July baby

[Theheebiejeebies]

Any opinions on our current girls list? It's been a struggle to find names we both like. We like unusual names but wanted to have a familiar/popular middle name in case DD hates her first name!

Seren Ophelia
Alethea Summer
Amarantha Ivy
Anise Freya
Iolanthe Florence
Mireia Penelope

Thanks for your thoughts

I like Penelope, but I think she could end up hating any of those first names. They're difficult to spell and may be confusing for other people to pronounce. The middle names are nicer

I like Anise, but think I prefer 'Anaiise' (AN-EYE-EES). It's different, but not dramatically so. However, I don't think that Freya suits as a middle name to either Anise or Anaiise. Ophelia goes better with these names.

Seren is another lovely name; one I think would be low down to cause problems for your DD (a strong, established Welsh name). Sounds very cool to my ears, without trying too hard IYSWIM.

Ophelia or Ivy suit Seren as a middle name

HTH! x

Btw, good luck for July! X

I think Alethea is the loveliest on your list.

Really like Mireia and knew a gorgeous one who went by the nn Mimi. Go for it!

Thanks for your comments

We are worried she might prefer a more popular name but both my partner and I had the opposite issue of disliking being one of 5 in a year group.

They are all old names, with the exception of Anise which is modern and Seren which was first used in the 1930s and seems to be increasingly popular in some parts of the country.
We thought there might be simpler nicknames for most of them too like Amy for Amarantha, Thea for Alethea and Miri for Mireia. I like Mimi too!
I like Anaiise - isn't Anais pronounced the same way? As in Anais Nin
or the perfume.

Yes, heebie, I think they are pronounced the same way - although I think 'Anaise' has a double dot over the 'i' (I believe it's a French name).

In order of preference...

Iolanthe Florence
Alethea Summer
Amarantha Ivy
Mireia Penelope
Seren Ophelia
Anise Freya

Other combinations...

Iolanthe Summer
Alethea Penelope
Amarantha Summer
Amarantha Florence
Serena Florence (prefer to Seren)

My preference would be for Seren or Alethea, but I think we have wildly different taste in names!

Don't like the other names, clunky for everyday and it seems a shame to consider using a nn when you've given a lot of thought to finding an unusual and elaborate name.

Oh but if you go with Alethea then maybe not Summer as a middle name as the two together sounds like a comment on the season; "A leafier summer" - although that might be why you put them together....

Seren would be a lovely mn for Alethea.

I like Seren and Penelope, which was on my list last time but we had a boy.

Thanks all.
Good point about a leafier summer - had ruled out Alethea Ivy on that basis but not considered summer.

Will continue to think!

Alethea was on our list for DS1 but he came out blue, so we didn't get too use it.

Ours would have been Alethea Jane

Seren Ophelia - lovely
Alethea Summer - not too keen on Alethea but do like the shortening Thea
Amarantha Ivy - Never heard Amarantha but it's very cool and yes, Amy or Ama for short.
Anise Freya - Not keen
Iolanthe Florence - I think a kid would have to be quite hard skinned to get through life as an Iolanthe. Pretty though. Don't like Florence.
Mireia Penelope - is this said Mi-ray-a? Never heard it but it's pretty.

Being totally indulgent I think I would choose
Amarantha Iolanthe Summer! Sounds so beautiful to me.

But, thinking of the child, I would go for
Amarantha Ivy (Ama or Amy if she preferred though the full thing is v pretty)

Amarantha was what I wished I'd been called when I was 14, bored of my popular name and in a romantic arty phase. It's from a Richard Lovelace poem To Amarantha, that she would dishevel her haire i found it as a character in a romantic fiction book though
Still like the name many years later though it is probably DPs least favourite.
I knew an Iolanthe and I guess the name sounds more normal to me as a result. I don't recall her having any problems with her name.
Mireia is Mi ray a. Popular name in Spain where we have some connections.