Help with our girl's short list

[raininginbaltimore]

Ok, I am driving myself a bit mad. Not sure if it is hormones, but this week I have decided that this baby (who we know is a girl) NEEDS a name. Up until now I have been very laid back (I am 32weeks).

So we have had a variety of short lists, which seem to get longer then shorter. I would prefer a name that wasn't too popular (I had the most popular name for the year I was born and have always hated being one of 4 everywhere). I also seem to prefer names that can't obviously be shortened (I know there will always be nicknames), as again mine is shortened. However I also want one we love.

So at the moment we have:

Evelyn (my grandmother's middle name)
Amber
Lyra
Hazel (Dh's choice, I am not keen, reminds me of Hazel Blears!)

I did like Alice, but now I am not sure.

My favourite from your list is Amber, it is such a lovely name and not overly popular. I also like Evelyn but that would get shortened to Evie which is sooo popular at the moment.

Amber Evelyn would be lovely;

I like Evelyn Alice

I did wonder about shortening it to Evy, instead of Evie.

Dh prefers Amber I think.

Hmm, now I am thinking of adding Caitlin and Rose as well.

Argh I am supposed to be shortening this list, not making it longer!

Evelyn

Lyra is horrible. It's from those Phillip Pullman books isn't it?
The other three are lovely.

Love Lyra.

I like Hazel best. Thought about it for this DC but DH not keen... Alice, Amber and Lyra are nice too.
As others have said, I wouldn't go for Evelyn unless you are happy with Evie.

Hazel Evelyn?

Amber

Evelyn could also be shortened to Lyn, which is unusual now.

I love Amber and Lyra
Hazel is nice
Not so keen on Evelyn, especially if it becomes Evie

Evelyn is my baby name, so I'm biased that I think it's great!

I also LOVE Amber and Alice. All of these three names mix together well for middle names too.

I think the problem for me with Evelyn, is that it isn't a name I would necessarily choose. It is only because it was my grandmother's name.

I do think Evie is a lovely name, but is the number 2 name where we live. I love Isobel too, but won't have it as it is so popular.

Ds has Dh's grandfather's name, which makes me want this name to have significance. But I could use evelyn as a middle name.

I like Evelyn very much, because it is different and could be Eve, Evie or Lyn or Lynnie.

I love Lyra too, and could imagine it rolling admiringly off the tongue of a dark handsome stranger seducing your DD 21 years hence. (And no sooner). Def a sexy name IMO, and those Philip Pullman books were great. I think Wendy came from Peter Pan and that did pretty well as a new name. Not sure if Lyra is new tho'.

Very much like Rose but not Rosie (too girly) and it could become Rosie in the same way that Isobels often become Izzies.

Amber reminds me of a Barbie name, and Hazel, a rabbit.

I don't like Lyra at all, it's an ugly name IMO and sounds too much like 'liar' for me.

Hazel is probably my favourite from the list. Alice and Amber are fine too. Evelyn a bit unfeminine somehow.

Isobel is lovely, but I know what you mean about not wanting a super-popular name, I had the same experience as a child (wonder if we have the same name!) and always longed for a slightly more individual name.

cureall I have a name that can be shortened in many, many ways. It actually annoys me. I use a shortened version, but I don't particularly like it. And it annoys me that I am always officially called my long name, and have to correct people. And there were 4 a school, 5 at Uni, 4 in my current work place. Who I am always Raining M or blonde Raining etc.

I am beginning to come back to Hazel. If I can lose the Blears association!

I suppose we still have 8 weeks!

Interesting connotations of names. I want her to have something strong, independent, not to frilly or girly.

I like Hazel...Makes me think of a brown eyed intelligent girl. Dunno why haha.

I love Hazel. The others are nice too. :)

I know a baby Hazel- very, very cute
My nephew would have been Evelyn had he been a girl, and I do like that very much.

Amber and Lyra, not so much.

My sis was planning on shortening Evelyn to Lynnie, rather than Evie if that's any help?

I don't like Lyn or Lynnie.

She definitely won't have brown hair. Most likely strawberry blonde/ginger or red! So does that make Hazel weird?

My favourite is amber-don't like hazel and know a thousand Evelyn/evies. Lyra is ok

Not at all! In Year 7 I had to read a book, there was a character called Hazel with curly ginger hair and glasses.

I think Hazel is a really sweet name. It's a very 'pretty' name if that makes sense.

I knew a red-haired Hazel when I was at school, so it doesn't seem odd to me. Hazel Blears has red hair too, doesn't she? (though that may not be helpful if you're trying to avoid that connection!)

I think the problem is I don't love any of them. They all feel like compromises.

All the names I love I can't have.

Isobel- too popular and too many spellings (no one can spell our surname)

Lucy- was the name of out cat (age died 2 yrs ago, but annoying people still remember)

Esme- very close friend, we see evey week, go on holidays, is friends with Ds.