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Name Help: A Sister for Eden and Mariama

May 22, 2020 By appellationmountain 12 Comments

Name Help: Sweet Spot Girl NamesName 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!

Melissa writes:

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant with our third daughter, looking for suggestions for a sister for Eden and Mariama. I have identified my naming style as liking sweet spot names.

When considering a name for this baby, we don’t want another name starting with M because my husband and I are both M names and Eden would seem out of place. Not opposed to another E name.

I also don’t want a really short name or Mariama would seem out of place.

My last criteria is I don’t want a long name without a nickname. Our top contender right now is Eliza. I haven’t been able to think of many others that I like that my husband is on board with. Thanks for your help!

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

Dear Melissa –

Congratulations on baby number three!

I think Eliza makes the perfect sister name for Eden and Mariama. It’s an E name like Eden, but a longer name, like Mariama.

And yet, it can be unsatisfying to only have a single name on your list, right?

So let’s think about some more possibilities that split the difference between Eden and Mariama.

I’m going to start with this list of Sweet Spot Girl Names. Not only is it the style you like, but Eden and Eliza are already on the list!

Cecilia – Another long and lovely name that hits the middle ground between not-too-popular and not-too-rare.

Eloise – There are so many great E names, but the only that seems even comparable to Eliza might be Eloise.

Fiona – Fiona may be three syllables, and end with ‘a’ … but somehow it doesn’t strike me as especially frilly or elaborate.

Juliet – Juliet and Eden share a tailored, consonant ending … but both feel more romantic and adventurous, which makes them a sister for Mariama.

Katerina – A spin on classic Katherine, I wonder if Katerina bridges the gap between the more familiar Eden and the rarer Mariama?

Serena – Eden and Serena share lots of sounds, but Serena also sounds like a sister for Mariama.

Tabitha – Like Katerina, Tabitha is a familiar name that’s actually quite rare for girls born today. I think that puts it right between your older girls’ names.

Vivienne – Vivienne shares Eden’s ‘n’ ending, but seems a little more elaborate and dramatic – and closer to Mariama.

While I don’t think I’ve managed to top Eliza at all, my favorite is Juliet. (Or Juliette.) I think it has a feminine, but frills-free sound that reminds me of Eden, but a certain flair that moves it closer to Mariama.

Here’s one final thing to consider: do you imagine this is your last child? Or can you envision adding to your family? (I know, I know, it’s really not fair to ask!) If you think that this child probably completes your family, then I’d probably lean towards an E name, specially Eliza.

But if you hope to add more children in the future – or even think there’s just a possibility of welcoming baby four in the future – then I’d lean strongly towards a non-E name. Because if you’ve only used E and M names, it might be harder for that future child to receive a name starting with a different letter.

But Eden, Mariama, and Juliet? You could use pretty much anything.

Readers, over to you: what would you name a sister for Eden and Mariama?

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Comments

  1. Megan says

    May 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM

    Eliza and Eloise are both lovely.

    I think an E name with three or four syllables and a nickname wound round things perfectly.

    In the same vain as Eliza and Eloise are Elena nn Ellie or Eleanor nn Ellie or Nora.

    I think Esmerelda nn Esme or Essie and Evangeline nn Evie or Effie fit your sweet spot. Both given names are in 200-500 range and both could follow the vintage nickname trend.

    I think there are a couple of rarities that could work for you as well. Eulalia or Eulalie nn Laia or Euphemia nn Effie. Laia feels like a particularly good match for Eden and Mariama, though you could also properly use Eula.

    Reply
  2. Iris says

    May 24, 2020 at 4:59 PM

    I know it’s not on the Top 1000, but it feels familiar, so here it goes: Verity.
    I think it complements the sibset very well: Eden, Mariama and Verity.

    Reply
    • Liz says

      May 24, 2020 at 9:06 PM

      absolutely love the suggestion of Verity

      Reply
  3. Jean C. says

    May 23, 2020 at 8:18 PM

    I especially like Serena from Abby’s suggestions. It is a name you do not hear frequently but is known and I think it would fit well. I also like Lola, Sylvie, Olive.

    Reply
  4. Kirstin G says

    May 23, 2020 at 11:07 AM

    I’ve never heard of Miriama as a variant of Miriam. It’s a unique sound, but I see the connection with Eden.

    Eliza is a nice addition, but I hope you find one you love! Here are some more suggestions:

    Naomi
    Lydia
    Agnes or Inez
    Elspeth
    Hester
    Eleanora

    Reply
  5. Aine says

    May 22, 2020 at 8:35 PM

    The first thing that jumps out to me is that there is a style gap between Eden and Mariama. That’s not a bad thing, and they make lovely sister names, but it does mean that a compatible sister name would, ideally, bridge the styles. Eden is short, familiar, and slightly unisex, while Mariama is long, rare, and very feminine. I think that Eliza from your list does a great job bridging the two, as do all of Abby’s suggestions, particularly Serena and Tabitha. I like the suggestions of Gwendolyn and Claudia from other posters. One other quick thought- You said you don’t want a long name without a nickname. If there were good nickname options for a long name, would you be open to one?

    Felicity
    Adelaide/Adelia/Adelina
    Odessa
    Sabrina
    Celeste
    Esmeralda
    Lilia
    Carlotta
    Carina
    Helena
    Coraline
    Gloria
    Elissa
    Francesca
    Frida
    Colette
    Thalia/Talia
    Juniper

    Reply
  6. keats says

    May 22, 2020 at 6:24 PM

    I like Serena best from Abby’s list. I think it bridges the gap in sounds and style between Eden and Mariama. I know it is three syllables, but Eliza doesn’t strike me as long. It just looks like one more letter than Eden, and with the same first initial, Mariama seems left out. Eloise does the bridge better in my mind, but that is a stylistic thing.

    For some reason, I keep thinking of the name Trinity. Eden, Mariama and Trinity. Again a lot of the same ee/r sounds of the other two names, but each with a distinct identity. It is ranked only 40 spots behind Eden, so in the same zone popularity wise. It has the same religious undertones of Eden and the Maria part of Mariama. Plus, as the third girl, she does make a perfect trifecta.

    Best of luck!

    Reply
  7. ab says

    May 22, 2020 at 4:13 PM

    Caroline
    Charity
    Emmelyn (sounds like Emma Lynn and could be spelled various ways)
    Gwendolyn
    Isabel or Isobel
    Lillian
    Lydia
    Verily — everyone mentions Verity as a virtue name, but I really like Verily better. In the Bible when Jesus says “Truly, truly I say to you …” older translations show that as “Verily, verily.” Verily is also the name of a women’s magazine that has the tagline “Less of who you should be, more of who you are.”

    Reply
  8. Jaime says

    May 22, 2020 at 2:23 PM

    I like Juliet and Cecelia best from Abby’s suggestions. Vivienne is also lovely.
    Mariama, Eden and Juliet. Mari, Edie and Jules.

    Mariama, Eden and Cecelia. Mari, Edie and Cece.

    I do like Eliza but prefer all the kids in a sibset to have their own first initial.

    A few additional suggestions:
    Daphne
    Phoebe
    Juniper
    Sybil
    Aurora (Rory?)
    Rosemary (Romy)
    Romilly (Romy)
    Danica
    Ingrid
    Selah
    Lydia

    Reply
  9. Marie says

    May 22, 2020 at 12:55 PM

    I like Eliza and Eloise

    I also think of Annaliese, Vera, Estelle maybe Talia or Noa? I also think a one syllable name is always great at the end of a list of siblings. Quinn, Joan, Pearl, Claire, Kaye, Leigh

    Reply
  10. C in DC says

    May 22, 2020 at 12:37 PM

    I like Eloise and Juliet from Abby’s list. I might add some other -et style names: Harriet, Georgette, Loretta, Elisabetta. Sabine or Salome (sahl-OH-may) might also appeal.

    Reply
  11. Taylor says

    May 22, 2020 at 10:05 AM

    Claudia?

    Reply

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