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! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.
FROM A WISH LIST TO A REAL DAUGHTER
Hannah writes:
I’m Hannah Nicole, born in 1999. I always felt like one in a crowd and longed for a different name.
Now that I’m naming a daughter, I can see that the names I wanted for myself are too much for a real person and none of them feel right. But our last name is a very common last name: starts with a Jack, ends with -son.
The name list from the back of my middle school notebook (really my mom saved it!) consists of Araminta, Audriana, Abriella, Euphemia, Cosette, Gianella, Miette, Pearlescence (!), Rihanna (!), Sophronia, Wilhelmina, Zusanna. I was going to rename myself Savannah.
My husband keeps suggesting nice enough names, like Elizabeth (his grandma), Casey and Tori (cute, but probably too cute), and Vanessa (really not sure where he got that one, but he likes it a lot!) but they’re not really names I would consider.
I know I don’t want anything too common, especially with our last name, but I’m not sure where to find the middle ground between my imaginary daughter and this real life baby who will be here soon!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
FROM RARE TO UNCOMMON: TURNING THE DIAL
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your daughter!
I get some version of this question occasionally, and it’s almost always for a daughter. (“My favorite name is Spirit, but I’m afraid she’ll sound like a stripper/horse/discount airline.” Or “I can’t really name her Alexandriana, right?”)
The truth is that you could use some of the names on your list. Your husband’s list, too!
But what you probably want to do is turn the dial down a little bit. Keep the style and structure of your favorite names (and his, too) while inching towards something just slightly more familiar.
What do your lists have in common?
- Your favorite names strike me as feminine, elaborate, and very, very rare. They’re also vaguely European, with a healthy streak of American invention.
- Your husband’s list feels far more mainstream, but Vanessa seems like a potential midpoint – feminine and elaborate, but on the right side of mainstream, if slightly dated.
The ideal name, I think, would be:
- Three syllables(ish), like Araminta, Vanessa, and Zusanna.
- Probably have a sparky nickname, like Tori or Casey.
- Rank beyond the current US Top 100, but within the Top 1000. (Again, ish. There’s a big difference between Euphemia and Elizabeth, Pearlescence and Vanessa.)
UNCOMMON FEMININE NAMES WITH NICKNAMES
ARABELLA
Elaborate and dramatic, Arabella ranks in the 200s. It’s like a toned-down take on Araminta. Nicknames include Ari, Bella and Belle, but also Abby and Ellie.
EMERALD
Pearlescence made me think of other gemstone and color names. Vivid Emerald ranks in the 700s in the US, which is still pretty uncommon. But natural nickname Emmie (or Emme or Emmy) is the ultimate fits-in nickname, from Emily to Emma to Emerson.
GIOVANNA
While Giovanna ranks in the 900s, it’s undeniably familiar. Better yet, it blends the sounds of Gianella and Savannah. And the nicknames are delightful, like Gia and Gigi.
LORETTA
There’s plenty of -ette on your list, which brings to mind sparky, retro Loretta. Currently in the 700s, it shortens to Lettie, Lottie, and Etta, which might all be style stars in their own right.
OPHELIA
With Olivia at the top of the charts, no surprise dramatic, romantic Ophelia has made it o the 200s. The downside here? Probably a lack of obvious nicknames, though Lia works.
PERSEPHONE
Somewhere between chart-topping Penelope and wait-is-that-even-a-name Pearlescence sits Persephone. It’s long and elaborate, but with short forms like Percy and Sephie, could be very easy to wear.
SERAPHINA
While Seraphina has only recently entered the US Top 1000, it feels like the name we’ve been waiting for. It’s a little bit like Sophronia, but slightly more mainstream. Shorten it to Sera, Fee, Finn, or Fina and it’s every bit as great a choice.
TERESA
Everyone knows Teresa, so it’s surprising to see it only charts in the 800s. Nickname Tessa is more popular, actually – but Teresa feels like the longer name that might work well for your family.
When it comes to transforming a wish list, I think the trick is to avoid sacrificing the qualities that you love most. And because there’s value in choosing something different, I’m going to suggest the rarer options: Seraphina, Giovanna, Emerald, Persephone.
I wonder if your husband would appreciate an Elizabeth name to honor his grandmother?
Seraphina Elise, Persephone Elise, Giovanna Lisette, Emerald Elizabeth, maybe?
Some great suggestions from Abby! I especially like Arabella, Ophelia, and Seraphina with your last name.
Looking at your husband’s list, Vanessa actually seems worth considering. It doesn’t have the same dated quality of other names that peaked in the 80s/90s. To me, it feels literary and artistic, evoking the elegant veteran actress Vanessa Redgrave.
Cassandra is the first name that comes to mind for me otherwise. Mythological and evocative, it has plenty of nickname potential: Cass, Cassa, Cassie, Sandra, Andie, Annie… even Casey if your husband likes! That could make Cassandra a good compromise between your style and your husband’s.
Tori (again from his list) raises Victoria as a possibility. However, it’s currently ranked in the Top 50, so perhaps too popular for your taste? Other, less common, V names include:
Valencia (Val, Via, Vivi)
Viviana (Viv, Via, Vivi, Ana)
Veronica (Vero, Vica, Ronny, Nica, Nicky)
Veronique (Vero, Ro)
Finally, your middle school choice of Abriella makes me think of Gabriella. It’s in the Top 100, but I think it could be a great choice for your family. It’s Old World-y and elegant, but familiar. Nicknames abound: Gab, Gabby, Bri, Bria, Ella, Ellie, Bella…
I’m confident you’ll find a great fit that makes you and your husband happy!
This is an interesting one!
I think that a lot of the names on your list are absolutely usable today. They fit in with so many girls’ names that I hear.
Funnily enough, my husband also included Vanessa on our list of names. I also don’t know where he got it from, but he also really likes it. I think maybe for men it’s a sweet spot name of something that’s familiar and feminine, but not overly common (even if it might sound a bit dated to us). It actually grew on me a lot thanks to him liking it, although we didn’t end up using it.
I want to suggest some other “V” names to you, as I think they fit in nicely with your taste and your husband’s. The first one that came to mind was Vivienne or Vivian, which sounds nicely romantic, shares sounds with Vanessa, but is more of a midpoint between fanciful and spare.
I also Veronica for you as well (not just because it shares the “nic” syllable in your middle name) or perhaps just Vera. Oh, and Verity (one of my favourites) – but this may be too unusual for your husband.
And finally – I would understand if Virginia doesn’t appeal you to you, but perhaps it does! Ginny is such a sweet nickname.
“miette” means “crumb” which may be something to take into consideration. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/miette
You said you feared that many of the names on your list were “too much for a real person.” One of the things that takes a name from realistic to too much for me is frills/elaborations. If you took those out, the name could feel much more usable for a real human being.
For instance, Arietta sounds like someone filched it from a pastoral poem about an idealized shepherdess, but if you pare it back to Aria, it becomes absolutely usable. I wonder if there are any names on your old list that you would want to try paring back?
I think these are all very usable —
Audra / Audrina
Brielle
Cassia
Corinne / Corinna
Gianna
Eulalie
Jacinth *Not sure if you like the alliteration w your last name but was reminded of it from seeing Araminta. I know someone with this name and love it!
Zinnia
Serena
Love the suggestions of Teresa and Seraphina, too!
Was going to put Miranda on the list as well – I see that’s been suggested. Miranda Cosette could be nicknamed Miette 🙂
Miranda Cosette nicknamed Miette? YES, YES, YES!!
Shared sounds and twists on your list might work. If not Vanessa, maybe Nessa. Or Veronica, or Vera. If not Zusannah, maybe Susanna. If not you as Savannah, maybe she’s Savannah.
Giselle?
Some of my favorites for you:
Mirabel
Lydia
Colette
Corinna
Susanna
Felicity
Amelie
Elodie
Adela
Estella
Genevieve
Louisa
As a Miette, my jaw dropped when I saw my name on your list. I can’t help but root for it! I’m biased but I think it wears pretty well. I get a lot of “Miette! That’s such a cool name! Are your parents French/ Where is it from/ Is that a family name?” but never any truly negative reactions. I go by Mimi to friends and family, but I’m Miette most of the time. People mishear it as Mia or Minette a lot but they usually get it after being corrected. I’m definitely for Miette! Some other suggestions:
Althea/Alethea (Thea)
Anastasia (Annie, Stacy)
Aurelia
Aurore (Rory)
Artemisia (Artie, Missy, Sia)
Bernadette (Birdie)
Carlotta (Carly, Cara, Lottie)
Delphine (Della)
Elisabetta (Ellire, Elise, Betty, etc)
Francelina (Frannie, Francie, Frankie, Lina)
Helena (Nell, Lena)
Heloise
Lucinda (Lulu, Lucy)
Lucienne (Lulu, Lucy)
Magdalena/Magdalene/Maddalena (Maddie, Maggie, Lena)
Mariette (Mari, Miette)
Matilda/Mathilda/Mathilde (Mattie, Tilly, Tilda)
Olympia (Ollie, Pia)
Rosalind (Rosie)
Whoops, did not mean to comment that twice!
Miette, I deleted one – and oh wow, your name is amazing!!
I think Miette from the original list hits the sweet spot already. You could call her (or just name her) Mia, too. Lisette, Bette, Elise, or Elisa as Elizabeth honor names would be great. There’s also the Armenian variant Zabel or Zabelle (Isabel without the I), which I find lovely.
Cassiopeia or Cassandra nn Casey would connect both parents’ lists. Giana (or maybe Nella) seems like a good middle between Gianella and Vanessa.