Kenya writes:
Please Help! I’m due with my second child on March 10th. My husband and I can’t agree on a name. My son’s name is Troy Matthew, which we love because it’s not too common but not weird either. Our last name is pronounced ” Brooke-e”. I have issues with highly unusual names because my first name is Kenya. I had to pronounce and spell it my entire life, so I want to give my children simple names, but not too common like Jennifer, Jessica, Nicole, etc…
I love love Nora, It’s my great grandmothers name. It’s not used too much, easy to pronounce but my husband hates it.Names I love but my husband hates:
Nora (hubs just thinks it’s ugly)
Jada ( hubs thinks it sounds like a stripper name)
JadeNames my husband likes and I can deal with but don’t love:
Jadyn (it kinda sounds like a boy name and is a little rare)
Kinsley (too cute-sy)
Savannah (it’s long and a city I’ve never even been to)Maybe I could squeeze Nora in as a middle name. I don’t want to call my child by their middle name. It doesn’t matter if it goes with Troy or not. I tend to like short, simple names! Thank You!!
You guys are so close on Jada/Jade and Jadyn, it seems like there should be some common ground there. I wonder if taking off the J and using Ada would strip it (see what I did there?) of the negative connotations for him. Is Ava too popular? Or Jane is almost like Jade in sound, but with totally different connotations. Or Gia? Or Kate?
Anna could be pitched to your husband as the shorter, simpler, non-place-name version of Savannah.
More short and simple names (avoiding -ee/-y endings because of the matching ending of the surname):
Alice
Clara
Cora
Eliza
Elsa
Eva
Eve
Faith
Greta
Iris
Kira
Kyla
Laura
Lia
Lila
Mia
Nina
Rose
Ruth
Tessa
I have to comment here because my name is Jaida and I am most certainly nottttt a stripper ;) For what it’s worth I have always loved my name and had lots of compliments.
I like Swistle’s suggestions of Ada, Anna, Ava & Jane.
I also like the idea of using Nora as a middle. If you like the double-ends-in-a sound Anna Nora B. is a nice name; if you don’t, I think Jane Nora B. could work.
Or maybe Eleanor could give you Nora as nickname only you use. Eleanor Jane B. is lovely.
Or going off in a totally different direction, how about using one of his favorites you can live with but don’t love as a middle. Then find a first name that works with it. Rose Savannah B. would be nice for instance.
I was just going to suggest Eleanor for Nora! :) Either that or Leonora. Eleanor would also give you Elle or Lea, if your husband likes those better.
You could do Giada instead of Jade/Jada? It’s the Italian version of Jade, and pronounced very similarly to “jyah-duh.” That would give you Jade, Gia, and your Jada. Jadyn is actually pretty trendy- it fits in with the Jadyn/Aiden/Cayden/Braydyn/etc names. I think it’s the name of one of Britney Spears’ sons.
I like Jana, and you could pronounce it so it kind of rhymes with Jada, or you could pronounce it Jann-a (my fav.)
Or maybe Jenna? I know Jennifer is so overused, but tend to know way fewer Jennas. Those who go by that name were not nn’s for Jennifer.
What about Cora instead of Nora?
I used to dislike the name Nora, but the singer Norah Jones (and her unique spelling) made me reconsider. I also love the nn Nonie (my grandma’s name was Elnora, and she went by Nonie). Now I love Nora, Eleanora, and all kinds of variations for it.
I think Swistle’s suggestion of trying to find something close to Jada/Jadyn is the right one. I like Ada from her list. Would Jayla work for you both? Its been reasonably popular for a while but never entered the top 100. Or a bit further removed Layla.
Working from his list… how about Samara? Takes away the place name association, but with the same sound. You can use Mara for a nn, which is quite close to Nora.
My friend Jaeda pronounces her name as JAY-dah. I prefer this pronouciation to the Jaaaaahhh-da, which can sound like you are opening your mouth for the dentist.
I wonder if you would like McKenna? It is not as uncommon as Kinsley, but still not too popular.
Gemma, maybe? Sort of like Jada, only hopefully without your husband’s negative connotations. Ada works too.
On the Savannah front, I know you like shorter names, but Susannah might work for your husband and it has the same sort of feel without the place implications. Susan or Hannah, works and takes away from the length.
I’m sorry your husband vetoed Nora, since I do find it to be such a great name. But hopefully you guys find a great name from some of the great suggestions you’ve gotten.
Good luck!
How about Jayna?
lately i’m really loving leah. it’s short, simple, fairly easy to spell and has no pronunciation issues.
troy and leah. leah jade brucke. pretty. :)
if nora is something you need to get in there, do like another commenter suggested and run leonora by the hubby. that way little leah can have a cute nickname and a substantial, but still pretty, grown-up name that your husband might approve.
leonora jade brucke.
How about Nola? I also love Laura. Maybe Laura Jane?
I like Laura–seems to fit your criteria. Or maybe Lauren? Simple, sweet, easy, perfect.
How about Leila – pronounced like Layla but was on ranked in the 200s in 2009.
Swistle’s suggestions are so spot on. I love Iris and it seems surprisingly underused with names like Lily and Ruby becoming fashionable. I feel Iris makes a great first or middle name.
Laura is one of those names that’s deceptively different for this generation of babies. Lauren is more popular now, but I feel Laura is the more classic choice and I don’t think you can go wrong with it.
I love Cora, and I considered it for my son, had he been a girl of course!
Alice and Faith are also favorites of mine.
And an amusing note:
I actually know a Troy / Tory sibling set – no kidding. I don’t suggest you go that route.
Nora is beautiful. I wonder if your husband would like Nola or Nuala, although that won’t be the same for you I assume.
Some other names:
Willow
Taryn
Lena, Lana, Lara
Lucille
Clary
Jayma
Jael
Jana
Jacintha
Cara
Erin
Sage