We’ve kind of decided... give me your brutally honest thoughts

Elsie-Rae sounds better to me.

Elise is pretty (spelt that way.) But why Rae? It's a male name (Ray) and it sounds awful plus it is used by so many people at the moment as a nothing-y middle name. There are so many beautiful names you could use! How about Elise Paige? Elise Fay? Elise Dawn?

Elise is much better than Elyse. Rae sounds chavvy. Sorry

@mammiahailee I think it's awful. The spelling of it, the name being hyphenated, the second name being 'Rae'

Sorry. You did ask....

Are your parents ok with you calling your daughter a version of their son's name?

I too would (and have) use the middle name as the tribute to my late brother. And then you can use either Ely or Elyse /Elysa as the middle name. And a new name for the new baby.

Congrats on your pregnancy, and sorry for your loss.

I preferred Elise , but after you explained the significance of Elyse , it makes sense
I’d suggest
Elyse Rachel
Or
Elyse Rosalind

According to Professor Google 'The name Elyse is a girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "pledged to God".'
I like it and there is nothing wrong with the spelling - perfectly legitimate. Rae makes me think of an Australian middle aged woman (as I knew one with that name) but if you like it then go with it. When I was pregnant we kept names a secret from everyone in the family and our friends as we didn't want people saying how they hated a particular name or spelling. When our DC were born we just told people the names then and happily everyone was too polite to say they didn't like them!

It's ok, but I prefer Elsie May.

The name sounds like you’re trying a bit too hard, sorry.

I like Elyse, it's very pretty. It's an uncommon but perfectly acceptable version of Elise. I'm not too fond of Rae, though.

I quite like your spelling with the y, and it honours her uncle. I also knew a really lovely woman who shortened her name (Rachel) to Rae so again, I like it.

My only doubt would be how the initials work with her intended surname, as currently I'm seeing her as an E.R. ( Emergency Room) which is not so great.

It says Els-ay to me

I like both. But prefer the more traditional spelling. I have a Freya but she is always called ray and I wish we had chosen that as her actual name, but we obviously didn't think we would shorten freya to ray.

Rae will date horribly, and I'm sorry but wasn't that nice in the first place. Elyse is a confusing spelling, but a nice name. I'd go for Elise or go for something completely different and like PP's suggestion to have Ely as a middle name

Awful

Is her first name Elyse Rae? Or is Elyse the first name and Rae the middle name?
If the latter I think it's fine as you'll rarely see the middle name.
If it's the former, I agree there's something about the spelling that looks odd. Since you want to honour your brother with the spelling Elyse I'd reconsider Rae.

Honestly I don’t like it.

I’d have no idea how to pronounce that - I was thinking Elsie originally until I saw the other comments. I wouldn’t want to go through my whole life with no one knowing how first pronounce my name and spelling it out for people on the phone.

Is there another name you could use in tribute? Even just having Ely as it is as a middle name?

Elise is lovely but your spelling and combining it with Rae sounds like something from Kath and Kim

Elyse is my DSIL's name. It's not made up at all

I will warn you though most people don't know that's her name she is only known as Ellie.

I don't like the Rae sorry. They look like a bit of a tongue twister together.

If it’s going to sound like Elise ( nice) then I’d be inclined to spell it that way . Sadly the lovely tribute to your brother will get lost. Or you could go fir a different first name and give her Ely as a middle name? That’s quite cool.

I think are other Eli- names that lend themselves better to having the I swapped for a y (in terms of obvious pronunciation). Maybe Elyanna?

That said there are a LOT of alternative spellings out there currently and I don't think anyone of her generation would bat an eyelid as they grow up. And although I much prefer 'proper' spellings as a rule, the tribute to your brother is a nice exception.

I had no idea how to say it. I do like Rae.

I do prefer the more standard spelling of Elsie, Rae seems harmless.

I read it as Elsie, ( which fwiw is a pretty cool name)
As pp said Elise yes, Elyse no.

Rae no no no . So chavvy. Almost as bad as Ellie Mae

Elise is nice (not Elyse). Elyssa? Elisa?

Rae is not. Plus it doesn't scan with Elise. It would need to be (eg) Elyssa Rae (and even then, the Rae bit remains bad).

I'd have Ely as your daughter's third middle name, if I were you. It would be nice to have it in there somewhere, but 'properly'.