is she going to hate us forever if we call her ....

eleri is great, Samphire is just a spongey vegetable that grows on the sides of cliffs. It's not got pretty conotations - you may as well go for Saphire...but that feels a bit tacky, non? Which is why I assume you have gone for Samphire instead?

You need a good, honest one syllable middle name to go with such a pretty and unusual three syllable first name.

If you like the fire angle, what about Eleri Blaise? I think I just made that up LOL!

Mind you, Tiggy's suggestion doesn't rule out Primavara or Vernal, which I keep stopping myself suggesting in case someone takes me seriously!

I think the fundamental rule when naming your child after flora/fauna/places/objects of desire, is that they must be visually beautiful and arresting, and preferably not man-made. So, (not accounting for tastes and preferences) acceptable examples are:

Rose, Daisy, Honeysuckle, Dawn, April, May, June, Summer, Storm, River, Georgia, Saffron, Sienna, Florence, Sapphire, Ruby, Pearl.

Unacceptable examples:

Asparagus, Potato, Worm, Puddle, Dagenham, Basildon, Gucci, Chardonnay, Moet (especially when pronounced Mow-ay, which of course, it absolutely would be in these circumstances) Chanel, Diesel, Nike.

There. Simple.

It's not a matter of not being sure about Samphire - you just can't do it. It's not even an attractive vegetable (although it's delicious!).It like little green twigs that grow on salt flats. You wouldn't call a child Asparagus, would you? Oh, god - perhaps you would.........!

I love the name Eleri. Not sure about Samphire, like others I thought you'd mis-typed Sapphire.

I've got a Welsh name book if you want me to post it down to you?

And if you use Arwen she actually would be a hobbit. Or a dwarf. Can't remember.

Tamarisk? Not Tamarind? That's just made up nonsense surely!

The name 'Lettuce' is actually spelt Lettice and is pronounced Le - Teese, with the emphasis on the second syllable but who do you suppose ever knows that? (apart from me, but then I am a fully paid-up member of pendants' corner) . God what a pain in the arse that name must be!

There was a child in one of the weekend papers 9probably the Guardian) called Tamarisk.

If you use Samphire, people will think she's a hobbit.

Eleri nice though.

I actually know a little girl called Samphire,her siblings all have wildflower names .

Love Eleri,what about Saffron for a second name ,similar but not quite so veggie

oh dear...I htink I am tired...keep reading the wrong things...I first thought you were thinking of calling your dd celery...

Eleri has actually got a nice ring to it....not sure about Samphire....

how about eleri saphire

I like Eleri, have a friend called Eleri. How about Zamfira as a middle name? It's the Romanian version of Samphire, and less cabbagey, I feel. Eleri Zamfira is pretty cool, no?

But perhaps don't ask me, DD2's name is universally acknowledged to be poncy and pretentious by Mumsnet...

There was a character in The Flame Trees of Thika called Lettuce... I was really quite small at the time, but it has realy stuck with me, it seemed so odd... I think it was probably spelled Lettice.

LOL @ all these people coming around to the idea of Celery as a name

Eleri is lovely. Samphire not so much, but I don't think middle names matter too much.

Isn't there anyone else whose name you would like to use as a middle name?

Eleri Bethan?

Actually I prefer Celery to Samphire!

Eleri is nice

I also like

Mali
Haf
Bronwen
Alys
Caitlin
Ffion
Seren

Eleri Haf or Eleri Ffion go nicely IMO

good luck choosing

I have Celery on my girl list

It followed a dream I had

two daughters called violet and Celery.
At the time I thought it was truly inspired.

(was v pregnant and it was 4am)

Eleri is a really lovely name and would have been on our list, but someone close to us has used it. One problem she has come across is that some of her non-Welsh friends pronounce Eleri in a similar way to "celery" as other posters have pointed out.

Just thought I would add some suggestions for Welsh middle names:

Alys
Angharad
Anwen
Awen
Bethan
Carys
Catrin
Cerys
Ffion
Gwen
Manon
Mared
Megan
Nia
Olwen
Rhian
Rhiannon
Sara
Siân
Sioned
Siwan

HTH!

Angharad is nice
Cordelia is another shakespearean name

Eleri - Yes!

Samphire - sorry, no!

What about Arwen?

I have a feeling she will not be eternally grateful to you for that name

Personally I don't think you should name her after a seaweed, but as it's a middle name I suppose it doesn't really matter. I think Sapphire is lovely though, and it is softer sounding that Samphire (not to mention prettier in the flesh!!!)

I'm not fussed about Eleri either way. I love Morwenna, Bronwen, Arwen and Angharad. Not sure whether Arwen counts as yer actual Welsh but it sounds authentic enough!

Sapphire you could get away with. Samphire... I don't think so.

Simple Answer- Yes