Hannah is expecting her second daughter who will soon join big sister Freya. Hannah is from the UK and her husband is from Germany, but they currently live in Switzerland.
Hannah writes: "Our ideal name would work well in English (primarily) and also German. My husband's mum is Tunisian, so something that she can pronounce is also on our list.
My husband loved Emma before Freya was born but its SOO common here in Switzerland that I just couldn’t... but then again Freya is so common over the UK - but that didn't bother me too much as we live here and I had Freya on my baby name list since I was a child.
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At first, I thought that there would be plenty of English-German crossover names to fit your current list. But, the more I looked, the more I realised the challenge that the language barrier poses. English and German share many of the same names, but pronunciation can be very different. Ava, Violet, Eliza, Iris, Martha, Thea were all considered and discarded as options by me for this very reason.
The good news is that there are names that work in both languages, if you are prepared to bend the rules a little or look outside the box.
NB: Data quoted is from the 2017 Swiss stats, the 2016 England and Wales stats and the 2016 German stats.
Luna – A Europe-wide stylish choice which is #59 in Switzerland, #79 in England and Wales and #60 in Germany, making it perfectly accessible in all three countries. It also has a sweet (yet subtle) link to Freya as they are both names of ancient goddesses.
Aurora – Another stylish ancient goddess name is the Latin goddess of the dawn. It is is #61 in Switzerland, #105 in England and Wales and #161 in Germany. The only draw back is the slight pronunciation change in German to English, but it isn't too different.
Alba – Speaking of the dawn, how about this stylish pan-European name? Alba ranks #258 in Switzerland, #248 in England and Wales and also ranks in the German top 500.
Ella – With a history that goes back to the Middle Ages, sweet and spunky Ella matches Freya in style and -- at #28 -- isn't too popular currently in Switzerland. It is also a top 20 choice in Britain and Germany making it a great pan-European choice.
Mila – With its sleek Continental vibe, Mila is a name that works across Europe seamlessly. It is #11 in Switzerland, #81 in England and Wales and #8 in Germany
Clara – A chic Roman name which matches the likes of Greta, Alice, Matilda and Emily from your list. Clara ranks #40 in Switzerland, #88 in England and Wales and #17 in Germany.
Amelia – A royal name that sits perfectly between Alice, Matilda and Emily. At #2, it is very popular currently in England and Wales but is a less alarming (yet still fashionable) #32 in Switzerland.
Beatrice – Another princessly name which shares the same sound in English and German. It is #80 in England and Wales and #348 in Switzerland.
Evelyn – A vintage gem with Matilda and Harriet's upright style that is pronounced the same in English and German. It is #21 in England and Wales, #178 in Germany and #382 in Switzerland.
Lydia – Matilda, Emily, Alice, Harriet and Sophie (as Sophy) were all British Georgian favourites. Lovely Latin Lydia also fits this era for both style and substance. It currently ranks #100 in England and Wales and #285 in Switzerland.
Lotta – Charlotte is a lovely queenly name with the same chic style as Alice and Harriet. It is also a top 20 choice in both England and Germany, and #42 in Switzerland. The down side? Charlotte is pronounced differently in German and English which may (perhaps not?) be a sticking point. German short form Lotta [#33 in Germany] has a stylish sound which translates well in Britain -- you could even shorten it to vintage Lottie -- and would also work in Switzerland.
Lilia – A stylish and Continental member of the Lily family which works well in any European country. It currently ranks #281 in Switzerland.
Stella – At #73 in Switzerland, Stella is a fashionable-but-not-too-common choice which has an easy pronunciation and a great meaning of "star."
Heidi – On the flip side, Heidi -- at #76 in England and Wales -- is a traditional German name which is a fashionable choice in Britain. It ranks #186 in Germany and #404 in Switzerland.
Zara – Sleek Zara (which ultimately derives from an Arabic name meaning "to shine") is a top 100 favourite in England. It is in some use in Germany (#369) though -- like Freya -- it doesn't rank in Switzerland's top 600 (Zahra is at #439, however).
Ariana – A chic Italian name which derives from the mythological ancient Greek Ariadne, meaning "most pure." It ranks #103 in Switzerland and #124 in England and Wales.
Elodie – Blending together the sounds and style of Esme and Emily, Elodie is a sweet French name which ranks at #128 in Switzerland and #166 in England and Wales.
Margaux – Another charming French name is stately and queenly Margaux. This spelling, at #155, is the most common currently in Switzerland. Margot is more favoured in Britain, but this is poses pronunciation problems in German where the 't' is enunciated. Margaux forgoes those problems.
Wildcards:
Maeva – While a rarity in Britain, at #215 in Switzerland, it isn't a totally unusual choice where you live. Popular in France, Maeva is a Tahitian name which means "welcome."
Eleni – A sweet Greek name which comes from the same route as Helen. It is #272 in Switzerland, and easily pronounced in both English and German.
I hope this has been of use. Good luck with settling on the perfect name!
