please rate these names?

[1horatio]

1. Clarissa (my favourite. But I didn't really consider it up to now because MIL doesn't like it...)
   
2. Carlotta
   
3. Miranda
   
4. Erika
   
5. Louisa (so so lovely, used to be a name I wanted for DC when I was in middle school. But it's a little bit... ordinary, imo. MIL loves it)
   

Godparents will be Raychelle and Brigham.

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Carlotta was the bitchy one in Phantom Of The Opera.

But the other names are lovely.

[MrsChrisPratt]

I like, in this order:

4
1
2
5
3

But it's your baby, choose what you like. Ignore Mil.

[Laquila]

If it's not a daft question, why are the godparents' names relevant? Are you using them as middle names? Also (and again, this mighty be a daft question), does it really matter what your MILS thinks??!

FWIW, my order of preference is:

1. Carlotta (reminds me of the Chalet School!)
   
2. Miranda
   

Other three all equally nice as each other but the above two are my faves.

[steppemum]

not sure what the godparents names have to do with it?

I don't like Erika, but all the others are pretty.
Carlotta sounds very spanish to me.

I think Clarissa is my fave.

Why don't you keep a short list and then wait till you meet her?

[WhyHasAllTheRumGone]

1, 4, 5, 3, 2.
I love Clarissa.

[1horatio]

They're not really relevant. I just talked with Raychelle about babynames this evening and Idk. I think I'm a bit scatterbrained... Sorry!

MIL apparently had an annoying great-aunt called Clarissa....

[Allalonenow]

My favourites are Clarissa which is beautiful and classic and will stand the test of time, and Miranda which is extremely pretty.

Carlotta and Erika both sound quite harsh to me, and you would have to like the inevitable Lottie nn with Carlotta.
Louisa, while quite pretty, is a bit dull and not a patch on Clarissa. Don't be influenced by MIL, she has had her go at naming a baby.

(Please don't call her Raychelle)

[PotatoBread]

What is the relevance of the godparents names? And ehat does it matter that your MIL thinks?

It's entirely up to you! Though seeing as you asked I like Clarissa and Erica - spelt with a c though, hate it with a k

I don't really like any of your other options

[1horatio]

It's really important to me to have a name ready for her.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Carlotta. Makes me think of EastEnders Car lot.
All the others though are very pretty

[Sophronia]

I love Carlotta and Louisa

[WanderingTrolley1]

Louisa or Clarissa.

[1horatio]

Allalonenow, yup, the first time I read the name Raychelle I was a bit .
But then I met her sibblings. It's probably a religious/cultural thing. But Raychelle looks super normal to me (now...).

Well, at least noone seems to hate the name Clarissa. So yay :)

[Bluesand1]

Louisa

[ShortcutButtons]

What would Clarissa be shortened to? It's a bit long not to have a nn.

[CourtJester]

My Order is...

Louisa - Lovely, classic and not too popular at the moment. If you say it's borning and wanted more interesting you could go for Eloisa/Elouisa, which is nice too
Miranda - Nice, underused name. Strong and very suitable for an adult, but could also have cuter nicknames for a child (Mimi, Miri, Andie)
Carlotta - Okay, but i would love it if it was Carly or Charlotta.
Erika - Prefer the Erica spelling, but an okay name. Quite American compared to the others on your list.
Clarissa - Sorry, but i will be that one who hates this name! IMO it's too posh, prissy, snobby, private schoolgirl sounding. Lissa or Lissie are okay, but the full name is a no.

[1horatio]

Issa, Issie, Rissa, Clary/Clarie, Claris, Clee, Clover, Clare, Clay, Clar (like car but with an l), C, CC (ceecee), Keekee...Or some mix up between first and middle name.
Or a nn that doesn't derive from Clarissa at all. DH's nn doesn't seem to have a connection to his first name... But I don't really worry about finding a nickname, to be honest. Nicknames will be found (or invented) when needed. At least imo.

[1horatio]

Well, DH and his sibblings went to private schools (I didn't go to school in the UK. But I did go to a private kindergarten and primary). So, "private school girl sounding" is not negative imo (but prissy, snobby etc obviously is).

My SILs kiddo (DH's goddaughter) is called Clementine (if it matters). Nns are Minty and Apricot (and Apree)... And Apree only has a rather vague fruity connection to the name Clementine...

[saffronwblue]

Love Clarissa and Miranda. Would you consider Vanessa?

[1horatio]

Vanessa is such an 80ies name where I come from. Just like Jessica, Leonie and Jasmin (ok, those are more early 90ies late 80ies). All pretty names. But just not old enough to be cute again. If this makes sense....

But Vanessa is very pretty :)

[KoalaDownUnder]

I love Miranda to bits, and also like Clarissa. Actually prefer Carissa (without the 'L').

Louisa is pretty.

Carlotta sounds a bit masculine (no idea why; maybe just because I know a few boys called Carlo?)

I hate Erika, spelled either way. Dated, harsh, ugly. (Sorry - brutally honest opinion from total stranger!)

[KoalaDownUnder]

Also love Clementine, by the way!

[1horatio]

Yes! Clementine is so so lovely. But my own name ends in -ntine, plus DH's godchild. So this one is a nono.
Erica flowers are really pretty and I like the name. But seeing as its not my favourite and apparently American sounding (not that this is bad. The godparents are actually Americans)... Anyhow, I don't mind the criticism. You probably just wrote what people would think IRL. Which is the advantage of the internet in this case.

[purplefox]

I hate Carlotta, it just reminds me of a car parking lot. Potential for name calling at school?

I like Clarissa and Louisa, also Vanessa as someone else suggested.

[1horatio]

So, you guys don't think naming DD after MIL's grouchy great aunt is cruel/rude?