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!
Maria writes:
We are expecting our third daughter and we’re feeling pretty stuck with names.
Our girls are Amaya Rose and Anika Love.
Two issues:
- The biggie: I love, love, love that our girls’ names go together so well! At the same time, I never really confuse the names. (We pronounce Anika ah NEEK ah. And yes, we got it from Empire.) And me and my girls all have five-letter names that end with A, so I’d like this daughter to have the same.
- Smaller, but still causing me stress: Both Rose and Love are last names on my side, which felt like The Best Coincidence at the time our girls were born. But there are no more similar choices, and I’m not sure what to do.
Names we have considered:
- Eliza – my mom’s suggestion, actually for Anika. I kind of think it’s too traditional. I’m open to not using another A name, but not sure Eliza is it. But I really like the way it sounds with Amaya and Anika.
- Alina – I like this, but I think it maybe sounds too close to her sisters’ names. Also, I think I’d want to pronounce it like Elayna, which maybe would be a hassle?
- Adora – My husband’s favorite. I was half on-board until he admitted he got it from She-Ra.
- Liana – I really like this! But again, the A thing. Or maybe we could use Aliana, and just forget the five letters? Alana doesn’t thrill me, but maybe I’m just being fussy?
My husband has ideas sometimes, but is pretty much going to go with whatever I pick.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
My first question – and I know it’s not fair to ask and might not be possible to answer! – will this child complete your family?
None of us ever knows for sure, but if you’re fairly confident that this is your last pregnancy, I’m inclined to encourage you to stick with the pattern. More or less. Because it does seem to give you a lot of joy. So either another feminine A name, or possibly another five-letter, vowel-centric name that ends with A, maybe?
But if you imagine that you’ll add to your family in the future? Then it’s probably time to shift the pattern. You can choose a different first initial, a different number of letters … or maybe all of the above. Because if it’s tough choose a third name, imagine what it might feel like to try again for a fourth child.
I’m going to assume that you’re leaning towards the “our family is complete” side of the question, and try to finish the pattern, more or less.
FIVE-LETTER, (MOSTLY) VOWEL-HEAVY, ENDS WITH A NAMES FOR GIRLS
ADARA
Adora makes me think of Adara. It has Hebrew roots, and means “noble.” There’s also a bright star in the constellation Canis Major known as Adhara or Adara, from an Arabic word meaning “maidens.”
ADRIA
Short for Adriana and another feminine form of Adrian, Adria is a place name borrowed from a Roman settlement.
ALIZA
Depending on how you pronounce it, Aliza can be a Hebrew name meaning joy. (I’ve heard this pronounced more like ah-LEE-zah.) Or it can be Eliza-with-an-A.
EVANA
The feminine form of Evan, Evana feels rare but accessible. Irish actress Evanna Lynch, of Harry Potter fame, spells her name with two Ns.
LIORA
Another Hebrew name, Liora means “light for me.”
LUCIA
We think of the English name Lucy, but Lucia is the original Latin, from the word “lux” – light. One drawback: it’s pronounced multiple ways: loo SHAH, loo CHEE ah, loo SEE ah. The upside? You could choose the one that works best with Amaya and Anika.
SIENA
Siena is an Italian city. Spelled Sienna, it’s a Top 200 favorite for girls, climbing rapidly in use across much of the Western world.
TALIA
Thalia is a Greek goddess; her name means “to blossom.” Talia can be Hebrew or possibly short for Natalia.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I’m surprising myself my really liking Aliza, pronounced like Eliza but spelled with an A, for Amaya and Anika’s sister. You do like the name, and I think re-spelling it with an A is just enough of a twist to make it feel slightly more modern.
That is, of course, assuming you’re not planning a big family. Because it would be painful to break that pattern after three girls!
Because otherwise, I’d probably pull for Siena or Liora. They’re lovely and lyrical and sound just like sisters for Amaya and Anika. But they also open space for possible names for future siblings without locking you in to such a rigid pattern.
As for middle names, I think I’d err on the side of choosing either another short virtue name, or possibly looking to see if there’s a longer family name that might be adapted? Any name starting or ending with an EL sound could be Elle.
If that doesn’t feel like a possibility, this list might have a great word/nature/virtue name for your daughter.
For you I like Alexa and Aliya as the more tame/mainstream options and Azura and Aloia as the more distinctive options. I also saw another user mention Aisha, which is gorgeous. I definitely think you should pitch Adara to your husband, I think it’s a really great compromise that goes well with Amaya and Anika.
I love Avila, like the place in Spain. The emphasis is on the first syllable (AH-vi-la, not Ah-VI-La) so it would have 5 letters, start and end in A, but break up the pattern of having the emphases on the second syllable!
AmAya and AnIka use an A and an I vowel in the middle of the names. My instinct is to find a name that uses one of the other vowels, an E, U or O.
Amay@ Ro$e, Anil@ Love and…
Audra Hope
Adela Hope
Aurora Hope
Adora Hope
Alena Hope
Aleta Hope
Altea Hope
Azora Hope
Six letters
Andrea Hope
Alegra Hope
Adela
Aliza
Alcia
Alora
Aelia (means Sun)
I lean towards Hope or Joy for middle.
I think my favorite is Aelia Joy.
So many great suggestions!
I especially love Liana. It fits nicely with your other daughters’ names, while introducing some beautiful new sounds. I have a student named Liana, and she is just the sweetest!
Regarding the middle name, could you simply repeat one of your other daughters’ middle names, since they are so significant? I also like the idea of Maria or another family first name.
Alena / Elena for the e LAY na prn.
Adela
Audra
Aurora/Arora
Agape
Aisha
I suggest Joy / Joye as a middle name.
Keeping with the A—a pattern but not 5 letters: Arista, or hey, Ariana. I love Aliyah with the sister names, could be respelled any number of ways to suit the pattern better: Aliya, Aleah, etc.
Aliza has my vote as well. But I also like Adora/Adara!
Amira
Not only does it fit the 5 letters A-A pattern, but it is the same letters as Maria mixed up in a new form and sound.
Also…
Aviva
Azizza
Mira
Maura
Layla
Isla
Love the suggestion of Avila! Zelda has the “z” and ends in “a” like Eliza.
Alina is surprisingly popular, but I have only heard it pronounced Uh-LEEN-uh. If you want it pronounced Elayna, try Elena! Elena is typically pronounced Elayna, and it suits Amaya and Anika so well. Alena is a touch more unusual and could be pronounced Elayna, or Alayna or Alaina if you can flex on the number of letters to preserve the overall pattern.
Laila also seems like it would go well with your girls while moving the pattern in a new direction.
I see Malia has already been suggested, and that was my idea. Yes, it’s only one letter away from Maria, but that could solve your middle name dilemma as you could use it as an honour name (for yourself) as a first name. Then you are free to choose any middle name you love (I like the suggestions of Hope or Joie). Amaya, Anika and Malia sound like sisters to me!
I LOVE Liana so pretty! I wouldn’t worry about using A at the start . It’s got the a ending.
Liana Joy, Amaya Rose and Anika Love.
Loving Liora and Talia as suggestions.
Middle name… Agree that a virtue or nature would work well
Hope
Lark
True
Wren
Joy
Pearl
Bliss
Skye
If you decide you really want A at the start, two names that are similar to several you mentioned but meets the A234a pattern.
Alira
Alora (like Adora but not)
Alira Wren, Amaya Rose and Anika Love.
Alora Skye, Amaya Rose and Anika Love.
What about Alana, Althea, Adela (I know…suggested already, but love this), Aneta, Anita, or non-A names I love are Greta, Viola…so many…I like Dove for a middle name…symbol of peace.
I had a coworker who named her daughter Alora, which is pretty.
Others: Adira, Alita, Ambra, Amira, Anisa, Ariah, Astra, Azura.
Non-A: Bella, Brina, Danna, Delia, Della, Jeana, Lilia, Malia, Sasha, Stina, Tasha, Teena, Trina, Xenia, Zanna
You’ve received some great suggestions. Just wanted to add Alora and Alana. Middle name suggestions: Grace, Joy, and Glory.
Oh yes I was totally coming here to suggest Elora like @marisa – you like the sound of Adora (but maybe not the reference to She-Ra) and you’re open to Eliza. Elora seems perfect for this set.
And I have a great middle idea that may help with not using an A first because it continues the -o-e obe-syllable pattern: Joie! French for joy. Elora Joie. Yes please! (Maria also would be wonderful for her middle)
If you reallly want that A, tons of great suggestions and I’ll add:
Adela (you could do A-dell-uh or a-day-la)
Aphea (A-fay-uh / not to make your pattern more stringent but I totally noticed it’s M, N so P feels right next)
Aleia – you can spell it a bunch of ways but this feels far enough from Amaya (unlike Alaya)
Good luck!
Amaya, Anika and Avila! Avila Hope!
If you prefer another initial, maybe Fiona or Diana. Fiona Hope!
Or maybe a name that starts and ends in -a, but not limited to 5 letters:
Aurora Hope
Alicia Hope
Agatha Hope
Also, your family reminds me of the Dutch royal family (it’s 6 letters for them):
Queen Maxima
Princess Amalia
Princess Alexia
Princess Ariane
Classic-but-currently-underused Laura came to my mind when you mentioned your criteria.
I love the suggestion of Maria for the middle.
Adara Maria (as noted). Very cool
Other names
Anita
Arden (doesn’t end in a but is 5 letters)
Aisha
Alisa
All the suggestions are great. My first thought was Idina or switching the spelling to Adina to fit the A theme!
I keep a list of names like these, so I love all the suggestions!
From my list, Amira, Malia, and Zaria are probably too close to the other names in the family, but maybe …
Anora (another way to spell Honora)
Ailsa
Elara
Inara (a Firefly character)
Junia
Lydia
Nadia
Naida
Adara Maria is pretty perfect.
I also love the suggestions of Lucia and Talia.
I’d keep with the pattern. If baby number 4 happens, worry about that then! Congratulations!
My first thought are Aella and Agata! Middle name could be Blythe.
I really like Adora and Adara for you. What about Elora? For a middle, What about your name, Maria? It would be significant and meaningful.