Name Help: A Sister for Raya

Kate is expecting her second daughter soon, a sister for Thoraya "Raya". 

Kate writes: "We have a daughter named Thoraya Ruth Alice (Raya for short) who is named after a good friend with Iraqi heritage. We thought it was a great name as there is the choice for her to go by Thora, which I loved for its Old Norse connotations. Ideally, we'd like something with more local origins this time, given that my family have been based in England for as far back as we can trace and my husband's family are Scottish via Ireland on his paternal side.

I have quite specific criteria, which is making coming to an agreement hard: I don't want a name ending with a vowel sound (I could compromise on the letter 'o'!) and it has to be relatively uncommon. Current trends for overly feminine names ending with 'a' are just too cutesy for me, and I'd like something traditional but strong. My current top pick is Enid, but my husband says its too old-lady ish for him, even though its his great grandmother's name, so there's a family connection. Other personal faves include Tess, Artemis and Hero, but the latter two feel like middle name territory. I'd like to use Ruth if we hadn't already given it to our eldest! 

 

My husband's favourites are Ada and Margot, the latter being another family name, but both are a bit too popular for me, especially in our area of London. Anything in the top 300 is a no-go for me! He has vetoed Harriet, Loveday and Iseult so far and is lukewarm on Enid and Blythe. 

 

To add to what seems like an impossible task, I am also a teacher, so many names already have fixed connotations for me. We like names with links to strong female role models (hence Ada) but nothing friends have suggested so far feels right. For example, Winifred, Gertrude and Rhiannon are just a bit too aggressive in their sound, and anything ending with '-bel' is just too girly. We also cannot use Rose, Fleur or Hazel due to family connections."

 

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I'm very much the same as you. I impose so many rules on myself with naming, that I almost feel that I'm left with the impossible. Thoraya "Raya" is such a lovely, striking name. Exotic, but not outlandish. Her sister needs a name that can stand proudly alongside it. By that, I don't mean a name that is necessarily the same, origin, length, or style, simply a name that stands out from the crowd in a sophisticated, understated way. 

 

Adeline –  If Ada is too common, medieval Adeline (at #370) appeals. Meaning noble, it has a refined, majestic style with melodic syllables. For an even rarer variant -- borne by an English queen -- there is also Adelise, Adelize and Aleidis. 

Guinevere – An ancient British queen of enduring legend whose name most likely descends from a Celtic goddess. Guinevere is a striking name, but it is familiar to most and offers a wealth of nickname options. 

Hester – A sweet but sturdy Georgian name which also has a deep past and links to an ancient goddess. Hester is familiar, but ranks below the top 1000. 

Avice –  Now rare, sweet Avice was once a common name in the Middle Ages. Another similar-sounding medieval favourite is Amice. 

Idony – As Iseult is on your list, and you like the Old Norse links of Thora, I can't complete this list without mentioning Idony. A popular medieval name in England, it derives from Iðunn, the Norse goddess of spring. Idony is now extremely rare, but it has perfectly modern sounds. 

Astrid – While we're talking Norse names, Astrid is a pretty epic one. Bold and feisty with soft edges, Astrid sits at the "not-too-hot-not-too-cold" position of #376. 

Sybil – The sibyls were revered prophetesses in Ancient Rome. Sybil was a popular favourite in both the Middle Ages and for the Victorians, also. It currently ranks just below the top 1000. 

Delphine – A chic and mellifluous French name with plenty of character. It only ranks #1817 in England and Wales.

Clementine – Meaning "merciful, gentle," Clementine has sleek elegance and royal usage. It is familiar, but sit below the top 300.

Lilias – Lilias (or Lillias) is an intriguing twist on traditional staple Lilian, and, as a bonus -- it's Scottish! 

Merrilees – Another sweet Scottish choice which strikes the balance of not being too saccharine or too harsh. Merrilees is a Scottish place name, hailing from West Lothian, turned surname. Etymologically, its meaning comes from Old English myrge "pleasant" and laese "pasture." It is is used as a girls' name in Scotland but it remains uncommon with only 121 registrations since 1855. including celebrity chef/TV presenter Merrilees Parker.

Merryn / Mirren – Mirren is currently #101 in Scotland but is much rarer in England. It is also found in the variant Merren, Mirryn and Mirin. All are Scottish forms of Miriam. Of a similar sound is Cornish favourite Merryn. 

Morven – Like Isla, Iona, Skye and Ailsa, Morven is another Scottish girls' name taken straight from Scotland's landscape. Morven is the name of a mountain in Caithness and in Aberdeenshire. It has been in use across Britain since at least the 19th century, mostly for girls, but occasionally for boys, and has ranked in the top 250 of Scotland for girls since 1975, peaking at #92 in 2000. 

Lowen – A unisex Cornish name which comes directly from the Cornish verb lowen meaning "happy, glad, joyful."

Cariad – A charming and wistful Welsh name which (much like the Scottish bonny) is a direct adoption of an endearment. In this case, Cariad means "darling, sweetheart." It ranks below the top 1000, but is easy to pronounced and spell.  

Juniper –  A sweet Edwardian nature name with a sprightly sound and grown-up appeal. It currently ranks at #814. Even better, divine Roman Juno could also serve as a nickname. 

Wren – A chic and sleek nature name that belongs to one of Britain's prettiest, perky-tailed birds with a powerful song. It decorated our farthing copper coins and was once known as the king of the birds throughout Northern Europe. In recent years, Wren has become an increasingly appealing given name choice for girls.

Briar – Pared-down Briar is a nature name with a simple and elegant grace. Despite being easy to pronounce and spell, it still ranks below the top 1000. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Good luck with settling on the perfect name!

 

UPDATE: Welcome, Idony Margo Marie!