Dearest Swistle! You helped me name my first son Charlie nearly 8 (!!) years ago and I am desperately hoping you will help me again. (I’m happy to report we have never known a girl Charlie personally, or had even a boy one in the same class, although 1-2 in the same schools, and everyone loves the name and I don’t feel it is “Old Man” at all, as were my fears at the time).
I am due in April and we have known that we are having a girl since I was 13 weeks pregnant. Both of our boys were named pretty much the day after we went to the 20-week ultrasound and found out their gender. We had a great, agreed upon short list with each. I am stunned that we don’t have a name for this baby yet (and the type-A planner in me is becoming more and more stressed out). She will be our last child. Our surname is Lyman (pronounced LYE-men) and our two boys are Charles Oliver and Theodore William. They go exclusively by Charlie and Theo and we absolutely love the sib set and get complimented on the “familiar but fresh” sound all the time.
Here’s my problem: I don’t care for girls names that often go with these super traditional, familiar boys names! (For me there are three categories of these names: #1- Too-popular Top 10: Isabella, Olivia, Ella, Sophia, etc; #2- classic names that have maintained popularity: Elizabeth, Grace, Rose, etc; and #3- classic names that are regaining popularity – Eleanor, Frances, Matilda, etc.) I always pictured having a girl with a spunky, cool name, not something ultra-girly and or delicate sounding. There are two issues with this: my husband tends to dislike my general style for girls names and leans more traditional, and I love the sib set my boys have so much that I am scared to commit to a girl’s name coming out of left field in a different style that might feel jarring or surprising. Had this baby been another boy, we probably would have gone with Samuel (nn Sam). I like Sam for a girl’s nn too, but dislike Samantha AND we have a niece with the name anyway. Alexander/Alexandra was also a front runner for other pregnancies, but it’s so long! But maybe Alex for a girl is exactly what I’m looking for? However, wouldn’t anyone assume that Charlie, Theo, and Alex are all boys? Familiar but fresh, Top 50-100 seems to be our sweet spot, but I can’t seem to find a girl’s name I really love in there.
Sampling of names on my very long list that I like but can’t commit to:
Hadley
Oakley (probably too out-there or made-up sounding)
Juniper
Aspen
Kinsley
Piper
Holland (nn Hollie, though sadly I have an ex-best friend with this name which makes it most likely unusable for me)
Georgia (nn Jojo, my one traditional contender, but it’s very girly, and husband dislikes for unknown reasons!)Names my husband likes:
Natalie (I *could* get on board with this by delivery, maybe; I was stuck on its Christmas meaning but you wrote a post on that years ago that I found and it helped)
Lauren
Harper (his one non-traditional favorite but it leans SUPER trendy to me and doesn’t have a great nickname, which we like having. He has liked it since Charlie’s pregnancy 8 years ago and I am over it.)One final caveat is that so many names I like end in a LEE sound like Charlie’s name, who I sometimes wish was named Oliver (his middle name). I’m still a little mad at my husband for absolutely vetoing it in the first name slot. I’d make a strong push for any of the names on my list if they didn’t sound so rhyme-y with Charlie. Does the sib set Charlie, Theo, and Hadley leave Theo out in the cold?
I keep thinking there is this perfect name out there that bridges the gaps (I know this is a myth!!) and I just haven’t found it yet. But please, please pull this magic name out of your very skilled hat. ;)
Middle name will be Mae, which was my beloved Grandmother’s middle name which I also share. I looked into our family history (Swiss, German, Welsh, English) for more names and desperately wish I loved something like Emilia.
Signed,
An 80s Christine who wanted to be a Taylor and goes by Chris (husband is an 80s Anthony who goes by Tony)Thank you!!
Here is the name that SPRANG to my mind as I was reading this, but I suspect it is EXACTLY what you mean when you say you don’t like the girl names that often go with names such as Charles and Theodore: Margaret. Charles, Theodore, and Margaret; Charlie, Theo, and…SO MANY OPTIONS I CAN HARDLY CHOOSE. Charlie, Theo, and Margo. Charlie, Theo, and Greta. Charlie, Theo, and Maisie. Charlie, Theo, and Daisy. Charlie, Theo, and Maggie. Charlie, Theo, and Meg. Oh, or Charlie, Theo, and MAE? One thing I like about the name Margaret is that while it is used exclusively for girls, it doesn’t strike me as GIRLY in the way people often mean girly: cutesy, silly, frilly. It is more of a take-charge,-get-things-done kind of name. But still cool: I can picture a Margaret with a black bob and tattoos doing roller derby.
I also seized on Georgia/Jojo from your list and I LOVE the name Georgia and wonder if we could get your husband slowly worked around to liking it. We get so many letters that start with “There’s a perfect name but my husband hates it” and then the update is “My husband changed his mind!” There is hope.
Or I wonder if you would like Josephine/Jojo. Charles, Theodore, and Josephine; Charlie, Theo, and Jojo. Theo and Jojo sound a little odd together, but I am not very picky about nickname coordination. And maybe she would end up going by Jo or Josie instead. (And a Georgia might use Georgie or George.)
But I think it’s completely fine to choose a girl name that is of a different style than Charles/Theodore. It’s fairly common for parents to have different styles for boy names and girl names.
I don’t think a Charlie, Theo, and Hadley/Kinsley/Oakley sibling group would make Theo feel left out: because of the spacing and because of the spelling, I’m not sure I would even notice that two of the three names had sound-alike endings. (I’d notice more quickly with the name Natalie, especially if it had been Charlie, Natalie, and Theo instead of Charlie, Theo, Natalie.) Plus, one of the matched endings is from a nickname, which matters less to me even when the nickname is used exclusively.
The name that leaps out at me from your list is Juniper: shares an ending with your husband’s favorite Harper, but has a good nickname and is much less common (#314 in 2017, with Harper at #11). Charles, Theodore, and Juniper; Charlie, Theo, and Junie. I love it.
I’d love to suggest Linden or Ivy or Constance or Locklyn or Lane, but not with the surname. Maybe:
Amethyst
Astrid
Brinley
Channing
Darcy
Delaney
Ellison
Emberley
Garnet
Harriet
Meredith
Merritt
Minerva
Paisley
Rory
Teagan
Winifred
Hm, I don’t feel like I’m quite getting it.
If your husband likes more traditional names and you prefer something cooler, one common solution is to find a traditional name with a cool nickname. We did a post awhile back that had a bunch of these: Baby Girl Muh-half-fee, Sister to Beatrix (Bix). In fact, I’d suggest Beatrix/Bix for you except I’m noticing that names ending in an S-sound make a “slime” mash-up with Lyman.
Another solution is to find a more contemporary name, but with a more traditional nickname—like your Holland/Hollie idea. Some of these don’t work with the surname, but just for examples: Ellison/Ellie, Campbell/Cammie/Bella, Callister/Callie, Jensen/Jennie, Miller/Millie, Gracen/Gracie.
I wonder if the solution is to look for a prep-school-type name: traditional in one sense, modern/unisex in another sense. Something like Sloane: sleek, cool, neither delicate nor frilly. I’m not sure about Sloane with the surname or with the middle name, but perhaps we can find other options. Winslow and Simone sound similar, and Rowan, but I don’t know about Rowan with the surname. Darcy, but the middle name Mae changes the whole sound of it to something more Southern belle. Windsor. Greer or Blair or Paige, but I’m not crazy about one-syllable names with Mae, and I don’t like Greer or Blair with the surname. I may still be barking up the wrong tree, though I like Winslow and Simone from the attempt, and Simone made me think of Bianca and Fiona. Meredith. Sabrina. Jillian/Gillian. Oh, maybe Aubrey? Aubrey Mae Lyman; Charlie, Theo, and Bree.
Name update:
I am so sorry for my very belated update! We ended up with a final list of Emilia, Natalie, Hadley, and Hallie. We decided we loved Hallie best, even though it didn’t fit our criteria of a longer name with a nickname. We playfully sometimes call her Hallison. Her big brothers Charlie and Theo are absolutely smitten with her!
Thanks for all your help, Swistle and commenters!
I like Margaret, and I could see a little Margie in the mix.
Juniper/Junie is adorable.
Francesca/Frankie.
Amelie and you call her Millie.
Wow, I really like the challenge of finding a name when you fully intend to use a nickname. I can’t wait for your update!
Yes, all of these! I love Frances as a girl name, and Frankie as a nn is cute as can be!
My girlfriend has a Frances, and she is called Francey (like David Francey, who I also love!). I love it too.
I love Swistle’s suggestion of Margaret. And I also really like the prep-school idea.
Last night, I heard an unusual (to me) name on a game show: Corbett. Corbett Mae Lyman. Cory or Betty. Charlie, Theo, and Betty. Charlie, Theo, and Cory.
I know a toddler Gwyneth, which strikes me as a good mix of familiar and spunky. Gwyneth Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Gwen.
Remington is a name I keep encountering, if you can get past the firearms/personal care connection. Remington Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Remy.
Or I have always been partial to Willoughby. Willoughby Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Willow.
Or, halfway between the two, Romily. Romily Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Romy.
Or Sterling. Sterling Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Sterling.
What about Wallace? (Although it does have that “slime” elision Swistle mentioned.) Wallace Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Lacy.
Or Monroe? (Not ideal with the middle name, perhaps.) Monroe Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Monroe.
Going back to “traditional but not ultra feminine,” what about Veronica? It strikes me as classic but cool, with lots of good nicknames. Veronica Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo, and Vera. Charlie, Theo, and Ronnie. Charlie, Theo, and Nicki.
Good luck and congratulations!
The slime thing is real! Chris Lyman always sounds like “slime-in'” to me :( Thank you for the suggestions!
1. Molly! Molly Mae!
Charlie, Theo, and Molly
2. Does the novelty of Natalia make Natalie more interesting to you?
Nattie, Natalia Mae, Charlie, Theo, and Nattie
3. Leah, Leah Mae
Charlie, Theo, and Leah
4. Swistle’s beloved Millie
Charlie, Theo, Millie
5. Nell, Nelly Mae, Charlie, Theo, and Nell
The -LEE sound is such a fun nickname pattern. :)
And I nearly forgot Alice/Alicia/Alix/Allison, nn Allie
Alix Mae, Charlie, Theo, and Allie
I really like all of the variants of this name, and I do hope that Allison will make a comeback one day.
I have so many friends named Allison/Allie, otherwise it would be a contender! I love it too. Molly is high on my list! All the heart eyes.
Suggestions of established but fresh full names, nicknames with pizzazz:
Elodie or Eloise–Lola
Edith or Dorothy–Dot
Juliet–Jet
Clementine–Cleo
Magnolia–Nola
Rosalind–Indie
Lively names in the vein of Piper/Holland/Oakley/etc:
Maren
Harlow
Scarlett
Waverly
Gemma
Delaney
Phoebe
Willa
Bellamy
Freya
I’m head over heels for Eloise/Elodie nn Lola. Charlie, Theo, and Lola is so fun! And the alliteration of Lola Lyman is darling.
Best of luck!
Came to suggest Delaney (nn: Dell? Delle?); will also suggest Shelby, and cosign Maren/Marin. I also like Willow/Willoughby (as suggested above) and the nickname Lindy for you. However, Alexandra nn Alix may be the best way to solve the “Alex =/= third son” problem and bridge the gap between you and your husband.
One of the Margaret family as a given name? Margo/Margaux? Marguerite? Greta?
Is Poppy your style, or too British-adjacent?
Have you scoped out your family tree for surnames?
It’s a delightful association, but FYI there is a British kid lit sibs duo named Charlie and Lola. There are cartoon versions on DVD of several of their adventures.
SO many good options! Margaret is perfect, as are: Joanna, Hannah, Jillian/Gillian, Meredith, Rory, Grace, Molly, Anna, Piper, Annabel, Clare, Clara, Amelia, Georgia, Mila/Milla, Elizabeth.
With Juniper: I’d strongly dislike having this name, myself.
Annabel has been coming to my mind lately! I also love Amelia/Emilia (Swiss spelling which matches my heritage with a nn of Mila or Mia), and Rory was on our list! Great suggestions, thank you!
Annabel! Yes!
Emeline also has that fun, upbeat sound, but classic roots.
Rory could be a cute nickname for Georgia too!
I know a young Annabelle. She’s 5, and doesn’t let her 3 older brothers push her around in the least.
(She’s called Annie for short)
Love Juniper and Georgia for you as well as Swistle’s ideas of Margaret (Margot, Maisie, Meg and Daisy) or Merritt. I do think Mae as a first name would be lovely (nn Maesie could work) and would allow you to use another family or special name in the middle if you’d like. Even your maiden name?
Along the lines of Hadley, which I also like:
Darby
Ainsley
Phoebe
Britton
I played with all kinds of Maisie-type options, wouldn’t that be so perfect? Why don’t I love Maeve?!
Maybe something like Marvel, Mabel, or Maren to get to nn Mae.
Love the suggestion of Margaret with its multitude of nickname options for you. Would you consider Olive? It doesn’t bother me that it’s so similar to Charlie’s middle name. Charlie, Theo, and Olive Mae sound great together!
Can here to suggest this same thing — wondered if she’d love Olive since she sometimes wishes she had an Oliver? I personally love Olive for a little girl.
JoJo as a nickname for Georgia seems like it has the potential to be confusing. Why not use a Jo name like Josette or Johanna if you want JoJo? I think Mae or Maeve sound good with your boys names.
Thank you so much for answering my letter! You have so many of the same thoughts I did/do. I am so digging Juniper/Junie and I am going to work on my husband. I tried further with Georgia with him recently and it seems to be a no-go. Aubrey is also on my long list! Josephine/Jojo I had considered but it reminds me of my own disliked full name Christine. So many good names to think about and I am absolutely loving the suggestions in the comments! Thank you everyone! And I PROMISE to update immediately. :)
PIPER
Swoon!!!!!
Also Margaret. Yes
Yeah, I was also thinking Piper is perfect!
Or what about Lucy? Short for Lucille or Lucia or just plain Lucy!
A lot of thoughts came to me while I was reading the post. Hopefully I can cover them all in a way that doesn’t feel all over the place.
1. I don’t understand your concern about Alexandra being too long. It’s only one letter & one syllable longer than Theodore. I do understand your concern about the nickname Alex, but remember Alex isn’t the only possible nickname for Alexandra. She could also go by Allie, Xandra, Lex/Lexie, Sasha, etc. Maybe a more creative nickname would help you to warm up to Alexandra more?
2. Juniper seems perfect. You like it, it’s fresh, spunky-and it has a nickname (June or Junie) that meets your criteria for sibling set coordination (more on that later.)
3. Charles & Theodore are both traditional-in a very proper, stuffy, British kind of way. But not all traditional names sound like they belong on Masterpiece Theater. Maybe expanding out a bit from your 3 categories of names would help? Names like Phoebe, Chloe, Fiona, Zoe, Elin, Zara, etc. are all traditional/familiar-but not so Masterpiece Theater sounding. But they are still familiar and seem to bridge the gap a bit between your girl style and the style of your sons’ names. The Baby Name Wizard book has an Exotic Traditional section that might appeal. Or looking at names from other cultures/languages that aren’t so Very English.
4. I have a category I call Modern Botanical. It’s a step beyond the more familiar Rose, Daisy, Lily names, but are still familiar/feminine and don’t seem too very out of place next to more traditional names (Juniper is an example). Maybe you could look at those? Or branch out further into more Modern Nature names? Azalea, Zinnia, Wren, Lake, etc.
5. Any chance you’d be willing to use the family name in the first place spot? Mae doesn’t seem your style, but perhaps something like Maeve or Maple with Mae as the nickname would give it the spunky/modern edge you are looking for?
6. I think you are overthinking the whole sibling coordination issue. If I saw a sibling group of Charlie, Theo, and Hadley, I would notice Hadley seemed to be of a different style-and then I would go on about my business and not give it much thought. I think most people understand that names are chosen for a variety of reasons. People have different styles for boys & girls, people’s styles change over time, people may have various family/cultural traditions involved in name choice, etc. So would some people notice a style change? Probably yes. Would most people CARE about a style change? No, probably not.
I’ll add that sibling name coordination is really only a thing for a very short period of time. If my math is correct, Charlie should be around 7 or 8 now? Which means he will be leaving for college while this baby is still in elementary school. I assure you, at that point, nobody is going to see them as much of a “set” anyway. As adults, most of the people they encounter aren’t going to even know the names of their siblings. So if you love Hadley or Oakley or whatever, and you & your husband can both agree, then use the name you love. Would you rather have a name chosen because “it matched your brothers” or because it was the name your mother loved more than all the others?
I have a Charles nn Charlie and Theo was on my short list, so I wonder if we have similar naming styles. I also struggle with the idea of going super girly classic girls name vs a cool more modern surnamey name. I really like a cool unisex/surname name but don’t feel like it would ever fit in with a more classic sibset, so I tend to lean towards more classically feminine names with unisex nicknames
Frances nn Frankie
Josephine nn JoJo/Joey
Willa nn Billie
Bridget nn Jet
Leona nn Leo
Imogen nn Mo
Georgia nn georgie
I also like swistle’s idea of a more “prep school” style name like Sloane. A couple that pop up in my mind are :
Prescott nn Scotty
Spencer
Seren
Baker
I haven’t seen Raquel nn Rocky suggested yet. Good luck!
I’ve also heard of a Veronica nn Rocky!
As you say above that you liked Maisie, have you thought about Mary? You can call a Mary: Molly, Mae, Maisie.
Margot seems perfect.
Margaret was the first name that popped out for me, too. SO MANY NICKNAMES.
Elizabeth is a good one for that, too (says Liz).
What about Louisa? Louisa Mae.
Victoria is another name that goes well with Charles and Theodore, and Vicky/Tori/RiRi/Vee all go well with Charlie and Theo.
I was thinking Elizabeth called Bess or Betsy. Or Eliza
There’s so many options with Elizabeth.
From your list, I like Juniper, Piper, and Georgia best for you. I agree with Swistle that Margaret and Josephine are good options.
I thought Ava had the classic/cool vibe that might satisfy both parents, but I checked and it’s a top 10 name, which probably qualifies as too popular for you. How about Carmen or Willow?
Ava is a good suggestion! Maybe as a nickname for Haven or Avery.
Oh, I have one more to add. Ruth. I was just thinking today how I like how it’s female, but not frilly. Plus its simplicity and its meaning (mercy) appeal, too. Charles, Theodore, & Ruth. Charlie, Theo & Ruthie.
How about these:
Amelia nn Milly
Violet nn Lettie or Vi
Mary – lots of nickname options
Dorothy nn Dot or Dottie
Lucille nn Lucy
Tessa
I really like someone’s suggestion of Romilly! Romilly Lyman sounds great and nicknames Romy or Milly are very nice too.
A few more possibilities:
Adelaide (Addie / Della)
Ariadne
Adeline
Athena
Valerie
Julianna
Evangeline
Leighton
Sylvia
Ingrid
Rosemary (Rosie Mae would be such a cute nickname!)
Or maybe Gwendolyn? (Gwen / Gwennie / Dolly / Lynnie / Wendy… so many great nn options!)
Gwendolyn Mae Lyman; Charles, Theodore & Gwendolyn; Charlie, Theo & Gwen
Could I convince you on Wren nn Birdie? I love Wren as a spunky girl name so much.
I do also love Juniper, you might also get Jojo with Joanna?
My sons and daughters have different name styles. No one bats an eye at it. It’s a subtle social cue that lets people know that oh-he’s-a-boy or ah-she’s-a-girl.
Having said that, do you like Samara? She’s elegant, historic, and gives you the friendly Sam nickname.
Samira means ‘evening conversation’ and is pretty straightforward.
Samara Mae Lyman
Charles, Theodore, and Samara
Charlie, Theo, and Sam
Okay, here’s another idea. She’s classic, well-known, and uncommon. She also means ‘peace’ (which might be welcome after double boys).
Irene.
Irene Mae Lyman
Nicknames: Rina, Ree, Nini, Ina, Ria
Charles, Theodore, and Irene
Charlie, Theo, and Rina
Florence could fit nicely.
Florence Mae Lyman
Nicknames: Flora, Flossy, Flicka, Fifi, Wren, Renna, Flo, Lora, Fina, Fancy, etc.
Charles, Theodore, and Florence
Charlie, Theo, and Flora
Best wishes and congrats!!
Looking forward to hearing what you two pick!
Our Irene gets : Reen ands Reenie at home. At school she is Iri (French pronounciation, sounds like EE-rie). Super cute and spunky.
Has Greer been mentioned? It’s a good possibility for an Margaret nickname but has the same cool factor as Sloane and the -er ending as Juniper, Piper etc. Charlie, Theo and Greer.
Totally dig Romilly as well!
My first thought for you was Kirby. I especially like it with your chosen middle name.
Do you like Susannah? Classic and familiar but not overused. Mine goes by the full name … but we always liked the idea of Annie/Anna/Ann if it was to be shortened.
Charles, Theodore and Susannah.
Charlie, Theo & Anna
Suzanne/Susannah can also go by Sukie or Zuzu (think It’s A Wonderful Life!)
And Zannah or Zanny are spunky nicknames
With Aspen, Juniper and Oakley on your list, I wonder if Willow might cross the style boundary, with a possible nickname of Willa? I know it’s quite similar to Theo’s middle name but I don’t think that should need to be an issue.
The other thought I had was names similar to Harper but maybe closer to your style would be Harlow or Harley, or even Marlowe or Marley. I think Harley/Marley would be too similar to Charlie, and aren’t sure about Theo/Harlow/Marlowe, but thought I’d throw it out there anyway as an option.
Good luck.
How about Georgina nn Georgie?! I also like Della, but that may be too many L’s with your last name. Lorelei nn Rory? Yardley? Magdalena nn Lena is also great.
I love Vivian for you. Vivi is a great nn. I also love Margaret–to get to Margot and Mae, mostly. My first choice is just to use Mae. Gorgeous. I also second the commenter who said Birdie. I love it.
Annabel
Emeline
Vivian
Margaret
Molly
Mae
Ruth (great suggestion)
Ramona nn Romy with the long o sound, or Mona, or Mo.
Good luck!
I’m just going to head straight to ‘spunky mom-delicate’ and add some formal names if you feel you need one.
Kit (Katherine/Kathryn)
Vee (Vienna, Viola)
Lady (Adelaide) – love me some alliteration
Scout (Scarlet, Sequoia)
Red (Meredith)
Billie (Sybil)
Sid (Cressida)
Jones (Johanna)
Nine (Antonia)
I think my fave is Jones. Or Billie. Good luck!!!
So many good suggestions! A couple more to bridge the traditional yet spunky divide.
— Amara Mae Lyman. Nn Mara. Charlie, Theo and Mara. (Nothing frilly with Mara but still probably established enough for your hubby.)
— Morgana Mae Lyman. Nn Morgan. Charlie, Theo and Morgan. (How fun is it to say Morgana Mae.?! I mean you can hardly stay mad at her if you shout that out on the playground!)
— Lucy Mae Lyman. Charlie, Theo and Lucy.
— Ellery Mae Lyman. Nn Ellie. Charlie, Theo and Ellie (close to Holland/Hollie without the connotation. Plus Ellery means happy — what’s not to love?)
— India Mae Lyman. Nn Indy. Charlie, Theo and Indy. (Doesn’t get more old school-British than India, and yet Indy oozes adventure.)
— Penelope Mae Lyman. Nn Penny or Nellie. Charlie, Theo and Penny. Charlie, Theo and Nellie.
— Olivia Mae Lyman, nn Liv. (Yes I know it is super popular but it gets you close to the lost Oliver and keeps a unique, spunky yet familiar nn). Charlie, Theo and Liv.
— Or you can go with your husband’s preferred Lauren and call her Ren. Sound is like Wren, mentioned above and has the nature vibe you seem drawn. Charlie, Theo and Ren.
Congratulations on baby number 3!
I’m going against the grain here. Use your style. Charlie definitely fits that and I’m hearing Theodore so often now I’ve heard him with sisters with both names like Olivia & Eleanor and Brooklyn & Kaia so I think the worlds your oyster there. And personally from the sound of your letter I think you’d regret a girlier name. Also if you end up having more kids and they are girls then it’s as simple as a girl style and a boy style.
The thought of you naming her Taylor makes my heart flutter. You wanted it as a kid and now your daughter has it – a sweet honor to you without being too obvious. If your husband won’t agree to it you could go Tayla. I went to school with a couple of Taylas and they liked their names.
Suggestions –
Frankie Mae Lyman
Tamsin Mae Lyman
Hattie Mae Lyman
Kelsey Mae Lyman
Stella Mae Lyman
Piper Mae Lyman
Poppy Georgia Lyman
Mimi Georgia Lyman
Betty Georgia Lyman
Roxy Georgia Lyman
June Georgia Lyman
Maxine Georgia Lyman
Abby Georgia Lyman (Just Abby not Abigail)
Blythe Georgia Lyman
Sloane Georgia Lyman
Kendall Georgia Lyman
Afton Georgia Lyman
Darcy Mae Lyman
The only girly one I will suggest is Lilian nn “Anne”. It’s spunky and with Anne it brings to mind more Anne of green gables then princess.
My first thought was Hazel. Not many (or any) nicknames, but it’s a spunky girl’s name that might fit what you’re looking for?
Hayes?
How would you feel about Rosemary nn Romy? Romy has that sleek, funky, strong vibe but Rosemary is a beautiful, dignified classic that sounds so good with Charles and Theodore.
Other options that give off a similar vibe for me:
Therese/Teresa nn Tess
Eleanor/Leonora nn Nell, or Leni, or Leo. I love a bit of alliteration and Leni Lyman just sounds so cute!
Cassandra nn Cassie or just Cass?
Ooh Rosemary/Romy seems like a winner to me
I wonder if Avery or Aubrey might be something you would like? Maybe Everly?
If not, I love Margaret. If I have a second daughter, I will name her Margaret and call her Maggie, although I think Maisie is definitely more up your alley.
I also like Alexandria, called Xan.
And I think Piper works too—or maybe even Pippa?
I know some of these have been mentioned a few times, but here’s some of my suggestions/faves for you!
Alexandra nn Lexi
Magnolia nn Maggie
Zinnia
Azelie/ Zelie
Theresa nn Reese
Estelle/Estella nn Stella
I love Georgia and I know an adorable one. Georgie would be cute! I also know a super cute Josie (Josephine).
I also wish I had had a girl to name her Elizabeth, nn Betty. So sassy, so retro!
I saw a Susannah in the comments and I second that suggestion.
Good luck !
Eden is my favorite name in the world. I only have one child, a boy, so never got the chance to use it. Eden Mae. Nickname Edie. I love it!
I’m coming in late and a little out of left field, but wanted to suggest my own daughter’s name, Juliette. I also tend to like traditional-ish, feminine-but-not-currently-popular names, and we get the specific compliment of J’s name being unexpected/spunky all the time. And we liked all the nn possibilities – Jules, Julie, heck Etta if she wants.
Don’t know if anyone’s mentioned the possible awkwardness of Margaret leading to Maggie with the middle name Mae= the song “Maggie May”
My suggestion is Lea(h). I got there because I know a Leo and Theo and I just think it’s a sleek name.
I thought of that too. I also personally don’t care for Maggie as a nn for some reason, I just don’t like the sound of it. I know a 3yo Margaret who is very staunchly a Margaret. She refuses any and all nicknames. I also know a grown Margaret whose parents always called her Margie and she never liked it. She prefers Margaret but the nn stuck.
My other thought I didn’t see mentioned was Tiana. I knew one in school and always thought it was so lovely. Or Calista? I love that one too. I realize they each share a letter with one of the boys, but the sound is different.
How about Julia? I feel like it’s also that classic with a bit of spunk! I mean who wouldn’t want a nickname of Jules?! :)
If you want a longer name for Mae, how about Mable. Could be so cute :) a bit of an “older” name but such good nickname potential of Mae or Maeby! (Think of the songs you could make up for Maeby baby!).
If he doesn’t like Georgia will he go for Georgina? It’s a favorite of mine.
I really come here to suggest Monica. Its timeless yet fresh, sleek and feminine. Monica Mae.
Nicknames Mona, Nic, Nica, Mimi (esp with Mae for a middle.) Charlie, Theo and Mimi.
I have a Theodore nn Theo and a Mabel nn Maisie. (Also an August nn Gus.) Mabel Mae is beyond sassy IMO. :) Other girl names we did not use: Margaret, Eliza/Liza, Ruth, Beatrix, Willa.
I have a niece called Mabel Mae, it’s a gorgeous name. Her older sister is Ivy Rose 😍
I love Nell for the nickname. Could you work backwards to Penelope, Helen, or Helena, since you don’t like Eleanor?
Exploring the “Alexandra” issue… are shorter versions not an option?
Alexa or Alexis?
Is it just Alex that is the nn you prefer? I do like the flow of “Charlie, Theo, and Lexi” and will add in that I live when kids create there own nicknames the most- speaking from experience, I had family who tried to make me “Ally” but it didn’t fly and my own parents were averse to shortening my name but call me something totally unique I came up with when I was 2. That said, I think that Alex for a girl is a-ok. Anyone who knows you will use the nn understanding she’s your girl, and on paper she’ll always be her formal full name anyways.
I have a few suggestions, ranging from cool/non-traditional to classic (but not top 10).
Kyle – Kyle Mae
Ellis – Ellis Mae (ellie)
Emerson- Emerson Mae (emmie)
Lucy – Lucy mae (my favorite!)
Also I think Alexandra nn Alex might be perfect!
I love some of these suggestions! Margaret, Josephine, Frances (Or Francine), and Georgia all make me sad I won’t ever have a girl to use them on. Such good nickname potential!
I don’t mind Hadley in general (though it isn’t my taste), but Charlie + Hadley seems like a tough combo. Not only the same ending but the H- sound at the beginning mean I’d be tripping over their names.
I love Juniper on your list.
The first name that popped into my mind was Desiree nn Desi. I also like that the full name ends in a long A sound. With Charlie (EE), Theo (OO) I like the long A or U sound. Like Swistle, I think a Scrabble high value lettter fits well with the style you are going for. For that reason, I like Roxana nn Roxy. Traditional but unexpected with a sassy nn.
There’s a nice zone of names that fits between Aspen/ Juniper before it slips too far towards Bunny/Pepper/Cricket spectrum, above someone called it Modern Botanical. In that zone, I put Sage, Yarrow, Sienna, Navy, Briar, Zipporah, Paisley, Blair, Willow, Fern, Lark, Jade, Saffron, Ainsley.
There’s something so special about naming a daughter after her daddy to me. Antonia fits nicely with Charles and Theodore. Charlie, Theo, and… Annie, Tia, Nina, etc. Antonia Mae.
I like Harriet, nn Hattie. Charlie, Theo and Hattie go well together
Or Carys? Fits with your welsh heritage and is fresh and spunky
Alexandra nn Lexa
I wonder if picking something a little less “all-American” would help you tick some boxes? Picking something that’s popular in other countries can quickly achieve familiar-but-fresh status and keep FirstName + Mae from skewing too Backwater. In no particular order (and ignoring your nickname preference!) –
Ingrid Mae
Colette (Coco!) Mae
Daphne Mae
Juliana Mae
Paloma Mae
I also like the above suggestions of Magnolia and Susannah.
Dropping by again to suggest the nickname Sunny for Susannah. So cheery and spunky!
I like Alexandra (Alex) and Hadley! Great choices! Georgia is also sweet with the sib set. Not that you need any more options, but I want to add Sydney, Julie, Sadie, and Hazel to the list.
I really like Charlie, Theo and June/Juniper and think it works really well together. I understand your issue of the coordination of the sibset but I think it’s only a very small issue and only when using the boys full names with Juniper but it sounds like they only ever go by Charlie and Theo so I wouldn’t worry about it.
Charlie, Theo and June – Love it!
I’m also coming to suggest Penelope as it goes so well with the formal names:
Charles, Theodore and Penelope
and has great nicknames Penny, Nell, Nellie, Peppa/Pepper, Pep
And Peppa/Pepper is spunky and sounds so much like Juniper and Piper
Charlie, Theo and Penny
Charlie, Theo and Nell/Nellie
Charlie, Theo and Peppa/Pepper
Charlie, Theo and Pep
I wonder if there may be some spunky, not-too-femme, classic names you and your husband both can love.
Artemis comes to mind. Little Ari or Art.
Juniper (Junie/June) fits so well with your boys’ names and surname.
Other spunky, not flowery names that work, many mentioned above: Nora, Nina, Tess/Tessa, Vivian (Viv/Vivi), Lydia, Julia, Hallie, Molly, Nicola, Maureen, Ruby, Stella, Audrey.
We have a Samuel/Sam, Elijah/Eli and Margaret/Maggie. I feel like our boy names are somewhat similar to yours and we have received a lot of compliments on Maggie’s name and its pairing with the boys. We also call her Mags quite often. Another idea: Magnolia / Maggie.
I’m not sure if someone already suggested this but what about Eleanor called Nora? Charlie, Theo, and Nora. Charles, Theodore, and Eleanor.
LOVE Sloane!
More suggestions with Charlie and Theo:
Margaret- Meg
Kathleen- Kat, Kate, Katie
Lillian- Lila
Liza
Genevieve- Evie, Gigi, Viv
Sylvia- Sylvie
Caroline- Carly
Amelia- Mia
Camille- Cam
ALEXANDRA nn ANDIE!!!!!
I love this for you! The ‘ie’ spelling (or just an ‘i’) makes it known that it is a girl’s name! It is cute, spunky, and unexpected but not too out-there.
Susanna is a fantastic suggestion! Susie would be so cute with Charlie and Theo.
Joanna nn Joey
Alexandra nn Lexie
Elizabeth nn Birdie or Libby
Louise nn Lulu
Good Luck!