Caroline writes:
We have a baby girl due mid march 2011 and we are really struggling with names. Older siblings are Eleanore Quincy (3)(goes by Ellie) and Griffin William (1). Eden and Evaline (Evie) are top choices right now. I also love Vienna, but we have a distant friend with a daughter by this name and since it’s so unusual I’d feel like I was copying. We’d like to stay with something unusual as our last name is fairly common. Other possible considerations have been Avery, Amelia, Mildred (Millie)…but nothing is really convincing me I have to have it! Thanks for your help! My husband loves names with nicknames…
If you’re trying to avoid common, Avery (#32 in 2009 and rising) and Amelia (#55 in 2009 and rising) might be out.
If you like Mildred, I wonder if you’d like Matilda (Tilly) or Millicent (Millie) or Camilla (Cami, Millie) or Romilly (Romy, Milly) or Minerva (Minnie)?
If you like Evaline, I wonder if you’d like Emeline (Emmie—maybe too much with Ellie) or Genevieve (Evie) or Edith (Edie) or Geneva (Genna, Evie).
If you like Vienna and Eden, I wonder if you’d like Virginia (Ginny), Verona, Geneva (Genna, Evie) again, Sienna, Fiona, Gianna, Liana, Zinnia, Azalea, Gemma, Karenna, Verity.
Other possibilities:
Agnes (Aggie)
Agatha (Aggie)
Alice
Beatrix (Bee)
Esther
Florence (Florrie)
Frances (Frannie)
Georgia (Georgie)
Gretchen
Harriet (Hattie)
Lucille (Lucy)
Marian
Olive
Pearl
Silvia (Silvie)
Willemina (Willa, Mina)
I really like Amelia in your family, even if it’s on the popular side. You can use Millie as a nickname for it as well. (I know a teenaged Amelia who sometimes goes by Millie).
But if popularity is really important to you, here are a few more in the same ballpark as your other children’s names (which are lovely, btw):
Ariel
Aurora
Chelsea
Josephine
Maybe you could use some of the popular names you like as middles. For instance Chelsea Amelia. Oh, I love that. I recommend you name your daughter Chelsea Amelia.
Oh shoot. Chelsea is kind of close to Ellie, isn’t it?
I LOVE Evaline! So unique and beautiful!!
Since we also have an Eleanor, I’ll recommend our other daughter’s name: Adeline. Similar to your Evaline and also not common but very recognizable and comes with cute nickname options Ada (what we use) and Addie.
I think the nn Sylvie is so cute! Sylvia/Silvia would be a really pretty full name.
What about Vera? Or for another city-inspired name, Verona?
Some variations on the suggestions: Ginevra, Silvana, Juniper.
But really, I kind of love Eden. (I like Evaline too, but I feel like it might be too close to Eleanore for me).
Good luck!
I really love the suggestion of Adeline! nn Ada, Addy, Linny, etc. I also like Arabella or Adelaide.
I wonder if Evaline is too close to Eleanore – Evie and Ellie are quite similar.
I like Amelia (Mildred and Avery don’t seem to match your other names I think) – Milly and Ellie sound lovely together.
Some other suggestions:
Amalia – slightly different from Amelia, less popular right now
Audrey – like Avery but a bit more classic; Eleanore, Griffin, and Audrey sound nice.
Felicity – I don’t get why this name is not more popular. Lissie could be a nice nickname.
Ariana – Ari?
Miranda – also so underused!
Marina – same as above.
Juliet/te
Annaliese/Annalise – Annie and Ellie?
Lucille, Lucinda, Lucia
I forgot to say I also like Eden for you.
What about Jayma, Madeline (Madeleine), Dahlia or Luella?
Both Griffin and Eleanore have a subtle R sound and their middle names each have the same i sound. It would be nice to keep that in with the next one.
i.e.
Marianne Lily
Caroline Mildred
Beatrice Simone
Francine Camille
Meredith Elise
Virginia Corinne
i like the suggestion of aurora, and would also like to throw aurelia into the ring. both have that subtle “R” sound that griffin and eleanore have, and rory is a super cute nickname!
aurelia eden, eleanore quincy and griffin william. i like it. :)
I love the name Eden! It’s lovely with your other children’s names.
I like Swistle’s suggestions of Camilla and Genevieve.
I wonder if you’ll like Lucinda (nn Lucy)? Or Adelaide (nn Addie or Ada)?
I love Eden on your list, but unfortunately I think I love it for a little girl and not so much for a grown woman. I also love Evaline, but it reminds me so much of Eleanor that I don’t think I’d use it in your sibling set.