Mumsnet Talk

Thank you! I think we will go with Anya or Alara and see what she looks like. Love some of the suggested alternatives but many already vetoed by DH or belong to close friends/family. Happy with 2 options, a few weeks left to decide on middles!

We had elara on the list along with Alaina. Anya is lovely!

Or Leah?

Vashti
Anisha

Anya and Alara are both lovely. I think they are both usable, wherever you are from.

As an alternative, what about Alina?

Larissa?

fraught, obv. One handed typing....

Also think Alara sounds a lovely name. Or what about Clara?

I love Anya too. Other names I love are:

Naomi
Esme
Nina
Thalia
Nyah
Rebekah
Tamsin
Zoe

Love Anya but you're right it's nice to have other options that you've thought about in advance.

Love Thea as suggested by Janet, Lydia is nice too. Alara sounds pretty, doesn't matter that you're not Turkish imo. Agree with you about Maia, too frought with potential mispronunciation/misspelling.

Other ideas:
Anita
Ramona
Camilla
Verity
Ursula
Viola

Anya is lovely. Haven't heard of Alara before - is it pronounced like it looks?

Some other ideas:
Lena
Mila
Cara/Kara
Lida
Mara
Peta
Rhea
Lila
Ailsa
Luna
Nora
Ada
Aurora
Leah
Daria
Nina
Milla
Lera
Jenna
Kyra
Keira
Lina
Lyra
Athena
Erin
Kaia
Carina
Lyla
Nia
Aria
Aida
Allegra
Adela
Leila
Clara
Lydia
Lola
Zara
Sara
Thea
Tara
Alicia
Malia
Anika
Lucia
Lillia
Gaia
Isla
Cora

So, we have 2 boys and thought girl names would ve easy as we haven't used any but I can't use the names I like the most. We had settled on Anya, which will stay on the list for when she arrives but still doesn't feel right at the moment so I would like an alternative.

Love Lara but can't use as too close to Laura (SIL who died before I met DH). I really like:
Alara

Turkish name (will that matter if we are not Turkish??), and could be shortened to Ally or potentialy Lara without so much upset? Still too close?
For some reason, don't like Lana/Alana as much.

Also like Maia (my-a) but so many spelling and pronunciation problems and so similar to Mia (v popular) that I don't think we will use it.

Arghhhhh!!