Name Help: A Sister for Sadie, Felix and Betsy

 

Elyce is expecting her third daughter  —a little sister for Sadie, Felix and Betsy.

Elyce writes: "Our name tastes are probably best described as vintage/old fashioned but not very common. It has to flow well with Sadie, Felix and Betsy and not be too off theme. 

We thought we were sold on the name Cleo, we’ve loved it for years and it was the last girls' name on our list, when we found out we were having another girl it was decided. However, I’m from Australia and tragically there’s a little girl over there missing and it’s been all over the news so it’s made us think twice as we don’t want to be insensitive or people to think we’ve taken her name. It’s tarnished it for us a bit and some people will just associate it with that story. So we’ve been struggling to come up with a name we love as much. 

 

We think we love Etta at the moment. Willa, Posie, Clementine and Primrose are other names we’ve played around with but then second-guessed. Clementine we both love but given it can be pronounced both ‘teen’ and ‘tyne’ puts us off a bit as we feel we will forever letting it go or correcting people. We love Rose but it’s far too popular as a middle name or hyphenated. I loved Iris but that’s a no from hubby. 

 

We’d like to avoid S F and B names so as not to duplicate with Sadie, Felix and Betsy. We like to stay out of the top 100 really, or at least outside of the top 70, it would have to be a name we love to be more popular."

 

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I love the sleek vintage feel -- almost cottagecore style -- of your set. Swoon-worthy! Your current list are all absolutely wonderful. I really don't think you can go wrong. Here are more in a similar vein that I think might appeal:

 

Annie– One of the ultimate vintage names. Annie has a sweet and timeless quality that has been used as a familiar name for powerhouse Anne for centuries (much like Sadie comes from classic Sarah and Betsy from Elizabeth). You could imagine them all running around in a Jane Austen novel. It ranks at #132.

April – A sweet month name that is more unexpected than May but fresher than June. It ranks at #265.

Audrey – Derived from an Anglo-Saxon name meaning "noble strength", Audrey's heritage is deep, from a Saxon princess to Shakespearean character and, of course, the eternal icon of grace and elegance, Audrey Hepburn. It ranks at #319 in England and Wales but is #29 in Australia. 

Cora – Just as ancient and appealing as Cleo with plenty of flapper-flair. It was an alternate name given to the goddess Persephone and associated with spring and new life. It ranks at #153.

Dulcie – An antique name that dates back to the Middle Ages which literally means "sweet". In a nod to your home-land, Dulcie had the most use in Australia in the 20th century making it perfectly vintage. It ranks at #771 in England and Wales. 

Effie – An adorable diminutive for Greek Euphemia meaning "good news, good words spoken". It was especially common in Scotland for centuries where it was used as an English rendering of Oighrig. It ranks #204.

Eloise – A romantic medieval name with a sweet vintage sound. 

Hazel – A gorgeous vintage nature name that took off with the Victorians. It is a popular top 100  choice in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand but more of an undiscovered gem in Britain, ranking in a sweet spot of #153.

Honor – A sleek, historic name that has been used since the Middle Ages and was common in the Georgian era, suiting Sadie, Felix and Betsy perfectly. It ranks at #1164.

Juno – Similar in style to Cleo, Juno was the name of the Roman queen of the gods and protector of women. It ranks at #485.

Lena / Lina – A short form of names ending in -lina, used since at least the 14th century in Britain and across Europe. Today it has a sleek flapper sound and ranks at #186.

Lois – Felix is a Latin name from the New Testament; Sadie and Betsy are diminutive forms of Old Testement Hebrew names Sarah and Elizabeth. Lois fits perfectly as it is a pocket-powerhouse name from the New Testament. It ranks at #258.

Marnie – A retro diminutive of elegant and royal Marina. It ranks at #119.

Nina – The name of the Sumarian goddess meaning "lady of the waters", but, since the Middle Ages it was used as an Italian diminutive of names ending in -nina and also  a Russian pet form of Anna. It ranks at #145.

Pearl – Beautiful gemstone Pearl was once used as a nickname for Margaret (meaning "pearl") but became a name in its own right in the 19th century. It ranks at #271. 

Pippa – Lively, bouncy Pippa is a short form of queenly Philippa, made famous by Robert Browning's Pippa Passes (1841). It ranks at #120.

Polly  – Used since the Middle Ages, Polly is a sweet diminutive of Mary (in keeping with Sadie and Betsy's heritage). It was common for Victorian Marys to go by Polly in their everyday lives. It now ranks #205.

Rosa – If Rose seems overused to you, how about the Latinised version Rosa. Like Rose, Rosa was a top 100 favourite throughout the 19th century and currently ranks at #160.

Winnie – Winifred has an ancient pedigree, but it found success with the Victorians who loved its medieval style. Winnie developed as a sweet short form. It ranks at #223.

 

I hope this has been useful for you. All the best searching for the perfect name.