Lisa writes:

We really need help naming our soon to arrive baby girl. I’m 2 weeks 4 days away from D-day and my husband and I cannot agree on one single name. We already have a two year old named Katie Jane Violet – Jane after my Mom and Violet after my husbands Mom, so this go around is all about what we like best since we’ve honored our Mom’s. As such, I think we’re just having a really hard time with the lack of rules.

Here is our small, small list of maybes:
Isabella
Quinn
Bella

My husbands last name is Pereversoff, so the shorter the first name, the better. I love a middle name of Jude (all time favorite music is the Beatles) – but then the initials BJ are a little mockable. The biggest hurdle is that I’d love an Ella, but my cousin already has a daughter named Ella. That brought me to loving the name Anabella, but one of my Grandma’s names is Anna, so would I need the middle name to be Ruth after my other Grandma to not offend? And then where would it end, cause the husband wants his Grandma’s name – Dora in the mix. And since I already think for this one we should do whatever we like best, that’s just an argument I’d rather avoid.

If we pick Quinn, I’m not sure Jude goes that well with it.

I think I just need more options. I’m hoping you can help to find us something that we both love!?

Thank you!

Do you think your cousin would be okay with another Ella? Ella Jude Quinn would be a nice complement to Katie Jane Violet. Or would Ellie be a little better? Ellie Jude Quinn Pereversoff.

Or perhaps it would be better to put Ella in the middle name slot, just to be sure: ____ Ella Jude might be pretty, or ______ Quinn Ella.

I see you like Isabella, and I’m wondering if you’d like Isadora. Downside: it’s long, and so much more formal/uncommon a name than Katie. Upside: it honors your husband’s grandma without provoking the dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-DORA song, and Izzy and Dorrie would both be sweet with Katie. Isadora Anna Ruth. I know you didn’t want to go down this path, though, so this is more just playing around with possible honor name combinations for fun. (Ooo, or Annie would be so sweet with Katie. Annie Jude Isadora Pereversoff; Katie and Annie. That’s one grandma from each side. …Okay, I’ll stop now.)

I don’t think that the name Annabella would force you to start honoring all the other grandmothers. If I were in that situation, I think I might be tempted to declare merrily to everyone that no, it was just a coincidence that it had the “anna” in it as MANY girl names do—and then I’d whisper privately to my Grandma Anna that it WAS after her but I didn’t want to be stuck honoring ALL the grandmas SHHHHH don’t tell! The biggest downside of Annabella is it’s such a long name. Annabel takes off a syllable, but it sounds like it’s the -ella that appeals to you.

Do you like Lila? It has some sounds in common with Ella, and it’s short. Lila Jude Quinn Pereversoff; Katie and Lila.

Or Lily. Lily Jude Quinn Pereversoff; Katie and Lily.

Even better: Lucy. It coordinates well with Katie in both style and formality; it’s a Beatles reference; it’s short. Lucy Ella Quinn Pereversoff; Katie and Lucy.

Or Abby, which has all the upsides of Lucy except the Beatles reference (unless Abbey Road counts?). Abby Jude Ella Pereversoff; Katie and Abby.

Or Molly, another maybe-Beatles reference. Molly Jude Ella Pereversoff; Katie and Molly.

Or Josie. Josie Ella Quinn Pereversoff; Katie and Josie.

Sophie. Sophie Jude Ella Pereversoff; Katie and Sophie.

Grace. Grace Ella Jude Pereversoff; Katie and Gracie.

Laney. Laney Jude Pereversoff; Katie and Laney.

Elsa might be enough different to not step on any cousin toes, but similar enough for you to like it. Elsa Jude Pereversoff; Katie and Elsie.

Same with Emma. Emma Jude Pereversoff; Katie and Emma.

I know very cute sisters named Katie and Emily. Emily Jude Pereversoff; Katie and Emily.

Name update! Lisa writes:

Thought I’d send you an update to a blog response you posted for me. We’ve just had our baby girl (yesterday morning) and we named her Quinn Ellie Jude Pereversoff – Katie and Quinn. Thanks so much for your help!