Cassie writes:
Help!
We are expecting on February 24, 2010 and haven’t landed on any names. To make matters more complicated, we don’t know if we are having a boy or a girl.
Our surname is Torode (pronounced tur-ode) and the family name I would like to use is Tait. Just wondering if that is too much alliteration. I like the name Tait for a boy -and perhaps a girl.
My maiden name is Campbell which I also like as a unisex first name.
Options for middle names (also family names) are Jane and David.
Lastly, a few girls names I like are Stella, Reina, Gabriella, Isla (a few friends have named their baby this recently) and Chloe (maybe too popular)
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
When I experimented saying Tait Torode out loud, I got “Tater Road.” I think the problem is that T at the end of Tait—the alliteration of, say, Taylor Torode is fine. In the middle name slot it would be less of a problem: Campbell Tait Torode, Stella Tait Torode. But I’m so keen on family names, I think I’d go ahead and use it as a first name and just get used to enunciating clearly with a nice pause between names.
A middle name for Tait is tricky. Tait David works fine, I think, but Tait Jane is too abrupt. I’d want to use a middle name that was as obviously feminine as David is obviously masculine, so maybe something like Elizabeth or Gabriella. Tait Elizabeth Torode.
I used to think of Campbell as mostly masculine until I realized the nicknames are feminine: Cammie, Bella. Campbell Jane Torode. And it still works for boys: Campbell David Torode. (Campbell Tait would work, too, but I prefer to pair an androgynous names with a name that is strongly masculine or feminine.)
I also like the names Jane and David for the first-name slot: Jane Campbell Torode is wonderful, and so is David Campbell Torode.
If you like Isla but don’t want to use it after friends did, you might like Lila. Lila Tait Torode is so pretty.
If you like Chloe but it’s a little too popular, you might like Cleo: same sounds in a different order and yet it’s not even in the top 1000. Cleo Tait Torode.
More suggestions for Cassie?
What about lengthening Tait to Tatum to have a different ending?
I’m with Stephanie. Lengthening Tate to Tatum seems like a really good option. You can annunciation all you like, but the tendency to slur words would likely make Tater Road a likelihood.
That said, I think you have some lovely choices. Jane is a classic. You’ll never get tired of Jane.
I think both Tait and Campbell work well for unisex names, in the first name or the middle name slot. Some possibilities for inspiration:
Ciara
Dahlia
Lena
Viviana
Ciara Jane. Dahlia Tait. Campbell Viviana Torode.
Andrew
Joshua
Oliver
Sebastian
Joshua David. Oliver Campbell. Tait Sebastian Torode.
Good luck!
I like the idea of Tatum as well, Tatum Jane is very cute. Campbell Jane is good, but Swistle’s suggestion of Lila Tait Torode is great. I love the flow of it. I do like Tait for a boy though, better than Campbell for a boy. Tait David or even Tait Campbell would work for a boy. Good Luck!
Oh, I really like Tatum! You could use Tait for a nickname if you’d like. But I am not crazy about the name on a girl. I like the classic sound of Jane as a middle name…maybe with Tatiana…it has the possibilty for a Tait nn as well
I was going to suggest Tatum too…
Tatum Jane or Tatum Gabriella for a girl. And then you can call her Tate/Tait. I also like Swistle’s suggestion of Lila Tait. Lila Campbell is very pretty too.
I guess my opinion boils down to switching it up to Tatum for a girl or using Tait or Campbell as the middle name.
For a boy I’d say David Campbell (but maybe you don’t like that name quite enough as you’ve got it slated for the middle) or Tate David. Tate Campbell if you want to use both. I love using maiden names as middle names if they work!!
I really like Tait either lengthened to Tatum or as a middle name. I find it really difficult to say with your last name, unfortunately, because it is a great name!
Another alternative to Chloe or Cleo is Clea. Less common without seeming unusual.
I like Tatum… Not big on Tait Torode. Campbell is cute.
I vote for Campbell for either gender!
I agree Tait Torode is a bit hard to say. I prefer Campbell for that reason:
Campbell David
Campbell Chloe
Campbell Gabriella
Campbell Jane
Campbell Stella
David Tait could work, too. And all of the girl’s names could be reversed.
Ah, I was all about Tait Campbell Torode (sounds like a boy to me), until I realized that yes, Tait Torode isn’t the best flowing name….booo!
I really like the suggestion of Tatum. I really think that Tait Torode is way too much. I like Marlow Tait or Jerome. Campbell Jerome Torode. Or Marlow Campbell Torode.
Actually, Marlow for a girl or Arlo for a boy :)
Ok, I’ll stop rambling now.
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I always try to think of possible horrible nicknames that kids might come up with around junior high, when they start to get “clever” — and I’d be afraid that the name “Tait” would inspire the naughtier kids to call the child “TAINT!” (if you don’t know, look it up…) Oh, the horror!! :)