Is it boring?

[Writerwannabe83]

Me and hubby have long been idly chatting about potential baby's names and most of his I have vetoed initially but then found them growing on me.

One name he mentioned was Zoe and I immediately ruled it out and said it was too boring. However, after weeks of thinking about it, I now actually really like it!!! I'm still worried that it is a bit plain though?

Our surname only has 1 syllable....so would the name seem too short??

No because Zoe is two syllables.

How many letters in your last name?

Sorry that was unclear....I mean I don't think it is too short.

Our surname is Wise. I'm just worried it doesn't sound right??

Think its very nice, I prefer shorter names which can't be made too much shorter, so would be looking for something no longer than two syllables for dc2.

My sister is Zoe and our family nane is only one syllable. Never been a problem. As long as you have something other than Eve/May in the middle. My sister has 2 x 3 syllable middle names .

I think it's ok.

Could you give her two middle names to give her name more interest ie so she has three initials then Wise

Z G E Wise for example.

Or a long middle name like Elizabeth so when she writes her name in full the whole thing is quite long.

I sympathise as we had the same problem, and I am drawn to short names.

Thanks Redcar, I like it because it is simple but also really pretty. I'm not one for 'showy' names but don't want a dull one either.

Middle name would probably be Elise: pronounced with the 'Lise' sound rhyming with 'Peace'.

I also like Caroline as a middle name too...

Zoe Elise Caroline Wise.

Perhaps too long now?

I think with Elise you'd be constantly twitchy about people saying Eleez.

For me, Zoe doesn't work with Wise because of the repeated Z sound. [so wouldn't work with mispronounced Elise either]

I love short names.

That's a good point about the 'Z' sounds - maybe that's why it sounded a bit off when I kept saying it to myself....

I think you're over thinking it. Have now said Zoe Wise over and over and I think it sounds good.

It's also the double w sound that makes it sound awkward.

Do you like Chloe?

I mean Zo-e gets pronounced Zo-wee so Zoe Wise doesn't roll off the tongue.

I like it, it has an almost palindromic sound, if that makes sense. There is the buzzy Z sound at the start and at the end, and the W sound repeated in the middle (there's an "invisible" W in Zo-e).

Chloe? Zara?

I think it works, but not with Elise in the middle. I think it scans really well with Caroline though. Z is a very cool initial - Z C Wise, Zoe C Wise, Zoe Wise. Not boring at all, and Zoe isn't that widely used at the moment.

We have a one syllable surname and dd and I have three syllable names, ds and dh have two syllables. All the names work, in fact even the children's nicknames rhyming with our surname (not intentional) isn't a problem

I really love Zoe. It's on our shortlist for girls. I think it's a good, solid name and goes lovely with your last name.

Zoe Caroline Wise is lovely.

I would miss out Elise - though it is a lovely name - Elise Wise is too matchy, written down (and if pronounced "wrongly" audibly too).

Zoe's my name and I love it! Mine's a one-syllable surname too, and I think it works fine. Agree that it needs a more 'solid' sounding middle name than Elise though, otherwise there are too many vowel sounds. Zoe Caroline/Zoe Catherine etc. work much better I think.

If it helps, I'm a teacher and have only come across two or three primary-aged Zoes in five years - so definitely not too common or boring.

And Zoe means 'life' - which together with 'wise' has got to be a lucky name!

I think it sounds brilliant!!!

Arr thanks everyone! The name Elise was only in there to pacify the husband, I have no problems getting rid of it

I will definitely put in on our list of potentials then.

Unfortunately I don't like Chloe, I feel it has been done to the death!

I love the way it looks written down, but I do think Zoe Wise is slightly awkward to say with the repeated 'w' sounds. I think that once you've said it often enough though it doesn't feel weird at all. Caroline works really well asa mn too :)

I wish he liked the name Diana - it must be due a comeback?!