• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Request a Name

Appellation Mountain

Where every name has a story

  • Baby Name Advice & More
  • Master List: Girl Names
  • Master List: Boy Names
  • Private Baby Name Consulting

Name Help: First Girl!

February 28, 2015 By appellationmountain 38 Comments

Name Help

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every Saturday, 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!

Today’s letter comes from Kari. She writes:

We are expecting our 4th and final baby and after 3 boys, this one is a girl! Would love suggestions from you and your readers for girl names.

Our sons are Eben, Bode and Cael. We love names that are unique but not weird. All names in the family have 4 letters (including mine and husband’s) but we aren’t stuck on that. Thank you for considering to help!

The family’s last name is two syllables and ends with an r.

Read on for my reply … and please add your suggestions, too!

View image | gettyimages.com

Hi Kari –

Congratulations on baby #4! It does seem like you’ve set a pattern with four-letter names for your boys, especially since you and your husband also have four letters in your names.

Let’s start with a poll, to see if others think sticking with four letters is important.

My answer is definitely “It depends.” It would be great if you found another four-letter name that you love. But your sons’ names have a lot of variety – ends in l, ends in n, ends in e. The origins and meanings are different for each. So even though the letter count is identical, there’s a lot that makes them distinctive, too.

None of your son’s names are currently ranked in the US Top 1000, though variant spellings of Cael and Bode do chart. Bodhi comes in at #810 and rising, while Kale ranked #825 and falling. Still, that’s pretty rare.

In some ways, just choosing a not-Top-1000 name with a modern, not-quite-expected vibe would complete your family nicely – even if the name had three or five letters.

4 letter girl namesThat said, I’m going to try to stick to four-letter names for my suggestions. I’m also going to automatically eliminate any name currently in the US Top 500 for girls. (Though it’s up to you whether you want to stick to this rule – it crossed out lots of my initial thoughts, like Anya, Isla, and Lena.)

Would you consider:

  • Lyra – Lila came to mind, except Lila is right up there with Anya and Isla. Lyra comes from a constellation, named after Orpheus’ lyre in myth. This makes Lyra a musical name along the lines of oh-so-popular Aria. Lyra is also the heroine of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Lyra – I think this one feels nicely distinctive when said with your sons’ names.
  • Ciel – From the French word for sky, and also heaven, so this one reminds of Bode. Visually, Ciel is awfully close to Cael – which seems like a downside. But the pronunciation is completely different – Ciel is two syllables, see ELLE. There’s also Cielo – the Spanish form of the same word – as well as Cielle and Ciela, which are just creative spins on this imported word name.
  • Cleo – Cielo always makes me think of Cleo. Despite having been in the US Top 1000 through the 1950s, Cleo has been rare in recent decades. It’s the kind of name everyone recognizes, but no one shares. It can also be spelled Clio. (Full disclosure: It’s my daughter’s name.) Eben, Bode, Cael, and Juno.
  • Juno – If the ‘o’ ending appeals, Juno could be a great fits-in/stands-out pick. Vintage June and spunky Juniper are on the rise, but the goddess Juno remains relatively rare. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Juno.
  • Ever – Thinking about stylish sounds on the rise, it’s tough to overlook the Eve names. Ever is an intriguing word name, but I wonder if it is too close to Eben?
  • Esme – Esme does rank in the US Top 1000, but at #929 in 2013, this name is far from common. Esme has impeccable literary roots, and quite a lot of history. Another two-syllalbe E name that came to mind was Elke, short for Adelaide in German and Dutch and a cousin to the Biblical Elkanah in Hebrew. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Esme; Eben, Bode, Cael, and Elke.
  • Wren – Nature names can be a great way to get a fits-in, stands-out name. Choices like Lily might be too familiar to appeal you, but how about the birds? There’s Wren, ranked #806 in 2013. Outside of the US Top 1000 is Lark, and countless other avian-inspired choices.
  • Zora – I had Zara on this list for days, but at #481 and rising, does Zara feel like a stand-out name? I think she does, but to stick with the guidelines I set for myself. So Zora – a Slavic word meaning dawn, and a literary name thanks to Zora Neale Hurston – makes the cut. And I think it works – Eben, Bode, Cael, and Zora.
  • Zana – Another Z possibility, this one far more rare in English. It’s a feminine form of John heard in Slovene and Croatian.
  • Romy – Naming your first girl after three boys is a challenge, in part because you have decide just how girly you’d like to go. There are a bunch of R-y names that might be worth considering. Romy is conventionally feminine (it’s a contracted form of Rosemary), while Remy and Rory have more history of use for boys. But they all feel like possibilities when listed with your sons’ names: Eben, Bode, Cael, and Romy. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Remy. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Rory.
  • Orly – Rory always makes me think of Orly. It’s a Hebrew name meaning light, but it also brings to mind or – golden. And, of course, the airport outside of Paris – which did come from Aurelius, and thus does mean golden. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Orly. Or Eben, Bode, Cael, and Orli.
  • Sian – Looks a bit like Sean, but is actually pronounced Shan – it’s a Welsh form of Jane.
  • Mara – The Biblical Mara is a cousin to Mary, but this name is far more rare. It ranked #750 in the US in 2013. There’s also Lara and Dara.

All of those -ara names made me think of one that isn’t four letters, but does fit the general feel of your children’s names: Carys. It’s a modern Welsh name meaning love, relatively common in the UK but almost unknown in the US. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas gave this name to their daughter in 2003. That makes it more familiar to American parents, but still not well-known.

And one last five-letter name: Djuna, as in the writer Djuna Barnes. It’s a very rare name, and the D is silent. You could also go with just Juna, as in Juno and company. But there’s something quirky about Djuna that could have tremendous appeal.

What would you name a sister for Eben, Bode, and Cael? Would you stick with the four-letter theme, or do you have suggestions that are longer or shorter that Lindsay and her husband should consider?

More names you might like:

  • Baby Name Wren: Soaring Nature NameBaby Name Wren: Soaring Nature Name
  • Mira: Baby Name of the DayMira: Baby Name of the Day
  • Pia: Baby Name of the DayPia: Baby Name of the Day
  • Aya: Baby Name of the DayAya: Baby Name of the Day
  • Baby Name of the Day: RékaBaby Name of the Day: Réka

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Comments

  1. thuja2 says

    March 7, 2015 at 11:19 AM

    A bit late to respond, but I see no one has yet suggested Zeya, pronounced Zay-a. I think it goes great with the boys’ names.

    Reply
  2. susannah says

    March 6, 2015 at 11:25 PM

    My favorite is Wren. I also like Neve or Lilac. I think the baby should have a feminine tilt.

    Reply
  3. Christine says

    March 3, 2015 at 4:02 PM

    Such great suggestions, I love the 4 letter theme (although I am partial since both my boys have four letter names and we are expecting another baby boy this spring). My oldest is also Eben and I am delighted to see such a warm response to it. Good luck mama!

    Reply
    • Kari says

      March 4, 2015 at 4:31 PM

      Love that you also have an Eben! Not one I hear much at all, although there is an Eban about 2 blocks away from us which blew my mind!

      Reply
  4. Angela says

    March 2, 2015 at 8:58 PM

    How about Zelda?

    Reply
  5. JMV says

    March 2, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    For a sister to Eben, Bode and Cael, I like these names:
    – Iris
    – Myra
    – Neve

    Romy and Lyra are my favorite suggestions.

    Reply
  6. EMILIE says

    March 2, 2015 at 12:20 PM

    Abby has the best suggestions! I love Lyra and Wren best. Can’t wait to find out what name you give her.

    Reply
  7. Tracy says

    March 1, 2015 at 2:33 PM

    I like Esme and Wren from previous Suggestions. But I adore Quinn!! Mighty Quinn.
    Also:
    Lucy
    Tessa
    Piper
    Mae
    Faye
    Lola
    Willa
    Cali
    Reece

    Reply
  8. Candy says

    March 1, 2015 at 10:42 AM

    Mila, Aven, Anya, Sage, Gaia, Jade

    Reply
  9. Naomi says

    March 1, 2015 at 7:52 AM

    You’ve had some fabulous suggestions! I think Romy and Juno are both great fits with your boys. Following on from Abby’s suggestion of Orly, what about Orla? Kyra also jumped to mind, although it is perhaps a little repetitive with Cael. Best of luck!

    Reply
  10. laura says

    March 1, 2015 at 2:38 AM

    I like the previously suggested Viva and Lark. Some other ideas: Iris, Lake, Hero, Thea

    Reply
  11. waltzingmorethanmatilda says

    March 1, 2015 at 1:35 AM

    What about Vita? (VEE-ta). It’s Latin for “life”, but is used as a short form of Victoria. I think it’s spunky.

    Reply
  12. Kim says

    March 1, 2015 at 1:16 AM

    Oh, Lyra. Love it with this group. Loved Kajya, too, although i’m old enough to think of Kaja Googoo when I look at it. Kaya seems more intuitive and fits your pattern. Juno fits in well, too.

    I’m having a tough time choosing, is what I’m saying. I think I come down on the side of Lyra.

    Reply
  13. Christina Fonseca says

    March 1, 2015 at 12:18 AM

    Congrats! I don’t have any name suggestions for you. Because this child is a different gender I think it would be fun to go in a completely different direction with her name if that is how you’re really inclined. It would be odd to break the pattern if you were having another boy; since it’s a girl, a long, elaborate or floral name would be completely fine in my opinion.

    Reply
  14. Brooke Cussans says

    February 28, 2015 at 9:04 PM

    I love Lyra from Abby’s suggestions, it would be a great pick and goes well with your son’s names.

    A few more suggestions that I think have potential:
    Xyla
    Iona
    Echo
    Dove
    Enid
    Sona
    Sora
    Vida
    Vera
    Halo
    Gala
    Aura

    Reply
  15. Winter says

    February 28, 2015 at 8:24 PM

    Eben, Bode, Cael, and Lyra/ Eben, Bode, Cael, and Elke. are my favorite sibsets. I like them personally becasue of the flow, look, and sound matches. Lyra/Elke are on par with the boys name which feel fresh, posh, and stand alone but distinctively boy or girl.

    I have a few recommendations myself, so here we go:

    Kajya- pronounced Ky-yah, it is Norse and Greek: Norse kaða meaning “hen” /Greek katharos meaning “Pure.” it is a diminutive from Katerina, that has earned its spot as first name on its own right. Hens are an old symbolism in old Christine beliefs for the Theological virtures: Faith, Hope, and Charity. You hear them referenced in our Christmas songs, especially in the song, ” My true love gave to me.” Eben, Bode, Cael and Kajya seems to me as pairing well because they give off the Urban-Boho European Chic feel. The “it” names of the year. I do not know however, the popularity of Kajya, Abby may be able to fill in those details for you.

    Nyla- pronounced Nih-lah, is Gaelic for cloud, She has a bit of a dusty but all grown feel about her. Distinctly all girl, but not frilly, yet-elegant, gently sophisticated, wise and has an old soul vibe. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Nyla. Sounds dashing and well-rounded. Abby should be able to give the stats on popularity

    ———————————————-
    Calas- is pronounced Cah-lass, she can go by Cala, which reflects the beautiful Cala Lillies. Calas is 5 letters, 2 syllables, is Welsh for “hard,” and means “solidity.” calas is the source of form, differentiation, manifestation, and stability. Its image in nature is stone. Which is perfect, because your family is now complete with a little girl. Eben, Bode, Cael, Calas, sounds distincts and sounds individual, but when written down together Calas blends a bit too much with Cael.
    ———————————————–
    Enav- is pronounced EH-Nahv. Hebrew for Grape. She is exotic, friendly, slightly quircky, yet poised, gently elegant and refined without appearing icy like Calas or overly frilly or too out there. She blends nice with the boys names, without being to matchy both in sound and in appearance. Eben, Bode, Cael, Enav

    ————————————————-

    Sose- is pronounced Soh-see, and is Greek for Save. From the Greek σως (sos) “safe, whole, unwounded.” Your little girl was saved for last after three beautiful little boys. Sose is distinct, fun, lively or up-beat. Pairs well with boys little personalities. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Sose
    —————————————————

    Esti- is pronounced EHst-eee. It is Basque for Honey, and looks familiar to the French Esme, but has the same feel as Sose. distinct, fun, lively or up-beat. Eben, Bode, Cael, and Esti

    —————————————————-

    Echo- is Greek for echo” from the word for the repeating reflected sound, which derives from Greek eche “sound”. She is Distinct, commanding, borderline on out-there but still fun and familiar. This name is guaranteed to make a statement, and stand alone from the boys names. I picture a little girl with a lot of verve and sassy-ness. Eben, Bode, Cael, Echo

    —————————————————–

    Olga- pronounced Ol-Gah/Ahwl-gah. Norse for Holy/Blessed. Olga is commanding, regal, stately, and elegant. Worn by many powerful women. This name has taken on a new persona over seas- which is boho-urban chic. So this multi-dimensional name packs a lot meaning and personality, while keeping it distinct but familiar like Elke that Abby recommended. Eben, Bode, Cael, Olga

    My Best wishes and congrats, let us know what you end up going with!

    Reply
    • Kari says

      March 4, 2015 at 4:32 PM

      I am amazed by your incredible reply – thank you so much for taking the time to write this out!

      Reply
      • Winter says

        March 19, 2015 at 7:48 PM

        Your welcome, my pleasure, I hoped it helped, it was fun!

        Reply
  16. Ira Sass says

    February 28, 2015 at 6:29 PM

    My favorites from the list:
    Lyra
    Zara or Zora
    Lark
    Juno (I also like June)
    Remy
    Rory (although I like it best as a nickname for Aurora)

    I would also stay away from repeated initials (Cleo, Esme).

    My suggestions:
    Myla
    Sage
    Tali
    Gwen (repeats the ending of Eben)
    Iris
    Kaia/Kaya
    Gaia
    Hana
    Rana
    Nica/Nika
    Mika
    Jory/Jori
    Nomy/Nomi
    Moya
    Fern
    Shea/Shay
    Rina
    Zuri
    Hope

    Reply
  17. Renee says

    February 28, 2015 at 5:45 PM

    Ooh. I love the idea of a four-letter D name!
    Bode, Cael, Dara and Eben
    Bode, Cael, Dion and Eben
    Bode, Cael, Deja and Eben
    Bode, Cael, Drea and Eben

    Reply
  18. Kate says

    February 28, 2015 at 4:57 PM

    I want to add Zara, Gwen, Tess and Marin.

    Reply
  19. Libby says

    February 28, 2015 at 4:47 PM

    Or Viva! Viva would be incredible with those names!

    Reply
  20. Libby says

    February 28, 2015 at 4:45 PM

    Or maybe Este (pronounced Ess-tay?) Or even Saoirse, if you’re willing to put up with the spelling.

    Reply
  21. Libby says

    February 28, 2015 at 4:43 PM

    I’m thinking Luna or Aine. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Suz says

    February 28, 2015 at 1:18 PM

    Aven is an idea as well. It is a mountain rose.

    Reply
  23. Dot Card says

    February 28, 2015 at 1:07 PM

    I really love Zana and Juno with your other children. I would even be tempted, if it was me, to use them as a combo 😉

    Reply
  24. Susannah Thane Stout says

    February 28, 2015 at 12:52 PM

    If you go short, I think it should have a similar feel as the boys names, but feel a little more feminine. I really like the ornithological choices of Lark & Wren. We had Eben picked out as the name for our middle son (he’s 9), but when we saw him it didn’t feel right, and we ended up going with Calvin. We ended up with Corbin, Calvin & Christopher(I wanted to go with Crispin, DH did not, but I can’t imagine him as a Crispin now ). If we had named the middle one Eben instead of Calvin, I get the feeling we would have ended up with Corbin, Eben, and Oren as our boys names.

    Reply
  25. Kerry says

    February 28, 2015 at 10:57 AM

    I think I’d try for something with a sound & spelling that is very distinct from your boys names. There is the argument that they won’t be a set for ever, but I can imagine struggling to remember that its Cael and Cleo, not Cole and Chloe…or something. I grew up with a family that all had unusual but not weird names, but Trent and Brandt were just impossible for me to keep straight for a long time and I think I ended up with Brent a lot. Zora or Lark seem perfect in that regard. But I also think a three letter or five letter name would look very nicely balanced with the others, so I’m going to suggest Una (appropriate for an only girl?) or Idony.

    Reply
    • Kerry says

      March 1, 2015 at 12:16 AM

      Ok my new favorites are Dove (seems like a better fit with your boys than Lark) and Sose (which is just an awesome name that I had never heard before) from the other comments.

      Reply
  26. British American says

    February 28, 2015 at 10:38 AM

    I like Zora best from Abby’s suggestions. It’s distinctly feminine and the Z makes it sounds unusual, along the same line as your boys’ names. 🙂

    Reply
  27. Jeanette says

    February 28, 2015 at 10:15 AM

    I LOVE Eben! Hardly ever hear it, sadly. If you’re having a hard time finding a 4 letter (or just short) name that seems like The One, I think it’d be fun to give your girl a longer name that has a 4 letter nickname that you guys could use (if you’re into nicknames). That way she would still fit into the pattern, but have something about her name that is distinctly HERS. Like… Esmeralda to Esme or Carolina to Cara or something like that. Annabelle to Anna. You get the gist. That might be way off your style, though.

    Reply
  28. Patricia says

    February 28, 2015 at 10:08 AM

    I love Esme, but it that’s out because you already have an “E” name in your subset, then I would suggest Mira.

    Reply
    • Kari says

      March 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM

      So funny that you suggested Mira – it’s MY top name but my husband doesn’t like it 🙁 He thinks it sounds whiney? Makes me sad because I think it goes SO well with the boys’ names!

      Reply
  29. Amy3 says

    February 28, 2015 at 9:39 AM

    Interestingly I have a great nephew called Eben Cale!

    I agree about not doubling up on initials, particularly if you stick with 4 letters. After 3 boys I like the idea of this name bring identifiably ‘girl’. I like Lyra, Zora, and Romy best of the suggestions.

    Reply
  30. Elizabeth says

    February 28, 2015 at 8:24 AM

    I like all of these suggestions! What about Nola?

    Reply
  31. Sara says

    February 28, 2015 at 4:54 AM

    I like a lot of the suggestions provided, but would recommend against doubling up on an initial. It can be useful to share an initial with a parent (in the early days of email, my dad and I shared an account with the user name “S. [ourlastname]” which worked for both of us and allowed him to keep tabs on what his teenage daughter was doing online, but sharing an initial with a sibling can be both irritating and complicated.

    Reply
    • Susannah Thane Stout says

      February 28, 2015 at 12:54 PM

      Our three boys all have the same initials, and it has caused no problems whatsoever. That being said, I agree that they should avoid it. It just seems lopsided somehow.

      Reply
  32. the Mrs. says

    February 28, 2015 at 3:42 AM

    Do you like Mina (also spelled Mena)? It would give you a new initial, new ending, but still be two syllables and undeniably feminine. It’s only at #753 for last year, too!
    Otherwise, Desi or Dana or Demi would fill in your alphabet gap– Bode, Cael, and Eben.
    From Abby’s list, love Esme!
    Congrats and please let us know when your darling daughter arrives!

    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


POPULAR POSTS

appmtn

Baby name blogger at www.appellationmountain.net. Lover of obscure gems, provider of #namehelp, and generally #babynames obsessed!

Abby Sandel
They're expecting their first daughter + their lis They're expecting their first daughter + their list is non-existent! Two thoughts; first, mom Sam/Samantha has always loved her name. Two, they love - but can't use - Avery, Aubrey, Everly. Suggestions? #namehelp #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Vintage gems for our daughters, both the ones that Vintage gems for our daughters, both the ones that are popular today + some that are overlooked - and possibly ready for a comeback? (I'm so here for Harriet + Millicent.) #girlnames #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Scarlett, Koa, Rhodes + more trending #babynames # Scarlett, Koa, Rhodes + more trending #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
What would you name a brother for Theodore "Theo" What would you name a brother for Theodore "Theo" James and Oliver Michael? #namehelp #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Do you like your name? Have you always felt the sa Do you like your name? Have you always felt the same, or has it changed over the years? #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
What would you name a sister or brother for Crew? What would you name a sister or brother for Crew? Are you hearing more of this name lately? Seems like it's just heading up-up-up! #boynames #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Load More Follow on Instagram
Visit Appellation Mountain's profile on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2023 · AppellationMountain.net on Genesis Framework · Privacy Policy · Log in