Finding Daring Names Like Evadne for a Daughter

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.

SO MANY GORGEOUS GIRL NAMES

Arianna writes:

You helped me name Caius (2019) and Evadne (2022), and I’m reaching out for your help again for a baby girl due November 3rd (Halloween would be perfect!).

I want her name to feel as special as Evadne’s name.

This baby will join Sebastien, Nikolai, Torin, Caius, and Evadne.

Here’s my list of names:

• Artemis
• Athenais
• Celestine
• Castalia
• Emrys
• Endellion
• Idalia
• Idony (pronounced ih-duh-nee)
• Lark
• Marceline
• Romilly
• Sibree/Sibry
• Solene
• Thessaly

Right now, the top first names are Romilly, Thessaly, Idony, Idalia, and Sibree/Sibry. But nothing feels quite right!

Would love any thoughts or suggestions you have!

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

HOW TO NARROW UP A LIST OF NAMES LIKE EVADNE?

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter! When you were expecting Evadne, I remember you wrote this:

Everyone says it’s easier to name girls because of all of the options but I’m finding the opposite to be true for the same reason – too many options!

It’s a real challenge, isn’t it? Because I could name Twelve Dancing Princesses from your list and still feel like I’d left some amazing choices on the table.

Here’s what leaps out at me:

Even as your family has grown, your children’s name have remained distinctive. Different initials, varied ending sounds and syllable counts, a broad range of origins.

And yet the names do feel like a cohesive group. Besides being siblings, the names are linked by a certain quality. They’re enduring names that are just on the right side of familiar, but somehow seldom heard.

That makes me think the right name will:

• Be all your daughter’s own. Even if she shares an initial or sound with a sibling’s name, the overlap will be minimal.
• Split the difference between familiar and (very) uncommon. This is tough, because when it comes to uncommon names, it’s often surprising what others will recognize. Instead of guessing at this, I’m looking for a mix of phonetic transparency and ease of spelling, based on English as it is spoken now.

It’s tempting to rule out, say, Endellion because you already have an Evadne. But I’m not sure that’s logical.

From your current five favorites, I’d say that all succeed when weighed against the first criteria. Any of these names sound distinctive with Sebastien, Nikolai, Torin, Caius, and Evadne.

But I wonder if Idony, Idalia, and Sibree/Sibry fall just a little short in terms of spelling/pronunciation and general wearability:

• As much as I love Idony, it sounds like you’re already aware of some potential conflict in pronunciation. While I agree with you that ih-duh-nee is the logical choice, I can see it’s not the only option.
• Idalia is pretty straightforward, except I think I’d hear it as Adalia. With so many Adelines and Addie names in this generation, that gives me pause.
• While I love Sibree/Sibry’s sound and strength, it is very rare, and there’s an immediate question about spelling. (Though pronunciation is easy.)

That leaves Romilly and Thessaly. While they’re just as different, I feel like both of them fit a little bit better. I also love the nickname potential: Romy, Ro, Milly and Tess, Tessa, Tally.

I also wonder if Artemis deserves a second look? It’s as lovely as Athenais, but much more familiar – while still quite rare.

Another note: since both Caius and Evadne have bonus middles based on animals, I wonder if that’s really the place that Lark should occupy? More on that in a bit.

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

ISABEAU

A (very) old school Elizabeth/Isabelle variant.

ISOLDE/ISEULT

As in the Juliet-like figure in medieval romance Tristan and Isolde. The story has been re-told many times. Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde makes the -olde spelling more obvious to me. Over the last two decades, a major motion picture the television series Merlin both opted for the Isolde spelling, too.

ROMINA

Likely based on Rome (and Roman), the name takes Romilly in a slightly different direction – more like Idalia.

SUNNIVA

I love Sibry’s strong Norse roots, so I wonder if Sunniva might appeal? It means “gift of the sun.” Legend tells us that Sunniva fled an unwanted marriage in medieval Ireland. She found her way to Norway, and while her ending wasn’t happy, Sunniva has been protecting the locals in the western part of the country ever since.

SYBIL

Is this too ordinary compared to Sibry? It’s quite rare, at least in terms of numbers, and I feel like Sibry is a potential nickname. (Though maybe that’s a stretch?)

TOP CHOICES

When it comes to names like Evadne, I think it’s tough to beat Romilly – especially with Caius, Torin, Nikolai, and Sebastien. And Romilly MiddleName Lark could be perfect.

Maybe Romilly Emrys Lark, Romilly Cecile Lark, or even Romilly Solene Lark? It shortens nicely – to Romy, Ro, or Milly – but would never have to use a nickname.

From my list, I’m really loving Sunniva with your older kids’ names. Sunniva Idony Lark, maybe?

Readers, over to you! Can you suggest more names like Evadne? What would you name a sister for Sebastien, Nikolai, Torin, Caius, and Evadne?