Caroline and Neil are looking for a name for their impending arrival (sex unknown). Boys names are sorted; it's the girls that are proving illusive. They already have a son named Cormac.
Caroline likes more substantial names -- ones that can be potentially shortened -- with a vintage vibe. She writes that they want "a ladylike name, nothing 'unique' or terribly trendy/cool, but not too common either."
Neil like the same style but doesn't want anything that sounds too 'old', and is conscious of how a vowel sound at the end of their surname (which begins with a strong vowel sound).
They also want to avoid another C name, as they already have Caroline and Cormac.
Their list:
Iona -- They both like this, but are conscious of how popular short I and E names are at the moment.
Etta -- Caroline's grandmother's name.
Julianne
Marguerite -- Neil isn't sold on this one.
Constance "Connie" -- This is a favourite of Caroline's but being a C name rules it out.
Eleanor, Guinevere and Elizabeth are also ruled out by family members.
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There were so many choices that would fit your criteria, Caroline and Neil, that it was an exciting but somewhat dizzying challenge. I've limited myself to choices that are grounded in history but feel modern but that still leaves lots of scope -- even though so many that came to me in flashes of inspiration began with a C!
I also haven't completely avoided names which end in 'a' where they don't clash with your surname. Two and four syllable names can run together with your surname, but three syllable names, with the stress on the middle syllable, break up the vowels.
Getting to Etta:
Etta is a fabulous name, made so much more special by it being a family name. If Etta alone doesn't sway you, why not use it as a nickname?
Here are several options for getting to Etta:
Henrietta
Juliette
Felicity
Verity
Rosetta
Lisette
Exotic Traditionals:
Julianne and Marguerite have a flowing, feminine, exotic-traditional style which were adopted by fashionable Victorians. Here are nine others which strike the same chord:
Marianne -- A ladylike name with a literary Georgian style. In native France, Marianne is also an important symbol of freedom and democracy.
Sharing the same Gallic rhythm is elegant Vivienne.
Elodie -- Another pretty French choice which is made even more vintage with Edie as a nickname.
Daphne -- Twenty years ago, most people would file Greek Daphne with Scooby-Doo and Frasier. But times move on, popular culture changes, and even though the name is now rare, most people would find it a familiar yet refreshingly sweet choice. A similar choice is delicate Delphine, rarer and less known.
Rosalie -- Thank goodness the Twilight storm has passed over. Now lovely Rosalie can stay a fashionable exotic traditional. Also worth considering is Aurelie, a sleek French form of dignified golden-Latin Aurelia.
Genevieve -- So sweet, so dignified with nickname potential galore. Genie, Neve, Eve, Evie, Vivi, Nev, Evvy...
Margaux -- Margo, Margot or Margaux; however way you spell it, Margaux is a seriously stylish name which is shockingly underused given how familiar it is.
British Victorians:
Iona and Constance are gentle British vintage gems, much like these indigenous choices:
Elspeth -- Elizabeth might be too close to use, but Scottish Elspeth is a pretty homage which doesn't feel to tied to its mother-form. It also makes a nice link with equally Gaelic Cormac and lends itself to Elsie, Elsa and Elspie.
Louisa -- Classic, dignified, ageless. Louisa is not unique, not trendy and not too common. Just right.
Amabel -- The original form of Annabel and Mabel is elegant medieval Amabel, derived from the Latin for 'lovable'. The Victorians were also fond of Mirabelle and Rosabel.
Eveline -- A literary choice with medieval routes and refined Victorian choice.
Jessamine -- The sleek -ine ending can also be found in botanical Jessamine, an antique name for Jasmine.
Eirlys -- Another botanical gem, with a Celtic twist is Eirlys, coined by the Victorians from the Welsh name for the snowdrop.
Constance's Sisters:
In both the Georgian and Victorian ages, virtue names, like lovely Constance, were staples. As well as Verity and Felicity -- mentioned above as a way to get to Etta -- there are several more uncommon vintage choices which deserve mention:
Amity -- One of the most uncommon choices that has a popular syllable pattern. Amy and Mitzy would work as nicknames.
Verena -- An elegant Latin choice akin to Verity.
Mercy -- Lucy, Nancy and gentle Mercy. Dickens used it for one of his novels with the nickname Merry.
Blythe -- Such a happy name with great dignity and grace.
Virtue -- The Victorians were fond of using this pretty choice yet now it is extremely rare.
I hope there is something to inspire you here. Best of luck!
UPDATE: It's a boy! Welcome to Cormac's little brother Ardal!
Had he been a girl, his proud parents had settled on Marianne. Many congratulations!
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