Cassandra, Eulalie, Pandora..Suggestions?

[Roxy25]

Hello!
Pregnant with no2. No1 is Araminta.
Need an equally frilly, unusual, English name for no2!
Also needs a good nickname as DH's family shorten everything!
Any suggestions?

Here's my list:
Pandora - almost name of DD1, no nickname put us off
Theodora
Eulalie (not sure on "Lalie" nickname, bit like popular Layla, Lola names)
Jessamine - too similar to my sister Jasmine's name
Pomeline - French and not French
Claudine -ditto
Melisanda -ditto

Want to avoid "A" names and "M" names (as nickname Minty for no1) as well as Rose names (I'm Roxanne).

Middle name will be ALICE.

Thanks very much!! :)

Whoops I missed

Cassandra off the list - no1 choice at the moment

Hard to comment as we obviously have very different tastes in names. Cassandra would be ok if shortened to Cassie. Thea rather than Theadora. Claudine quite nice but very french. Pomaline silly. Ditto Pandora. Eulali sounds like Ukalele.
I have a friend who has a Millicent which I love, and she doesn't shorten it to Millie. But you don't want M names so not much help!
Sorry.

Gosh, I've got a child with a pretty fancy name, but once you start listing them like that, it all starts to look a bit much! If you like Pandora, you could call her that, and find a nickname in her adorable character. Or Panda.

In fact, I'm maybe going to be sticking Panda on my own list.

Thanks surgeonsmate,
Does the story behind Pandora put you off? Think that was what ultimately decided no for me with no1 - although could be seen as a powerful or peaceful name (only hope left in the box)?

How about Perdita? Can be shortened to Dita or Purdy/Perdy - I'm guessing that with you list you don't mind mythological/historical associations or meanings - as Perdita is 'the lost one' I think.

'scuse me, your list

Hi Ghosteditor,
Yes I really like Perdita.
The 'lost' meaning could be quite romantic/ philosophical?
How would you pronounce it though?
perd - itta or
perd -eeta?

Perd-eeta, I think.

I'm a huge fan of Cassandra or Cassidy but I think DH would need some convincing - we're finding it easier to agree on boys names, though our choices aren't very inspired (I'm 14+5 with DC1). We're both from Yorkshire originally and have both lost our accounts for the most part as we've lived in Oxfordshire for years. But some members of my family have very strong Yorks accents so all names need to be run through the Yorkshire filter before being selected!

Well, yes, it might put me off. Children do go through a stage of discussing the meanings of their names, don't they. Hard one to explain...

If I was choosing names of that ilk, I might go for Constance -Connie or Cassandra -Cassie.

Although actually I've just realised that you can't really have Perdita Alice as the double A sound is really jarring. I have a friend whose name ends in 'a' and her middle name is 'Ann' - she hates it. Alice probably isn't as bad as Ann for the effect though as it has two syllables at least!

Well, those are mainly (Ancient) Greek names, so how about Penelope? Can be shortened to Penny. "Penelope Alice"?

Hmm well I could change Alice, (my middle name from Grandmother & GreatGrandmother) to something like:

Perdita Cassidy (DH loves Cassidy)
Theodora Posy (always loved Posy from Noel Streatfield's Ballet Shoes)
Cassandra Alice

I agree with the double A - that's why DD1 didn't have Araminta Alice (her middle name is the low-key Susan after MIL)

Thanks for your excellent suggestions all!

Tatty I really like Penelope too - unfortunately in my case one of my cats is called 'Penny' (she came from a rescue centre with her name already in place). Having said that, legend goes that I'm named after a mean spirited dog belonging to my great-grandmother...

I like Penelope - my mum suggested it yesterday actually.

Hmm food for thought!

Quite an elegant name?

And good to avoid another "a" ending name!

Oh, Pandora is lovely! Perdita is pretty, but always reminds me of the mother dog from 101 Dalmations

Pandora -- nice, and nn possibilities are nice too
Theodora -- LOVE
Eulalie -- too close to ukelele
Jessamine -- prefer Jasmine
Pomeline -- 'Mrs Pommelhorse, I want to get down now.'
Claudine -- All the 'Claude' names sound harsh to my ear
Melisanda -- prefer Melisande
Cassandra -- Cassie/Cass nice, Sandra/Sandy horrible.
Perdita -- 101 dalmations

Theodosia?
Mahalia?
Constanza?

Cassidy is trailer parkish -- please avoid. It jars terribly with the classical/French first names.

Oh, I love Penelope; your mum is a genius.

Theodora is great and has lots of fascinating history- the Byzantine empress and so on.

Melisanda, Cassandra and Perdita, particularly Perdita, are also gorgeous.

I don't really like the others and hate Pandora- Adrian Mole, ugh!

Yes I agree re Cassidy, is an American male name, reminds me of Butch Cassidy! But DH has terrible taste and loves it..hmm hence put as a middle name.

I meant to put Melisande - typo.

Thanks for the comments all!!

What good nicknames are there for Theodora apart from Theo?
I like that Araminta & Theodora are 'said as they're spelt' kind of names.

how about Callista/ Callisto (nn Callie)
Thomasina/Tamasin (nn tammy)
Kerenza it means love in cornish (nn Ren)
Demelza (nn Demi)

Theodora nn Dory but could have 'whats my name' follow them around from finding nemo.