. However, I already have Susanna on my shortlist, as well as Pollyanna and Isannah on my long list. I’m not sure if I could get over the fact that I couldn’t use all of the names on my short list together. I do have both Asher and Asa on my boy list, though, so maybe it’s fine? I was also dissuaded by the description that Nameberry has for it.

Lilliet: This is so pretty on paper, but I find it kind of hard to say and a little harsh in sound when it’s actually spoken aloud.

Lilla: Lilla is lovely, but it’s a little too close to a personal pet’s name. I also worry about pronunciation issues and whether it’s too difficult to say smoothly.

Lilianne: Very cute, but it has the same problem as Lillianna. I also already have Felicity Anne on my list.

Lillie: Absolutely adorable, but it feels rather plain and lackluster due to the Lily boom of the 2000s and 2010s.

I’m also open to new ideas. My criteria is rather loose, but I do want the name to be easily spelled and pronounced, as well as not too out-there. And though I love names like Liliwen and Lilosa, it feels like I’d be encroaching on cultural appropriation territory by using a Lily-name that is not popular in a wide variety of cultures and geographic locations.

So, which “Lil-” name do you think deserves a spot on my list? Fresh ideas are welcome and encouraged, but if you think I already have my winner, please let me know! Also, I’m very easily swayed by a well-formed argument, so if you have any particular reasoning for your choice and feel like sharing, I’d love to hear it.

This name would be joining hypothetical sisters Lucy, Evangeline, Cornelia, Ada, Marigold, Claramae, Verity, Susanna, Mercy, Willow, Glory, Felicity, Meadow, Eliza, Primrose, Lottie, Daisy, and Beatrice.

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[name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] is a beautiful idea and is a great match for your other favorite first names. [name_f]Lilianna[/name_f] is romantic, girly and floral just like your other choices. I prefer [name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] over [name_f]Lillianne[/name_f]. I prefer the spellings [name_f]Lilianna[/name_f] or [name_f]Liliana[/name_f], though. They feel more intuitive to me.

Lilidora is adorable, unique and magical. I really like it! It could work with [name_f]Marigold[/name_f], [name_f]Claramae[/name_f] and [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]. Lily/Lillie and [name_f]Dora[/name_f] would be great nicknames!

[name_f]Lilliet[/name_f] is also very interesting, sweet and fun! Kind of a mix between the gentle [name_f]Lily[/name_f] and the powerful [name_f]Harriet[/name_f] or the poetic [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]. It’s not a perfect match for most of your favorite girl names because it feels original and innovative while most of your girls’ names are classic and traditional. However, it could still work because it looks and sounds familiar at the same time!

[name_f]Lillie[/name_f] is lovely! However, I would use [name_f]Lily[/name_f]. Unfortunately, I think [name_f]Lillie[/name_f] will be misspelled a lot because [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is such a common and timeless name.

Not a [name_f]Lily[/name_f] name, but I think you may like Eliodora or Heliodora.

Other ideas:
[name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilika[/name_f] or Liliko
[name_f]Lileas[/name_f] or [name_f]Lilias[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Dalila[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilou[/name_f]
[name_f]Tigerlily[/name_f]
[name_f]Daylily[/name_f]
Lilibel or Lilibelle
Lilica
Lilietta
[name_f]Lilinoe[/name_f]
Lilimar

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[name_f]Lily[/name_f], in honor of me :grin: Kidding, kidding. I really wish my name hadn’t become popular after I was born.

I think Lilidora is actually adorable.

Maybe [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] or Lilibeth/Lilybeth?

[name_f]Liliya[/name_f]
Lilybelle
[name_f]Lilika[/name_f]
Liliandra
Lilaina (not to be confused with Liliana)
[name_f]Liliwen[/name_f]

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So pretty!! I love [name_f]Lili[/name_f]- names myself, so I totally get the struggle!!

I think the one that fits best with your list is Lilidora. She seems real to me (as in not made up) and is vintage, springy, and cute!!

I also like [name_f]Lilianne[/name_f] as well, maybe you’d prefer [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] (which would go amazingly with your other names) since it has a less harsh -anne sound and is more like -in !!

While I think [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] and Lilidora are my favorites, they’re all so gorgeous and sunny!!

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I like [name_f]Lilianne[/name_f] for you! It’s elegant and sophisticated but sweet and different enough to the -anna names that it could work (since [name_m]Asa[/name_m] and [name_m]Asher[/name_m] are on the list).

Lilidora is lovely too - a smoosh name that I like for you, and while it is made up, it is two established names together. (plus, nice meaning - lily gift - a gift of lilies?)

[name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f], [name_f]Lilyrose[/name_f], [name_f]Lilika[/name_f], [name_f]Lielle[/name_f], [name_f]Lilium[/name_f] came to mind, but you’ve got some good options

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[name_f]Lilianne[/name_f] is so pretty! Lilidora also sounds good, plus good nn options lol.

suggestions (warning, most of these are made-up/super uncommon so…)
Lilirose (flowery)
Alily
Lilimay

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I like [name_f]Lilliet[/name_f] best from your options! Along that line, maybe [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] or [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f]? [name_f]Lillias[/name_f] also comes to mind.

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It has to be said that I’m not a fan of [name_f]Lily[/name_f] or [name_f]Lily[/name_f] names, but my favourite of your options is Lilidora! I think that’s a fab and distinctive smush that works.

Other suggestions have probs already been covered, the most obvious ones to me are [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] and [name_f]Lillian[/name_f], but I’d also like to suggest Lilimara which is another smush I’ve just invented inspired by yours. Could Liliora also work?

I do think [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] visually looks much sleeker and better than [name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] which hurts my head a bit from all the repeated letters, it feels very unnecessarily over-elaborate. But then again I’d pronounce the two differently - [name_f]Liliana[/name_f] as lili-AHN-a with a long a, and [name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] exactly as spelt, lili-anna with the short a. [name_m]Even[/name_m] getting rid of one of the L’s might help visually to retain the same pronunciation - [name_f]Lilianna[/name_f]? [name_m]Or[/name_m] to go further still for more visual variety, [name_f]Lilyanna[/name_f]? I do think the double n is necessary to retain the [name_f]Anna[/name_f] rather than AHN-a sound, and then [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is a palindrome, so any other doubles in the name you can get rid of lessens then visual fatigue.

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[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite is [name_f]Lillie[/name_f], spunky and fun and I love this spelling.

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i’m a big sister to a l!lia so i’m partial to that! :smiling_face:
lilidora is my favourite for you, i generally prefer liliana to lilianna but that’s more personal preference! :sunflower:

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You have some great options here!

I love [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]! I think it’s such a beautiful name and am always surprised it’s not used more often. You have some pretty nickname options and it’s similar enough to [name_f]Lily[/name_f] that I think people wouldn’t be thrown off by it.

I like [name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] second best! I think it’s also beautiful and again has a lot of nice nickname options. I see your concern about having similar names on your list. That’s always tough to figure out! But I think it’s a really great option still!

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i think lilidora is utterly perfect for you, but i just have to say how excited i am to see lilianne on your list. that was my grandpa’s granny’s name, and i’ve always wondered why i never see it. :white_heart:

you might also like lillabee or lillabea, one i’ve seen around a bit :bouquet:

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From your list I think [name_f]Lillianna[/name_f] is my favorite.

Overall my favorite long forms for [name_f]Lily[/name_f] are:
[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Liliwen[/name_f] - this feels similar to your Lilidora, but with some history to it.