Holly is expecting a little girl in October and is finding it difficult to settle on a final name. Whenever she has mentioned her favourites to family and friends, she has received negative comments, which is understandably getting her down.
Holly likes romantic yet strong names with intriguing stories behind them. She's a fan of Celtic and Arthurian names, but also Germanic, Latin and Norse names as well. Her surname is a very common one, so she would prefer a name outside the top 100.
Her List:
Guinevere
Morgana
Rosamund
Previously considered:
Gwendolen
Felicity
Luned
Niamh - Likes but unsure of how it flows with a short surname. Is a likely contender for a middle name.
Cordelia - I love everything about this name but I keep forgetting about it which makes me think it's not the one.
Freja - Has a friend with a daughter named Freya.
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I totally feel your pain, Holly. One of the most common dilemmas in names is sharing your favourites and getting put off by negative reactions of loved ones. The thing is, when names are discussed in principle, most people feel free to let rip with their opinions. Uncommon names go against the norm, so tend to rock the boat even more.
However, once a baby is born and given that name... the chatter dies down quickly. In the same way that you might think nose piercings are hideous, and would say so to friends, social etiquette would prevent you from saying it baldly to a person with one.
I knew a mother at a school I worked at who chose Delilah for her daughter. She'd suggested it before and got a lot of negative feedback, but she went ahead with it regardless. Needless to say, for a few days there were people singing Why, Why Why, Delilah and discussing it ad nauseam (it was the latest gossip to chew over) but, crucially, never in front of the parents, who remained in ignorant bliss. Now Delilah is a little girl and no one can imagine her being named any differently.
Guinevere – I can see why you are drawn to this one; it is beautiful, romantic and evocative. If it's too much for your family to get their tongues round, there are oodles of fabulous nicknames you could adopt, such as Gwen, Eve, Evie or even Nieve (Niamh).
Arianwen – A mellifluous Welsh name derived from arian "silver" and gwyn "fair, blessed, holy." It was borne by a 6th century saint, but like Arianrhod, possibly once was a Celtic goddess. Aria makes for a very hip and on-trend nickname.
Arabella – Though well known, Arabella is still quite uncommon. It's pretty and flowing yet with a strong back bone. It's origins lie in Scotland, and it likely derives from the Latin orabilis "exorable," or a corruption of Annabel, from Amabilis "lovable."
Vivien – The beautiful and mysterious Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend, found spelled Vivienne or Viviane. Her name is most likely a misreading of her alternate name Niniane, a name with very ancient Celtic routes, most likely meaning "ash tree," a symbol of healing and magic.
Thalia – A name borne by two ancient Greek goddesses: one of the nine Muses, who was patroness of comedy, music, song and dance; and one of the three Graces, the goddess of festivity and banquets. The name literally means "festivity, plentiful, luxuriant, abundant."
Luna – A small name that packs a lot of punch. Luna was the beautiful Roman goddess of the moon, who rode her chariot through the night sky wearing her golden diadem.
Aurelia – Meaning "golden" in Latin, Aurelia is a stately Roman name, borne by many a noble woman, including the mother of Julius Caesar and a medieval saint. Another lovely related name is Aurea.
Morven – A stylish Scottish choice which was a name of a mythical kingdom in the Ossianic Poems. Of a similar style is Cornish Morvoren meaning "sea maiden" or "mermaid."
Morrigan – An ancient Irish goddess of war and battle who was often represented by the raven. Her name, like Welsh Rhiannon and Arthurian Igraine, derives from the Celtic rigan "queen."
Jessamy / Jessamine – Older, poetic forms of Jasmine, a flower associated with love, grace and good-naturedness. As a given name, it likely arose as a form of Ismenia (see below).
Ismenia – A medieval name that most likely has ancient Celtic routes. It could derive from the Old Welsh is "under, below" and maen "stone" but Kay Sheard put foward a very strong case that it could in fact be from the Common Celtic *weso- "excellent" and *moyni- "treasure, precious object." It was used in a variety of forms, including Ismena, Imayne and Emony.
Lowenna – A sweet, uncommon Cornish choice meaning "joy, happiness, bliss." Similar Lewena or Lewen is a later form of the Anglo-Saxon name Leofwynn meaning "dear joy."
Liadan – An Old Irish name borne by a saint, and also Liadan na Donal, a poetess, the subject of a 9th century love story.
Isolde – Comparable to Guinevere is the great Isolde of romantic legend. Iseult is the French form often used for the heroine, while the Cornish form Eseld is a pretty, highly usable variation.
Idony – Like Freya, Idony was a Norse goddess of the spring. The Vikings brought it with them to Britain, and it was not uncommon in the Middle Ages. Now it is rare, but sits nicely between well known Imogen and Ebony and the like.
Evaine – In Arthurian legend, Evaine was the sister of Elaine, and therefore aunt to Lancelot, and mother to Bors and Lionel. Her name was probably a variant of her sisters as many Arthurian names shared family traits. The spelling Yvaine was used in the movie Stardust.
Laudine – Another accessibly name from Arthurian legend in Laudine, Lady of the Fountain, the wife of the knight Owain/Yvain.
Melisande – The romantic Continental medieval form of the Germanic Amalaswintha, a compound of amal"work" and swind "strong, brave, powerful". A Queen Melisande of Jerusalem reigned as queen of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
Melusine – Across Europe, Melusine appears in folklore as a beautiful mermaid. Her origins are very close to that of the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. Melusina and Melesina are variants.
Liveva – Containing the fashionable names Liv and Eva, Liveva, or Leviva, is a real rarity, derived from the Anglo-Saxon Leofgifu "dear gift."
Best wishes in making the final decision.
