Girls names that are historicalish

[riskit4abiskit]

Hello, do you have any opinions on these historical girl names......

Kendra - does this sound too manly?

Claire

Elinor

Katelyn - pronounced kate-lin?

ysabel - pronounced is-a-bell?

matilda - but too popular?

a two syllable name would go better with our surname. we don't know what we are having - but boys names seem easier.

thanks for any feedback.

Kendra is quite masculine I think. Love Elinor and Matilda. How about jasmine/violet/Anna?

Kendra is not to my taste.

Claire is a nice, simple name - and because it was so popular amongst our generation, no-one is using it now, so she'd be the only one in her class.

You seem to like alternative spellings for names - any particular reason for that?

Elinor is nice, an accepted spelling, but not as usual as Eleanor. If I'm honest, I actually prefer it, and it has the Austen connection.

Caitlin is preferable to Katelyn. And is there any particular rationale to spelling Isabel with a Y?

Matilda Is fine, very popular at the moment.

I love Kendra, I don't think it sounds masculine.

Nancy, Clara, Florence and Martha all sounds quite historic too.

For a historical name, how about;

Mary
Florence
Margaret (Maggie maybe?)

I like Kendra, but it sounds quite American to me - who was the historical Kendra?

Yes to Claire by the way, it's one of those names like Emma, Sarah & Catherine that don't really age.

For Elinor, I prefer the spelling Eleanor.

The snag with Kendra is that, because it is so rare, the only association people will have is with Kendra Dumbledore I'm not sure how wrong/durable an association that migh be, though.

I think Claire, Elinor and Matilda are lovely names. And although you may have historical precedent for the spellings Katelyn and Ysabel, I think you may find they are interpreted as creative, which may not be what you are aiming for. How about Yseult?

Helena (I know a 'hel-ay-na' rather than 'helen-a')
Clara, an option of Claire which I find a little dull, sorry.
Maria as oposed to Mary?

Sorry, that was meant to be "strong/durable an association"

I also know a Kendra, ex-colleague, she now is part-owner of Rawr chocolate in Cambridge (can't do links). I've never heard of another.

I don't think Kendra sounds masculine, something ending in a letter a would be more likely to be a girls name surely.

I am not at all familiar with any connection to a historical Kendra. I only know the name because I know one. It's nice.

I quite like Kendra and Elinor but not as convinced about the others. along the same lines (to me anyway) are

Hester
Alys
Jessamy
Petra

They are all anglo-saxon or medieval names and spellings

totally, one of your suggestions is my name already!

I love hester and martha too but dh doesn't!

Meditrina, you are correct that I don't want to be seen as creative with spellings!

Just about the only name dh and I both quite like is Catherine, but is that too boring?

I haven't heard of the historical Kendra but I can't say I'm very keen on the name. I like Claire and Elinor not bothered about the spelling. Hester is nice too. Quite unusual.

This is the only kendra I've heard of, not sure if this will put you off or not!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendra_Wilkinson

I like the old-fashioned spellings of names - and if someone does interpret them as quirky so what? That's their ignorance.

I know a Kendra, named after her grandfather, Ken. I'm not really keen on it.

I like Ysabel with a Y, but a shame there are so many Isobels and Isabellas around now.

Not at all keen on Kendra.

Matilda, Elinor, Katelyn and Ysabell are all lovely, as is Yseult. Personally I would spell Katelyn as Caitlin.

Claire is quite nice but I prefer Clara.

I also like Flora, Rowena, Harriet and Henrietta.