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.
LOOKING FOR LONG PLUS SHORT
Maribeth writes:
Our fourth child is due in April. She will join:
- Abigail “Abby” Elizabeth
- John “Jack” Elliott
- Margaret “Maggie” Grace
Our son’s first and middle are family names. Technically, Margaret is also a family name, but we chose it more because we like more traditional names that can be easily shortened.
If this baby was a boy, we were considering Benjamin or Theodore.
We have a very long list of names for a girl, most of which we previously considered for Abby or Maggie.
- Bernadette – might be meaningful because we’re Catholic and the feast day for St. Bernadette is April 16th, but we don’t want to call her Bernie
- Eleanor – I like Elizabeth better, but it’s already Abby’s middle name, not sure we should re-use, would probably call her Ellie
- Katherine – I like Kate better than Katie, but I don’t mind Katie when she’s little
- Millie – but don’t like any of the longer names
- Teresa – mostly because I really like Tess/Tessa/Tessie, not really crazy about the sound of Teresa
- Therese – again, for Tess nickname and also because I like this better than Teresa but feel like it’s hard to pronounce
- Victoria – but not Vicky, and I don’t think we could have Abby, Maggie, and Victoria
Our last name sounds like Cost-plus-er. The middle name I keep coming back to is Rose, again, because we almost used it for both of our girls.
I know we have lots of good choices, but nothing is jumping out at me this time. My husband is pretty easy-going about names and mostly he is fine with anything I suggest.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
LOOKING FOR TWO NAMES YOU LOVE
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
I hear a few things in your message:
- You’re actually looking for two names – a nickname for everyday use, and a formal name. It’s important to like both of them equally.
- Almost everything with parenting gets easier with experience. Naming is the exception. That’s because you’ve ruled out plenty of options with your earlier choices. Elizabeth, for example. But also any name that shortens to Maddie, Addie, or Aggie – for starters.
- The right name is probably more mainstream. I know plenty of families who choose relatively obscure saints’ names/Biblical names and shrug off worries that it might feel too different. But you’re looking for a familiar, traditional girl name with a nickname – and an obvious one, too. A default nickname. Your Margaret answers to Maggie, not Maisie or Gretchen. I think that’s part of the puzzle.
REVIEWING YOUR CURRENT LIST
I think there’s some potential on your current list, but also a few names that feel easier to let go.
NAMES I WOULD PROBABLY, RELUCTANTLY DROP
- I’m very tempted to suggest Bernadette called Betty, but … I wonder if this is just a little too different from Abby and Maggie? It’s classic, of course, but far less common.
- While Teresa/Therese seem like they ought to be fits, and Tess is a perfect nickname, it sounds like you’re not really wild about the formal names. It’s important to like both, I think, so let’s drop these names.
- As with Bernadette, I can suggest some alternative nicknames for Victoria: Tori, Vica, Via. But I think it might be better to let this one go.
NAMES THAT MIGHT WORK
AMELIA CALLED MILLIE
I’m not sure what you’ve considered for Millie, but I wonder if you’d like Amelia? It’s a saint’s name and a popular, familiar choice. I do think this is a little different than your older girls’ names, though, because Millie isn’t an automatic (or necessarily obvious) nickname for Amelia.
ELOISE CALLED ELLIE
I think Eleanor could be perfect, but it sounds like it’s not quite right. Would you consider Eloise instead? It’s traditional, easily leads to Ellie, and I love it as a sister name for Abby, Jack, and Maggie.
KATHERINE CALLED KITTY
I’m tempted to take Katherine off the list entirely, because I do think Kate/Katie is the logical nickname. But would having Kitty as an option appeal?
FRESH SUGGESTIONS
Let’s see if we can find another traditional girl name with a nickname that’s obvious, familiar, and not too similar to Abby, Jack, and Maggie.
CAROLINE – Callie or Carrie
Abby, Maggie, and Callie seems perfect. Or Abby, Maggie, and Carrie. When it comes to a traditional girl name with a nickname, Caroline feels like an obvious choice that isn’t too similar to your older children’s names.
CECILIA – Cece
Impeccably saintly, Cecilia counts as a classic, even if it’s not necessarily in the Katherine/Mary/Margaret/Elizabeth/Anna cluster. Nickname Cece or Ceci is automatic and fun.
EVANGELINE, EVELYN – Evie
There are lots of longer Ev- names. Evelyn matches your family’s style nicely, but I wanted to suggest Evangeline, too.
JOSEPHINE – Josie
The name that immediately came to mind as a perfect sister for Maggie, Jack, and Abby.
LILLIAN – Lily
If you love Millie but can’t warm to any formal name options, how would you feel about Lily? It’s a lovely name for a daughter due around Easter, and formal names abound. Lillian is the obvious, but there’s also Lilia or Liliana, to name just two.
LUCIA, LUCILLE – Lucy
Most Lucys are named Lucy, but I’m drawn to the idea of Abigail, Margaret, and Lucille – Abby, Maggie, and Lucy. There are plenty of saints with related names, and while I think of Saint Lucy as a winter saint, the meaning – light – resonates at any time of year.
ROSALIE – Rosie
If you like Rose as a middle name, would you consider Rose or a longer Rose name as a first? I think Rosie could be perfect for your family.
VIVIAN, VIVIENNE – Vivi, Viv
Brainstorming V names that aren’t Victoria leads to Vivian – or Vivienne? Vivi and Viv are sweet short forms.
Overall, my favorite from your original list is probably Ellie, but with a different formal name. Eloise would be my pick.
From my list? If Rosalie called Rosie doesn’t speak to you, I would suggest Lillian called Lily. Both are drawn from your original suggestions (Rose/Millie), but build off that inspiration.
ABIGAIL(Abby) JOHN (Jack) MARGARET (Maggie) and……
Sarah called Sadie or Sallie, Sally
Catherine called Cassie
Cassandra called Cassie
Emilia called Emmy / Emmie
Bridget called Birdie / Birdie
Hannah called Annie or Hannie
Johannah called Annie or Hannie or Joey
Annabel called Annie
Susannah called Annie or Sukie or Susie
Edith called Edie
Abigail “Abby” Elizabeth, John “Jack” Elliott, Margaret “Maggie” Grace, and _____________ Rose Cost+er.
Abby stole basically every name I thought of, and the comments stole the rest! But you have a ton of great options. I especially love Rosalie “Rose” or “Rosie”, similar Rosemary would be fantastic too!
Bernadette is great, and I love the suggestions of Bea, Betty, and Birdie. But if you like Tess/Tessa/Tessie, would Bess appeal? I’ve always loved it, although it’s less common than Maggie and Abby. Similarly, maybe Esther or Estelle with the nickname of Essie? A lot of people think of the nail polish, but I knew a teen girl named Essie and it wears very well.
If you like Elizabeth, what about Isabelle? Izzy is super cute, as is Belle. Isabella could work, too. I also love Charlotte for you, nicknamed Lottie.
Other ideas might be Penelope called Penny, Lola, or Nell. Harriet called Hattie or Hallie. Beatrice called Bea or Trixie. Louise or Louisa called Lucy or Lulu.
If you don’t plan on saving Theodore for a boy, maybe Theodora called Thea or Dorothea called Dottie or Dolly would appeal?
Best of luck! You have so many great options, whatever you choose will be fantastic.
I love Katherine Rose nn Kate. I also thought of Kitty, but if you only like Katie on a child, I assume Kitty wouldn’t pass your nickname preferences. Similarly Birdie for Bernadette might not appeal for your set. I wonder if just Bea would work? It’s a more classic nickname that fits a nice pattern with Abby, Jack, Maggie…
I’ve also had that middle name usage regret for a future child first name opportunity. I also felt I couldn’t use the name, but I think with Elizabeth, you could use Eliza perhaps? Elizabeth and Eliza feel like different names so maybe that appeals and she could still be Ellie? Eliza Rose is lovely.
Could you get to Tess from Esther? You’ve already shown you use traditional / non-intuitive nicknames (Jack for John) so why not Esther to Tess? I really like this one for you, because I also twigged like a PP that Tess is associated with the number 4! It feels too perfect.
I love Theresa/Teresa/Tessa too and she would have so many saintly namesakes! But if you don’t love it, I agree that Josephine/Josie is perfect in your family.
A few more ideas for you for girls:
Constance “Tansy”
Louisa “Lulu”
Henrietta “Henny/Etta”
Genevieve – “Evie”
Susannah – “Susie”
Virginia – “Ginny”
Aurora – “Aurie”
Christina/Cristina – “Tina” or “Nina” (Nina is my nn)
Ophelia – “Heli” (from the middle of the name)
Rosalind – “Lindy”
Adelaide – “Della”
Penelope – “Penny”
Best wishes!!
Rosemary nn Rosie! I also love Louisa nn Lulu as another commenter suggested. Another thought… I noticed all 3 names have a similar “a” sound (Abby, Jack, Maggie) which made me think of Alice nn Allie, although maybe that’s too similar to Abby. The nickname Callie for Caroline would fit, though! But going down that road could make naming other children more difficult if you might have more in the future.
Congrats on baby 4! I really love Teresa/Tessa for you. It fits so well with your other children’s names plus Tessa is often associated with the fourth born child which seems too perfect to pass up! But if you don’t love it then that is totally understandable and I’m sure you can find something else just as lovely.
I think Katherine from your current list is great as well and Abby’s suggestions of Rosalie “Rosie” and Josephine “Josie” are my other favorites
Other ideas (sorry for any repeats)
Alexandra – Allie, Alex, Lexi, Andy, Sadie, Zadie
Theodora – Thea
Emily or Emilia – Millie
Bernadette – Etta
Gwendolyn – Winnie
Annabel – Annie
Felicity- Izzy
Harriet – Hallie
Victoria – Tory or Rory
Violet – Vivi, Lettie
Olivia – Livy, Liv
Charlotte- Charlie, Lottie
Maxine – Max
I love the idea of Rose/Rosie as a nickname with a longer version of the name like Rosalie.
I also think Teresa plus Tess/Tessa sounds perfect with the siblings (I personally like Teresa!), so would reconsider that one if it’s still on the list.
A few more ideas (these would also sound nice with Rose as a middle name):
Isabel / Izzy
Natalie / Tali
Camille / Millie