Polar opposite name ideas! Boyish vs V girly..help!

[mamawhoboreme]

Hello,
Would be extremely grateful for any help! Hubby is American and we are expecting a girl. Apparently in US it is/was quite de rigeur to name your dd after a family surname or a surname in general. Eg. Sloan in "Ferris Bueller" (hubby's example) or Harper, or Blythe. Our son is named Lorcan Alexander which is an Irish name as I have Irish roots. We don't want an Irish name for dd as I'm not keen on most apart from Keavy which is an Anglicised version. My ideal naming situation would be a very "girlie" name, perhaps French or Italian-inspired, I want a name which, similarly to Lorcan, is a normal name but not very common. Hubby of course thinks it would be "awesome" to name dd a really unusual kind of surname-as-first name type thing like many of his cousins in the US. He has a cousin named Karson and one named Tanner. Both girls. I like certain names in this theme but not all.

What do you guys think a good compromise would be? Also what do you generally think of these names...

Spencer Rose
Blake Elizabeth
Blaise Elizabeth
Sawyer Grace
Keaton Grace
Mason Elizabeth

I quite like Spencer Rose, I will admit. I also like Blake. But not sure if I want it for dd.

These are the names I like:

Isoline Grace
Emmeline Rose
Celie Rose
Lisle Rose
Greta Elizabeth
Gretchen Elizabeth
Beau Elizabeth

Thank you for your opinions...much needed and valued over here!!

How about Auroura with the nn Rory, like Gilmore Girls, that could be agoog compromise

a good even

I disagree that it's "de rigueur" in America to give girls a surname or a boyish name. It sounds as though your DH likes the idea, and he is trying to sell it as a cultural thing.

These types of names are always described on Mumsnet as "American Names," as if we've voted on them. But lots of Americans view this trend in the same way as IngridBergmann and ShowOfHands have described. Ultimately, it's personal -- you and your DH need to find a name that you both like.

In your first list, if I heard any of the names I would assume the child was a boy.

Isoline - never heard of it
Emmeline - the best, although seems quite popular on MN
Celie - never heard of it - I like Cecilia and Celia
Lisle - as in Sound of Music? Or pronounced "Lyle" ? (don't like either way)
Greta, Gretchen - to me these are nicknames for Margarete
Beau - no

Your DH is wrong.

These are the top American girls names

This shows the popularity of the male baby name Spencer.

Here are the top 100 names from 2009. Lots and lots of lovely girly non surname names.

I don;t like any of the surname type names, sorry. They all read as very masculine too me. I would definitely expect to see a boy given the first names.

Of your other names:

Beau - definitely a boy's name.
Gretchen is too harsh for me.
Not sure about Isoline. Think Isobel is nicer.
Greta is ok. I prefer Elizabeth (proposed middle name) though.
Aurora reminds me of Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
Not sure how to pronounce Celie and Lisle as not come across them before. Are they pronounced as they are written, phonetically? Not particular faves though.

Emmeline is nice.
I also like Aurelia.

I have a Lorcan and an Alex!! There are definetly not many Lorcan's about!! Lovely choice of names for your DS!!

I thought Lisle was a boys name. I have only known men with this name.

I would avoid the surname as first name thing - I don't like it at all.

Go for a 'proper' first name.

How about Rowan? It is Unisex and a surname..

I am not keen on the surname type names you have down I feel they are boysnames rather than unisex

I am confused with the lower lot does your dh likes those or?

I love Aurora

Isn't Bo what emma bunton named her baby.

You could always choose the name you like first and have the surname as the middle name:

Lisle Madison Rose? Sounds nice to me!

Divorce?

Sorry, you can't call your daughter Blake or Spencer? Nice names for boys tho!

Oh, sorry, meant to say I love Celie and Greta. Gretchen is nice too.

how about corrie/corey both of which are surnames but could be used as a nn for cordelia . which might keep you both happy
cordelia rose ?
cordelia grace ?
cordelia elizabeth ?

Spencer Rose - a male film star
Blake Elizabeth definitely a boy's name
Blaise Elizabeth - a horse
Sawyer Grace - ugly
Keaton Grace - too masculine
Mason Elizabeth - a secret soiety

Isoline Grace -sound like a fuel or a triangle
Emmeline Rose -nice
Celie Rose -prefer as a nn for celia
Lisle Rose - ok but prononciation could be an issue
Greta Elizabeth - quite like but quite harsh
Gretchen Elizabeth - ok but rhymes with wretch
Beau Elizabeth

Don't use Corrie as a nn if you ever come to UK. Everyone will assume you're a mad soap fan!

Of his list I like Spencer and Blake best. Spencer could be Penny. Of your names I like Lisle, Greta and Gretchen.
:)

I don't like the surnames as first names, at all.

Like Emmeline and Lisle - would pronounce Lisle as in Sound of Music I.e. Leesul.

There is an Aurelia at dd's school and have never really liked it. I do like 'Aurelie' though and would fulfil the french penchant.

Aurelie Rose

Aurelie Grace

Aurelie Emmeline

Aurora, Aurelia and Emmeline are lovely :) And I like all the middle names you've mentioned, but don't really like surnames as first names.

What about Morgan - definitely a surname, and a somewhat masculine sound - but equally and undoubtedly a girls name (Morgan le Fay slightly morally dubious, but certainly female).

Morgan is unisex (think Morgan Freeman).

If you want Lisle to be Leesul (not Lyle), how about spelling it Liesel? Or trying the German names Liese or Lieselotte?

It is "done" here but not as much as you'd think. It used to be something the upper class did, as a way to cement themselves to influential families. They would give their daughters names like Campbell, etc, so that you'd know where they came from even when they married and changed their surname. It trickled down, as these things often do, and that's why names like Madison and Kennedy are seen as "chav". (Along with Carter, Parker, etc) I actually really like Harper, but I'm sure it will go that way too.

I don't mean to sound snotty, because I'm definitely not upper crust myself! :) I think whatever name you like, you should go for. Spencer Rose isn't too bad, and as I said before I really like Harper. Good luck! Oh and out of your names I like Emmeline the best. :)

What about Francesca with Frankie as a nn?
V pretty girly name with a boyish nickname - might keep everyone happy?

I read these names out to my family and the conclusion was that someone who called their child by one of these names basically wanted to have a boy.

We lived in the States for a while and met no girls with boys names. A few with interesting names, but the surname as first names was limited to the boys. I also know a Tanner and a Carson, I thin they are odd names for boys, but actually a bit unkind for a girl.

Having said that I'm not terribly keen on any of the OPs names either . But you'll need to find something that you both like.

not keen on surnames for little girls but if your dh insists how about a surname with feminine nn

eg cassidy cassie
carrington carrie
emerson emmie
elis ellie
etc

I know several men called Spencer, it will always be a boy's name to me.

I like the sound of Bo, but Beau means 'handsome' in French so is defintely a boy's name.

I like Greta but not with Elizabeth. Greta Rose sounds nice.

I quite like Harper too actually. As in Harper Lee.