Finding Strong Girl Names with Distinctive Sounds

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed. 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!

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STANDOUT NAMES FOR A DAUGHTER

Kayla writes:

I could use some helping find that elusive, one-in-a-million name for my daughter, due at the end of September.

My husband is okay with pretty much every name I’ve suggested. He’s not a native English speaker, so he’s happy to defer to me.

Maybe that sounds ideal? I find it overwhelming, with so many possibilities, and can’t seem to make a decision.

Here’s what I want/do not want:

• Nothing trendy or popular. I’m Kayla, my sister-in-law is Kaylee, and I have a good friend named Kaitlyn. Plus my niece is Layla! (They named her before we even met.) I know it’s just coincidence, but I never liked my name, and it almost doesn’t feel like a name, more of a random sound that everyone else has, too.
• Nothing that sounds like anything else. I know I’m asking for a lot here, but I’ve been burned.
• Nothing too cute. I don’t mean to suggest that my parents didn’t want a big, ambitious future for me, but my name doesn’t sound as professional and grown-up as names like Elizabeth and Katherine.
• Nothing too obvious. Which brings me to the real problem. I don’t want to name my daughter Elizabeth or Katherine. (Or any of the other classic names.) Partly because my daughter’s last name will be very common: Gee-with-an-L. But also because of my one-in-a-crowd feeling with my own name.
• Nothing too short. Related to the last name issue, anything short ends up sounding like a double name with our last name: Anna Gee-with-an-L sounds like Annalie, etc.
• Nothing too long. And also nothing that feels like it needs to a nickname. Some names sound like they need nicknames, somehow.

My list so far is Bernadette (love, but maybe too long), Harriet (feel like I should like it more than I do), and Louisa/Louise (could be perfect, but it’s a lot with Gee-with-an-L.)

The only thing my husband would like – and this is probably more about his family than him – is a good meaning.

Some new ideas would be amazing!

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

TRADITIONAL, UNCOMMON, POSITIVE, AND NOT TOO LONG

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your daughter.

Yes, this is quite a list! But it makes sense. As you say, you’ve been burned.

Before we dive into names, I want to note two things:

• Gauging which kids will shorten their names and which kids will insist on using their names in full is surprisingly difficult. I agree that you should choose a name that you like, and anything with a common nickname you dislike is probably better avoided. And yet, I can imagine Bernadette being used in full or shortened – really based on personal preference, not any inherent rule.
• Few names will be perfect with your surname, but cultivating a pause helps. Short, vowel-forward surnames share this issue. Some names are better than others. Regardless of your choice, taking a deliberate breath between first and last will help.

CURRENT LIST

LOUISA/LOUISE

Great names, but I agree that the L sounds become overwhelming.

HARRIET

If you hadn’t mentioned Harriet, I might’ve suggested it myself. It’s a great, traditional choice that sounds distinctive with your surname and isn’t even in the current US Top 1000 – bananas, right? But readers sometimes call this one a little bit on the frilly side, and while I’m not sure I hear it, I do get it … so let’s see if we can sidestep that quality.

BERNADETTE

I’m not sure we can do better than Bernadette! It’s not in the current Top 1000, but everyone knows it. It feels fresh and interesting and a little bit quirky thanks to The Big Bang Theory. And I don’t think it has to be shortened … though yes, there are plenty of possibilities if you or your daughter would ever want to choose a nickname.

FRESH IDEAS

ANTONIA

This name is both ancient – as in Rome – and literary, thanks to Cather. It’s also kind of straight-up lovely, sharing the IA ending of Sophia and Amelia. I tend to pronounce it more like the latter: an to nya. That brings it in at three syllables, no nickname required. One downside: the meaning is lost to time.

CONSTANCE

One of the names that always comes to mind when parents ask for traditional, strong, but not common names with good meanings.

ESTHER

An old school name with strength to spare, and a perfect meaning: star.

FRANCES

I can’t decide if Frances is inevitably going to be called Frannie/Frankie or not. We don’t call Alice Allie, right? It’s such a distinctive name, an appealing mix of strong and delicate. And I love with your surname, too.

MIRIAM

There’s something old school about Miriam. It’s a name we all know, but girls today are more likely to be Mia or Millie. That might make it the perfect choice. Since it’s a cousin to Mary, would the meaning be satisfactory?

OCTAVIA

Another name from the same category as Antonia, but I think Octavia – like Olivia – is really unlikely to be shortened. It ranks in the current US Top 300 – familiar, not common.

PRUDENCE

No question that Prudence has a great meaning and a strong sound, too.

VERONICA

My first thought was Frederica, but I think that’s long enough that she’d be Freddie in a heartbeat. So how about Veronica? It’s not common – hovering around the 400 mark right now! – but everyone knows it. And the sound is definitely distinctive. As for meaning, it comes from a Greek name meaning “bringing victory” but the spelling was altered to resemble the Latin phrase vera icon – true image.

As I compiled this list, I noticed that a great many names do run together. With your surname, Cecile becomes Cecily. Rhea Gee-with-an-L sounds like really. Famous people ruled out names, too, like Sarah Gee-with-an-L.

Which brings me to my original top choice, Constance. Does it sound like constancy or constantly with your surname? I think Constance Gee-with-an-L works.

And so I’m going to put Veronica at the top of my suggestions. Veronica checks all the boxes: sound, meaning, nickname-proof.

But I’m still not sure anything tops Bernadette. The meaning alone – brave as a bear? – that’s pretty amazing!

Over to you, readers! What would you suggest for names like Bernadette – strong, distinctive, not common or trendy?