Strong, feminine girls' names with nickname

[sanilee]

Hi, all. We are looking to get pregnant soon and have settled on our potential boys' names. We are finding the girls' names a bit trickier. I love classic names that sound strong and feminine. DH agrees but would also like a cute nickname to go with them, which is fine by me. I tend to be drawn to three syllable names, names with historical and/or literary connections, and names with "L" or "R" in them, though those aren't requirements.

Boys: Lionel (nn Leo) FamilyMiddleName
Theodore (nn Teddy) FamilyMiddle Name

Middle name will be family name (Lee or Holly) though I don't care too much about first and middle name coordinating. Last name is a bird, fish, or something that could throw off even Holmes. Begins with "H".

We wanted the nickname of Rosie and would also call her Rosie Lee (in the States so has nothing to do with tea here) but don't love any of the "Rose" names and Rose by itself is just too abrupt. We like Rosalind nn Rosie, especially because of the Shakespeare connection but I am not sold- I am not sure if the "lind" is a little harsh. I also really like Delphine but DH is not convinced and I am not quite either.

Other names we liked but will likely not use:

Seraphina (nn Fina)- negative associations for DH
Lavender- not sold, no nickname
Chloe- I like the "lo" sound but feels a bit trendy
Grace- seems a bit blah
Clara- see Grace, no nickname
Arabella/Annabel- too many Bellas in the US right now
Rose
Araminta (nn Minty)- DH LOVES and I love the historical connection (Harriet Tubman) but I don't know if I could actually give a child this name, seems like it would be a bit much; also a bit harsh sounding. I know this is a "posh" name but that is irrelevant in the States
Jemima- love but would never use due to racial undertones here
Josephine (nn Posy)- love the nn and "Little Women" connection, don't love the full name
Juliet- don't love the "t" ending, perhaps is too strongly associated with the character
Felicity (nn Fi) - DH doesn't like

Thanks!

[SomeSunnySunday]

Eleanor (Elle / Ellie - v popular in the UK though - or Nell)
Madeleine (Maddy)
Georgina (Georgie)

I also like Sephie as a nn for Josephine.

[BiancaDelRio]

Francesca with Frankie as a nn? I think Frankie is wonderful.

Cassandra or Cassiopeia with Cassie as a nn?

[sanilee]

Thanks, Sunny!

Eleanor feels a bit plain to me and I don't like the "or" sound as an ending but I love Nell.

Maddys abound in the States though mostly "Maddie" from the (IMO too masculine) Madison. I don't love the nickname Maddy, though the full name Madeleine is very pretty.

Georgina has floated through my mind before and I'll add that to the list, thanks! Sephie is very cute, too- never considered that.

[pieceofpurplesky]

Juliana nn lia
Melissa nn Mel/lis
Theadora nn Teddy

[sanilee]

Bianca-
Frankie is adorable though I prefer Frances for the full name. Do you think Frankie is as natural of a nn for Frances?

Coconutty-
Rosamund was on the list before but DH worries it is too heavy. Might put it back on though because I do like it. He also doesn't like Rosemary and while I love the sound, I don't love the meaning "Bitter Rose".

[Oakmaiden]

I would abbreviate Felicity as Fliss.

[sanilee]

Purplesky,

I love the idea of Theodora. I suggested Theodora to DH just now but DH would like to save the NN Teddy for a boy. Melissa is nice but kind of plain and not quite strong enough and I don't like the nasally "n" in Juliana the way it is said here in the States.

[BiancaDelRio]

Ooh yes Frances is fab too (and my Mum's name ).

[florascotia]

I really like Rosalind - the 'linde' ending orginally meant 'gentle', so the meaning is far from harsh.

There's also Rosamund, Rosaline/Rosalina, Roisin, Roseanna, Rosalie, Rosmerta, Roswitha...

[sanilee]

Also, if you wouldn't mind adding your opinions to Rosalind and Delphine as well as your suggestions, that would be lovely though I don't think we will go with either of them.

DH has rejected all of them so far except for Georgina nn Georgie which we both really like and is now added to our list. He is quite picky!

[Lindy2]

I know a Roseena (pronounced Rose ina). She is Australian.
That might be a bit of a different name to shorten to Rose.

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

As Coco says - Rosamund is perfect if you want Rosie but not "ind".

If you are not sure about Georgina then how about Georgia?

Elizabeth (Lizzie, Libby, Ellie, Beth)
Katherine (Katie)
Alexandra (Ally, Lexie, Alex)
Imogen (Immy)
Eleanor (Ellie, Nora)
Amanda (Mandy)


However, you are not yet pregnant so you have plenty of time to decide. We didn't choose Ds's name until after he was born as our original name just wasn't right for him.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Georgiana (as in Darcy) then you could have Georgie or George as nn which is quite frankly the best nn ever. I liked georgiana but it was a bit too girly sounding for us so we went with Georgia for our dd.

Other ideas
Cassandra - cassy
Rowena- Roe
Althea- Thea
Harriet- Hattie
Phillipa- pip

[sanilee]

Flora,

I know the meaning is gentle but do you think the sound is harsh? That is what I was a bit worried about.

In terms of the Rose names, Rosamund too heavy, Rosaline/Rosalie would be a bit bizzare I think to shorten to Rosie Lee because they sound so similar though I like them both- especially Rosalie, don't like the "merta" in Rosmerta and the "witha" in Rosewitha because they don't sound feminine to me, Roisin sounds too harsh and spelling is too counterintuitive (I know it is actually correct and Irish), Roseanna would have a strong z and nasally a in an American accent which I don't like.

Thank you for suggesting those names though- I have never seen Rosmerta or Rosewitha mentioned in a "Rose" thread before!

[sanilee]

Love Hattie and Pip, not sold on the full names. DH loves Philippa though. Adding Georgiana as well to the list.

Katherine is much too plain and I know far too many. I really don't like the "man" sound of Amanda and it just seems too much of 90s name to me but thank you for those suggestions. Even though Elizabeth is a bit common I do love it, but for personal reasons due to a family tragedy I can't use it. I like the full name of Alexandra, not keen on the nicknames.

[TerrariaMum]

Elizabeth (Liz, Betty, Beth, Betsy, Lizzie, Liza, Eliza, Ellie)
Katherine( Kat, Kath, Kathy, Kitty, Kate, Katie)

[mathanxiety]

Rosalie? Close to Rosie Lee...
Rosaleen (quite Irish)
Rosa (like Parks)

Ingrid, nn Inga
Margaret, nn Maggie - there are no negative MT associations in the US
Ruth
Edith, nn Edie
Greta, (no nn that I can think of)
Molly
Maeve
Fiona
Anna/Annie
Tess/Tessa

Posy is another nn for Josephine, but I have never heard it in the US so don't know how well it would go down.

[sanilee]

Love Fliss, DH doesn't like Felicity, unfortunately.

Do you think Rosalie and Rosaleen are too close to Rosie Lee? It might be a bit bizarre to have Rosie Lee as the nickname for those names was my only uncertainty.

Love Tessa, but I don't know if it seems enough of a name if that makes sense. I really like Tess though.

I like but don't love Fiona. Anna is beautiful but a bit plain. Molly is too much of just a nickname. Don't like Ingrid or Edith at all.

[pieceofpurplesky]

I think you should work on your DH and have Theodore or Theodora for your first born - Teddy is perfect for either.
If you like Nell as a nickname there is Prunella, Helena, Ellen ...

[sanilee]

The US has many crazy names so Posy would be fine. I think it is adorable I really, really like Josephine (and actually have a bit of a fascination with the Empress though her real name was Rose) but I just am not quite sold on it (or Rosalind or Delphine) the way I am sold on Theodore and Lionel.

If she could be an adorable little girl for life I would be all in for Posy, but as a young woman she might prefer to be called by her full name.

[sanilee]

Pieceofpurplesky,
Ha! Will do. He is reading the thread along with me so if you could give a hand, that would be nice.

Prunella sounds silly and I don't really like Helena (it's okay) and Ellen (don't like the ending) but you are really making me rethink Theodora!

[williamjacksmum]

I have a Harriet but she is always referred to as Hattie and if I had another girl would go for Penelope nn Penny or Nel. Good luck!

[florascotia]

OP - I don't think the 'lind' sound is too harsh. I associate it with another use of the same German word: 'linden' (linden-tree, which smells lovely and delicate in springtime and is associated with graceful shade in summer).

I like Delphine, too. Very unusual at the moment.