Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.
CAN WE PUT THESE NAMES TOGETHER?
Melanie writes:
We named our son Jeremy Miles and call him Remy. Jeremy is sort of for my grandfather, Gerald, but we really liked the sound of Remy and I thought it was important for him to have a more serious name to grow into.
If this baby was a boy, we were considering Castellon, a family name from my husband’s side, and calling him Case. It was almost Jeremy’s middle name, but I thought it might be too weird. Now I regret not using it.
But we’re having a girl, and we’re getting some pressure to use Ann/Anne/Anna in her name. Every woman on my husband’s side of the family has some sort of an Anne name (mom Anita, cousin Annette, sister Julianne “Julie” and her daughter Annabelle and so many more.)
I don’t mind it, and I did choose our son’s name, but I’m having trouble making it work with my favorite name: Claire.
Do we put the names together? I don’t want her name to become Claireanne/Clairanne. It sounds like Karen, or some kind of medication. Something like Claranna or Clairanna doesn’t seem right, either.
We discussed Anne Claire or Anna Claire, but I feel like that’s not enough name, and then we’d end up calling her Anne/Anna/Annie, and my favorite name would just be in the middle, which feels like a loss. With so many Anns already, it doesn’t feel fair that she wouldn’t have her own name.
We’d love to hear any ideas you and your readers might have!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
LET’S DECIDE WHAT MATTERS MOST
Abby replies:
Congratulations!
These are the toughest situations. It sounds like everyone can get exactly what they want and we’ll all be happy. But, but, but … I think you’re correctly noticing that there’s a potential outcome that puts your preferences at the bottom of the priority list.
So let’s order our priorities:
- Your daughter’s name has to be Claire, in way that prioritizes that name, not just tucks it into a middle spot.
- A secondary consideration is incorporating Anne. It sounds like using Anne as a middle or even an unused part of a formal name – like Julianne – is on the table, right?
HONORING BOTH FAMILIES WITH CLAIRE AND ANNA
ANNACLAIRE
My first thought? Annaclaire, like Annabelle. Assuming, of course, that Annabelle’s name isn’t a barrier to choosing Annaclaire. Another potential pitfall: she might still end up being called Annie. But I think it’s a name that’s equal parts elegant and fun.
CLAIRE CASTELLON
This might be too much of a curve ball, but would using another family name from your husband’s side work? Castellon is a great middle for a daughter or a son, and you already mentioned that you wished you’d used it previously.
CLAIRE CASTELLANNE
This might be a stretch, but what if you respelled Castellon to incorporate Ann/Anne/Anna? It’s out-there, but in the middle spot, that might be perfect.
CLARIANNA, CLARIANNE
Adding a syllable turns Claranna into Clarianna, like Julianna. It’s a bit of a complicated, maybe even frilly name, but it shortens to Clair/Claire/Clairy, not Annie – so that’s a plus.
CLAIRE PLUS A LONGER ANNA NAME/DOUBLE ANNE NAME
Claire Annika, Claire Anne Avery, Claire Eliana, Claire Anne Eliza, Claire Marianne, Claire Anna Jolie, and on and on and on … do any of these appeal? I feel like it’s a way to stick with the family naming convention but put your preferences at the top of the list.
Normally I have a pretty clear frontrunner by the end of these questions, but this time I’m divided. Annaclaire is a great option, but I feel like it prioritizes the family name over your frontrunner.
It’s a bit on the wild side, but I’m really drawn to Claire Castellon or even Claire Castellanne. It preserves the family custom, but puts the emphasis on the name you most want to use every day, plus potentially revives a family name from your husband’s side that you wish you’d used previously.
What about Anna Claire as a double first name? You could still call her Claire, which falls in line with how you nickname your son using the second portion of his first name. Then choose a middle you love- maybe an M name to match her brother:
Anna Claire Marie
Anna Claire Marlowe
Anna Claire Matilda.
Or you could do Anna Claire as first and middle and call her Claire (common in the South when the first name is a family name)!
I love Claire Castellon. Otherwise I would do Claire Julianne, Claire Joanna, Claire Annabel or some other longer Anne name as your middle.
Just adding my two cents, but, if you’re not planning to have more children, I love Annaclaire Castellon, nickname Claire. I really think it’s unique, beautiful, and covers all your bases.
Claire Anstice
Claire Anthea
Claire Angela
Claire Angelina
Claire Carolanne
Claire Georgiana
I’m a Hannah Claire (named for a Clara, a Klara, and a Mary Claire in my family tree), so I read this post with particular interest!
To me, it seems clear that Claire should be your daughter’s first name. You love it, you’ve explored variations, and none of them have matched your love for the name as-is. Don’t go contorting yourself in knots to please others when the perfect name is already in front of you.
So, that leaves the middle name spot as the opportunity to honor your husband’s family.
I love Abby’s suggestion of Claire Castellon. It’s a great, unique combination, and it would be a not to the paternal line while also using a name you love and regret not using earlier.
If not that, then I like the idea of a variation of Anne as a middle name. I especially like:
Claire Anaïs
Claire Annalie
Claire Annalise
Claire Annika
Claire Anouk
Claire Anya
Claire Grace Anna
Claire Lilianne
Claire Susanne
But I’m not sure any of those can top Claire Castellon. To me, that’s the name to beat!
Hope you’ll write back with an update.
What about Claire Anita? Follows tradition, honors a specific person and keeps your favorite name.
If you want something like Jeremy nn Remy, I suggest:
Sinclair nn Claire
Claravaux nn Claire
Clarice nn Claire
Clarity nn Claire
Clarinda nn Claire
As Jeremy is Remy, I think Annaclaire could be nn Claire, especially in a family already with a lot of Anns. Clarity Annelise or something like that could also work.