Mark and Clare are expecting their third child soon: a brother or sister for Joel and Eliza.
Mark writes:
"We really love the names we have picked for our first two as Joel just seemed such a cool name and he has really lived up to it. It is short and sweet. We also call him Joely. Eliza as a name seemed full of character and, again, it really suits her. We really want to get the third one right but none of the names we have come up with have seemed to be as perfect just yet
We have a rather unusual surname so we need a name that is not too common. We like names to be individual so as to not just be called by their surname (or variations of it - mostly rude) as I endured at school. However, we would like the name to be instantly recognisable as it is a pain to have to spell out both your first name and surname e.g. on the phone.
For girls, we are thinking of Pippa and Cora but neither really stand out. For boys we are really stuck. We like Rory and Rowan but again we could do with some other options. Rowan seems to be getting more popular as a girl's name and we don't like that ambiguity otherwise that would be favourite. Rory is a lovely name but it just doesn't roll off the tongue with our surname. The other name my wife really likes is Finn but that is the name of a good friend's dog and I just think that would be strange to me. I have a thing about not using surnames as first names but Flynn is also on the shortlist."
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So, short, sweet, spunky, uncommon yet still recognisable. Here are some names that I hope fit the bill:
Ada – Short and sweet, Ada is a vintage gem with plenty of character. Not common but stylish and accessible. Notable namesakes include Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, gifted mathematician, writer and first computer programmer. A sister name, also from the Old German adal "noble" is lissome Adele.
Orla – A lively feminine Irish name meaning "golden ruler" and borne by ancient queens." Understated, accessible yet bold.
Hazel – A spunky botanical name which packs a sweet, fragrant punch. Other names of a similar style include Fern, Olive and Iris.
Lois – A sweet Biblical name with plenty of character. It is quite a grown-up name, but when worn by little girls, I can assure you it is perfectly adorable at the same time.
Lena – A stylish European name which came over to Britain in the 18th century and has retained a feisty yet genteel quality.
Willa – A sleek and chic feminine form of William. Far softer than Wilhelmina but with just as much decorum.
Lilia – An elegant Eastern European form of sweet Lily.
Rose – Sweet rose is a gentle name with plenty of backbone. Variant Rosa is also worth considering.
Carys – A sleek Welsh name which means "loved," Carys isn't common but it is recognisable.
Seren – Another pretty and sprightly Welsh name is Seren meaning "star."
May – Sometimes the shortest names can pack the sweetest punch, and May certainly fits that bill. Short, sweet and sassy, May (or Mae) was once used as a diminutive for Mary and Margaret so it has plenty of pedigree.
Reuben – A gentle but sturdy Biblical name with a straightforward sound.
Roman – Of a similar ilk to Reuben is Roman, a short form of the Latin name Romanus which is common in Germanic and Slavic countries but an underused gem over here.
Miles – An affable gentleman which feels down to earth. Not too common, but not too unusual. Variant Milo is also worth considering.
Lance – The English and French form of the Germanic name Lanzo. Used since the Middle Ages and the source of Lancelot, the legendary Arthurian knight. It quickly became associated with the 'lance' weapon, giving it an added rugged feel.
Hugo – Quirky and refined at the same time, Hugo is a stately name with plenty of character.
Ned – A short form of Edward or Edmund which works very well on its own. Its friendly and down to earth but with a decidedly cool edge.
Levi – Sleek and cool, biblical and stylish. Levi is fashionable around the world but still relatively underused in Britain.
Ralph – Gentle, solid, quirky Ralph is underused but stylish - and universally likable.
Asher – A great underused biblical choice -- meaning "happy" -- which is cool but accessible.
Rex – There's Lex for Alexander, Dex for Dexter, yet kingly Rex easily stands alone. It has all the cool, strong sounds of Max but much more uncommon.
I hope this has been of use. Best wishes with the name hunting.
