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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Can't settle on a name

28 replies

toomuchtimereadingthreads2016 · 27/12/2016 16:38

Hi ladies! Have only just found this board, spent a long time reading through threads, love it!

Don't want to discuss name choices IRL because last time I changed my mind after I saw my DD so am trying to keep choices to myself this time!

We are a mixed Mexican- British family living in a Spanish speaking country. Its important to us that our children's names are easily pronounced in both languages so neither sets of grandparents have to struggle!

We currently have a DD2.5: Amalia. Works well on our criteria and suits her.

Now pregnant with Number 2 and I keep finding names I love then going off them a week later!

Boys name is pretty solid bet for Cristian, but can I have girls suggestions please?

At the moment I have fluctuated between:

Sophia (my favourite and not popular where we live but DD likes the princess show so may be confusing?)
Selena
Elena
Gabriella

Help?

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1horatio · 29/12/2016 22:37

sausage

Depends on your accent, tbh.

I can think of at least 5 possible pronunciations and I'm sure there are more.

TheGiantSausage · 29/12/2016 22:30

I was going to ask how Elena would be pronounced...
Ell-enn-ah or Ell-ee-na?

caffelatte100 · 29/12/2016 22:23

If your granny is called Esther then it could be nice to name your baby after her? It' a lovely name

Elena is lovely too (and Ellie for short?)

What about Kristian spelling for Cristian? Though see you are set on that one.

Selena is also nice (I prefer the spelling Selina)

Raines100 · 28/12/2016 19:22

My Elena is el-ay-na.

Original poster
toomuchtimereadingthreads2016 · 28/12/2016 15:13

No, not bothered on the pronunciation, as long as it isn't hard for anyone :) although people calling DD Amelia consistently for almost 3 years gets a tad frustrating haha.

thanks for the suggestions! Some great ones there xx

OP posts:
mamabeak · 28/12/2016 14:23

Also Veronica.

mamabeak · 28/12/2016 14:22

Alba
Anastasia (nn Ani)
Barbara
Beata
Beatrix (as opposed to Beatriz/Beatrice)
Carmen
Carolina (cah ro lee na)
Daria
Emma (only double mm in Spanish)
Evelina
Genoveva
Isabel
Lidia (but it might not work with bull fighting semantics)
Lilias (an old Scots form of Lily)
Luisa
Marina
Nadia
Naomi
Petra
Rosa
Roxanne
Roxana
Ruth (though it is root in Spanish, of course)
Sara (sah rah
Susan(n)a
Tamara
T(h)eadora/Dorot(h)ea
Ursula
Valentina
Viviana
Viveca
Yolanda

1horatio · 28/12/2016 14:10

I personally love Elena Marielle.

de.forvo.com/word/elena/

I'd pronounce it like the Italian or the American woman. Depends on what language I'm speaking, I think.

But Elena is a name with various pronunciations. For me personally that wouldn't be an issue... but some people get really upset about things like this, so, idk.

Original poster
toomuchtimereadingthreads2016 · 28/12/2016 13:56

Wow thanks for all the replies! There are some great suggestions there! My husband's top choice is Elena aswell so will try it out in my mind for a bit see how it feels :) Can I ask if anyone can say what their pronunciation would be? With our daughter the pronunciation is Amalia but we do get quite a bit of AmAHHHlia from English family hehe.

Thing with lots of the nicer names on the list is that they are associated to other people in our lives! I love Alba but thats our childminders name, Esther is grannies name etc.

Also my DD has my mums name for her middle (Lorraine), so would like something French-ish perhaps to keep the trend? How does Elena Marie sound? My MIL is lovely but has a name I can't stand (and neither can she!) but it is a variation on Maria, so could be a nod to her?

I may be overthinking...

Thank you all for your input! Love this board!

OP posts:
Abecedario · 28/12/2016 11:16

I love love love Alba and Blanca
Also really love Celia
Cristina?

Footle · 28/12/2016 09:47

Only trouble with Gabriela / Gabriella is the spelling, in a two culture family.

daisydalrymple · 28/12/2016 09:35

I love all of your choices so I wouldn't worry too much about narrowing down and see which one suits if baby is a girl.

Elena is my favourite if I had to choose.

The only other name I would suggest would be Rosina.

BertrandRussell · 28/12/2016 09:31

My Spanish/British niece is Miranda.

Do you mean, Cristian, OP - or is that a typo?

BeaveredBadgered · 28/12/2016 09:30

Eva

SorenaJ · 28/12/2016 09:28

Emma
Elsa
Ariana

BikeRunSki · 28/12/2016 09:02

The Anglo-Spanish girls I was at school with were
Anna
Esther
Gemma
Elena

Raines100 · 28/12/2016 08:59

Elena is stunning.

icy121 · 27/12/2016 22:58

Elena looks unfinished to me. Selena or Helena flow better when handwritten.

1horatio · 27/12/2016 22:56

sugar
Blush
I should maybe add that I'm a woman (Horatio is DH's middle name). It's not like there was this little boy telling people to please call him Vera...

Biscuitsneeded · 27/12/2016 22:45

Agree with Elena. Beautiful.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 27/12/2016 22:37

Horatio, Vera ! 😂😂😂

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 27/12/2016 20:15

Maria
Alisa
Ana

TheNewMrsGerardButler · 27/12/2016 18:55

Lovely list of names. Please go with Elena though; it's beautiful Smile

CocoLoco87 · 27/12/2016 18:40

Love Sophia! And Gabriella!!

Olivia
Francesca
Lavinia
Mia

1horatio · 27/12/2016 18:36

sugar

I used to say my name was Vera... 😅