Lyndsay writes:<\/p>\n
Hi Swistle!
I’m hoping you and your readers can help us.. Our daughter’s name is Olyvia Ruth. Ruth is a family name that we were set on using. We rarely call her Olyvia, and use Lyv or Lyvie. I don’t ‘regret’ naming her Olyvia but I do wish I hadn’t sometimes. We didn’t know the sex and had 20 names for girls and 20 for boys (I made the list while in labor!) when she was born, we choose in the hospital the day she was born. Olivia was the only name on our list that was ‘popular’ and it made the list because I had loved that name ever since I saw Olivia Newton John in Greece when I was little! I really like just LYV or LIV but my husband wanted a ‘full’ name so we ended up throwing a ‘y’ in there to make it more unique. Plus Lyv Ruth sounds horrible together. My name is Lyndsay with two y’s so we thought having a y would be kind of a connection.<\/p>\nThis time we have no middle name that we’re set on. My husband liked our method before and doesn’t want to even talk about names, whereas I would like to think it out a little more and at least have three to choose from or something so I don’t end up with a crazy ‘y’ to make a popular name seem less popular! Since we do have the ‘y’ going now we were thinking we should find a name with a y for a girl at least. Once again, we don’t know boy or girl. Due very soon so I’m getting nervous! Our last name is Shepherd. We’re Catholic and would like a Saints name for at least the first or middle name.<\/p>\n
Some of the girl names I like are Carys or Cerys and Adelaide or Adelayde (is this a legitimate spelling?). I like Carys\/Cerys because it has a lovely meaning and a legitimate ‘y’. We’re not sure if Carys Shephard has too much ‘s’ in it. Adelaide\/Adelayde we thought we could use with the nn Ady which we think would be cute with Lyv. Adelaide was on our list when our daughter was born (in 2008) but we were talked out of it in the hospital by family! Our friends and family that we’ve asked all seem to think that Carys\/Cerys is weird and Adelaide\/Adelayde is too heavy.<\/p>\n
My husband isn’t hot on either Carys or Adelaide and likes Lucy or Lucia which are both too popular for me, especially in our neighborhood where typically there’s three Lucy’s on the playground at once. He also likes Abigail but we nixed because it’s been taken in our family (plus the whole popularity thing). We also both kind of like Avery but it seems trendy. I was thinking that Lucia or Lucy would be a cute middle name. I personally like Eliza but my husband doesn’t and we wouldn’t want to end up with a Liz and Lyv. Other name options we’ve discussed are Jane, Calla, and Clara, but none of them seem right, maybe as middle names.<\/p>\n
For boys, I like Rhys but we have good friends with a girl Reese and that might be too close. I also like Asher, Liam, and Eli which all seem to be rising in the popularity ranks. My husband doesn’t love any of those but doesn’t hate them. He likes Ethan and Luke, once again I think they’re too popular. I suggested Luca as an alternative and he thought that sounded girly. I also like Callum but my husband can’t stand it.<\/p>\n
Any chance you can help? I think I’m the more ‘adventurous’ namer of the two of us and we’d love to find something we can agree on that is mainstream enough for him but unique enough for me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I suggest Adelyn. Adelyn Shepherd. It’s lighter than Adelaide, it has a legitimate Y, and I think it’s good with Olyvia.<\/p>\n
My second suggestion is Gwendolyn. It’s a beautiful name, unusual while still being familiar, with a legitimate Y. Gwendolyn Shepherd.<\/p>\n
Ellery is reminiscent of Avery, but much less common. Ellery Shepherd.<\/p>\n
Oh, or how about Emlyn or Emryn? Emlyn Shepherd, Emryn Shepherd.<\/p>\n
Since you like Asher for a boy, perhaps Ashby for a girl? Ashby Shepherd.<\/p>\n
Or Felicity, which I think goes particularly nicely with Olyvia. Felicity Shepherd.<\/p>\n