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Baby names

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

Original poster

Girls names: Honora, Seraphina, Leonora - too unusual?

70 replies

scotscorner · 11/01/2025 14:12

Hi! Expecting number 2 and looking for a girl’s name (to go with Alexandra aka ‘Alex’ big sister). Husband quite keen for it to also be Greek in origin…

I like names which are elegant, not too common and have a nice shortening option.

I think top choice at the moment is ‘Honora’ which we would shorten to ‘Nora’ day to day. Also like Seraphina (to be shortened to ‘Nina’ probably) and Leonora (aka Nora) but worry they’re too ‘frilly’ especially as the child will have the misfortune of a long surname.

Thoughts on these names and any other ideas?

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Marcipix · 04/02/2025 22:57

I don’t much like Seraphina and they all seem to be called Phina.

Just use Nora if that’s what you like, and your surname is very long.

Original poster
scotscorner · 02/02/2025 18:13

MarCardarell · 27/01/2025 23:09

Any update OP?

Thanks for checking in ☺️ Still no baby (39 weeks tomorrow). We have Honora and Seraphina as top two choices and will probably now decide at the birth what she looks like. Encouraged by most of the comments and accept that not everyone will like any name 🤷🏻‍♀️

@IamnotwhouthinkIam I suggested both Helena and Lydia but husband not keen!

@allfurcoatnoknickers sorry if I offended, I think it’s beautiful (and love the meaning too) - by frilly I just mean elaborate, quite feminine, and long as a style of name.

OP posts:
MarCardarell · 27/01/2025 23:09

Any update OP?

user1492757084 · 21/01/2025 06:34

All are nice .. though I prefer Honora and Leonora.

Other options:
Helen - no shortening. Helen is smart and strong like Alexandra.
Leonor

allfurcoatnoknickers · 21/01/2025 00:58

I've got a Serafina. It never occurred to me it was a "frilly" name. It means "fire" or "fiery/burning one" and mine was named after the witch queen in the Dark Materials books.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 21/01/2025 00:18

Of the 3 Seraphina - it might be frilly but at least it has a pretty sound. Leonora is also okay but I’d stick with Lee/Leo as a nn. I’ve never understood the love for Nora unfortunately- I find the sound ugly (for some reason similar Cora or Laura aren’t as bad though 🤷‍♀️)

Alexandra is lovely and classic - I’d guess her sister to be called something like Victoria (Vita) or Helena (Nell) or maybe Lydia or Julia.

bridgetreilly · 20/01/2025 21:37

Dorothea nn Dotty is super cute for a baby but also has grown up options.

MarCardarell · 19/01/2025 11:27

What about Eleonora (nickname Nora)

Geranyums · 14/01/2025 11:31

Love Seraphina and Valentina.

Although with a very long surname, I might reconsider.

Aglassaday · 13/01/2025 22:41

Beautiful names OP!
not sure if you’re in need of more suggestions but here is some you may like:
Clemency- clem
Aurelia- Aura
Rosabel- Ro, Rosa etc
Evelina- Eve, Evie
Persephone- Sephy, Seph
Magnolia- Maggie
Florentina- Florrie, Flo
Cadence- Cay
Gwendolyn- Gwen
Gabriella- Gabi
Bronwyn- Bron, Bronty
Penelope- Nell, Nellie
Harmony
Calliope- Callie/ Calla
Calista- Callie, Lissy
Valentina- Tina
Olympia- Pia
Octavia- Via, Tay
Augustine- Gus
Cecilia- Cece

VenusClapTrap · 13/01/2025 22:23

They’re all a bit overly long and fussy for me. I love Nora though. I’ll throw in Artemis and Minerva as suggestions.

There were a rash of Seraphinas after Northern Lights, so I don’t think of that as at all unusual. I’ve heard it yelled in playgrounds quite a lot.

NIspice · 13/01/2025 22:05

I love Nora and Seraphina

Emanwenym · 13/01/2025 13:27

I go by a shortened version of the name on my birth certificate, and it's not really an issue, other than needing to remember which name I used.
I think it's more of an issue if the longer name and shorter name start with different letters, like Catherine/Kate or Isabella/Bella.

Bienemaias · 13/01/2025 08:42

Theodora is lovely too!

Original poster
scotscorner · 12/01/2025 14:26

Bluevelvetsofa · 12/01/2025 12:09

As your surname is long, would a shorter first name be better?

I do think about this but I just really prefer names that have a formal longer version and a shortened version generally. Appreciate it will be a pain for them on official forms but most of the time they’ll go by the shortened version. And if it really annoys them they can drop one of the surnames eventually.

OP posts:
Bluevelvetsofa · 12/01/2025 12:09

As your surname is long, would a shorter first name be better?

RuthW · 12/01/2025 11:53

All lovely

Emanwenym · 12/01/2025 11:29

I don't like the -ora sound. There are so many Theos and Theodores that Thea is uninspiring, same goes for Leo/Leonora.
Penelope is really nice.

OccasionalHope · 12/01/2025 11:06

I think Theodora

Juliagreeneyes · 12/01/2025 01:02

Leonora could also be Leo for a diminutive, too. (Lots of DD’s friends seem to have very feminine longer names but go by a more masculine/gender neutral nickname - George, Jo, Sam etc!)

yggvugg · 12/01/2025 00:20

What about Leandre with the nn Lee? Greek and keeps the gender ambiguity.

Slibberydibbery · 12/01/2025 00:03

They sound like fabric softener names to me. Or like they’d be sat making daisy chains as the bees buzzed around them under a tree. Too fluffy.

Juliagreeneyes · 12/01/2025 00:01

And for a shortening of Theodora I really like Thea rather than Theo - Alex and Thea is lovely.

Leonie is still my fave though!

Mirabai · 11/01/2025 23:16

Love Leonora Carrington - just read her biography.

Juliagreeneyes · 11/01/2025 23:12

My choice would be Leonora nn Leonie. Goes really nicely with Alexandra/Alex and is unusual, but also classic (think Leonora Carrington, modernist painter). Also love Helena. Seraphina too, nn Sera.

I have to say I dislike the name Nora, but probably because I had a host of very aged great-aunts called Auntie Nora, now long dead (big extended Irish side of the family!) So I think of it as terribly outdated, 1910s and 1920s generation (other great-aunties of that vintage were Gertie, Gladys, Mildred, Nellie, and so on…)!