Name My Sister’s Baby Girl!
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You know just how much I love baby name posts. (Here’s the post where I asked you to help me name Little Girl. It’s the all-time most popular post on this blog!) And I know just how much you love baby name posts. So let’s get down to business…
As many of you know, Sister C is expecting her second child (yes, a girl!) in early March. She’s actually due on Little Girl’s birthday which is pretty cool, I think. Anyway, she’s getting close. A mere six weeks away. And she and her husband are still without a name for this little chickadee.
That’s where we all come in.
Okay, a little information to get our baby name radars pointed in the right direction. Sister C’s two-year-old son, known affectionately as Baby Bulldog on this blog, has a wonderful and unique name in real life. I will not disclose his name, but I will tell you that it is a three-syllable Irish surname that is quite obscure when used as a first name. (Think: Garrity, Gulliver, Callahan.) Their last name is two syllables, ends in an “y” sound. (Like: Rowley, Donnelley, Terry.)
I asked C to describe the kind of name they are looking for. And she said they are looking for a name that fits the following three criteria:
1. A name that is either unusual or not very popular;
2. A name that is two or three syllables; and
3. A name that is both strong and feminine.
I know this is still somewhat confusing and cryptic. How much simpler this would be if I just told you their son’s name and their last name? Alas. Not going to happen. But I will list a few names they like very much, and have considered, but have decided at this point not to use for one reason or another: Georgiana, Annabel, Henrietta, Bridget, Petra, Genevieve.
Okay, it’s your turn. Our turn. Oh yes, I plan to brainstorm today and post my suggestions too. Any ideas? I’m sure you’re full of them… Particularly you, my friend Abby Sandel of the fabulous baby name blog Appellation Mountain (where I stumbled upon Little Girl’s name last December!)
Ready, set, go! Let’s name my sister’s baby girl! If the above confuses you (it kind of confuses me) just throw out some unique baby girl names you love.
Kaisa, Ainsley, Laila, Elinor, Anneliese, Freya, Kaysa, Anya, Adina, Sabine, Britta, Etta, Mira, Emmeline, Ione, Caroline, Lola
LOVE Ainsley. Also really like Anya and Etta! Thanks for kicking things off, Emma!
Cameo
Calypso
Wella
Xanthe
Bardot
Marlow
Harper
(Like any of these, C?)
Love Calypso! But then I love all things islandy, but still great name!
I really like Anya too. How about Campbell? I also like Annika but that’s more German sounding than Irish. Do they have any ideas for a middle name? Best wishes to Sister C!
Eloise!!
Okay, weighing in…love Ainsley (makes me think of The West Wing, one of my all time fave TV shows). Love Harper and Marlow. How about any of these:
Ellington
Temperance
Declan
Clea
Tambrey
Tate
Anything float your boat??
Really dig Clea and Tambrey…
Also:
Tamsin
Cella
Larkin
Channing
Aria
Aria is a wonderful name!
I like Ainsley, too, as someone already mentioned. Siobahn, Sioned, Angharad, Eilwen, Aisling, Catriona, Finella or Finola, Tesni … These are all either Irish, Scottish, or Welsh.
Best of luck to your sister and her family!
I am a fan of Marlow, Harper and Wella. I also love Annika.
How about:
Pippa
Darcy
Stella
Adelaide
My middle name is from my Irish grandmother’s maiden name: Parker, so it kind of fits the bill. However, I have no idea if its a good name or not because its hard to think of my own name objectively.
I love baby naming…I’ve been doing this since I was little and used to think I should have 12 kids because I couldn’t narrow down the names (have have no kids, so I am still fiddling with my list)! Some of them are still good (Olivia) and some are no longer on the short list (Bessie).
Fun! Rhiannon is Irish and not very widely used (and has an awesome song by Fleetwood Mac attached to it!). I also like Ainsley, Fiona, Prudence, Perdita (Shakespeare name!), Frances, Vera, and Winter (though I suppose it’s more widely used for a boy).
Elspeth. Granted if I ever have a girl child I might use it too, but sharing is caring
I really like SARAH!!!!! AND it works well with the last name
A fun post for a Friday. Here are my contributions:
Harriet
Fiona
Frances (I love the nickname Francie)
Cora
Moira
Teva
Mazie/Maisie
Aileen/Eileen
Averil
Elsa
Evelyn
Irene
Gemma/Jemma
Lorraine
Marjory (Marjie)
Maureen
Nora
Rhona
Sonia/Sonja
Tessa
Rosemary (my grandmother’s name, who had the same last name as your sister)
Good luck, Sister C!
Gale, one of my dad’s cousins has a little girl named Maisie and a boy named Malcolm. Both are really old family names – aren’t they adorable together? I’ve always liked Maisie!
(Also, Averil makes me think of Anne of Green Gables, and that just makes me smile.)
I love Harlow. I really like the names Fiona, Neala (means female champion and also the name of a good friend I love dearly, Teagan, Muiread and Ellery
Dorothea (or Thea if Dorothea is too many syllables?)
Penelope
Ella
Scarlett
Gemma
Arianna
Alwyn
Ilsa
Good luck!
I LOVE Ainsley!
Alanah
Giuliana
Gabriela
Moira
Hannah
One of my top contenders for a someday baby girl is Seneca.
Seneca Falls, NY, was a big place in the Women’s Rights Movement, and also where my mom grew up.
I also love Louisa.
Seneca is a big contender for me, too! I went to college in Geneva, NY.
I’ll also add:
Finnuala or Nuala (which I see Laura has already mentioned!)
Cliona
OK, I can’t NOT respond to this one!
Of course, I would like nothing more than for Cousin B to name his daughter, Megan…but since that is a highly unlikely story, I dug up some other names he might not hate!
There were quite a few I really liked, but could not add to the list due to my knowledge of other family names, last name, rhyming issues, etc.
1. Leiny (might not fly)
2. Madison (pretty popular, but cute)
3. Nora
4. McKenna
5. Daelin
6. Elin (Norwegian flair)
7. Kendall
8. Callan
9. Talia
10. Afton
11. Ashton
12. Leighton
13. Fallon
So excited to welcome another baby into the family! Regardless of the name, we’re going to love that little girl to pieces!
Love Leighton!
Thank you all for your suggestions thus far! Some of these are already on our list, some are out because they’re already represented in our extended families, and I think several others will be in contention … Keep em coming
Can’t resist commenting on a good baby-naming post, especially since your sister’s naming criteria are so similar to my own:) Here are some of the names we considered for our daughter, including her actual name – I won’t tell you which one:)
Ailsa
Isla
Imogen
Rosamund
Eliza
Mairead
Maeve
Arden
Ailey (the traditional Scottish spelling is Eilidh, but that’s a little cumbersome)
Eloise
Beckett, Jane, Jayne, Bradley, Ardis, Amory, Blaine, Dahlia, Daisy, Phoebe, Mary & Samantha (guess who I am
Love, love, love the name Harper. Has been top of my list for my own future daughter, but am now concerned that it is becoming too popular. Also love Marlow.
Most of the names I love have already been mentioned. So, my one contribution: Nuala
A good Irish name.
Thanks for the shout out, Aidan! Quite the puzzle, but here’s what comes to mind, including some that I love from the lists above:
Aderyn
Alix (a traditional variation of Alice – depending on Baby Bulldog’s given name, though, it might clash)
Anya (Clio could’ve been Anya – love it!)
Belsante (medieval version of Elizabeth/Isabel – very rare)
Clio (okay, yes, I’ve used it – but I think it is strong & feminine!)
Danae (should be pronounced with three syllables, but often shorted to rhyme with Renee)
Daphne
Ellery
Eleni (very Greek, but I’ve seen it used by more non-Greek families … but it might clash with an Irish surname)
Elsa (sounds like lots of popular names, but still feels distinct)
Esme
Iris
Isabeau (similar to Belsante)
Ivy (too Beyonce?)
Juliet (too romantic?)
Linden
Noemi/Noemie (too French?)
Nola
Odessa (do they visit Texas or Eastern Europe often?)
Romy
Rowan
Sorcha or Saoirse (but only if they want a very Irish name)
Parker (not feminine enough?)
Tallulah (feels trendy, but has great Irish connections)
Thayer (same question as Parker …)
I adore Adelaide, but I might avoid it if popularity is a concern – there are SO many Addie names racing up the popularity charts right now that I suspect it will feel very common. BUT there is Adair, and I think the impulse to shorten the name is MUCH less.
Fun challenge for a Friday!
I think Fenley falls into Sister C’s requirements.
My best friend named her little girl that after finding it on an iTunes app. It supposedly means “Fair Warrior” which I love. I also love how it is pronounced like FEN-way park unlike Finley. This slight variation makes it sound a little sweeter coming out but still keeps the cool unisex thing going.
Love so many of these names we had Ainsley/annika as our girls names but were “boyed” out.
Lawrence
Micheline
Rowan
Devon
Keegan
Scarlett
Peyton (and selfishly why not Slayton)
What about McRae? I saw it as a girl’s name in a book once and always liked the sound of it. I also know a female MacNeill. It fits with the surname thing they’ve got going on too!
Haven’t visited in a while, and thought this assignment was fun!
Here are some suggestions from a different generation:
Allison/Alison
Annabelle
Amanda
Arwen
Brennan
Cara/Kara
Collin/Collins
Connelly
Drennen
Dylan
Emory/Emery
Erin
Flannery
Grace/Gracie
Honor
Irene/Ireni
Killian
Kelly
Katherine/Kaitlyn
Madeline
Madigan
Mallory/Malory
Morgan
Reagan
Rory
Sheridan
Tierney
Vera
We are primarily a Scotch-Irish-English mix, and many of these suggestions are names used within our extended family that have stood the test of time. (Or of close friends.)
Other notes from an old-timer:
-Doesn’t have to sound masculine in order to be strong.
-Doesn’t need to be the flavor of the month. (When everyone else is trying so desperately to come up with something unique, classic becomes the novelty.)
-Doesn’t have to be someone else’s family name. (Like the fake D’Urbervilles in Tess.)
-America is a melting pot. Okay to mix cultural references.
Thanks for inviting our suggestions!
Thank heavens for little girls…
Romella
Vienna
Franchesca
Clementine
Cassia
Cadence
Analiese
Portia
Arabella
Imogen
Elodie
Shayna
Sienna
Gabriella
Vivienne
I know that you will pick the prettiest name, Sister C, whatever you decide. Can’t wait to hear it!
Here are some possibilities:
)
Siobhan
Josephine
Leighton (suggested above too)
Savannah (I know it’s not Irish but I love this name and has significance too
I love Juliet, as suggested above too. Not sure it is edgy/unusual enough though for you!
PIPER!
(I’m biased…it’s my niece’s name)
Love the name Piper!
…or how about Jocelyn?
…again, probably biased.
good luck, sister C!
Nolia!
I love the name Sullivan for a girl. Strong, feminine, and you have the option of Liv or Livy for nicknames.
Ooh great suggestion!
I love Riley (my grandmother’s maiden name) and my top name for my daughter is my maiden name “Fallon”.
Here are some ideas:
- Marietta
- Matilda
- Lorna
- Annora
- McKenna
- Gretchen
My mother’s name (and my middle name) is Imogene, which I love. But I also think Josephine, Francesca, Penelope, Suzanna…just off the top of my head
How about Anderson? It’s my mother in law’s maiden name and my husband’s middle name. He goes by Andy. I ran out of kids before I did names but always wanted to use it…..so my purrfect little girl cat is named Anderson
Aidan- I read every day. Every day. Keep writing!
a friend just named her baby saffron – and it is adorable!
A little late…but two that I like are Charlotte and Danika/Danica – if you like nicknames those could be Charlie and Dani.
Not very Irish, but…
Philippa
Loreta
Martina
Romilly
Anouska
Felicity
Melisande
Antonia
Imogen
Philomena
Simone
This is a little late; however, I was reading the other day and I came across a name that might work. The name is Blythe. It was so different and actually pretty so I thought I’d pass it along.