Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Down to two girl's names

108 replies

WhiskersPete · 02/11/2022 21:05

DD2 is due in a few weeks. We are down to 2 names. DD1 is called Anoushka.

So, Lyra or Holly?

(DH and I are both fans of His Dark Materials btw)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
mathanxiety · 03/11/2022 04:18

I think Lyra has the gravitas to stand beside Anoushka.

Holly is lovely, but it doesn't have the wow factor you need.

creideamhdóchasgrá · 03/11/2022 03:40

CalmingRoseQuartz · 03/11/2022 03:04

Anoushka and Melody?

This is lovely too

creideamhdóchasgrá · 03/11/2022 03:36

Lyra is lovely

creideamhdóchasgrá · 03/11/2022 03:34

Cassiopeia
Calpernia
Celesta
Circe (Sir-see)
Clarimonde
Chrysanthe
Cossette
Crecentia

Delphine
Demetria
Deserae

Elisheva
Elliora
Elodi

Ignacia
Inessa
Iliana

Liviana
Lorelei
Lovesa

Odelia

Perpetua
Persephone

Rozaliya
Raphaela

Sequoia
Saphira
Seraphia
Serephina
Serenity
Sonechka

Tavisha

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 03/11/2022 03:22

Lyra sounds like lycra. Holly is nicer but a little boring. How about Emerald or Cassia?

CalmingRoseQuartz · 03/11/2022 03:04

Anoushka and Melody?

Smileandtheworldsmileswithyou · 03/11/2022 01:53

Valentina
Lucia
Arabella
Francesca
Antonella

Don't call her Holly

addictedtolipstick · 03/11/2022 01:47

Holly

Barleysugar86 · 03/11/2022 01:07

Holly.

Lyra seems to be having a bit of a moment- there were three in my baby groups alone 😂I'd at least try and give her a different less common version like Lila or Lara.

I think Holly is sweet and she's more likely to be the only one in the class I think.

DramaAlpaca · 03/11/2022 01:03

Kalinka is beautiful. There's a song of that name, too.

Someone suggested Seraphina, now that would be perfect with Anoushka.

Zalturka · 03/11/2022 00:35

I saw a documentary in which someone was called Kalinka. I know the current tensions might make it awkward but according to the documentary it's the name of a flower in Poland (which ties in nicely with Anoushka).

ThreeBoysTheCatTheDogAndMe · 03/11/2022 00:27

Aurelia?

SandyY2K · 03/11/2022 00:24

Lyra is a bit more unusual to match her sister's name.

www.thebabyhampercompany.com/blog/150-unusual-baby-girl-names-for-2022.html

Epicstorm · 03/11/2022 00:24

If I was Lyra I’d feel short changed at the side of Anoushka. I prefer Holly but it’s too plain to match Anoushka.

Something like Ophelia would be better.

Lindy2 · 03/11/2022 00:09

I like Holly and Lyra.

However, if you want the same type of name as Anoushka and you like His Dark Materials then your DD2 obviously has to be Seraphina.

DramaAlpaca · 02/11/2022 23:58

Of the two, Lyra goes best. But I agree that Anoushka's sister needs a longer, frillier name. Someone already suggested Arabella and that was my first thought.

Saskia would go nicely too.

SatinHeart · 02/11/2022 22:42

Lyra goes better with Anoushka

sunshineandshowers40 · 02/11/2022 22:41

Lyra

Fivebeanchilli · 02/11/2022 22:41

Other names that fit with Anoushka (as well as Lyra and Polly):
Emmeline
Fleur
Sasha
Cecily / Cecilia
Cordelia
Constance
Dorothea
Georgiana
Harriet
Ione
Jemima
Tabitha
Susannah
Rowena
Verity

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 02/11/2022 22:40

Lyra with a longer middle name

Sarahcoggles · 02/11/2022 22:39

Holly.
Lyra is too much like Lycra

Fivebeanchilli · 02/11/2022 22:37

Lyra.
Because it's lovely and as cool as Anoushka.
Honestly I'd be so unhappy if my sister was called Anoushka and I was called Holly.
Polly would be much much much better than Holly but Lyra is still better I think.

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/11/2022 22:34

Lyra

Don’t like Holly - too twee - and an odd combo with Anoushka

But there are so many Lyra/Lara/Lena/Luna/Leila/Leah names about they do all blur into one blahblah

How about something a bit stronger -

Allegra
Fernanda
Saskia
Ramona
Sabrina
Tamara
Estella
Yolanda
Odessa
Lucia (the trad UK Loo-chi-ah pronunciation
Georgiana (with the Jor-jay-nah pronunciation)
Domenica
Elisheva
Olympia
Constancia
Genevieve
Vivienne
Maryam

Christabel
Selene (Sell-ee-nee)
Ismene (Is-me-nee)
Ianthe

Butwhybecause · 02/11/2022 22:18

tunthebloodyalarmoff · 02/11/2022 21:34

Neither. You should give her a name as brilliant as her sister.

I agree

I like Holly, not Lyra so much and knew an Anoushka (she's in her 40s now, has it made a comeback?)

There are lots of lovely names - keep searching.
However, she may not suit the name when she arrives.
My DD didn't!

Kanaloa · 02/11/2022 22:17

I would choose Lyra. I like Holly but it feels a bit ‘plain’ next to Anoushka. Lyra is shorter but a bit unusual so is nice for Anoushka’s sister.