Charlotte writes:
I’m due in late January and need a name! We decided to wait to find out if it’s a boy or a girl. We’re looking for a name that is easily to spell and pronounce but not too popular, something a bit old-fashioned, and something that sounds sophisticated. We love the way our daughter’s name sounds – Rose Ophelia Winston – and want to match that with our next child’s name.
For girls, my two favorites are Hazel and Lilac; his two favorites are Cora and Pearl. We’re also considering Margot and Gabrielle. I’d like something longer and very feminine for the middle name. We’ve been tossing around ideas like Adelaide, Isadora, and Marguerite, and we’d love some suggestions! For combos, we currently have Hazel Isadora and Pearl Marguerite on our list, but we’re looking for more.
For boys, we like Clark, Isaac, Dexter, and Conrad. I really like Edward, but we’re only considering it as a middle name – the initials EW aren’t exactly desirable. We’re also thinking of Rex as a middle name. It was my husband’s favorite for a boy, but I’m not crazy about it, and Rose and Rex are too close, anyways. For middle names, we’re looking for something long (3 – 4 syllables) and strong sounding. We’ve been discussing Oliver, Nathaniel, Alexander, and Benjamin, but we’re open to suggestions.
Thank you! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
There are so many good names here, it’s hard to know where to start. …Wait, no it isn’t: I’ll start with Cora. One of the great sadnesses of my childbearing years is that my surname doesn’t work with the name Cora. With your surname, it’s terrific: Cora Winston. I WANT THAT NAME. And it is so perfect with Rose: Rose and Cora. Not at all matchy, but totally coordinated. Cora! I like Cora.
Cora Gabriella Winston (CGW)
Cora Francesca Winston (CFW)
Cora Valentina Winston (CVW)
Cora Josephine Winston (CJW)
Cora Felicity Winston (CFW)
Cora Philomena Winston (CPW)
Of your boy choices, my favorites are Clark and Isaac—but with your surname, my favorite is Isaac. Isaac Winston. Rose and Isaac. Very, very nice. I like it with three of your middle name choices and with two of your other first name choices, and I’ll add a few more possibilities.
Isaac Edward Winston (IEW)
Isaac Nathaniel Winston (INW)
Isaac Alexander Winston (IAW)
Isaac Dexter Winston (IDW)
Isaac Conrad Winston (ICW)
Isaac Augustus Winston (IAW)
Isaac Edmund Winston (IEW)
Isaac Theodore Winston (ITW)
I’ll put two polls (one for girl names, one for boy names) over to the right with all the first name choices, so everyone else can pick favorites. [Polls closed; see below for results.]
Poll results:
Girl names (251 votes total):
Hazel: 34 votes, roughly 14%
Lilac: 4 votes, roughly 2%
Cora: 137 votes, roughly 55%
Pearl: 15 votes, roughly 6%
Margot: 44 votes, roughly 18%
Gabrielle: 17 votes, roughly 7%
Boy names (238 votes total):
Clark: 43 votes, roughly 18%
Isaac: 128 votes, roughly 54%
Dexter: 32 votes, roughly 13%
Conrad: 35 votes, roughly 15%
Name update 01-30-2009! Charlotte writes:
Cora Genevieve Winston made her grand debut on January 23, 2009 at 9:26 AM! I am completely crazy in love with her! :) She is so tiny and beautiful. Thank you so much for all the help with her name. We’ve been getting so many compliments on it. Rose has been cooing “Co-Wah” and “Coco”. Our second choice was Cora Gabrielle. Once again, thank you!
Cora Marguerite is one of my all-time favorite names. Like, on the shortlist for my second daughter. (first daughter does not exist, but her name’s all set for family reasons–Anna Rosemary.)
Sometimes I toy with Cora Mairead, but Cora Marguerite! Definitely!
I really like Pearl Marguerite – the one syllable first name goes really well with Rose. I might point out that Hazel Isadora has a lot of zzzz sounds in it.
I *love* Cora, especially Cora Felicity. Beautiful gorgeous name.
I hesistate to add that with the move Coraline coming out, you might find more Cora’s.
Cora is nice and so is Margot. I think Cora Josephine has a great old-fashioned feel to it. Also Margot Josephine.
Isaac Theodore really stands out to me for a boy.
I love Hazel. LOVE. I voted for Hazel and I like Hazel Josephine.
I love Issac and Clark, too, but voted for Issac because it goes better with your last name.
I like Cora Valentina for the girl, and I’m going to suggest Isaac Sylvester for the boy.
I actually voted for Dexter in the poll, but when you described what you wanted for a surname, my first thought was Sylvester, which is a long classic name that hardly gets used anymore. It would be on my list for a potential boy, if it worked with my surname, but alas it doesn’t. However, Dexter Sylvester just sounds ridiculous. But I think Isaac Sylvester works really well.
ugh.. which I could edit… when I wrote, “when you described what you wanted for a surname,” I MEANT, when you described what you wanted for a middle name…
I did it again.. should be “wish I could edit” guess I need to proof read more
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I agree about Cora and Isaac.
I especially like Cora Marguerite and Isaac Edward!
Don’t go for Pearl Marguerite … both names mean the same thing (Pearl).
hehe I was going to say the exact same thing Megz said…. cause the name Megan means Pearl as does pearl and as does Margaret, Marguerite, Maggy, etc….
Wow – Rose Ophelia is perfection! I can see why you’re struggling with #2.
I love Hazel and Lilac, but I’m not sure if it is too matchy to have both girls’ names botanically themed. Cora, on the other hand, seems nicely paired with Rose, so she gets my vote.
I like Cora Valentina best of all – especially as she’s due just weeks before February 14.
There’s also Cora Jacinda – Jacinda comes from the same root as Hyacinth, so it gives both girls a floral name.
As for boys, I voted for Isaac, though really all of them are great. I just like the sound of Isaac Winston. Isaac Conrad is great. I like Isaac Augustus, as well; you could also consider Isaac Evander and Isaac Atticus.
Best wishes!
I like Coral better than Cora. Think it goes better with big sister’s name.
My mother gave me the middle name Marguerite and I legally changed it. No one, including myself could spell it. Just my opinion.
I voted for Margot, a name I really like but can’t swing my husband to agree with me. Cora is still not quite old enough for me to love yet.
I chose Isaac for a boy. A name we’re considering ourselves. Lots of coolness but familiar enough not to be a headache.
Oh I’m torn…
I love Hazel and think Rose and Hazel are great. Hazel Isadora Winston is beautiful.
But Swistle’s convinced me – Cora Winston? Stunning! I like Cora Gabriella, Cora Josephine, and Cora Valentina.
For a boy, I like Isaac Edward, Isaac Alexander, and Isaac Theodore.
I’m envious – great names, great taste, great last name!
Good luck!
I voted Hazel because I love it! (And it’s the name of my 7 month old daughter). I really like most of your suggestions for girls, though, including Pearl and Cora. We tossed both of those names around when we landed on Hazel. Another we really liked was Nora. Just a thought.
Oh, and I wouldn’t do Pearl Marguerite, because Margaret/Marguerite means “pearl”, which is too redundant for my taste. Margaret is my MIL’s name, and one we plan to use in the future, which is why I know it’s meaning off the top of my head. ;-)
I love Cora with Rose!
And for a boy how about Isaac Sebastian?
Lilac Isadora and Conrad William are my favorites. Both are so distinctive, yet still have a historic classic vibe that I think you are going for. I do like Cora, but the repeated RO/OR sounds in Rose and Cora may bother me more than two botanicals together.
I second those who warned against using Pearl and Marguerite together.
Thanks for all the great comments! Swistle, you’ve started to lead me towards Cora – it might just be The One. :) None of the MN suggestions for Cora jumped out at me – does anyone have any other ideas?
Isaac Augustus is extremely cool and the combo just might make our list.
Swistle (and all the blog readers/commenters): thank you so much for your help!
Clark! I love Clark!
You and your husband do have great taste.
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Rose Ophelia is beautiful. I think Cora & Rose are perfect together. Some possible middle names for Cora:
Cora Elisabeth
Cora Virginia
Cora Delphine
Cora Rowena
Cora Delaney
Cora Vivienne
Cora Seraphine
Best of luck!
Since I named my daughter Cora last year, I’m obviously biased. :) But I have to tell you how in love with this name I am and will always be…we get endless comments and compliments on it, and even had one TSA worker on the airport TEAR UP when she saw her name on our boarding pass because it was her grandmother’s name and she hadn’t ever met another one. Which is why I love it.
I think it goes wonderfully with Rose, too. I may have to borrow that if we have another girl someday!
Mucking around with Nymbler for a middle name for Cora:
Cora Charlotte
Cora Grace (common but still impeccable)
Cora Abigail
Cora Beatrix or Cora Beatrice
Cora Evelyn
Cora Beryl
Cora Genevieve
Cora Iris
Cora Eleanor
Cora Magdalene
Cora Irene
Cora Noemie
Cora Georgianne
Cora Melisande
Cora Cecily
Cora Pearl
Cora Sophia or Cora Sophie
Cora Celeste
Cora Evangeline
Cora Ivy
Cora Annabelle
Cora Harper
Cora Anastasia
Cora Marion
Cora Frances
Cora Daphne
Cora Jane
Cora Eloise
Cora Adele
Cora Camille
Cora Cecile
Cora Elodie
You can tell it’s a good name when they all pretty much work. I find Cora Magdalene, Cora Celeste, and Cora Cecile the most striking, but not by much.
I like
Cora Eloise
Cora Evangeline
Cora Violette (goes with Rose– flower theme)
Cora Briony (also botanical)
Cora Juliet (goes with Ophelia — Shakespeare reference)
Cora June