Cory is expecting her fourth child in a few months -- a surprise! -- to join Vivienne, Gemma and Alastair.
Cory writes: "We would like the name to have a good meaning with a different sound and initial as their siblings.
[We would like] a name with European flair that can stand the test of time. If it helps my husband and I love anything from the Victorian era...such as Emma, Jane Eyre, Love and Friendship, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, North and South, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Wuthering Heights etc.... I believe if the name comes from a novel/film we both like it might bring us to common ground!"
Names on their list:
Bridget
Edith
Sybil
Winifred -- Cory's husband likes but Cory feels its a bit clunky for their sibset.
Edmund
Harvey
Winston
Names eliminated/already taken:
Callum, Clement, Rafferty, Rupert, Rhys, Frederick, Thomas
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Girls:
Florence – A gorgeous Victorian darling which brings to mind Florence Nightingale. Here in England, it's at #22, but it doesn't crack the top 1000 in the US. For me, it fits the bill of being classic/traditional but also a little bit spunky -- and it's two-syllables!
Harriet – Emma's faithful companion in Jane Austen's Emma and a British staple through the 18th and 19th century. Charlotte Bronte was a big fan of first female sociologist Harriet Martineau. Harriet doesn't rank at all in the US top 1000, though sweet short-form Hattie is at #503.
Hester / Esther – Both Esther and cognate Hester were Regency and Victorian staples. Both Hester and Esther were used in Bronte novels, and Esther was used in Jane Austen's Sanditon. Charles Dickens's Esther Summerson from Bleak House is also a wonderful character. Esther ranks at #183 in the US, while Hester sits outside the top 1000.
Imogen – A pretty Shakespearean names which the Victorians were also fond of. It's a top 100 staple here in Britain but doesn't even make the top 1000 in the US.
Matilda – Borne by characters of Austen, Dickens, Gaskell and the Brontes, Matilda is a historic name with plenty of vintage charm, especially with the diminutive Tilly. It ranks #479 in the US.
Philippa / Pippa – Jane Austen used queenly Philippa as a character in her juvenilia 'Love and Freindship'. Pippa, the standard short-form of Philippa, was made famous by Robert Browning's Pippa Passes (1841) and so also has Victorian literary pedigree.
Sylvie / Sylvia – Both Sylvie and Sylvia are beautiful and elegant vintage gems. Sylvia has more stature in the English-speaking world, while French Sylvie has the advantage of having two syllables. Sylvia is the heroine of Elizabeth Gaskell's Sylvia's Lovers (1863) and Sylvie is a character in Charlotte Brontë's The Professor.
Tess – Sweet Tess has a delicate lady-like charm with a bold streak. Thomas Hardy's masterpiece Tess of the D'Urbervilles makes the name firmly Victorian and romantic. Tessa is #229 but Tess is outside of the top 1000 in the US.
Nancy – Jane Austen, Anne Brontë and Dickens all wrote of character's named Nancy. Today, it has a cheeky-but-sweet vintage charm. Nancy ranks #900 in the US.
Helena – One of the daughters of Queen Victoria, Helena is an elegant and romantic name which ranks at #518 in the US.
Beatrice – Another of Queen Victoria's children which is still used by royalty. Sweet Beatrice was much beloved by the Victorians. It's in the top 100 in England and Italy but only #559 in the US.
Rosa / Rosine – Both Rosa and Rosie are adorable Victorian lovelies. Rosina and Rosine were also used during this period, and Rosine features in Charlotte Brontë's Vilette.
Mabel – Meaning "lovable," Mabel is one of the medieval names that the Victorians went mad for. Wordsworth used the name in his sonnet St Catherine of Ledbury (1835) and it was given a bigger boost when Charlotte MaryYonge used it in her bestselling novel The Heir of Redclyffe (1854). It currently ranks #513 in the US.
Bethan – Like Alastair, Bethan has a rich heritage but with a Celtic twist. Bethan is a traditional Welsh shortform of Elizabeth. While English girls answered to Betty or Bessie, Welsh girls answered to Bethan or Betsan. Like Gemma, Bethan also strikes the balance of having plenty of history but feeling fresh and modern.
Polly – You've considered and discarded Poppy, but I wonder if Polly is worth considering. A character in Charlotte Brontë's Vilette and a traditional nickname for Mary which was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Penelope (a Jane Austen character), Paloma and Ophelia could all be used as longer forms.
Boys:
Byron – A name with elegance and history, a literary pedigree, but also a fresh, modern sound. It ranks #669 in the US.
Silas – Charlotte Brontë, Dickens and George Eliot all used stylish Biblical Silas for characters. It currently ranks at #119 in the US.
Ralph – A friendly name with bags of history and much loved by the Victorians. Ralph ranks #992 in the US but the alternate phonetic form Rafe sits outside of the top 1000.
Heath – A rugged and amiable nature name which brings to mind Emily Brontë's immortal brooding hero Heathcliff. It ranks #876 in the US.
Lewis – The English phonetic form of Louis, Lewis has a straightforward charm and plenty of heritage. It also shares a Scottish link to Alastair as the name of the largest island of the Outer Hebrides. It ranks #510 in the US.
Bennet – A nod to Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Bennet (or Bennett) is a fresh and modern-sounding name which has plenty of history. Before it was a surname, Bennet was the English vernacular form of Benedict. Bennett ranks #140 in the US but Bennet isn't in the top 1000.
Tobias / Toby – A debonnaire Biblical choice which has an adorable Victorian-vibe. Tobias ranks #246 in the US and Toby #765.
Fergus – Anne Bronte used Fergus in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. It's a sturdy-yet-delightfully playful name which has plenty of Gaelic charm. It does not rank in the top 1000 in the US.
Jonas – A sleek and stylish Biblical classic which was very popular in the Bronte's home county, Yorkshire. No wonder the name makes an appearance in Jane Eyre and also Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit. It ranks #388 in the US.
Felix – Ranking #247 in the US. Felix has an affable and gentlemanly charm. The meaning -- happy, lucky, blessed -- is great, too.
Eamon – Edmund is on your list -- and it's a great choice! -- so I'm going to throw in Eamon: the Gaelic form of Edmund. It looks sleek and modern, with a classic pedigree. It does not rank in the top 1000 in the US.
Ewan – Scottish Ewan has a modern sound, with an ancient history. It does not rank in the top 1000 in the US but feels familiar thanks to lovely Scottish actor Ewan McGregor
Ewart – Like Eamon, Ewart is a Celtic twist on an English classic: in this case, a medieval Scottish form of Edward. Hoards of British Victorian boys were named Ewart in the 19th century thanks to Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone.
Malcolm – A genial Scottish name with a Shakespearean twist and plenty of charm, ranking #410 in the US.
Maxwell – A nod to The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Maxwell is a charming Scottish surname with plenty of style. It ranks #111 in the US.
I hope this has been of use. Good luck with the name choosing!
