Looking for Girl Names: Easy to Pronounce and Spell

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! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

NAMING A SISTER FOR CORA LOUISE

Astrid writes:

What would you name a sister for Cora Louise?

We want something simple to pronounce and spell. Esme Eleanor was our first idea, but have decided to not use it.

Our current list is:

• Alice
• Eliza
• Emery
• Sylvie

Middle name options are Eleanor, Grace, and Monroe.

Thank you!

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

NARROWING UP A GOOD LIST, PLUS ADDING FRESH IDEAS

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your second daughter!

Cora Louise is a lovely name – it’s current and timeless, always a winning combination.

It’s also very easy to spell and pronounce. Are there some girls named Korra? Sure. But the numbers are tiny, and I’m guessing almost no one asks if you spell Cora with a K.

Esme, though? I do hesitate when I say it. Just for a fraction of a second. Because so many girls are named Zoe and Chloe and Penelope that my brain short circuits and wants to say ez-MEE.

Much as I love the name Esme and think it pairs nicely with Cora, I agree that it’s not 10-out-of-10 when it comes to ease of pronunciation.

Let’s look at the names you’re actively considering now, and see if we can add some more options.

EVALUATING YOUR CURRENT LIST

EMERY

I’d rank Emery fourth on your list. While it is pretty straightforward, alternate spelling Emory ranks in the 300s. And it can be re-spelled Amory, Amerie, Emmarie … lots of rare, but plausible, variations. It’s also something of a style switch. I can imagine sisters named Cora and Emery, but one is more traditional and the other more modern.

ALICE, ELIZA

A perfect sister name for Cora. I rank them second and third by the narrowest of margins.

SYLVIE

Sylvie rises to the top, and here’s why. Esme is relatively uncommon compared to Cora. My guess is that parenthood has made you even more aware of what children are named now, and you’ve intentionally sought out a name that’s just slightly different. Sylvie fits that description to a T.

FRESH IDEAS: A SISTER FOR CORA LOUISE

DAPHNE

A little like Esme, but easier to pronounce.

EDEN

An E name that’s nicely straightforward.

GEMMA

A two-syllable, ends-with-A name like Cora, but with a jewel-box sparkle.

HEIDI

Sweet, sparky, and traditional.

JANE

So spare and strong, with default nickname Janie.

MAISIE

An alternative to Esme that shares a little bit of the same sound.

MARGOT

One of the most stylish of traditional names now, an obvious sister for Cora. And yet, I think the spelling and pronunciation is most obvious to native speakers of American English. If your family is bilingual or international – or even if your broader community is – I wonder if Margot is less straightforward than I assume?

VALERIE

There’s something timeless and high-energy like Valerie, just like names on your list like Eliza.

Overall, I’m most drawn to Sylvie Grace as a sister for Cora Louise. I’d put Eliza Monroe a close second.

From my new suggestions, I like Margot and Daphne best. I’d probably put Daphne Eleanor at the top of my list, with Margot Grace second. Maybe even a distant second, because I’m not sure how easily it’s pronounced and spelled outside of an American English setting. Still, it’s pretty common so I think that’s less of a concern now that it might’ve been in 2005 or even 2015.

Readers, what would you name a sister for Cora Louise, with a priority on a straightforward spelling and pronunciation?