I need 1 or 3 or more syllables, not ending in y, ee, or a/ah/er...

[Otterfied]

Got a problem. I'm a total pedant and my criteria for names has left us up the proverbial creek...

Expecting DC2 imminently, and DP and I are totally stuck on names.

We've got a long list, but for girls we're uninspired cos all the ones on there from last time feel like rejects. We've got an Isobel - figured it had enough different abbreviations for her to be a tomboy scruff Izzy (which she is just now) or oh-so-sophisticated Belle later on, and boys names we struggle with anyway.

We like less common but still fairly traditional names (had no idea how popular Isobel was until it was a done deal ) and we've got two surnames to fit with. And I'm not into overly girly names, although I know how subjective that can be!

We've also got two surnames to fit with. First ends in an 'er' sound, and as I don't want alliteration, although I know others like it, knocks out a whole raft of girls names that end in an A. Second ends in a 'ly' sound, so that knocks out all the Molly, Sally, well, any 'ee' ending names for me.

Plus - I've got an obsessive thing about rhythm. Both surnames are two syllables, so to avoid a kind of tumty-tumty-tumpty sing-song rhythm need to avoid two syllable names.

Any suggestions??!! .

Currently like Nate for a boy, but would name Nathaniel.

Girls - well, just added Josephine to the list, although would never have thought of it last time. Not sure why it popped into my head - lots of abbreviation options again I suppose. I like Jude but seems very popular just now.

[nooka]

Well Nate and Josephine are both nice, so that's a good start! The obvious name with many variables and not two syllables is Elizabeth (or Katherine or Margaret), but perhaps you are looking for something more unusual than that.

What about:
Guinevere
Jennifer
Vivienne/Vivian
Marianne/Marion
Geraldine
Gwendolyn
Eleanor
Rhiann on

Boys should be easier (at least on the a/ee sounds front)

Gabriel
Alexander
William
Willoughby
Marius/Darius
Christopher
Sebastian
Barnaby/Ba rnabas
Benedict/Benjamin
Jonathon
Laurence
Dominic
Jeremiah/Zachariah
Nicholas

[ilovepeppapig]

Kate
rose
sian
beth

abigail

juliet
alexis
hariet

[sweetfall]

Jude is a boy's name surely?

Madeleine
Josephine
Jessica
June
Martha
Mathilde
Matilda

[purepurple]

Skye
Scarlett
Faye
Faith
Hope
Eloise

[Otterfied]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Rhiannon was on my list but DP vetoed - felt a bit too zeitgeisty. A lot of everyone's suggestions are nice but are already either in our family, in close circle of mates with similar aged kids (not an absolute no-no, I know, but I don't like all of their kids ) or DD has several mates of those names; two Jessicas, for example, three Beths, two Kate/Katies, one Scarlett.

I do like Abigail, but wondered if would be a bit much having an Isobel and an Abigail..?

Isobel, btw, is the European/Spanish/Portuguese version of Elizabeth .

Would contemplate Jonathan but, having grown up in a city full of toffs attending a major public school, can't bring myself to consider any Sebastian-type names - too many painful associations of fending off posh morons! Would have gone for Alexander if it wasn't DP's name! Might go for Xander as a boy's middle name, as it's in his family for generations.

Jude - I think it started as a boy's name but has drifted. I know a couple of Jude's, one grown-up one and I'm sure she's not a shortened Judith.

I like Faye, but my surname starts with an F...

Lots to think about there. Will show DP so we can have another row .

[thumbwitch]

Clementine
Caroline
Eveline/Evelyn
Celandine (not a "real" name but I like it)
Meredith
Harriet (bit popular tho)
Genevieve
Marigold (too old-fashioned?)

[cyteen]

Rosamund

[cyteen]

Celestine

[poppetskaya]

Imogen is on our list

[cyteen]

Evangeline

[curlyredhead]

Harriet? Getting more popular, I think, but not in the top 10 or 20 I'm pretty sure. Can have Hattie or Harry as NNs.

Christine? Chris, Chrissie, Christie for short.

[MrsHappy]

Alison
Joseline
Marianne
Juliet

Lots of one syllable names if you are more inspired by them:

Kate
Grace
Hope
Laure
Fleur

Sorry, can't help re boys as I am totally crap at those...

[Greensleeves]

Gabrielle
Marilyn
Catherine
Jessamine
Fleur
Paige
Rose
Blaise
Sian

[MrsBadger]

Jane?

[Otterfied]

Thank you for being so imaginative everyone - I think I'm just really hard to please .

Jane = one of DDs middle name and both Grandma's names
Harriet = name I was often mistakenly called as a child and therefore hate, although it's actually fine!
Imogen = was on our list last time but now too close to Isobel
Alison & Grace = cousins' names
Fleur = was picked on by oa bitch of a Fleur ne and just can't shake the association!

I like the idea of the Hope/Faith-type names but when I think how I'd feel actually using them I chicken out.

Caroline - just put it on the list, hadn't thought of it, although might prefer Carolyn...
Juliet - I like but I think DP vetoed, however he's been known to change his mind...
Genevieve was also vetoed - I liked it at first but then realised I'd always associate it with the London to Brighton veteran car run .

Why are boys names so difficult? I think I'm re-liking Nate/Nathaniel though. With two family middle names like DD.

[TEJQ]

Fynn - m
Fern/e - f
Carys - f
Cian - m

[thumbwitch]

Nathaniel could be shortened to Nat rather than Nate, if you prefer that.
Timothy
Christian
Aloysius
Valentine (I knew a boy at school with this as a middle name)
Mortimer

Girl short names
Claire
Anne
Jill
Pearl
Maeve

Boy short names
Paul
John
Ralph