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Baby names

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

Original poster

Name wars

30 replies

PancettaPie · 19/10/2021 00:26

Ok so not exactly wars but we are reeeeally struggling for a name for our impending DD.

His top choice: Calista
My top choice: Faryn (pronounced farren)

Neither of us like each others names. We want something we both really like but there are so few we agree on.

We have an Italian surname (well, he does, I'm double barrelled), 4 syllables ending in "oh". Girls in his family traditionally have a "rose" middle name so we've picked Rosalie (we agreed!!! Yay!) And we're having Jeanne as a second middle name after my Nana.

Names we both kind of like:

Athena
Cora
Viola (Pronounced Vi-ah-la not Vi-oh-la)
Astrid

That's it. That's literally it.

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Dustingiseasy · 21/10/2021 21:35

Why not pick Rosalie as the first name?

Skeumorph · 21/10/2021 10:59

Celeste is nice? However, as baby will also (hopefully!!) have a double barrel, then the short Cora is probably better.

Cora is lovely!

DressedUpAtAnIvy · 19/10/2021 20:45

I love Viola and Giulia.
Jeanne as a first name?

Original poster
PancettaPie · 19/10/2021 20:43

@Twizbe good point about having a shortlist, I know 3 couples who named their baby pre birth and even had some personalised items made, only to change their mind when the baby arrived!

OP posts:
Original poster
PancettaPie · 19/10/2021 20:42

@Fizzysticks the cat is called Cleo 🤣

I like Saskia and Celeste. I might run Celeste by DH, it's not a million miles away from Calista.

Naming a whole person is such pressure!!

OP posts:
Twizbe · 19/10/2021 19:14

Personally I love Astrid.

However, there's no need to decide now. Have a short list (which you do) and see what she looks like when you see her. One might just stand out. Even a name you weren't too keen on at first can be perfect once you see them.

Maireas · 19/10/2021 19:10

Your last choices are lovely. Julia is classic.

Fizzysticks · 19/10/2021 19:01

Cleo
Sasha
Saskia
Elina
Maya
Celine
Celeste

SoupDragon · 19/10/2021 16:42

I prefer Corinne to Cora as it flows into Rosalie better.

Grouperandoctopus · 19/10/2021 16:08

Miranda?

RubyReynolds64 · 19/10/2021 15:56

Another vote for Cora Rosalie Jeanne here

Original poster
PancettaPie · 19/10/2021 15:40

Thanks for the replies, some great suggestions!

I love Julia, Corinne and Caterina. Not so keen on Carmel but maybe Carmella?

I'm pretty set on Cora but DH is meh about it. Athena is my second choice but wasn't sure if it's too strong.

@Maireas I've heard it pronounced both ways, Google lead me to a MN thread which assured me its VI-uh-la! Happy to stand corrected though and definitely don't want to saddle her with a name she'll constantly have to correct so I think it's off the list.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 19/10/2021 15:33

Viola will always be pronounced "vie oh la" here. There will be a lifetime of correcting people.

TenThousandSpoons · 19/10/2021 15:20

Astrid or Cora are both lovely.

Viola will be pronounced with the middle “oh” sound in the UK so don’t choose that if you live here and don’t want it pronounced like that.

jamsandwich1 · 19/10/2021 15:16

If you like Astrid what about Aster?

Maireas · 19/10/2021 15:15

Why the odd pronunciation of Viola?
Don't make it awkward for the child.
It's a really pretty name.
Cora and Astrid are not too common and really pretty as well.

LouLion · 19/10/2021 15:14

Faryn is awful. Not keen on Calista. Astrid is too harsh sounding. Viola will have pronunciation issues. Cora is ok. Athena is beautiful.

Camilla
Cecilia
Serena
Lyra
Norah
Elora

ILoveShula · 19/10/2021 15:03

Athena - nice
Cora - apple corer
Viola (Pronounced Vi-ah-la not Vi-oh-la) - Most people say it as Vie-OH-la, VIE-uh-la strays into sounding like Viler
Astrid - nice

Faryn - awful, Farrah is ok

Calista - nice

finallychangedmyusername · 19/10/2021 14:14

Hmmm this is a tough one. Faryn and Calista are very different in style. Maybe a longer, elegant name would suit your DH, with a shorter/possibly unisex nickname to suit you?

Rosalie is beautiful.

Maybe

Marina Rosalie Jeanne (Mia)
Alexandra Rosalie Jeanne (Alix/Alex/Xan/Andra)
Bryony Rosalie Jeanne (Bree)
Madeleine Rosalie Jeanne (Maddy)
Keziah Rosalie Jeanne (Kizzy)

Or
Ada Rosalie Jeanne
Lila Rosalie Jeanne
Leah Rosalie Jeanne

TheSandgroper · 19/10/2021 14:00

Carmel.

Flamingosnbears · 19/10/2021 08:54

Carmila Rose Jeanne

PinkWaferBiscuit · 19/10/2021 08:50

Cora is bloody beautiful and fits with the other names really well.

Borderterrierpuppy · 19/10/2021 08:46

Cora, beautiful

BeKindBeYou · 19/10/2021 08:40

A vote for Cora here! Lovely name.

Aquamarine1029 · 19/10/2021 01:45

What about Farrah? Same ending as Calista, same beginning as Faryn.

Camdyn?