Timeless Girl Names Like Beatrice and Evelyn

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OUR LAST NAME RULES OUT LOTS OF FIRST NAMES

Talia writes:

We love our daughters’ names, Beatrice Grace and Evelyn Rose. It was tricky coming up with Beatrice’s name at first, because our last name sounds like Cost with an A at the end. My number one girl name was always Ella, but Ella Cost-with-an-A sounded like a word, almost like a medical term.

While I’d never considered Beatrice, I knew it was the right name as soon as I heard it. My husband’s family is Italian, so I really liked the way it was another Italian name but not something obvious, like Giovanna.

My husband suggested Evelyn for our second daughter.

I think they both work because they’re longer but still feminine.

We want the same thing for our third daughter, but this time neither of us has found “the name.”

Our list so far:

• Annabelle – A runner-up name for Evelyn, but I think I’m over it now
• Caroline – my husband really likes Caroline, but I’m not sure I like it with our last name
• Celeste – a new name on our list, and I do like it, but I’m not sure if it matches her sisters, maybe because I’m hung up on syllables, which is probably overthinking it
• Estelle – not sure I want to repeat an initial, same syllable problem as Celeste
• Genevieve – probably my favorite, but is it weird to have a French name with an Italian last name?
• Julianne – Our boy name for Evelyn was Julian. Because this is probably our last baby, I wonder if we should use Julianne?
• Katherine – I worry it will be shortened to Katie/Kate, don’t love it with our last name
• Lucy – Maybe it’s too sing-songy with our last name? I think it sounds out of place with Beatrice and Evelyn
• Meredith – Some days I love this name, other days I’m not so sure
• Penelope – I think I like this name better for someone else than for us!
• Tamsin – saw this one in a discussion about girls’ names that end with consonants, and I love it, but I think maybe it’s too different

I’m not sure if the right name is on this list or if we really need some new ideas.

We’d probably like to use the middle name Jane, but Claire is another possibility.

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

TIMELESS NAMES FOR A THIRD DAUGHTER

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your third daughter!

It sounds like you’ve found a pattern and it works really well for your family:

• Three-syllables – though possibly two would work, too
• Ending with a consonant – though maybe an ‘ee’ sound is another option
• Traditional and timeless – while still feeling current for a child born now

EVALUATING THE CURRENT LIST

From your current list, I think most of these names generally fit your criteria. The ones that seem like the strongest candidates would be:

CELESTE

Yes, it’s slightly shorter than Beatrice and Evelyn, but it has that same quality – feminine, but with a consonant ending sound that makes it just a little bit tailored, too.

GENEVIEVE

Is Genevieve French? Yes, but probably in the same way that Beatrice is Italian. People who know will know, but it’s not top of mind for most of us. If it’s your favorite, I think it is perfect with Beatrice and Evelyn – both in terms of sound and that timeless, but current, style.

MEREDITH

This is a little more of an outlier, a name that has ranked in the girls’ Top 1000 in the US for over a century, but never quite caught on. It’s a strong sister name for Beatrice and Evelyn.

NAMES LIKE BEATRICE AND EVELYN

ADELAIDE

There’s something vaguely European about Beatrice, Evelyn, and Adelaide – and definitely vintage. Almost like they’re aristocratic sisters from the 1920s. I love this vibe, and I think it’s surprisingly current.

DOROTHY

I think Lucy could work with your surname, but even better? A three-syllable name ending with the same EE sound. Dorothy topped the popularity charts a century ago, and it’s been making a steady comeback in the last few years.

JOSEPHINE

Like Genevieve, Josephine is French – but maybe it’s a little less obviously so? It’s visually close to Caroline, too.

JULIETTE

Because you love Julian for a son, you’ve considered Julianne for a daughter. Would Juliette be even more appealing? It shares the ending sound of Celeste and some of Genevieve’s French flair.

MIRIAM

A super-traditional name that’s quietly gained in use over the last few years. Maybe a slightly softer alternative to Meredith, too.

NATALIE

On paper, Natalie peaked in the early 2000s, briefly reaching the US Top 20. But it’s been a Top 100 name for girls since the 1970s. I’d call this one timeless. If Dorothy is close, but not quite right, could Natalie be the perfect choice?

SIMONE

Most of the names like Beatrice and Evelyn that I’ve suggested are three-syllables, but I think Simone is a great two-syllable choice.

VIVIAN

One of the first names that came to mind, I think Vivian has that same quality you’re after. My only hesitation: do Evelyn and Vivian share too many sounds?

Overall, my favorite from your list is Genevieve Claire. It fits with names like Beatrice and Evelyn because it’s traditional, timeless, and has plenty of appeal right now. But if that’s not quite right, I’m going to suggest Juliette Claire, or possibly even Natalie Jane. Juliette, of course, means that you would never get to use the boy’s name Julian. But if this child completes your family, then it does seem like a shame to never use a name you love.

Readers, over to you! What names like Beatrice Grace and Evelyn Rose would you suggest?