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Baby names

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Husband and I can’t decide on second girls name - high anxiety!

68 replies

GeorgieGrace33 · 06/05/2025 03:43

Pls Help GIF by WoofWaggers

Hi all,

I am past my due date and waiting for my second daughter to arrive safely. Husband and I still can’t agree on baby name for her and it’s making me really anxious as it’s at the forefront of my mind…

I like two names and am finding that none of his suggestions feel right in comparison… I’ve been spending HOURS looking over and over name lists and I keep spotting my two names and just desperately wanting one of them. I know we must both agree but I’m irrationally annoyed he won’t concede on either - pregnancy hormones, much?!

Our firstborn is Chloe Amelia Grace…

My two names are FREYA & OLIVIA

He wants PHOEBE, AMY, IMOGEN, FRANCESCA or SOPHIE.

*Please share your opinions, other ideas and help me rationalise to get to a final choice ASAP!

Few points to note:

  1. I’m a project manager for work and the indecision and lack of ‘task completion’ on this is causing me anxiety - probs delaying the birth! But being told to relax about it is easier said than done (hence posting as final help here)
  2. We lost a baby girl (Grace) at 22 weeks before having Chloe so my birth anxiety has always been raised in the final few weeks of pregnancy due to wanting to get our children here safely - probs adding to name whirlwind/wanting one less thing outstanding to think about before birth.
  3. Middle names pre-decided for this girl as OH Gma died at Xmas so having XX Marianne XX (probably Rose as needs to be soft sounding after Marianne).. potential to negotiate one of my names as second middle name? Not sure I can renege on that yet(!)
  4. OH hates floral names and place names (so no Lily/Poppy/Sienna/Paris etc)
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Emanwenym · 06/05/2025 11:42

Freya - not keen
Olivia - overused but nice
Phoebe - like
Amy - dated
Imogen - like but don't like the diminutives
Francesca - don't like the diminutives
Sophie - would use

I wouldn't worry too much about the middle names because they are rarely used.

Calliopespa · 06/05/2025 11:38

timoteigirl · 06/05/2025 11:35

Chloe Amelia Grace…
I have to admit I prefer your husband's names to your favourites. Freya = Freja is a goddess of agriculture and fertility. Olivia is just too common so that puts me off.

Sorry didn't think of brand names / shops with Zara and Chloe, thought both are French names.

I assume you want a similar three name combo: two syllables - four syllables - one syllable?

Sophia Isabella Anne
Ava Gabriella Rose
Emma Abigail Bess
Maya Imogen Kate
Audrey Marianne Amy
Thea Francesca Maeve
Charlotte Marianne Rose
Scarlett Marianne Rose
Iris Eleanor Maud
Nora Liliana Faith
Lily Marianne Hope
Juliet Isabella Eve
Zara Victoria
Isla Emily Jane

Chloe and Thea go really well.

timoteigirl · 06/05/2025 11:35

Chloe Amelia Grace…
I have to admit I prefer your husband's names to your favourites. Freya = Freja is a goddess of agriculture and fertility. Olivia is just too common so that puts me off.

Sorry didn't think of brand names / shops with Zara and Chloe, thought both are French names.

I assume you want a similar three name combo: two syllables - four syllables - one syllable?

Sophia Isabella Anne
Ava Gabriella Rose
Emma Abigail Bess
Maya Imogen Kate
Audrey Marianne Amy
Thea Francesca Maeve
Charlotte Marianne Rose
Scarlett Marianne Rose
Iris Eleanor Maud
Nora Liliana Faith
Lily Marianne Hope
Juliet Isabella Eve
Zara Victoria
Isla Emily Jane

Calliopespa · 06/05/2025 11:29

IridescentRainbow · 06/05/2025 11:25

I love the names Chloe and Phoebe together.

Just as another perspective, I really don’t like Chloe and Phoebe used together because they both have the unusual “oe” letter pairing which makes me feel like the third daughter should be “Amoeba.” On their own I don’t notice that, but somehow putting the names together makes a feature of the “ oe” .

IridescentRainbow · 06/05/2025 11:25

I love the names Chloe and Phoebe together.

Gemstonebeach · 06/05/2025 11:23

I love Francesca. Sophie and Olivia are lovely too. Sophie Marianne Freya sounds good!

SnowFrogJelly · 06/05/2025 11:20

Olivia is way too popular.. I would go for Freya Amy or Francesca

Calliopespa · 06/05/2025 11:15

timoteigirl · 06/05/2025 11:03

so why not Zara? it would go with Chloe.

I’m not sure they work so well together as they sound like the two clothing brands of those names.

Sounds a bit like a list of shops in a Mall! Chloe, Zara, Pizza Express …

timoteigirl · 06/05/2025 11:03

crumblingschools · 06/05/2025 10:26

When DS was born we went with a completely different name from any on our list, and not one we had considered at the time.

so why not Zara? it would go with Chloe.

crumblingschools · 06/05/2025 10:26

When DS was born we went with a completely different name from any on our list, and not one we had considered at the time.

eggandonion · 06/05/2025 10:25

My favourite is Marianne, just to be awkward!

Flippinec · 06/05/2025 10:24

I’d go Freya, Amy or Francesca, but that’s because the others are very very common and I prefer names that are less so.

HollidaySunshine · 06/05/2025 10:22

I dislike Freya. I think it looks ugly written down and the Frrr sound isn’t pretty.

Imogen is nice

strawlight · 06/05/2025 10:20

Friday is named after the goddess Freya, so see if she arrives then!

loropianalover · 06/05/2025 10:19

Imogen is by far the nicest from your lists. Phoebe would be my second choice.

SummerDaysOnTheWay · 06/05/2025 10:17

Freya - I don’t like this name. But that’s just my taste.

Olivia - nice but a bit boring.

Phoebe - cute.

Imogen - cute and also grown up. So suits all ages. Immy - nn.

Francesca - a bit boring to my mind. like female version of Frank.

Sophie - cute. But I MUCH prefer Sophia.

Some other suggestions as requested…

Charlotte nn Charlie/Lotte/Lotta
Eloise
Clea
Leah
Camille
Ophelia
Alice
Sylvie

SelinaPlace · 06/05/2025 10:07

I don’t see what the rush is. We didn’t finally decide on DS’s name until we were actually walking to register him. It’s not as though people are going to need to address him by name — we called him by his in utero nickname for quite a while.

Bownessbay · 06/05/2025 10:05

These are lovely names!

I love Aimee \ Amy and it's not overused.

Also:
Amber
Alice
Lara
Elsie
Mia

  • go very well with Chloe (which is a beautiful name!)

Sorry for the loss of your little Grace, OP. anxiety completely understandable but remember there's no huge rush to name her, and your Oh may come round anyway once you've gave birth.

BootballJoy · 06/05/2025 10:01

One of my favourite shortlists on here ever! Not much help - but other than Amy and Olivia they were all on my girls" list. Marianne was also my preferred middle name.

I vote Freya Marianne Phoebe or Freya Marianne Sophie.

user2848502016 · 06/05/2025 09:55

Do you like Daphne?
I really like Phoebe too, and Freya from your list.
Or would you consider Rose as a first name? Rose Marianne Olivia is nice.
I also thought Libby, Lydia or Ivy as similar sounding to Olivia/Liv

user1492757084 · 06/05/2025 09:47

Chloe Amelia Grace and sister ..

Freya Marianne Yourname.
Phoebe Marianne Yourname

I would stick to the F sound and if your husband's surname is being given to your children, I would hope that the first name be your choice. His grandmother is Marianne too.
Other ideas..

Felicity Marianne
Fiadh Marianne

Calliopespa · 06/05/2025 09:43

I love Francesca! It’s not heavily used but very classic.

I also really like Sophie, though Chloe and Sophie or Chloe and Amy or Chloe and Phoebe sound a bit heavy on the ie/y sound at the end when used together I think.

I’m not a fan of Imogen or Amy. Amy always sounds whiny to me : Aaaaaiiimeeee

I think of these names Francesca and Olivia work best.

Bibbitybobbitybo · 06/05/2025 09:29

What about Scarlett or Eleanor? Similar enough style to Chloe but a different sound which is helpful when referring to them.

Els1e · 06/05/2025 09:16

My favourite is Amy Marianne. And I would probably include Grace as a third name to keep the link. Chloe and Amy sound good.

Gundogday · 06/05/2025 08:55

Some suggestions.

Maisie
Naomi
Darcy
Lucy
Millie
Jessica

You may find when you meet her the right name appears, one that you’d previously discarded or one you hadn’t even thought of.

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