Can't agree on a girl name - please help!

[LHB75]

Hi all,

My husband and i really can't agree on girls names.

We have a shortlist of:

Arabella
Lottie
Florence
Mariella

My thoughts are everyone i mention Arabella to says NO faaaar too screaming sloaney.

Lottie - not sure i LOVE it enough

Florence - I love it but hate Flo.

Mariella - does it sound like i've made the name up from two names....

Thankfully we agree on boys names!

Would really appreciate opinions as it's driving me nuts and i'm worried we will have a girl who won't be named as we can't agree and also worried that i can't find a name i love enough. My favourite name is Harriet but i have a niece called Harriet so can't use it.

Husband likes Ava/Isabella but may friends have used these names so i want to avoid

Many thanks !!

[Psammead]

Arabella - I really like it. Would Anabella appease friends? I would go for this one, personally.

Lottie - not a big fan of shortened names as given names. Charlotte or Carlotta with Lottie as a NN would be better, imo.

Florence - quite nice, don't hate it, don't love it. Do you have a connection with the city? If so, all the nicer.

Mariella - not keen at all.

[DeborahDevonshire]

I really like Arabella. I don't think it is sloaney at all.

Florence is also a lovely name however I think you will not be able to avoid her being called Flo as a nickname.

Mariella - you are right, it sounds like two names combined. Not keen.

Lottie. Hmm. Not keen either. It will be better to call her Charlotte with Lottie as a nickname in my view, however to me Charlotte is a bit of a meh name anyway.

I also like Harriet, howvere if you have close family called that, what about Henrietta?

Ava far too common now, and Isabella is very popular as well.

What about: Liliana, Sophia, Marina, Susannah, Isadora, Araminta, Ariana

[DeborahDevonshire]

Ooh MrsWolf Ottilie is a lovely name (as is Ottoline, come to think of it). Lottie very good nickname for both.

[LHB75]

Florence - I don't have a connection with the city other than the fact I love it. I was hoping people would use Florrie as a nick name and not Flo but don't want to spend my life correcting everyone hence my hesitation of using it. I do like it as a middle name so may use it that way.

Marina - i am mulling over as we 'speak'....Very good suggestion thank you DeborahDevonshire!

[debaronz]

I like Arabella and Florence.

How about

Aurelia
Mirella
Marietta
Violet
Cassandra (Cassie)
Cecelia
Eloise
Corinne
Estella
Evaline
Imogen
Juliet

[padraig]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Arabella is most definitely super Sloaney.

I absolutely hate Lottie, sorry. I just imagine my grandmother saying "dotty lottie" and it sounding so horribly twee.

Mariella - it's alright, I've definitely heard it before so it doesn't sound made up to me. Not my style though if I'm being honest.

Florence - do like this name, but HATE Flo/Flossie etc. The only possible nm I can think of that isn't awful is Ren or maaaaaaaybe Flor. Tbh I think the only reason I like this name is because of singer Florence and the Machine.

[Ripeberry]

Tegan
Megan
Poppy
Daisy
Caitlin
Charlotte

[mathanxiety]

Arabella -- prefer Annabel
Lottie -- As a nn for Charlotte? Otherwise no
Florence -- dislike this name; the nn possibilities are very off-putting
Mariella -- prefer Mariel or even Marielle. Mariella sounds too frilly

[janeite]

Don't like Mariella at all. Love Charlotte/Lottie and Florence.

[bunnymother]

Debaronz - I think we might have v similar taste in names! Love your suggestions! Esp Aurelia and Violet. I was really pushing for Aurelia for DD, really wonderful, old, strong name.

I also love Arabella, and knew a little girl named that 15 years ago. Her siblings were Josephine and Lucien - all terrific names. So to me its a v old, lyrical, interesting name and not Sloaney. BUT it is popular so I would suggest Aurelia or Annalise instead. Otherwise any of the other names on Debaronz's list.

Another name is Eleanora - not popular, but old and inspired by Eleanor of Aquitaine (timeless heroine).

[APassionateWoman]

They're all OK. Arabella prob my least fave.

Marianna/Mariana
Maribel
Arielle / Ariel

??

[KRH]

Just a thought about shortened versions of names and whether you'll have to keep reminding people...

My daughter is Isabella, but I HATE Izzy. I was determined that if her name was to be shortened it would be to Bella. As soon as she was born we told people her name and said they could either call her Isabella or Bella - but NOT Izzy! We got a few comments initially from people about it and one or two tried to call her Izzy (inc my mum and wee sister because my mum doesn't like Bella!), but hubby and I put our feet down and we've never had to say anything about it at all since she was about 6/8 weeks old!

I think it helps that Izzy and Bella are totally different names - Flo and Florrie are different enough too I think and if you just do it people will hear it and get used to it. You'd probably also find that your daughter would call herself Florrie and no-one's going to argue with a child about what their name is!

[snickerpuss]

How about Meriel?

[Prinpo]

Mariella doesn't sound made up to me - it just reminds me of Mariella Frostrup (who is so very cool). I have a Marianne. It seems to work well for her, although there are no obvious nns.

FWIW, I know a Florrie and no-one would dream of calling her Flo.

[GladioliBuckets]

Was just about to say has no one heard of Mariella Frostrup, the thinking man's crumpet, but Prinpo beat me to it. MF is a great lady, does a lot of hiking for charity and has a very sexy voice.

If you like Marina, how about Carina (meaning little loved girl in Italian) or Darina (Darina Allen is an Irish food writer)?

[LHB75]

Thanks for all the added suggestions! I like Marietta but it is a friends surname. Also love Marianne but can't use it.

Also thank you KRH for words of wisdom re nicknames and shortening to Flo. I agree you have to be firm and then it should work. I think forces are conspiring against me with Florence as i really love it but work with one who i really don't so their is a connotation attached to it now although not sure i will return to job so she will be a distant memory and also seems to be gaining popularity by the day !

Mariella was certainly brought to my attention because of Frostrup! Still uncommon which is what i'm aiming for ie want a pretty name as surname is quite harsh but still a strong name so no flower names and not with 6 children of the same name in nursery! It seems to be far harder with girls than boys.

Ideally i think i like Arabella Florence but am fed up with the uuurgh noises so maybe i will stop sharing my names with friends !

[Prinpo]

I agree, OP. If you know what you want then just don't tell people until it's a fait accompli. Her name will very quickly become her, everyone will just accept it and you'll have the name you love.

[diddl]

Arabella Florence is lovely-don´t discuss it anymore.

[Bucharest]

I love Florence.