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.
WHAT’S THE RIGHT SWEET SPOT NAME FOR A FIRST DAUGHTER?
Sabina and Daniel write:
We’re having our first child together in December, a girl, and we can’t agree on her name.
Our heritage/background includes French-Canadian, Irish, German, and Danish. We also have roots in the southern US.
Names we’re considering:
- Adelaide
- Anastasia (Anya/Anja – not sure how we want to spell the nickname yet)
- Anneliese
- Arielle (our concern is that people will think we named her after the Little Mermaid, which we didn’t – lol)
- Camilla/Camille (we like just Mila, but it’s too popular for us)
- Cecilia
- Daphne
- Elise (we like Elizabeth, but it feels a bit plain for us as a first name)
- Felicity
- Fiona
- Gabrielle (is the hurricane association too much?)
- Genevieve (honors French-Canadian roots, and we love the nickname Evie; we pronounce it JEN-ah-veev instead of the French way)
- Giselle
- Iris
- Juliana
- Leila
- Linnéa
- Mina (I like Wilhelmina, but hate Billie, Willie, and Willa; Daniel thinks Wilhelmina is too old-fashioned, but we both love Mina)
- Mireille
- Noelle (is it too cheesy?)
- Pearl
- Sara (just worried about it being misspelled as Sarah)
- Saoirse
- Seraphina
- Susanna
- Viviana
- Zinnia
Names vetoed:
- Ariane (Ariana Grande ruined Ariana, plus it’s a little too trendy; we like Ariane, but it could be mistaken for Ariana)
- Cassia (we like the name, but worry about it being mispronounced; we like CASS-ee-ah, not CAH-sha)
- Charlotte (it’s too popular, and I hate the nickname Charlie for girls)
- Clementine
- Cora (we love it, but it’s too popular)
- Blair(e) (he likes it, but I can’t stand it for a girl)
- Freyja (honors Danish roots, but Freya is getting more popular, so we’re hesitant)
- Harriet (it’s too old-fashioned for him)
- Isabelle (it’ll be confused with the super popular Isabella; we’re also not fans of any of the nicknames, especially Belle and Bella)
- Lyric (he likes it, but I don’t; it’s too trendy for my tastes; we like Lyra, but I don’t like it pronounced LIE-ra; too close to “liar”)
- Olive (we’re not fans and Olivia is too popular)
- Mirabelle (he isn’t a fan, and we don’t want it shortened to Belle or Bella)
- Nicole/Nicolette (Nicolette is too similar to Nicorette, as in the nicotine gum. We don’t know why we don’t like Nicole. We just aren’t fans)
- Nova (he loves it, but I don’t see it working for a sophisticated adult)
- Rosalie (he isn’t a fan of the “Rose” names)
- Simone (the sound of the second syllable is unpleasant to us)
- Stephanie/Stevie (he doesn’t like Stephanie, I don’t like Stevie)
- Sylvie (I like it, he doesn’t)
Neither of us likes unusual or creative spellings or anything too common. (We’re trying to avoid the Top 100).
I love names that are clearly gendered for girls, even nicknames. He’s not a fan of clearly masculine names like James or Andrew for a girl, but he’s flexible with feminine names that have tomboyish nicknames.
The middle name is still a work in progress.
Our daughter will have our last names hyphenated, something like Collinson-Bernard.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
DEFINING A SWEET SPOT NAME FOR A FIRST DAUGHTER
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
It’s funny – by the time I read your criteria, I felt like I already knew them! There are lots of names on your list that appeal in some way, but also fall short of meeting your criteria.
I think the very first step is to drop any name that:
- Leans unisex in any way
- Could be complicated to spell and/or pronounce
- Ranks in the US Top 100 or otherwise feels too popular (as you’ve noted, Isabelle is much less popular than Isabella, but the two names tend to be grouped together)
- Lacks a nickname you love (if it seems like a nickname is necessary – that’s certainly not true for all names)
Let’s see where that leaves us:
NAMES I WOULD PROBABLY DROP FROM YOUR LIST
- Anneliese – it’s a somewhat complicated spelling
- Arielle – because of pop culture concerns
- Camilla/Camille – while these spellings aren’t Top 100, the name feels very popular, with Camila just outside of Top Ten
- Iris – recently entered the US Top 100
- Leila – so many spellings, and Layla ranks in the current Top 40
- Mireille – so, so gorgeous but hard to pronounce and spell
- Sara – it’s a minor point, but I do think lots of Saras go through life introducing themselves as “Sara without an H” – which isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but if it will bother you, then I’d move on
THAT STILL LEAVES SO MANY SWEET SPOT NAMES FOR A FIRST DAUGHTER
- Adelaide
- Anastasia
- Cecilia
- Daphne
- Elise
- Felicity
- Fiona
- Gabrielle – Regarding the hurricane question, Gabrielle has been so well-established as a given name that, unless you live in an area directly impacted, I wouldn’t consider it an issue
- Genevieve
- Giselle
- Juliana
- Linnéa
- Mina
- Noelle – The thing about winter holiday names is that some parents won’t use them because it’s a little on-the-nose to have a December daughter named Holly. But parents also hesitate to use them in July, because, well … that seems odd, too. In general, I think it’s fair to use Noelle any time of year, but if it bothers you, then that’s an equally good reason to drop the name
- Pearl
- Seraphina
- Susanna
- Viviana
- Zinnia
It’s a great list, but rather than evaluate every name, let’s see if I can choose five that best capture your wish list.
TOP FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
5. ANASTASIA “ANYA”
A traditional, flowing name with a lovely meaning, Anastasia is one of those favorites everyone recognizes instantly. Thanks to the 1997 animated film, Anya feels like the obvious nickname – it’s even less common than Anastasia, by quite a bit. In fact, I might recommend considering Anya. The one drawback? While spelling Anja is more familiar in Denmark and much of northern Europe, it would be unfamiliar to many in the US. So just like Freyja is an issue, I think I’d suggest avoiding Anja.
4. ELISE
Gently French and quietly traditional, Elise is a perfect fits-in/stands-out name. In a classroom full of girls answering to Eleanor and Eloise, any El- name probably blends in a little. But there’s a strength to Elise that sets it apart.
3. DAPHNE
There’s no question – Daphne is rising in use, thanks in part to television series like Bridgerton and The White Lotus. It also fits right in with other E-ending favorites like Chloe, Zoe, and Penelope. Daphne is distinctive and complete, a name that stands up nicely to a longer surname but doesn’t overwhelm.
2. SUSANNA
Worth noting: Susanna will probably find her name spelled Susannah some of the time. But the -a ending is more popular, and feels like the default. Then again, Susanna doesn’t even crack the current US Top 1000. (Kind of astonishing, right? 168 girls were named Susanna in 2024, compared to 63 Susannahs.)
1. GENEVIEVE “EVIE”
I think this name checks every box. It nods to your daughter’s French-Canadian heritage. It’s familiar to all, but has not ranked in the Top 100 in the US since early in the 20th century. Evie is a great nickname. And style-wise, Genevieve hits the spot between Elizabeth and Wilhelmina – traditional, but current and smooth. I think it’s the perfect sweet spot name for a first daughter, and works with many other types of names should you grow your family in the future.
Most of your names seem to fall into a few camps:
Pan-European and aristocratic: Adelaide, Anastasia, Camilla/Camille, Cecilia, Anneliese, Juliana, Sara, Susanna, Viviana
Suggestions:
-Alice, simple and stylish
-Beatrice, Bea is adorable and Beatrice is elegant and romantic
-Francesca, very European (although more Italian), Frankie is adorable and reminds me of Stevie
-Louise, generally popular/known across Europe, although it does feel a little French. Lucy and Lulu are super cute
French and sophisticated: Arielle, Elise, Gabrielle, Genevieve, Giselle, Mireille, Noelle (plus Ariane, Charlotte, Isabelle, Mirabelle, Nicole/Nicolette, Rosalie, Simone, Sylvie)
Suggestions:
-Josephine, vaguely French and very elegant
-Juliette, reminds me of Juliana and Charlotte, with a similar sound to Giselle/Gabrielle/Genevieve
-Marguerite, very sophisticated and classic, Pearl could be a nickname, or Maggie or Maisie
-Sophie, similar to Sylvie
-Vivienne, a lot like Viviana
Sweet and vintage: Daphne, Felicity, Iris, Mina, Pearl (Plus Clementine, Cora, Harriet, Olive, Sylvie)
Suggestions:
-Cecily, reminds me of Cecilia, but a little softer and more French
-Eloise, very sweet and reminds me of Elise
-Flora, reminds me of Cora but a little less popular
-Opal, ecovintage and reminds me of Pearl
-Phoebe, kind of a Daphne-meets-Pearl
Wildcards: Fiona, Leila, Linnea, Saoirse, Seraphina, Zinnia
These don’t really fit one of your categories and feel a little discordant, so I personally would avoid them, especially if you plan on having (and naming) more kids. Linnea and Zinnia are both nature names like Daphne, Iris, and Pearl, so maybe something ecovintage would appeal?
Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong! From my list, I think Juliette could be perfect. Juliette Pearl Collinson-Bernard is great! I also love Louise- it feels sophisticated and subtly French. Louise Daphne Collinson-Bernard, maybe, or Louise Sara Collinson-Bernard? From your list, I love Daphne and Elise! Good luck!
From your current list, I think Elise and Noelle are gorgeous. Gabrielle and Genevieve are great choices too.
I’m hesitant to add a suggestion since you already have so many on your list but I want to offer Miranda because it checks so many boxes for you. She is long, femme, and flowing like so many other names on your list. She is not in the top 100, her spelling and pronunciation are direct and clear, and she has so many nicknames to choose from: Mira, Miri, Mimi, Andi, Annie. I think Mina could totally work as well! And as a bonus, Miranda has a beautiful meaning of “wonderful, admirable”.
Miranda Noelle, Miranda Elise, Miranda Genevieve would all make lovely pairings. Something like Miranda Linnea could get you to Mila if you want to be a bit creative.
I love your list of names. I think you could keep Anastasia & see if a nickname occurs naturally. (I know someone named Anastasia & her nn is Asia; Stasia is also an option).
Susanna is great. (I prefer the Susannah spelling b/c that is my sister’s name & Susie is a cute nn that will be probably considered a little vintage by this generation.)
I like the idea of adding Philomena – you could call her Mena. (If you like this idea.)
I love Genevieve, nn Evie.
Another name you might like is Ottilia (nn Tilly). Not common, but easy to pronounce and very feminine.)
A German name I really like that might be your style is Verena – nn Vreni. It is very uncommon in the U.S., but I think it is lovely!
Also, a name that is quite international is Raphaela. I think a unique nn would be Phae.
And a Southern-seeming name that might fit your style is Magnolia, nn Noli. I think it is a beautiful name that isn’t too common, but gaining in popularity.
You have so many gorgeous options though!
Sending all best wishes!!
You have such a wonderful long list, and if you’re looking to trim it down I agree with Abby’s narrowing choices and I’ll add:
– Anastasia if you’re calling her Anya/Anja as that’ll no doubt get misspelled and misheard as more popular Anna
– Elise as Abby points out El-names are super hot these days and it will likely be misheard as Ellie
– Gabrielle – I’m surprise this isn’t in the Top 100, so many -elle and -ella names are hot these days, plus there’s Gabby’s Dollhouse which may boost it
– Genevieve if you’ll call her Evie (which is quite popular as a nickname) although I really love Genevieve for you, so I’d suggest a different nickname (NEEV?)
– Giselle, speaking of not liking parts of a sound (Simone), this name unfortunately starts with a sound ripe for teasing at some point (unless said with a hard GEE, but most North Americans will use JIZZ)
– Linnea as it’ll be harder for some people to figure out pronouncing and spelling
– Mina… because it sounds so close to Mila, which you know is popular. I do love Mina but I guarantee people will mishear it
– Susanna as there are a few ways to spell this, plus might get mistaken for Suzanna
That leaves Adelaide, Cecilia, Daphne, Felicity, Fiona, Juliana, Noelle, Pearl, Seraphina, Viviana, Zinnia. If it were me, my next step would be figuring out which names cancel each other out if there may be a sister in the future – if you don’t like matching initials between siblings, do you like Felicity or Fiona more? If you don’t want to match parent initials, strike off Daphne and Seraphina (actually, does your partner go by Danny – that may sway me either way with Daphne – cute or too close?) Do you want a subtle nature theme? Then maybe Pearl, Noelle, Zinnia, Daphne are great. Do you have any favourite boy names you’ll maybe use in future that go better with or clash with any of the choices?
I like Adelaide, Pearl, Zinnia best of your list. Those stand out but are familiar enough.
Hopefully seeing Abby and commenters striking names off may cause a reaction in you that sways you to one or another (eg. hey, Elise is STAYING on the list 😉
Good luck!
I hesitate to add to such a proliferative list, but I do admit that Philomena popped in my head when I read how much you like Mina.
And since your name is Sabina, maybe you name your little girl after yourself with Sabrina?