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Original poster

I can't use my frontrunner, can you help with a girls shortlist please?

39 replies

Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 02:01

My front runner is Constance Isolde, but I can't use Constance as a first name for irrelevant but non-negotiable reasons. Isolde Constance doesn't sound as good to my ear. While I adore adore adore Isolde, several of my friends think it looks nice but sounds 'clunky' and for sure she'd have to spend her life explaining/spelling it to people, it's incredibly obscure here in Australia. So I'm inclined to keep it as a second name, but can be persuaded otherwise.

With all that in mind, would you look at this list, which has already been savagely pruned by both my husband and my own long list of picky rules,
and tell me what your favourite combination is? My surname is 4 syllable and starts with an A, if that makes any difference.

Agnes
Anne
Briony
Constance
Felicity
Isolde
Lucy
Tabitha

Thank you!

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HowsTheSerenity · 18/05/2011 02:25

Not Lucy as it is way overused.
Felicity would go well with a long surname.
Agnes is a bit too grandmother-y but i like Agatha.
Briony (which will be shortened to Bri) could work
Tabitha I like but reminds me of the kid in Bewitched and bitchy girls are called Tabitha.

MollyMurphy · 18/05/2011 03:56

I like: Agnes, Lucy and Isolde (nn Izzy is cute).

I detest Tabitha so very much

I think Anne is sturdy and simple if a bit boring

Constance and Felicity are not my personal cup of tea

I have never heard of a Briony - I am intrigued...how are you pronouncing it?
Bri as a nn is nice

brightcopperkettles · 18/05/2011 05:07

I'm in Australia too and agree that Isolde would be forever spelling her name. That said, I do like it very much and many people (myself included) have to spell their names out.

Of your other choices, I think that Felicity Isolde is beautiful and a clear stand out for me.

lljkk · 18/05/2011 05:30

What about Lucinda with Lucy as nn?
I know one Agnes irl, it's not a name to lightly foist on a child.
Briony makes my skin itch.
I don't know how to say Isolde.
Tabitha is a cat or a witch.
Anne is lovely.

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 05:35

Isolde; almost literally "Is older" but with a slightly harder S.

Tabitha is my least favourite but DH ( who has suggested exactly no names. No, that's not true, he suggested Frances, and then crossed it off the longlist a month later ) was very strong in his approval so it stayed in...no hardship at all to let it quietly slip off the shortlist.
Lucy isn't as popular here, but is still far more popular than the other names.

Isolde Constance
Isolde Anne
Isolde Lucy
Felicity Isolde
Lucinda Constance
Lucinda Anne
Briony Constance

hmmm

OP posts:
nochy · 18/05/2011 05:52

How about Briar, as an alternative to Briony?

CheerfulYank · 18/05/2011 06:03

I've always pronounced it kind of like "Eez-Old" Confused

I like it! I think Felicity Isolde is very pretty, also Briony Constance.

saffronwblue · 18/05/2011 06:40

Does Isolde run weirdly into your surname beginning with A?
eg if your name is Anstruther, to say Isolde Anstruther people are always going to insert an r in between so she will be Isolderanstruther IYSWIM?

I love Isolde. I think however I am on the Felicity Isolde bandwagon with brightck.

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 08:14

It does a bit, saffron, and I hadn't thought of that before. My own first name ends in A, and I always feel like I have to do a little hitchy pause between the two words.

So it's definitely better as a second, then, since she's unlikely to say her full name out loud very often.

Felicity Isolde is really growing on me.

Cheerful, I think I say Eez-Older, but the 'er' is more subtle than you'd say it in an American accent, so in your accent eez-old is probably right.

OP posts:
frakyouveryverymuch · 18/05/2011 08:31

I really like Briony Constance.

Felicity Isolde I hear as Felicity is older, likewise anything that involves Isolde which is a shame because I used to love the name but everyone kept pointing out the Isolde and I figure if they were saying it beforehand it's just what they'd be thinking afterwards...

CountBapula · 18/05/2011 08:38

DH's aunt is Felicity with nn Lucy, just to confuse things!

Bucharest · 18/05/2011 08:43

Agnes- still too old lady nun-like
Anne- it's nice, but a bit too plain. Anna?
Briony- is a 70's version of those Summer type names of today.
Constance- is lovely, lovely lovely. Love Connie too.
Felicity- too fluffy and girly. Wouldn't sit well if child was tomboy.
Isolde- yep,clunky
Lucy - boring and wet, as well as very popular
Tabitha- part of the new fads which will date quickly (along with Martha, Mathilda etc) (it's the group which in the 90s would have been Sarah, Charlotte, Rebecca etc IYSWIM?)

flopsy1974 · 18/05/2011 09:58

Felicity is a lovely name.

ClipArt · 18/05/2011 10:03

Agnes - harsh
Anne - lovely
Briony - OK
Constance - lovely
Felicity - lovely
Isolde - fantastic, unusual
Lucy - lovely
Tabitha - dislike, cat's name

FollowMe · 18/05/2011 10:27

Oooh I love constance! Is it a personal reason why you can't use it or a general one? (ie any reason I can't add it to my list!)
I like felicity Isolde best off the rest of your list

Mumwithadragontattoo · 18/05/2011 11:51

I really like Felicity was in my top three for DD.

Lucy also lovely. I do like all you names but these would be my top 2.

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 18/05/2011 12:14

FollowMe, totally a personal issue - in fact, frustratingly, it's because my beloved Mum, who is a very hands-on grandmother, has a bad association with the name and would wince a little bit every time she had to use it. But has said it'd be fine as a second name, it's just hearing it over and over that would bother her. She's a sweetheart, and wouldn't have admitted this if I hadn't asked her if it were alright, but i'd hate to taint her granddaughter's name for her when she's been so wonderful with DD1.

Bucharest, Anna is way WAY more popular than Anne, is the only thing, and i feel like Anne is more classic? But again, I think it's second-name-status only.

Thanks, all, this is helping. Thank Christ we're agreed on a boys name, eh?

OP posts:
nochy · 18/05/2011 16:23

Anne is my middle name and i don't like it. It feels so frumpy and i often think about changing it to Anna, as it so sounds much prettier. Then, of course, i can't be arsed.

I know a couple of Felicitys and they have it shortened to Felly and Flic, respectively.

Constance is lovely and love Tabitha too - the only one i knew was a model in the 90's.

ClipArt · 18/05/2011 17:00

Anne is definitely a classic and not overly popular at the moment. Why not use it as a first name? Certainly a refreshing change.

jellybeans · 18/05/2011 21:45

Agnes...love it
Anne...dull
Briony...love it
Constance....old lady but like just Connie
Felicity....dislike
Isolde...dislike
Lucy...love it
Tabitha...love it

MelinaM · 18/05/2011 22:03

Tabitha Isolde for meSmile

MelinaM · 18/05/2011 22:03

...just ignore the catty remarksGrin

fairieswearboots · 18/05/2011 22:50

Felicity Anne

Original poster
Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 19/05/2011 01:27

Jellybeans, how can you say Constance is old lady but love Agnes? Agnes is the old-lady-est of them all!

OP posts:
cowboylover · 19/05/2011 04:17

I like the Felicity option from your list.

My Mums friend is a very tom boy Felicity goes by the NN flea so not frilly