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!
Becca writes:
My husband and I have always loved the name Josie for a girl. Now that we’re having one, we need a little more help.
We don’t like Josephine but I do like Joseline , pronounced Jo-se-leen. However, I know people would say it like Jocelyn so we may just go with Josie. Do you think the mispronunciation is worth the longer name to use if she wishes?
Our other dilemma is a middle name. We both love Josie Rocket. A rocket is the symbol of the record label that brought us together.
Personally, I am a little worried about people’s responses, even though I like it. I do like word names, though, and have considered:
- Josie Liberi, from my home state’s motto– “Montani Semper Liberi,” “Mountaineers are always Free”
- Josie Coyote, also meaningful to me but the same problem as Rocket.
- If we choose a more traditional middle name, I’d like to honor my grandma, Elaine. I’ve thought of Josie Elise or Josie Elle.
Any suggestions?
Please read on for my reply, and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Hi Becca –
Congratulations on your daughter! It can be tough when you almost-kinda-sorta have the perfect name chosen, but you’re not quite there.
It sounds like there are two questions. First, to use a formal name for Josie, or to just go with Josie on your daughter’s birth certificate.
Let’s have a quick poll, because I tend to favor formal names – but I don’t think it’s necessary in this case:
As for the question of which formal name. I expected there to be tons of options, but when I really mulled it over, there aren’t as many as I expected. Josephe seems confusing. Joanna and Jolene take away the ‘s’ sound and making Josie feel like a stretch. Josette is kind of fabulous, but I’m not sure it’s quite your style. Josefina and Joselina are a little bit frillier than the other names on your list.
I think that leaves Joseline, which I have no trouble spelling and pronouncing – though I expect you’ll run into the occasional headache.
While I tend to favor formal names, I think this might be one of those moments when it’s best to skip it. You love Josie – and agree on Josie. It sounds like that’s not the case with any of the formal versions of the name.
So despite my usual bias towards formal names, I’d vote for just Josie.
Now, on to the really rich part of this post – to use a bold middle name, or to play it safe?
Let’s take a look at your options. I’ll add a few of my ideas into the mix, too:
Josie Elise, Josie Elle, or something other form of Elaine – All good options, any of which would make a solid name for a daughter. And yet, my sense is that you would prefer to choose a bolder middle name. There are plenty of good reasons to do this, and with a familiar first name like Josie, I think you’re free to be really bold.
Josie Laine – Before we get to the bold, here’s one that’s sort of in between. Drop the ‘E’ from Elaine, and you have the sleek, modern, but not too out there Laine. Safe, but not quite conventional.
Josie Liberty – If you like the idea of honoring your home state but hesitate to use the Latin, the English form has some history as a girl’s given name. Josie Free or Josie Freedom are options, too, but they’re almost as out there as Liberi while moving farther from the original inspiration, so I don’t know that there’s any point in choosing one of those over Liberi – unless you love the sound.
Josie Coyote – Now, let’s look at the bold choices! I don’t love singsongy sound of Josie Coyote. When I say it, the ‘o’ sounds make it feel more like a name for a fictional character than a real girl. I wouldn’t say this rules it out – if Zooey Deschanel can have Elsie Otter, you could have Josie Coyote. But I don’t think it’s the best option on the list.
Josie Liberi – I really love this one. I think the rhythm works beautifully. It’s a nod to your heritage, but it’s not as obvious as passing down your name. I suppose you could also name her Josie West, or find another name that refers to your home. But Josie Liberi is just plain genius.
Josie Rocket – And yet, I’m inclined to encourage you to use Josie Rocket. It has to do with the story of how you met, then it’s even better. And many of the ideas that Pharrell expressed about the name Rocket – how it relates to achievement – make the name feel more like a modern virtue choice than anything else. Yes, it’s a cool name. But it also sounds like a name that feels right to you – and that, more than anything, is what matters.
Readers, do you agree that Josie Rocket is the go-to name for their family? Or would you suggest something different – another middle, or maybe another formal name for Josephine?
Josie Rocket could be a cute nickname for a young girl, but as a given name, it doesn’t have much to offer an adult unless she becomes a performer of some sort…
I like Joanna Elaine for you. Honoring your grandmother would be meaningful for you and your daughter. Joanna Elaine is a name that would serve her well all of her life — and she could still be called “Josie”.
I don’t think Josie Elaine works with its repeating “ee” sound at the end of Josie and beginning of Elaine.
Pronounce names dot com:
“Pronunciation of Elaine
Pronunciation: EE – l ai n
EE – l ai n
see let pain no”
But you could name her Josie with Laine as her middle name, as Abby suggested: Josie Laine. That may be more your style.
It’s faddish at this time to use “surprising” middle names, but this is your daughter’s lifetime name. Think of her name on her high school diploma, college degree, resume, her wedding vows if she marries, etc. (“I Josie Rocket take thee William James…”) Josie Rocket will always elicit comments (and perhaps snickers). Joanna Elaine (or Josie Laine) is a name she can be proud of.
Best wishes, and please let us know what you name your daughter.
I also think you should go with Josie Rocket. The only middle name choice I dislike is Josie Coyote – Abby’s right, there’s something weirdly singsongy about it. If you do go with a formal name, I love Joseline, I think it’s really pretty, and I don’t think the mispronunciation would be as difficult to deal with as you think – most people would hear her name before they saw it, and the majority of people would only need the clarification once.
Josie Rocket is fun, spunky and cute. I don’t think Josephine or another formal version of Josie goes with Rocket.
Enjoy!
I think Josie Rocket is great! My daughter’s name is Josephine nn Josie, but we usually just call her Josie and no one ever asks about her “real” name. And go with the middle name you like. People will only know her middle name if she tells them, and she doesn’t have to include it on resumes, so there is really nothing to worry about. She’ll probably love having such a fun middle name.
I have a Joanna whom we call Josie. It works for us–never had anyone question it. I like Joanna Liberi for this family, but I think I like Josie Rocket more!
I like the explanation behind Josie Liberi but Liberi is so far from any typical given name that I think it will be read while she is a child by most people as likely your maiden name, and when she is an adult as *her* maiden name (the popularity of women using their maiden names publicly in the middle name spot seems to have skyrocketed with the rise of Facebook). I think very few people will ever ask or know the story behind it.
I also think if you’re going with a cute nickname first name and a highly unconventional middle like Rocket, that giving the kid at least the option of a formal first name is a kindness. She may well grow up to be the perfect embodiment of a Josie Rocket Smith and adore it- and I think it’s adorable! But she might also grow up to be someone who wants to function in circles (first tier law school, anybody?) where Josie Rocket Smith’s resume would go to the bottom of the pile. I think we name geeks tend to forget that not everybody’s ear is oversaturated with names and attuned to the appeal of an unconventional choice. Someone seriously told me the other day that Adaline was “too crazy” of a name.
Giving somebody a name like Josie Rocket at least the *option* to be Joseline if they want formality or anonymity as an adult seems worthwhile.
I would totally go with Joseline Rocket. Joseline is a beautiful name, and I think few people would pronounced it like Jocelyn — it’s similarity to Josephine, the presence of the s, the presence of the -e, all make the most plausible pronunciation your desired one.
And if you’re going to be introducing her as Josie, then the chances that Joseline will be mispronounced are way, way fewer. (I’m in a similar situation with my daughter, who is a Gwendolyn pronounced \linn\ not \line\. But the issue hardly ever arises, because she’s primarily Gwen or Gweni.)
My favorite suggestion is Josie Laine. I have a niece, Josy, who is all grown up with four littles of her own. It wears well. She was occasionally called Jojo as a child, but the name Josy wears well.
I know of a baby girl born a few months ago who was named Rocket. I don’t know where they got the name, but there is a real child out there called it.
1) I agree with Abby that if it’s Josie you love, it’s Josie you should use. Joseline is a fine name but there would definitely be the occasional mispronunciation, and it sounds like you know that would bother you. Nickname names are definitely “in” as standalones right now, so I don’t think anyone would bat an eyelid at a Josie just called Josie. It’s cute and current without feeling like too much of either.
2) Josie Rocket! Second choice Josie Liberi. When I saw the title of this post, I thought “Wow”. I love combos like this – more conservative (but not boring) first name, combined with a totally out there middle. It doesn’t always work and can seem a bit forced and try-hard, but not here. Rocket has meaning for you, it feels aspirational and fabulously tomboyish which totally complements spunky Josie, yet at the same time it comes as a total surprise. I really like the idea and flow of Liberi in the middle too, but Josie Rocket sounds like it’s your favourite and it’s mine too – big, bold and beyond cool.
I like unique names and names with history (personal or etymological), but I’m not a huge fan of Rocket. I agree with other commenters there is a lot of teasing potential and the name may not transfer into the adult world smoothly. While using an initial is a possibility on a resume or self-created document such as a wedding invitation, does one always have the option to go by an initial in all circumstances? What about something like a college diploma that pulls the name directly from school records? I believe it would be the full name. (Then again, as another poster suggested with Liberi, Rocket may be perceived as your madien name; my maiden was a word name place.)
Obviously, Rocket is a very meaningful name to you or you wouldn’t be considering it as a name. I do wonder if there are variations on the word Rocket you may consider? The meaning and history would still be there (albeit stretched), and you could call her Rocket or Josie-Rocket as a nickname. It could possibly be the best of both worlds. The name that comes to my mind would be Rochelle.
Of the names Abby suggested, I prefer Josie Laine. As a combination it sounds similar to Joseline, which is also a beautiful name. To me, a little Josie Laine with the nickname Josie-Rocket represents the best of all worlds.
Good luck naming; I’d love to know what you decide!!