We are TTC. Our boy’s name is set in stone - [name]Josiah[/name] [name]Walker[/name]. [name]Walker[/name] is my maiden name, and [name]Josiah[/name] because it’s Biblical, I like the meaning, and it comes with the nn [name]Joe[/name], which has family significance and which we love.
Girls are more complicated. I know we don’t have to decide yet, but I’d love to build my stash with some names my DH might like, or maybe even find “the one” we both love.
So I would love some ideas from Nameberries. Here are some guidelines, or you can just skip this part and surprise me!
Nothing too outlandish. I might be able to squeeze in an awesome word name middle like [name]Emerald[/name] or [name]Snow[/name], but maybe not. My husband vetoes everything but “name names.”
Scots-Irish or thereabouts would be cool. We have a Scottish last name - Hatten. My stepson’s name is [name]Sean[/name] [name]Killian[/name]. My husband likes Celtic & Gaelic names, obviously - he named [name]Sean[/name]. But he does not like difficult-to-pronounce or unfamiliar-to-Americans names. So [name]Aoife[/name], et. al., are out.
I would love to use something beginning with [name]Mar[/name]- as a first or middle to continue an accidental family tradition. But so far I don’t really love any [name]Mar[/name]- names. I would settle for an Ma- name or even an M.
As for my style, I dislike most of the popular-on-Nameberry names like [name]Alice[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Penelope[/name], & [name]Violet[/name]. I love still out-of-style vintage/Latinate names like [name]Agatha[/name], [name]Dolores[/name], and [name]Pilar[/name], but he hates them. I also like really unusual names like Atrella and [name]Senara[/name], and word/nature names like [name]Winter[/name] and [name]Lake[/name]. He doesn’t like these, either.
A few other tidbits: Something that would go well with [name]Josiah[/name]/[name]Joe[/name] would be nice. That’s kind of why I like [name]Shiloh[/name]. Names that pertain to writing (we both write for a living), the South, and the military are good. And the starting letter K is a big no-no; both of our names begin with K, and we want to avoid K-K-K… especially since we live in Mississippi. Yikes!
I have gotten him to suggest one name, and it was [name]Isabella[/name]. He was shocked when I told him it was #2. He still thinks of popular names as stuff like [name]Katie[/name] and [name]Jenny[/name]. I think he identifies [name]Isabella[/name] with his “secret” celeb crush, Rossellini.
I would love to find something I love that he also loves, but so far I haven’t found it. Maybe you can! Thanks, berries!
Hilarious about your husband suggesting [name]Isabella[/name]. Mine suggested [name]Elizabeth[/name] at one point, and I had the same reaction, but then I started to really love the name and almost kept it on my short list. [name]Isabella[/name] is an offshoot of [name]Elizabeth[/name], but [name]Isabella[/name] is trendy and [name]Elizabeth[/name] (though popular) will never be trendy. It’s also a completely stunning, classic name. I know you’re probably looking for something fresher… but I think [name]Elizabeth[/name] could be for you, and here’s why:
[name]BETTE[/name]. (pronounced “[name]Betty[/name]”)
[name]Bette[/name] [name]Davis[/name], [name]Bette[/name] Boop… So spunky, so iconic, such vintage coolness and beauty. Looking at your picture, with the polka dots and the red lipstick, I think [name]Bette[/name].
The world needs more Bettes. I love your idea of [name]Emerald[/name]. [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Emerald[/name] would be fabulous. [name]Emerald[/name] almost contains “mar,” right?
[name]Josiah[/name] “[name]Joe[/name]”
[name]Elizabeth[/name] “[name]Bette[/name]”
[name]Dolores[/name] “[name]Dot[/name]”
Yes.
[name]Meredith[/name] [name]Winter[/name] (I think [name]Meredith[/name] is Welsh, and while it doesn’t start with [name]Mar[/name]-, it comes pretty close)
[name]Savannah[/name] [name]Lane[/name] ([name]Layne[/name])
[name]Savannah[/name] [name]Kate[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name] [name]Grace[/name] (according to Nameberry, [name]Matilda[/name] means battle-mighty)
[name]Harper[/name] [name]Caroline[/name]
I really like a lot of what you’ve suggested here. I actually love [name]Elisabeth[/name] - with an s. For some reason. Idk why the s. But anyway I like the name a lot. [name]Elisabeth[/name] [name]Emerald[/name] is gorgeous. I adore double vowel combos.
There are 2 potential problems with [name]Elisabeth[/name] nn [name]Bette[/name]/[name]Betty[/name]/[name]Bettie[/name].
A problem cousin of my husband’s. She’s the only [name]Elisabeth[/name] in the family and at 17 she’s like notorious. Beyond Scared Straight notorious. They have her in a teen boot camp right now. It might not be a total killer for the name but it’s def a strong association.
[name]Bette[/name] (pr. like [name]Betty[/name]) is my mother’s biological mother’s name. Using it might be seen (by my crazy family) as an affront to them, that I pick the name of the biological grandma. The only possible plus is I have a late great aunt [name]Betty[/name] everyone loves…
I would just love to see [name]Elisabeth[/name] or [name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Betty[/name] come back at least a little bit, and I’d love to be a part of that, too. It’s def something to consider. Plus it does go perfectly with [name]Josiah[/name]/[name]Joe[/name]. Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions!
Idk why I have never been a fan of [name]Meredith[/name]… It sounds somehow masculine to me.
I have dismissed [name]Matilda[/name] for the past few years as too yupster-trendy but I’m starting to rething it a little. The only problem is I don’t really care for any of the possible nicknames.
First of all - thanks! I am pretty dadgum fond of [name]Josiah[/name] [name]Walker[/name], too!
[name]Margot[/name] I have just always hated. I associate it with snobbery, Idk why. [name]Mairead[/name] is exactly the type of name my husband will veto immediately for the complicated spelling.
[name]Maeve[/name], on the other hand, is pretty nice. I think it could be a pretty mn. Thank you!
[name]Mairwen[/name] (I know Welsh isn’t Irish/Scottish, but I think the spelling is pretty straightforward)
[name]Mara[/name]
[name]Marin[/name] / [name]Maren[/name]
[name]Marielle[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]
[name]Maris[/name]
[name]Marta[/name]
[name]Martine[/name]
[name]Maude[/name]
[name]Margaret[/name] reads Scottish to me for some reason and has some great nicknames, [name]Maggie[/name], [name]Molly[/name], [name]Maisie[/name], etc.
[name]Jean[/name] is another one that reads Scottish to me, but might be too much with [name]Josiah[/name] / [name]Joe[/name].
I like most of these, except [name]Bridget[/name], [name]Claire[/name], and [name]Clara[/name]. I feel like [name]Rose[/name] is overused as a mn but woefully underused as a first.
Of these, I like [name]Sabrina[/name] potentially a lot. But idk if there is a nn besides [name]Brina[/name] or Breezy, both of which I dislike. And also I’m afraid of the teenage witch association.
I have to say I am crushing kinda hard on [name]Elisabeth[/name] nn [name]Betty[/name] right now. I can’t decide if I like [name]Elisabeth[/name] or [name]Elizabeth[/name] better, or if I like [name]Betty[/name] or [name]Bettie[/name]. But I think it’s pretty adorable and ages well. I also see how [name]Elisabeth[/name]/[name]Betty[/name] = [name]Josiah[/name]/[name]Joe[/name]. The lovely classic Biblical sibilant name with the short spunky retro nickname. I’m diggin’ it, you guys. I wonder what the hubs will say…
Question: do you see [name]Betty[/name] becoming super trendy? I understand she’s a character on Mad Men. My gut feeling is it’s too retro to go mainstream trendy. [name]Do[/name] you agree?
It’s such an old classic that I can’t see it really spiking. If anything I think it may drop a bit with how many other options are becoming more acceptable.
[name]Betty[/name] is super spunky, though I personally like some of the other nn options better ([name]Libby[/name]/[name]Lizzy[/name] have always been my faves).
I like the z version better. I just love that there’s such a mainstream name that can use a Z.
Yay! [name]Elisabeth[/name] nn [name]Betty[/name]!
I personally like [name]Elizabeth[/name] with a Z, for no better reason than I like the eccentric strength of the letter Z. The S gives the name a nice softness though, and it’s a bit more unusual. I love [name]Betty[/name] spelled [name]Bette[/name], because it walks the line between adorable retro polkadot, and sassy sexy dame with an attitude. [name]Bettie[/name] with an IE feels just a tiny bit fussy to me. [name]Betty[/name] with a Y is classic.
I don’t foresee [name]Betty[/name] becoming a trend. She’s not perfumed-vintage like [name]Violet[/name], not clunky-quirky vintage like [name]Harriet[/name]/[name]Hazel[/name]. I’d say she’s immune to trends, like [name]Jane[/name], only she’s more unusual and way more fun! Part of [name]Betty[/name]'s power is that she’s [name]JUST[/name] [name]Betty[/name]. I’d be surprised and delighted to meet a child named [name]Bette[/name]/[name]Betty[/name], because the name is so trend-transcendingly humble, so self-contained, and so very endearing.
I never thought of it that way… hmmm, I’ll have to think about whether z or s is better.
I agree with you in every way. And I must say I like having [name]Betty[/name] as a nn for [name]Elizabeth[/name]/[name]Elisabeth[/name] because she can have a long, feminine name that dates back to ancient times, or she can use a short, spunky, retro name - it’s up to her.
I actually like [name]Mabel[/name]. I kind of like [name]Maple[/name], too! They’re both growing on me.
I love [name]Susannah[/name], [name]Tabitha[/name], and [name]Claudia[/name]. I didn’t realize [name]Junia[/name] was Biblical! [name]Just[/name] saw that one recently!
[name]Even[/name] tho I adore [name]Susannah[/name] I couldn’t use it. My stepmonster’s name is [name]Susan[/name] and I would never name a child after her. Sucks.
And holy cow, I never thought about [name]Fiona[/name] w/the nn [name]Fia[/name]. [name]Fiona[/name] is nice, tho I tend to think of the Shrek character. But w/ the nn [name]Fia[/name]… I loooove [name]Fia[/name], and having the full name [name]Fiona[/name] fleshes it out and makes it a bit more versatile. I also like [name]Rowan[/name] but DH doesn’t.
I love [name]Maia[/name] but can’t use it because [name]Maya[/name] is my dad’s dog. [name]Marcella[/name] is ok but I can’t make myself love it. [name]Mariella[/name] and [name]Marietta[/name] are nice too as middles, never thought of Marigny! Nice!
Thanks for all of your wonderful thoughts and suggestions! So many new names to consider!
