Can you shorten this list please?

[SevernTrentWater]

Partner and i have completely different naming tastes. To be honest i'm embarassed to give him my suggestions now because of his reactions! So i have an enormous list of names here, and before i read them to him, i would appreciate more conservative types to 'trim it down' in a way that you think might be a compromise between our styles, removing the names you think are just way out there.

I know he likes traditional names and welsh names and victorian romance names like Guinevere (provided they have a history) and again he likes literary names although nothing 'negative' like Ophelia, he dislikes trendy american type names (Hayden etc), or names that sound 'chavvy' (Chelsea etc). He dislikes names that are 'flowery' like Anastasia or 'foreign' i.e Alessandra, which should be Alexandra in his opinion! HOWEVER, he would probably bend if i could offer a more familiar nickname, such as Lexi for Alexandra, or Rosie for Rosamonde or Jessie for Jessamine? Maybe, lol.

He likes:
Emma, Sophie, Jessie, Rosie, Morgan, Alexandra, Cynthia, Guinevere (not sure if i like this myself tho!), Iris, Amy.

While i really like some these names i would resent being made to name my child something conventional because i myself have always dreamed of using an unusual name and he has chosen the middle name, i even changed my own name to something more exotic (although it's becoming trendy now, lol)
ALso, would you class any of these names as popular or trendy?

HUGE list:
Callisto
Isolda
Zohara
Chrysophie (chris-oh-fee)
Juno
Alexi
Seraphine
Sky
Vivienne (viv-ee-EN) - too common?
Rhianwen (ree-AAN-wen)
Morgaine (mor-gay-nee)
Aiona (eye-ow-na)
Xanthia
Aesa (eye-sa)
Sirian (seer-ee-an)
Afanen (a-van-un)
Una (oo-na)
Alethia (uh-LEE-thee-a)
Rhiannon
Acacia
Alexasha (alek-SAA-sha)
Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha)
Sophiah (sa-FY-a not sa-fee-a, old fashioned pronounciation).
Zivi (zee-vee)
Ziva
Gwyndolen
Morrigan
Ceinlys (KINE-liss)
Ceinwyn (KINE-wyn)
Safrielle (saf-ree-EL)
Sabrielle
Eden
Katriela
Cleo
Mercedes
Blaez (blayz) - breton name
Aeide (eye-dee)
Pandora
Meadow
Stormy
Anastasia
Aurelia (aw-ree-lee-a)
Aurora
Seren
Saoirse (seer-sha)
Isha (eye-sha)
Phoenix
Honour
Guinevere
Aurielle (aw-ree-EL)
Arielle
Araceli (a-ra-KEL-ee)
Sapphira
Zephira (he despises this, the ultimate in hippy/flaky/trendiness apparantly lol)
Alessandria
Tsofi (zo-FEE)
Alveva
Naiade (Nigh-a-dee)
Hermione
Luce (loo-chay)
Kyra (Keye-ra)
Aleandra (al-ee-AAN-dra)
Gwennan
Violet - a bit boring an old ladyish?
Atansia (a-tan-zee-a)
Amaranthe (am-a-RAN-thee)
Chryses (chris-is)
Helene (hel-ayn)
Venus
Serenity
Unity
Liberty (my mum loves this lol)
Sappho (saf-o)
Ffion (fee-on)
Awen - (aa-wen)
Branya
Grianne (graan-ya)
Arian
Tanith
Heaven
Cassia (KAA-sha)
Circe (seer-say)
Rozenn (row-zen)
Zarin (zaa-reen)
Alecto
Bryony - old fashioned?
Electra
Scira (shir-a)
Gaia
Celyn (kel-in)
Halle (hal-ee)
Morgelaine (mor-GEL-ayn)
Anouke (an-ook)
Willow (he hates this i think, again, flaky.)
Amaia (a-MY-a)
Theodora - old ladyish??
Sylvienne
Helenie
Aelia (eye-lee-a)
Kitty
Celandine (sel-un-DYNE)
Dianthe (dy-AN-thee)
Ardenne
Brier

If you can think of anything better please suggest!!

[littleboyblue]

The only name there that I liked is Eden.

[Tidey]

Eden, Seren, Saiorse and Anastasia are nice.

Surely there must be some names out there that aren't too crazy but not too boring?

[cookielove]

oh my i didn't even see eden, which i do like, you've got a real mix in that lot, hippy - meadow, chav - mercedes, both caught my eye and not in a good way. Unity wtf?

My sister lives aurora, just to let you know.

ok don't really like any of them so my top 5 aare ; Amaia, Eden, Awen, Branya, Aiona

[piscesmoon]

I much prefer DP's list.
I like Emma, Sophie, Amy, Rosie, Alexandra and Briony but not the rest.

[janeite]

Don't like any of your partner's list except Emma.

Callisto - awful
Isolda -lovely
Zohara - hideous
Chrysophie (chris-oh-fee) - horrible
Juno - blah
Alexi - Sayle
Seraphine - try hard
Sky - blah
Vivienne (viv-ee-EN) - too common? - love it
Rhianwen (ree-AAN-wen) - awful
Morgaine (mor-gay-nee) - awful
Aiona (eye-ow-na) - awful
Xanthia -awful
Aesa (eye-sa)- awful
Sirian (seer-ee-an)- dreadful
Afanen (a-van-un)- silly
Una (oo-na) - hard sounding
Alethia (uh-LEE-thee-a) - don't like
Rhiannon - don't like
Acacia - Banana Man
Alexasha (alek-SAA-sha)- dreadful: sounds like something Janet Jackson would call a child
Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha)- don't like

Sophiah (sa-FY-a not sa-fee-a, old fashioned pronounciation). just sounds silly
Zivi (zee-vee) joke?
Ziva - nasty
Gwyndolen - don't mind this
Morrigan - horrid
Ceinlys (KINE-liss) - nope
Ceinwyn (KINE-wyn) - nope
Safrielle (saf-ree-EL)- awful
Sabrielle - stupid book and I don't like the name

Eden - okay
Katriela - blah
Cleo - don't like but nowhere near as hideous as lots of the others

Mercedes - chavvy
Blaez (blayz) - breton name - don't like
Aeide (eye-dee) - silly
Pandora - Adrian Mole
Meadow - hippy
Stormy - stupid
Anastasia - less bad than lots of the others but not v good

Aurelia (aw-ree-lee-a) - silly
Aurora - okay-ish
Seren - nope
Saoirse (seer-sha)- hideous
Isha (eye-sha) - nope
Phoenix - stupid
Honour - okay
Guinevere - not unless she has one of those pointy hats

Aurielle (aw-ree-EL) - nope
Arielle - nope
Araceli (a-ra-KEL-ee) -nope
Sapphira - nope
Zephira (he despises this, the ultimate in hippy/flaky/trendiness apparantly lol)He's right

Alessandria - nope
Tsofi (zo-FEE) - absolutely ridiculous
Alveva - nope
Naiade (Nigh-a-dee) - actually I surprise myself in quite liking this

Hermione - nice
Luce (loo-chay) - awful
Kyra (Keye-ra)- nope
Aleandra (al-ee-AAN-dra)- nope
Gwennan - nope
Violet - a bit boring an old ladyish? love it

Atansia (a-tan-zee-a) - silly
Amaranthe (am-a-RAN-thee) - silly
Chryses (chris-is) nope
Helene (hel-ayn)- love it
Venus - bananarama
Serenity - barf
Unity - god no
Liberty (my mum loves this lol) - I mind this less than many of the others

Sappho (saf-o) - no: it is the name of a serial killer's cat in a Robert Swindells book iirc

Ffion (fee-on) - nope
Awen - (aa-wen) -okay
Branya - horrible
Grianne (graan-ya) -ugh
Arian - no
Tanith - no
Heaven - ridiculous
Cassia (KAA-sha)
Circe (seer-say)
Rozenn (row-zen)
Zarin (zaa-reen)
Alecto
Bryony - old fashioned?
Electra
Scira (shir-a)
Gaia
Celyn (kel-in)
Halle (hal-ee)
Morgelaine (mor-GEL-ayn)
Anouke (an-ook)
Willow (he hates this i think, again, flaky.)
Amaia (a-MY-a)
Theodora - old ladyish??
Sylvienne
Helenie
Aelia (eye-lee-a)
Kitty
Celandine (sel-un-DYNE)
Dianthe (dy-AN-thee)
Ardenne
Brier

I gave up before I reached the end. Most of these are seriously hormone-induced choices imho. Sorry - I have been much more blunt than I usually am but lots of these are just silly I think.

[Thunderduck]

Avoid Electra like the plague,it's an awful name anyway but has very negative connotations(Electra complex).

I'll add the ones I like in a moment.

[Thunderduck]

Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha) (Though I prefer it for a boy)
Eden
Meadow(Very hippyish but I rather like it)
Anastasia
Arielle
Violet - (Love this)
Atansia (a-tan-zee-a)
Gaia
Halle (hal-ee)
Willow (I really like this one)

Those are the ones I like.

And from your partner's list I like Emma,Sophie and Alexandra.

[EdwardBitMe]

Love Seren and Anouke
(Did you know Seren is Welsh for star?)

[Horton]

I like Juno, Sasha (pronounced in the usual way), Vivienne and Celandine from your list.

Most of the others sound like you are trying way too hard, IMO. And many of them sound a bit made up, eg Alexasha and Katriela as well as quite a few others. They may not be but they will probably still sound like they are to most people.

Things like Aiona just seem like you're deliberately mispelling a perfectly good name (Iona is the more usual spelling).

Plus, some of your pronunciations will lead to a lifetime of the poor girl having to either spell her name every time she says it or people looking at the name and assuming another pronunciation, eg Helene (hel-ayn) which most people would pronounce as Hel-ENN and Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha) among others.

I like Anwen better than Awen as a Welsh name. It's much easier to see it and know how to pronounce it for a non-Welsh person.

I actually rather like all your DH's choices as I don't think any of them would be a burden to a child in later life. Cynthia is pretty unusual now but still a 'real name' which many people have heard of and know how to spell and pronounce. In a similar vein, how about Emmeline, Sylvia, Clover, Tabitha, Ottilie, Harriet or Lyra?

[KleineMaus]

Like Aurora, Anouk and Juno. It presumably doesn't bother you that you felt it necessary to indicate how so many of them should be pronounced? Don't you think it might be annoying for you and your dd to have to do this?

[lowrib]

DP's list is VERY boring, yours is much nicer

Ignore those who say you have to go for 'traditional' names. They may not realise it, but what they're actually saying is only English names are acceptable, and if everyone goes down this route then it is contributing to the death of Welsh / Scottish / Irish culture and traditions.

My favourites from your list are:

Anouke (an-ook) (what a lovely name!!!)
Morrigan

I also like:

Zohara
Rhianwen (ree-AAN-wen)
Aiona (eye-ow-na)
Xanthia
Aesa (eye-sa)
Ceinwyn (KINE-wyn)
Safrielle (saf-ree-EL)
Eden
Katriela
Blaez (blayz) - breton name
Aeide (eye-dee)
Seren - BUT it's getting a little popular.
Saoirse (seer-sha)
Isha (eye-sha)
Naiade (Nigh-a-dee)
Kyra (Keye-ra)
Atansia (a-tan-zee-a)
Helene (hel-ayn)
Ffion (fee-on)
Awen - (aa-wen)
Grianne (graan-ya)
Arian
Circe (seer-say)
Bryony
Celyn (kel-in)
Amaia (a-MY-a)

[cookielove]

just to make it clear i'm not saying only english names are acceptable. lowrib, i wouldn't make such a sweeping statement, we all have are own opnions and we were asked to voice them!

[Rindercella]

Wow - you have quite different tastes don't you

I like the following names from your list:

Vivienne
Una
Sasha
Sophiah
Cleo
Isha
Honour
Violet
Cassia
Bryony

[gerontius]

Vivienne (viv-ee-EN) - too common?
Rhiannon
Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha)
Anastasia
Alessandria
Helene (hel-ayn)
Liberty (my mum loves this lol)
Cassia (KAA-sha)
Bryony - old fashioned?

I got rid of any which were pretentious, weird, spelt strangely or just generally not nice .

[thumbwitch]

Callisto
Isolda
Zohara
Chrysophie
Juno - dog's name
Alexia
Seraphine
Sky
Vivienne
Rhianwen
Morgaine
Aiona (eye-ow-na)
Xanthia
Aesa
Sirian
Afanen
Una
Alethia (uh-LEE-thee-a) NO - sounds like Alicia with a lisp. Try Alethea instead (a-luh-THEE-ah
Rhiannon
Acacia
Alexasha
Sasha (SAA-sha not sa-sha) short for Alexandra
Sophiah (sa-FY-a not sa-fee-a, old fashioned pronounciation).
Zivi
Ziva
Gwyndolen
Morrigan
Ceinlys
Ceinwyn
Safrielle
Sabrielle
Eden
Katri ela
Cleo
Mercedes
Blaez (blayz) - breton name
Aeide
Pandora
Meadow
Stormy
Anastasia
Aurelia (aw-ree-lee-a)
Aurora
Seren
Saoirse
Isha
Phoenix
Honour
Guinevere
Aurielle (aw-ree-EL)
Arielle
Araceli
Sapphira
Zephira
Alessandria - yep spell it with an 'x'
Tsofi
Alveva
Naiade
Hermione
Luce (loo-chay) - c'mon, it's going to be pronounced Loose by anyone reading it the first time.
Kyra (Keye-ra)
Aleandra (al-ee-AAN-dra)
Gwennan
Violet try Viola instead
Atansia
Amaranthe
Chryses
Helene (hel-ayn)
Venus
Serenity
Unity
Liberty
Sappho
Ffion (fee-on)
Awen - (aa-wen)
Branya
Grianne (graan-ya)
Arian
Tanith
Heaven
Cassia (KAA-sha)
Circe
Rozenn
Zarin
Alecto
Bryony - old fashioned?
Electra
Scira
Gaia
Celyn (kel-in)
Halle (hal-ee)
Morgelaine
Anouke
Willow
Amaia (a-MY-a)
Theodora - old ladyish??
Sylvienne
Helenie
Aelia just looks like the m is missing
Kitty
Celandine (sel-un-DYNE)
Dianthe (dy-AN-thee)
Ardenne paté
Brier

[thumbwitch]

oh, and shouldn't it be Grainne, not Grianne?

[Horton]

LOL at Ardenne paté.

[hobbgoblin]

Bookmarking your thread as I like loads of your list and, er, not many of your Dp's, sorry!

[gerontius]

Could you not have a more conventional first name (as DP wants) and go with one of your clearly crazy individual names for the middle name?

[Mercedes]

Mercedes is a fab name and not at all chavy - whatever that means. And I know you may think think I may have a reason to say that!

I love mercedes. It's a spanish name, it means merciful. It can be shortened to sadie which your dh may like.

[nappyaddict]

Alexandra
Cynthia
Isolda
Seraphine
Vivienne
Aiona (eye-ow-na)
Xanthia
Una
Alethia
Rhiannon
Acacia
Gwyndolen
Sabrielle
Eden
Katriela
Cleo
Mercedes
Pandora
Anastasia
Aureli a
Aurora
Seren
Saoirse
Phoenix
Honour
Guinevere
Aurielle
Arielle
Hermione
Kyra
Venus
Serenity
Unity
Liberty
Ffion
Cassia
Bryony
Halle
Theodora
Kitty

[bellissima]

Araceli - pasta? sister of vermicelli?
Arian - Dutch boy's name
In fact most of the 'A' ones, and quite a few of the others, just sound like they're made up. Others eg Mercedes, are authentic but imo you just have to be Spanish (and brave).

[jellybeans]

I only like these..

Emma
Sophie
Jessie
Amy
Alexi
Sky
Aurora
Seren

I like Thea but not Theodora.

What about Leona? Or Leonora?