Ava V Charlotte? Heart V Head?

[mimimomma]

We're struggling to decide on a name for dd2 and caught between 2 names, but both are very different.

Ava- We LOVE. It's been a name I've loved for a few years, the link to old Hollywood glamour is right up my street. We nearly had this name first time around but backed out at the last minute because of the influx of Ava's, Eva's, Evie's etc. However, 3 years on we still love the name. The only negative for us is the popularity of it over recent years, it's quite likely to be the Claire/Nicola etc of her generation- but is that such a terrible thing?

Charlotte- Our sensible choice. It's a great name, solid, traditional, it's my mn and we like Lottie and Charlie as nn. We don't LOVE it, and we've had a fairly lukewarm reception when mentioning it to a few friends. Still a popular name, but more timeless than Ava.

What to do? Head V Heart?

Ava Charlotte

Charlotte Ava

wait upon her arrival for a few days and you'll know which way around! You love both names and they sound perfect together either way around! ANd if it helps i've lived in two very different counties over the last 24 months and neither are 'popular / common'

Always go with your heart.

I had to contribute to this thread. My DD1 is called Ava, a name DH and I both loved, and associated with old school Hollywood glamour. But that was back when Ava was about 150 on the naming lists, and way before Myleene or anyone had used it. We thought we were giving her an unusual name, (which it was at the time), and now I do worry that the name will now have connotations and will definitely date her to an era. It is very annoying it got so popular - but that is because it is such a lovely name, I still really love it, and so I would still say go for it, I think you should go with the name you love the most.
However, I do also really like Charlotte. I am currently pregnant with DD3, and going through the dilemma of choosing a girl's name for the third time. One of the top 3 names on our list is Charlotte, we're seriously thinking this could be the name for DD3, so I think we must have similar taste in names. (One of the reasons I'm keen on Charlotte is that I really like the name, and although I'm aware there will be other Charlotte's around in school, I am feeling more conscious this time round of choosing a name that won't be dated so specifically to one era).
Maybe you could add on here any of the other girls names that were on your shortlist before you narrowed down to Ava and Charlotte? It might give me some ideas as you'll probably pick other names I like! We really need to settle on a name as we're not doing well with making a decision third time round...

That's the problem with same sex families! You really do run out of names you can agree on. We called our DS4 Jack after considering it for all of the others and dismissing it on popularity grounds. In the end we decided we didn't really care as we loved the name, and I'm so glad now he is Jack Dylan and not Dylan Jack as we'd thought he would be... when he came out we just knew. You will too.

Ava is certainly not hollywood glamour anymore - sorry
I much prefer Charlotte - can be shortened to Charlie or Lottie too.

i would definitely go with your heart!!!
You will know when she arrives which will suit her!!

luckynumber11 - our longer list of choices are;
Ava
Charlotte
Imogen
Rose
Freya
Bethan
Amelie
We have discounted all the rest for various reasons, I hope that helps you out!

Sometimes I wish I'd never looked at the Top 100 names and was in sweet ignorance!

mini thanks for your list.. I absolutely love Rose or Rosie and it was about the first name I came up with this time round, (prompted by dd1's suggestion actually!), but dh has vetoed this one. I can never get him to agree to any flower names, he has this idea they are no good for girls when they grow into adulthood :( Still think I might be able to get Rose in as a middle name, (although it's probably the most popular middle name for girls right now so another name to place my dd into a specific era!)
Imogen is on our longer list though. Amelie's been ruled out due to 2 friends using this name for their DDs. But some great names to put to dh, food for thought, thanks.

Thanks everyone, I think we'll go with Ava, and just stop looking at naming conversations and top 100 lists! We love it, I've loved it for 4 years now, and if I ever hear that someone has used the name Ava, I feel a tiny bit jealous- all signs that dd2 is meant to be an Ava. She'll be the only one we know (right now) and we'll all save precious seconds texting and writing such a short name- awesome! Ava Charlotte it is!

Ava Charlotte is beautiful - definitely go for it!

I love both names, admit that Ava's popularity would be a major turn off for me but if you love it that much....

ava definitely

Well done - Ava Charlotte is so, so pretty

How do you know what will be popular in time?
Go with your heart and choose Ava.

I like Charlotte, it's a really pretty name, but every Charlotte I've known has always been known as Charlie, or worse still, Charles! I'd want a cast iron guarantee that nobody would call my dd Charlie!

Ava is beautiful. Do you have a distinctive surname? If so then that will really help if there are a few Ava's in your dd's class, but to be honest I wouldn't really worry about the name being popular. It's popular for a reason - people like it.

I would say to go with your heart.

Mimi, all of your list are lovely, but as a secondary teacher I have to say I teach them all - it's just what happens with girls' names - they do go in phases. Five years ago I was kneedeep in Laurens & Hayleys.

I thought I was being at least slightly original in calling my own dds Alicia & Mathilda, but no, hordes of both at nursery/school!

Just go with your heart. Ava Charlotte is a beautiful name.