Our beautiful baby girl is 7.5 months and still without a name. Please be respectful and supportive...and help, as this is very vulnerable for me! Getting some feedback will help me get out of my head and gain alternative perspectives on how I'm weighing my different values/wants for her name. Her 2.5 yo sister's name is Beatrix (nn Bea, middle name Lore), which we LOVE. Last name is Italian, rhymes with "Porizzi." We live in a Midwestern US city (not Chicago).
Things that are important to us in a name:
1. Be uncommon but also not sound made-up (we both have VERY common names)
2. Have at least one nickname option that we both like (and none that we despise); multiple options is even better
3. Be meaningful and elegant/beautiful, though not princessey/super feminine (e.g., Arabella, Aria). Considerations/values:
- I seem to gravitate towards "classic/vintage" feeling names.
- I have become attached to botanical names because I like the logic of a "bee" (Bea/Beatrix) and her flower/plant sister, but I recognize that this might limit some other good choices so I'm open to non-botanical names.
- I like names that have meaningful definitions/etymology (e.g., Beatrix is of Latin origin and means "bringer of joy and blessings")
- My partner places importance on the sound of a name, and likes strong female names - whether mythological character or strong sounding consonants. Based on the baby's personality thus far, I like soft consonants (e.g., "F" and "W") that balance stronger ones.
- It's a bonus if the name has a strong/inspiring female namesake.
- Bonus if the name honors our ancestry: A connection to Italy is nice...but at the same time, most Italian names we've discussed sound too "Italian." We also have German heritage and the Italian side is from the German-influenced far north, so a Germanic name could also fit the bill. Dad also has Irish roots.
- Bonus if the name lends itself to a visual/logo (e.g., botanical names, animal names)
4. The name should work with older sister's name, Beatrix nn Bea, in some way - be in the same "world" as Beatrix - but be complimentary (e.g., not starting with a "B" or ending in "X").
5. Possible middle names are Faye, Moon, or Fox...but we won't tackle this until we have a first name.
*Reddit feedback - In addition to the above, we'd love insights on:
1. How many people do you know with the following names and nicknames (or similar names), and what are their ages?
2. Our top name list, how it fits or doesn't fit with our criteria above
3. Ideas and feedback for nicknames
Top names are listed below with nicknames. (If you really want to dive into my overthinking brain, scroll further down for detailed pro's/con's lists for the top 7.)
Top 7 names:
- Delphinia (nn Della, Delphi - "Delph-eye" or "Delf-ee," Elfie/Elf, Phinia/Phin, Del) - possibly shorten to Delphina, but this loses botanical meaning and sounds princessey IMO
- Azalea (nn Aza (ayz-uh), Zale, Zalie)
- Olive (nn Ollie - dad doesn't like Liv)
- Zelda (nn Zel, Zee, Zellie) - possibly lengthen to Iselda/Roselda, but don't like the idea of a made-up name (Roselda) and not in love with Iselda...Griselda is a hard no from dad but I could be convinced
- Florence/Flora (Dad doesn't like nn Flo, and pretty much vetoed Florence for that reason, although I still like it. Florie/Flossie seem like a stretch/not natural for me.)
- Minerva (nn Minnie, Min...stretch nn Nev, Vee, dad doesn't like Vera)
- Zinnia (nn Zin, Zinnie)
Other names we've crossed off but could reconsider: Henrietta (nn Hettie/Etta), Hildegarde (nn Hilda/Hildie), Pomona (nn Pom), Rosetta (nn Rosie/Etta), Idalia (nn Ida), Lotus (nn Lottie), Isidora (nn Izzy)
Long version - Pro's/Con's for Top 7 Names:
Delphinia (possibly shorten to Delphina, but this loses botanical meaning and sounds princessey IMO)
nn Della, Delphi ("Delph-eye" or "Delf-ee" - dad likes both, I don't love either), Elfie, Elf, Phinia, Phina, Phin, Del...lots of options, but I'm not in love with any - although Della + mn Faye is cute
Pro's: - Uncommon (but con: almost sounds made up?) - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Greek connection to Delphi, without sounding too Greek (dad likes Greek mythology, so I'm fine with names that have that connection unless they sound super Greek, which we're not) - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Comes with a spirit animal (dolphin), and we swam a lot when she was in utero, so it's meaningful - It's her birth month flower (July), and will likely bloom then (Wisconsin, Zone 5) - Flower and dolphin/ocean are shades of blue/gray, like her eyes - Flower grows in her home country and the Italian Dolomites, ancestral homeland - Flower is tall, and she was 3 inches longer than her sister at birth - The sound and meaning of the name seems to fit her personality - Lots of nickname options, though we don't really LOVE any of them, but most are acceptable
Con's: - Delphinia feels cumbersome/long, I'm almost embarrassed to use it and ask others to use it, and it will likely be shortened to a nickname most of the time - If we shorten to Delphina, which still is a bit long, it loses the botanical connection - Both Delphinia and Delphin sound a bit princessy to us - None of the family/friends we've pitched it to have been excited about it, though none had strong critiques either - Redditers seem to be either hot or cold on this name - Kind of sounds made up - Social media Belle Delphine and Harry Potter Delphini, though I'm not sure how much this matters (doesn't matter to us, but we're a bit out of touch) - Delhi Belly would be an awful name-calling
Azalea ("A-zale-ee-a")
nn Aza (ayz-uh), Zale, Zalie, we don't like Leah for a nickname
Pro's: - Uncommon - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Flower grows in her home country and the Italian Dolomites, ancestral homeland - Some good enough nickname options - Beautiful sounding, and somehow more palatable than Delphinia?
Con's: - Still feels a bit cumbersome/long, and will likely be shortened - Maybe a bit to "pretty," lacking depth of meaning - None of the family/friends we've pitched it to have been excited about it, though none had strong critiques either - More of a southern US flower than midwestern (we're in WI), and spring flower (she has July birthday) - Not a universal pronunciation? We say "A-zale-ee-a," but I've seem some Redditers say it's "A-zale-ya"
Olive
nn Ollie (dad doesn't like Liv)
Pro's: - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Beatrix and Olive is a super cute pairing - Friends/family seem to like this one - Connection to Italian heritage via cuisine, which is very important to our family - Our whole family loves olives! - Baby's current legal name is Peace, a quick choice based on the fact that she was sleeping as we left the hospital. I also had a feeling of peace after she was born because I had so wanted at least two children and I achieved this at an advanced maternal age.
Con's: - Top 200 name, and similar to Number 1 name Olivia, so more popular than we'd like (Redditers please comment on how many Olive's/Ollie's/Liv's you actually know - We're out of touch with other young kids) - Not many nickname options
Zelda (lengthen to Iselda? Roselda?)
nn Zel, Zee, Zellie
Pro's: - Vintage, good pairing with Beatrix - We like the sound - Meaning "warrior woman" is strong and as a progressive/feminist easy for me to get behind - Namesake Zelda Fitzgerald was a renaissance woman, but (con) also led a tragic life - Namesake Princess Zelda is a strong female character from what I understand. Dad likes the video game, modern mythology and Japan connection...I can appreciate these things, but have never played the game and so it's not personal to me
Con's: - Video game connection will follow her and overshadow her whole life...always the first thing that comes up in a Google search...always the first thing people say/comment on - Old-fashioned (grandma doesn't like it), but I don't mind - Is it too trendy to use a "Z" name? - Limited nickname options. At one point I had convinced myself that we could use the proper full name Griselda and just call her Zelda, but my brother almost gagged when I said this and dad has vetoed it because of "Grizz"...Iselda seems like an option, but we're not sold on it...Roselda makes it a little botanically connected and offers more nickname options, but I don't like made-up names...Thoughts?
Florence/Flora (Dad basically vetoed Florence because doesn't like
nn Flo for Florence; Florie and Flossie both feel like a stretch. I still like Florence so I'm keeping it on here to see if anyone has any other ideas; otherwise, Flora would be a better compromise for us)nn ?? - Could Flora be a nickname for Florence, even though they are actually separate names?
Pro's: - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Flora is a Roman goddess, so connection to Italy - I like the sound and imagery
Con's: - Florence is old-fashioned, which I don't mind, but others have critiqued - Flora sounds like "Laura," which I'm not fond of, and big sister Beatrix's middle name is Lore, so we already have those sounds - Potential of nickname Flo is a hard no for dad; I actually like Flo (creative flow, flowing movement), but I know it's like Aunt Flow so I'm also a bit turned off - Limited nickname options
Minerva
nn Minnie or Min (other less obvious ones probably wouldn't be used: Nev, Vee, dad doesn't like Vera)
Pro's: - Vintage - Ok pairing with Beatrix - Connection to ancestral Italy, as Minerva is the Roman equivalent of Athena - Strong female name "Goddess of Wisdom" - Minnie is cute nickname
Con's: - Hard to get over the sound "nerve" - Family doesn't like Minerva, but is okay with Minnie - It's just hard to call a baby/child Minerva, but when she's older, she might appreciate it - Although Minnie is cute, it will almost always be associated with Minnie Mouse, which is not a strong female namesake (damsel in distress archetype), but it will be a fun association when she's young and it is a classic/vintage association, so I'm not completely disappointed by this
Zinnia
nn Zin, Zinnie
Pro's: - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - A bright flower that will be in bloom for her birthday (July) - Vintagey but modern
Con's: - Lacks depth of meaning (named after Zinn, a German botanist) - Pronunciation is tricky (Zin-ee-a" or "Zin-ya"?)
Things that are important to us in a name:
1. Be uncommon but also not sound made-up (we both have VERY common names)
2. Have at least one nickname option that we both like (and none that we despise); multiple options is even better
3. Be meaningful and elegant/beautiful, though not princessey/super feminine (e.g., Arabella, Aria). Considerations/values:
- I seem to gravitate towards "classic/vintage" feeling names.
- I have become attached to botanical names because I like the logic of a "bee" (Bea/Beatrix) and her flower/plant sister, but I recognize that this might limit some other good choices so I'm open to non-botanical names.
- I like names that have meaningful definitions/etymology (e.g., Beatrix is of Latin origin and means "bringer of joy and blessings")
- My partner places importance on the sound of a name, and likes strong female names - whether mythological character or strong sounding consonants. Based on the baby's personality thus far, I like soft consonants (e.g., "F" and "W") that balance stronger ones.
- It's a bonus if the name has a strong/inspiring female namesake.
- Bonus if the name honors our ancestry: A connection to Italy is nice...but at the same time, most Italian names we've discussed sound too "Italian." We also have German heritage and the Italian side is from the German-influenced far north, so a Germanic name could also fit the bill. Dad also has Irish roots.
- Bonus if the name lends itself to a visual/logo (e.g., botanical names, animal names)
4. The name should work with older sister's name, Beatrix nn Bea, in some way - be in the same "world" as Beatrix - but be complimentary (e.g., not starting with a "B" or ending in "X").
5. Possible middle names are Faye, Moon, or Fox...but we won't tackle this until we have a first name.
*Reddit feedback - In addition to the above, we'd love insights on:
1. How many people do you know with the following names and nicknames (or similar names), and what are their ages?
2. Our top name list, how it fits or doesn't fit with our criteria above
3. Ideas and feedback for nicknames
Top names are listed below with nicknames. (If you really want to dive into my overthinking brain, scroll further down for detailed pro's/con's lists for the top 7.)
Top 7 names:
- Delphinia (nn Della, Delphi - "Delph-eye" or "Delf-ee," Elfie/Elf, Phinia/Phin, Del) - possibly shorten to Delphina, but this loses botanical meaning and sounds princessey IMO
- Azalea (nn Aza (ayz-uh), Zale, Zalie)
- Olive (nn Ollie - dad doesn't like Liv)
- Zelda (nn Zel, Zee, Zellie) - possibly lengthen to Iselda/Roselda, but don't like the idea of a made-up name (Roselda) and not in love with Iselda...Griselda is a hard no from dad but I could be convinced
- Florence/Flora (Dad doesn't like nn Flo, and pretty much vetoed Florence for that reason, although I still like it. Florie/Flossie seem like a stretch/not natural for me.)
- Minerva (nn Minnie, Min...stretch nn Nev, Vee, dad doesn't like Vera)
- Zinnia (nn Zin, Zinnie)
Other names we've crossed off but could reconsider: Henrietta (nn Hettie/Etta), Hildegarde (nn Hilda/Hildie), Pomona (nn Pom), Rosetta (nn Rosie/Etta), Idalia (nn Ida), Lotus (nn Lottie), Isidora (nn Izzy)
Long version - Pro's/Con's for Top 7 Names:
Delphinia (possibly shorten to Delphina, but this loses botanical meaning and sounds princessey IMO)
nn Della, Delphi ("Delph-eye" or "Delf-ee" - dad likes both, I don't love either), Elfie, Elf, Phinia, Phina, Phin, Del...lots of options, but I'm not in love with any - although Della + mn Faye is cute
Pro's: - Uncommon (but con: almost sounds made up?) - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Greek connection to Delphi, without sounding too Greek (dad likes Greek mythology, so I'm fine with names that have that connection unless they sound super Greek, which we're not) - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Comes with a spirit animal (dolphin), and we swam a lot when she was in utero, so it's meaningful - It's her birth month flower (July), and will likely bloom then (Wisconsin, Zone 5) - Flower and dolphin/ocean are shades of blue/gray, like her eyes - Flower grows in her home country and the Italian Dolomites, ancestral homeland - Flower is tall, and she was 3 inches longer than her sister at birth - The sound and meaning of the name seems to fit her personality - Lots of nickname options, though we don't really LOVE any of them, but most are acceptable
Con's: - Delphinia feels cumbersome/long, I'm almost embarrassed to use it and ask others to use it, and it will likely be shortened to a nickname most of the time - If we shorten to Delphina, which still is a bit long, it loses the botanical connection - Both Delphinia and Delphin sound a bit princessy to us - None of the family/friends we've pitched it to have been excited about it, though none had strong critiques either - Redditers seem to be either hot or cold on this name - Kind of sounds made up - Social media Belle Delphine and Harry Potter Delphini, though I'm not sure how much this matters (doesn't matter to us, but we're a bit out of touch) - Delhi Belly would be an awful name-calling
Azalea ("A-zale-ee-a")
nn Aza (ayz-uh), Zale, Zalie, we don't like Leah for a nickname
Pro's: - Uncommon - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Flower grows in her home country and the Italian Dolomites, ancestral homeland - Some good enough nickname options - Beautiful sounding, and somehow more palatable than Delphinia?
Con's: - Still feels a bit cumbersome/long, and will likely be shortened - Maybe a bit to "pretty," lacking depth of meaning - None of the family/friends we've pitched it to have been excited about it, though none had strong critiques either - More of a southern US flower than midwestern (we're in WI), and spring flower (she has July birthday) - Not a universal pronunciation? We say "A-zale-ee-a," but I've seem some Redditers say it's "A-zale-ya"
Olive
nn Ollie (dad doesn't like Liv)
Pro's: - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Beatrix and Olive is a super cute pairing - Friends/family seem to like this one - Connection to Italian heritage via cuisine, which is very important to our family - Our whole family loves olives! - Baby's current legal name is Peace, a quick choice based on the fact that she was sleeping as we left the hospital. I also had a feeling of peace after she was born because I had so wanted at least two children and I achieved this at an advanced maternal age.
Con's: - Top 200 name, and similar to Number 1 name Olivia, so more popular than we'd like (Redditers please comment on how many Olive's/Ollie's/Liv's you actually know - We're out of touch with other young kids) - Not many nickname options
Zelda (lengthen to Iselda? Roselda?)
nn Zel, Zee, Zellie
Pro's: - Vintage, good pairing with Beatrix - We like the sound - Meaning "warrior woman" is strong and as a progressive/feminist easy for me to get behind - Namesake Zelda Fitzgerald was a renaissance woman, but (con) also led a tragic life - Namesake Princess Zelda is a strong female character from what I understand. Dad likes the video game, modern mythology and Japan connection...I can appreciate these things, but have never played the game and so it's not personal to me
Con's: - Video game connection will follow her and overshadow her whole life...always the first thing that comes up in a Google search...always the first thing people say/comment on - Old-fashioned (grandma doesn't like it), but I don't mind - Is it too trendy to use a "Z" name? - Limited nickname options. At one point I had convinced myself that we could use the proper full name Griselda and just call her Zelda, but my brother almost gagged when I said this and dad has vetoed it because of "Grizz"...Iselda seems like an option, but we're not sold on it...Roselda makes it a little botanically connected and offers more nickname options, but I don't like made-up names...Thoughts?
Florence/Flora (Dad basically vetoed Florence because doesn't like
nn Flo for Florence; Florie and Flossie both feel like a stretch. I still like Florence so I'm keeping it on here to see if anyone has any other ideas; otherwise, Flora would be a better compromise for us)nn ?? - Could Flora be a nickname for Florence, even though they are actually separate names?
Pro's: - Vintage with Latin etymology, like sister Beatrix - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - Flora is a Roman goddess, so connection to Italy - I like the sound and imagery
Con's: - Florence is old-fashioned, which I don't mind, but others have critiqued - Flora sounds like "Laura," which I'm not fond of, and big sister Beatrix's middle name is Lore, so we already have those sounds - Potential of nickname Flo is a hard no for dad; I actually like Flo (creative flow, flowing movement), but I know it's like Aunt Flow so I'm also a bit turned off - Limited nickname options
Minerva
nn Minnie or Min (other less obvious ones probably wouldn't be used: Nev, Vee, dad doesn't like Vera)
Pro's: - Vintage - Ok pairing with Beatrix - Connection to ancestral Italy, as Minerva is the Roman equivalent of Athena - Strong female name "Goddess of Wisdom" - Minnie is cute nickname
Con's: - Hard to get over the sound "nerve" - Family doesn't like Minerva, but is okay with Minnie - It's just hard to call a baby/child Minerva, but when she's older, she might appreciate it - Although Minnie is cute, it will almost always be associated with Minnie Mouse, which is not a strong female namesake (damsel in distress archetype), but it will be a fun association when she's young and it is a classic/vintage association, so I'm not completely disappointed by this
Zinnia
nn Zin, Zinnie
Pro's: - Botanical match for sister "Bea (bee)" - A bright flower that will be in bloom for her birthday (July) - Vintagey but modern
Con's: - Lacks depth of meaning (named after Zinn, a German botanist) - Pronunciation is tricky (Zin-ee-a" or "Zin-ya"?)
