Inspiration for a girl's name - if I like these what else might I like?

[Redwineandcheeseplease]

With just 5 weeks to go until our baby girl is due we still don't have a name in mind.

I love Ottilie and Isobel, what else might I like? Can't use Isobel as BF has just pipped me to the post. Can't use Ottilie as it would be shortened to Tilly, which I love but sister has a Lilly and so too similar. Inspiration needed!

We like names that aren't too popular (so actually probably wouldn't have gone with Isobel for that reason) and that can be shortened with a cute NN. Ideas welcome!

Ottilie is a lovely name.

FWIW - DD2 is called Gabriella and is sometimes shortened to Gabi.

DNiece is called Abigail and is generally shortened to Abi.

When we all get together - not THAT often but several times a year, we have an Abi and a Gabi. Never has a problem with it though.

I would go with Ottilie and shorten it as you wish, if you wish.

I was on another baby name thread today where the mother did not like her ds name. It was not her first choice as a friend/relative pipped her to the post with her favourite name. She could not bring herself to say the name and wanted advise on changing it.

My point being, Ottilie and Isobel are lovely names you like, so use one of them regardless. Tilly and Lily is a non issue and you will not be joined at the hip with bf for ever.

Delphine
Antonia
Aurora
Beatrix

Ottilie is beautiful and it won't really matter that her cousin is called lily as they will have different social circles as they grow
I keep saying it over and over! I have two Dd and two Ds I love all their names, and i think you know already whats gonna be right for you? Congratulations x

Love Ottilie.

Other ideas

Aurora
Orla
Iona
Francesca
Cordelia
Xanthe
Romilly
Viola
Delphine
Elodie
Gwendolyn
Constance
Clementine
Beatrice

Thanks for all the comments on Otillie, I do love the name and we're reconsidering it. The only thing holding us back is our preferred shortening is Tilly and these cousins will be close as we see them all the time. I don't want my sister to feel like I've intruded on her DDs name. I completely take your point though iseeall, I don't want to regret choosing a different name later on. Plus as others have said Otty and Lottie are sweet nns.

madeinmarch, that's a great name list. I particularly like Romilly but DH won't have it, reminds him too much of Mitt Romney apparently.

Had you conceived before your sister and gone for Ottilie, would she have still chosen Lilly? Would you have felt aggrieved? For me they're different enough not to pose a problem but if you have doubts I guess the name is spoilt for you.

donkey, that's a good point. I guess it wouldn't be something that would have worried me but I'd hate to put her in the position where she feels we're naming our DD something very similar, hmmm...

PLEASE spk to your Dsis I would hope if I'd chosen a name and loved it my Ds would be ok with it rhyming with hers, who knows she might love the idea to? X

Yes, I should probably speak to her. I guess part of the concern is mine, our LO will be the second baby in the family and to have a name that can be shortened to sound so similar seems a bit unoriginal. However I do like the nn Lotte so Ottilie is still on our list.

Here's what we have so far, any thoughts?
Theadora ? Thea
Safia ? Saffy
Sienna ? Cici, Sissy (I'm slightly put off by the Sienna Miller connection, don't want people thinking that's our inspiration, we just like the name)
Sophie - Fi
Isla - Isy
Elodie (Ellie)
Ottilie ? Lotte
Lucia - Lula

Isla and Isobel are too popular for my tastes.

Thea and Elodie are both lovely.

Sylvie
Hattie / Harriet
Esther
Polly
Lydia
Clara
Mary
Lucille
Nell
Lois
Etta
Phoebe
Bonnie
Rosalie
Emmeline
Cassie
Kitty

What what about 'Ottilia'... with a nickname like ''Tila' or 'Lila'?

Thanks skylar, that's a great list. DH loves Emmeline whereas I really like Lucille, feels like we will never find something we both like that isn't too similar to the names family and friends have chosen.

crimson, 'Ottilia' is very sweet. I haven't heard of that variation before. DH is unsure but I may be able to wear him down :)

Really there is no connection between Ottilie and Lilly.

There is another variation that no one seems to have mentioned
Ottoline

just don't shorten it - simples

Ha, ha, ha everlong - Ottila the Hun. Yes, I think we might need to avoid that one.

Strangely I'm not that keen on Ottoline, I don't know why when it's so close to Ottilie.

I know what you mean 1500mmania but we come from families who like to shorten and I must admit I like the idea of shortening to something cute.

My concern is that our surname isn't straight forward for we may be cursing LO with two names she forever has to spell out.

All these names are pretty OP, honest reaction to each:

Have heard Thea- or Theo-dora mentioned several times on MN, don't know any in rl, is it gaining in popularity?

I am not familiar with the name Safia, I always think of Saffy as a diminutive of Saffron. Like it!

Sienna, okay she's an actress but will she be well-known in 10 or 20 years' time? I wouldn't be put off using her name. Otoh hadn't considered either Cici or Sissy being a short version.

Isla - very nice in its own right, woudn't call her Isy or Izzy, too like they're short for Isabelle, (massively popular).

Don't spoil a lovely name like Elodie by calling her Ellie!

Didn't occur to me that Lula would be short for Lucia.

Best of all if you decide against Ottilie, imo Safia.

I had long list of girls names when pregnant and didn't get to use any as we had a boy lol heres my list: oona, evie, lottie, rose, amelia, kara, ciera hope was a little useful

Isadora (Isy or Dora)
Penelope (Penny, Nellie etc)
Cressida (Cressie)
Vivienne (Vivi)
Verity (Vivi)
Felicity (Fliss, etc
Ophelia (Fifi)
Coralie or Cordelia

Ophelia - nn thea
Ottilie - nn orla

If you love Ottilie , then call your DD Ottilie - IME what will happen is while she might be Tilly at school/amongst your friends/DH's family, in your family they'll just call her Ottilie to avoid confusion rather than shorten it, even if they normally shorten names (or they will call her Tilly when shes not with her cousin, and full name when she is)

It's not the same name, just the nickname is rhyming, avoiding a rhyme with Lilly rules out anything that can be shortened to an "ee" sounding end to it. That's far too restrictive, just go for the name you love, otherwise you'll be regretting it for the next 30+ years.

How do you get "Isy" from Isla? The 's' is silent.

Ophelie (Shakespeare)
Aurelie / Aurelia