any inspired suggestions...

[kiwidreamer]

DD is due in 8 wks or so, DH has so far vetoed all my favourite names and we are left with a shortlist neither of us are especially inspired by so I'm hoping someone else will have the inspiration we need!

Middle name will be Violet after my grandmother, but the extra tricky point is our surname, I know its not internet etiquette to state your surname but ours really makes things a bit more... delicate... it is Dyke :) so we cant have any A or I names for the school roll and things like Mia, Ruby just sound wrong!

My fav's that DH has vetoed are;
Freya
Natalie
Chelsea
Chloe
Sacha
Madeline

We are left with;
Paige
Hayley (but DS is an H name with a Y in it)
Corina
Emily
Lucy (I'm an L name too)

We like modern names but not trendy, not too alternative as you can probably tell but would be nice not to have a top 10/20 name, I do really like Emily tho. I always thought two syllables would work best.

I like Emily best of your remaining shortlist: Corina Lucy and Hayley are OK, but I'm not so keen on Paige.

Other suggestions: Jasmine, Thalia, Thea, Evita, Serena?

Emily works really well with both middle name and last name

I like Hayley, Corinna (would use double n), Emily and Lucy.

If you like Emily but would like 2 syllables, how about Emma?

Or how about

Bethany
Sophie
Charlotte
Lauren
Estella
Louisa
Christina
Miriam
Jessica
Georgia
Catherine
Victoria

Personally, I'd go for a longer, strong sounding name that takes the attention away from the surname. Like Alexandra for example.

Some different ideas

Lavinia
Matilda
Martha

??

Don't like Paige cos I personally don't like it when both names have 1 syllable. Agree with the principle of Vess's sugggestion of a long strong first name to take away emphasis from the surname but A. Dyke is not a good plan as you say.

Just thinking on my feet here ...
Francesca
Cassandra
Katrina/Catriona
I like the Corina that you suggested, worry about the Cor bit with the surname though - maybe that's just my twisted mind though....
Natasha

Romilly

Eloise

Elise

Zoe

Karin

Marill

Serena

Juliet

I think you are right about Paige, a nice name in itself but feels a bit blunt with our surname.

How do you pronounce Romilly - Rom-illy or more Row-milly??

Could try Carina rather than Corina but its only on the list cos neither of us felt strongly enough to take it off, not a name we love.

Every Julie/Juliet/Juila I've ever know gets shortened to Jules and that doesnt do it for me unfortunately, likewise Natasha gets nn Tash(and it reminds me of a Home and Away character, as does Martha LOL)

Serena is quite nice and DH didnt shoot it down so on the list it goes... any other ideas??

Beatrice/Beatrix
Liliana
Emmeline

Or why not Violet for a first name? It's beautiful!

Meryl or Meredith
Kirstin or Kristen

Corinna was on our list, but Carina or Karina are good too.

Lucy and Emily are nice.

How about

Eleanor
Catherine
Alexandra
Victoria
Elizabeth

I like Hayley and Emily.

Hayley is my favourite.

Suggestions:

Kelly
Mary
Emma
Katie
Martha

If you like Emily, but want 2 syllables, then how about Millie?

Rom-illy. Beautiful name

Have you considered a double barreled surname?

hubbahubster - 'Violet Dyke'? I don't think anyone could be that cruel intentionally.

I think Emily Dyke is lovely.

Emily and Lucy are both lovely IMO.

I'd advise caution with Carina Dyke as it's too reminiscent of an RTA. Any -ina names might have a similar snag.

Some other suggestions: Cecilia, Bethany, Josephine, Imogen, Melanie, Patricia?

Yeah I know it's not the best surname in the world but it is what it is and I just want a nice Christian name that wont add fuel to the fire for any potential playground teasing (lesley and liz/Elizabeth would never be on the list!!!) SIL says she was never picked on for the surname but believe me it was a tricky decision to make choosing to take my DHs name!!!

Can't have Catherine, Rebecca, Charlotte, Georgia, Jasmine, Jessica as all cousins of mine.

Emily feels very right, if only it weren't a top 5 name :-/

If you really like Emily then go for it :) Even top 5 names will only be a small percentage of children, maybe around 1 per cent (seem to remember there's a chart available somewhere that tells you percentages!)

I'd definately go for Emily, it's a lovely name.... give it a few months and it may not be in the top 5! I've worked in childcare for nearly 10 years and in all that time have only ever worked with one Emily, It's not all that common....

Just bumping this to see if any new ideas from the MNetters community, the shortlist at the moment is...

Emily
Olivia
Serena

DH likes Olivia better than Emily and I'm the oposite but in the last few days have taken quite a shine to Serena but I am due in a week and really feeling a bit out of sorts so not sure if my hormones are talking ;-)

Olivia Dyke = I live in a dyke.... Not keen, sorry!

I prefer Serena but Emily is lovely too.

I agree with previous posters that a strong first name will draw attention away from the surname. (That said, Dyke is not a hugely uncommon surname - better than Winterbottom , of which there was one in our village when I was growing up.)

If you love Emily then I would go with it. It is popular but not faddy and it's a very pretty name. Alternatively, Emmeline has been mentioned lots of times on these boards.