Alissa writes:
I found your blog a few weeks ago when I was researching names, and I’m really enjoying it. We have two boys, Grant William (almost 4) and Andrew Dean (we call him Drew, and he’s almost 2). Now we’re due with a baby girl on October 18. I thought girls’ names would be so much easier because there are so many that I love, but that is exactly our problem! Instead of narrowing down our list, I keep adding more names to it! And even though there are so many good choices, nothing seems quite perfect for us.
Our last name is Sloan, so thankfully a lot of names go easily with it. I’d like to choose a classic name that everyone knows, but that isn’t super popular or trendy right now (I’d like to stay away from at least the top 30 or 40). And I like alliteration, which draws me to names starting with “S” or to first and middle names with the same initial (although I don’t want all three names to begin with “S”). Some of the girls’ names that I love (and the drawbacks I see in them…..this is where I need feedback!) are:
Lauren: I’ve always loved this but I’m wondering if it was too popular in the 90s, and now is mostly associated with college-aged girls?
Molly: Adorable, but does it age well?
Caroline: Will people mispronounce it as “Carolyn” all the time?
Madeline: I’m afraid of the “Maddie” nickname, and people assuming she is ANOTHER Madison
Sarah: I think this sounds great with our last name. But it is always popular, and part of me wants something a little more “exciting.”
Susanna(h): Another “S” name that I’ve always liked. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to use it, though!
Meredith: My husband has loved this one since I suggested it months ago. But is it a little dated?
Jenna: I adore this name, but I don’t want people to assume it’s short for Jennifer.We love Claire as a middle name, and we could also use Madeline (or some of these others) as a middle name (for example, Sarah Madeline or Molly Madeline). I also like the combination of Caroline Claire (going back to alliteration again!). I also love Catherine Claire but it belongs to the daughter of one of my very close friends. So Catherine is probably out.
Do you have any suggestions or thoughts?? Additions to our list? Thanks so much in advance!
Oh, I had that SAME problem with girl names! I kept thinking of more, and More, and MORE!
From your list my favorite is Meredith. Meredith Molly is adorable, and lets you use Molly without the concern about it maybe not aging well.
If you like Lauren, maybe you’d like Laurel. Laurel Susanna Sloan, maybe.
I too love the sound of Sarah Sloane. AND, two traditional nicknames for Sarah are Sally and Sadie. Sally Sloan! Sadie Sloan! Can you stand the cuteness?? And I think fun nicknames make the name feel a little more exciting to use. Sarah Madeline Sloane is so pretty, and gives you Madeline without Maddie/Madison problems. Sarah Meredith has an appealing repeating “air” sound.
Sabrina Sloane would be pretty, too. Or Stella Sloane.
I THINK Jenna is safe from sounding like a Jennifer nickname, but I’ll be interested in input from the commenters on this. There’s also Brenna, which was on my own list. Brenna Meredith Sloane, or Brenna Madeline Sloan. (I’m avoiding Claire as a nickname here, because of the tendency for a first name ending in an -ah or -ee sound to combine with Claire to make “eclair”.)
What about Amalia with the nn Molly? (Or Mali if you want to spell it that way…)
I’ll put a vote in for Sarah Meredith. It’s a lovely and dignified combination with adorable nicknames (I prefer Sadie, myself, to Sally).
I’ve had this name all my life and have no complaints. It’s been popular for so long that it has a timeless feel, but isn’t so traditional as Katherine or Elizabeth. I’ve really, really liked having it. It’s also a familiar name in many parts of the world, so it travels well, too.
You have a fine list of names, and I can see why it would be hard to choose just one. My favorites from your list:
Sarah — a true classic and really good with Sloan: Sarah Sloan. You could use an unexpected middle name if you want to make her full name more “exciting”. (Sarah Annabel Sloan — something along that line.)
Susanna — I named a daughter Susanna and never thought of that as “brave”. We call our daughter (now grown) by her full name, which she prefers, but sometimes “Sus” (‘Suz’) for short. I like the sound of Susanna Sloan.
Caroline — I don’t think pronunciation would be a problem; I’ve always said and heard it as Caroline (similar to Madeline).
Of those three, I would probably choose Sarah for you because it goes well with Grant and Drew and and gives you a classic, classy S-name to pair with Sloan. Some middle name suggestions:
Sarah Madeline Sloan
Sarah Catherine Sloan
Sarah Annabel Sloan
Sally is similar to Molly, so that nn for Sarah might be another option for you: “Sally” Sloan.
Best wishes!
Great names on your list. I think a name you love that’s going DOWN in popularity is a rare gem, so Lauren is my favorite for you. I like Sally, nn Sadie as well.
Good luck!
Very nice list. My favorites are Caroline and Susannah, with Sarah and Madeline and Meredith in the next tier.
To me Lauren doesn’t sound dated (although Jenna does). I l do like the alternate Laurel that Swistle suggested better, however. I agree that Molly might not age well and to me it sounds odd in the middle slot, so I’d only use it as a nickname for Mary. Mary Claire is cute.
I think Caroline Claire is lovely. That would be my pick.
I love your list! I’d have a hard time narrowing it down if I were you too.
I love:
Sarah Meredith Sloan nn. Sadie
Meredith Claire Sloan
I also love Lauren, and even though it was popular in the 90s, I prefer to think of it as a timeless classic. It isn’t terribly popular, so it manages to sound both familiar and fresh in my opinion. In fact, that’s how I’d describe most of the names on your list–familiar but fresh.
If you add a lovely little ‘a’ to the end of Caroline (to make it Carolina), no one will ever call your daughter ‘Carolyn’.
Carolina Claire.
I, too, like Laurel better than Lauren. It feels more up-to-date… much like Jemma/Gemma feels like the fresher version of Jenna.
Meredith has the most cheerful and sweet nickname! Merry!
The one I love the best, though, is Susanna. It’s classic, feminine, and rare… and it sounds fantastic with Slone.
Best wishes to your growing family!
You have so many good choices on your list!
My name is Sarah and I never really liked it because as a child of the mid 70’s, there were alway 4-5 other Sarahs in my class. I don’t think you’d have that problem nowadays and Sadie is a super cute nickname.
My 4 year old niece is named Meredith and I think it’s an adorable name with some good nickname options.
Lauren and Laurel are both nice, maybe Lorelei too.
Claire is one of those middle names that sounds good with just about anything, you can’t go wrong!
Good luck.
Sarah Sloane is perfect! If you think its too plain give her a funky middle name – your favorite color or plant or season or spice or something. I also think Susannah is nice and you are daring enough to use it!
My name is Sara and although it was quite popular when I was born (and the years around it) there were no Sarahs in my class, the year above me, or the year below me. Just two years up and down. So I didn’t have an initial. When I went to college, I worked at one job with two other Sarahs (but we were all different ages), but we went by our middle names, Sarabeth, Sarah Anne, and Sarah Rose which was really cool.
I love Sarah Sloan, but I did want to point out that Molly is traditionally a nickname for Mary (I know–WHAT?) which would also be adorable. I think Mary Meredith is so cute.
i’m a jenna. yes people have always asked (mostly in school not so much now that i’m older) is it just jenna or is that short for….jennifer? OR immediatly called me jen or jenny- definate nicknames for jennifer. i’ve always loved my names though! i was the only one for the longest time….i do know a couple young jenna’s now.
my VOTE though is definatly for lauren or laurel. not sure why, they just stood out to me from your list!
GOOD LUCK!!!
I know you didn’t want more names for your list but I think Cassandra is perfect for you.
Cassandra Claire Sloan
It gives you the S alliteration of Cassandra Sloan, and the C alliteration of Cassandra Claire.
However from your list I like Susannah best.
Cheers
as a Caroline myself, I will tell you that it will ABSOLUTELY be mispronounced – I’ve given up on correcting people because it happens so frequently. That being said, somebody will think up a way to mispronounce ANY name, so there’s that.
Anyway, I love all of your name choices- it’s so hard to choose! My favorites are:
Molly Madeline
Susanna Madeline
Meredith Molly
Best wishes!
I really like Susannah.
How about Shannon or Shelby?
I love love love Susannah. I would totally use it if my husband would let me. Great name on a great list!
Good luck!