A good, strong Girl's name

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Hi there,

We're starting to think about names for our little girl, who is due in early October.

We have a surname which starts with a 'Cl' sound (think 'Clarke', or 'Clarence') and already have a family middle name we're going to use (which starts with an S).

We have a list of names we quite like, but none are quite right:

Blossom - too soft, but works nicely with our surname
Harriet - though we prefer the shortening 'Hattie' and 'Harrie'
Aspen
Darcey - though getting too popular
Zinnia - we love how it sounds but don't love how it looks written down
Blythe
Rose
Poppy
Clara - because she'd sound like a superhero with our surname
Emmeline - nn Emmy
Cassia - but don't like the meaning ('empty')
Camille
Laurel

We are looking for a good solid name which is pretty, rolls nicely with our surname, but is appropriate for a sensible adult with a sensible job (if she wants one).

I admit I'm always drawn to pretty flower, tree and bird names - and love French names, but we don't want to be TOO pretentious

Thanks in advance,

xx

Elizabeth

Caroline
Catherine
Ruth
Jean
Georgina
Nancy

Juno

Elizabeth
Astrid
Erica
Lara
Rosamund
Hazel
Heather
Elsa
Marianne
Anna
Sara
Sofia
Francesca
Imogen

Emmeline and Aspen are also lovely

Evelyn
Cora
Clementine
Sylvia (or Sylvie?)
Eleanor

Aphra
Ada
Juno
Athena
Clothilde
Rosa
Hero
Iris
Madeleine
Maude

Anna
Vanessa
Nessa
Rhea

I can't believe we haven't thought of Elizabeth - it's a good serious name for serious adult things, but has a great range of nicknames - thank you - I'll get it on the shortlist!

And so many of you have listed names that we've toyed with, or that we have in our immediate family (Clementine, Astrid, Eleanor, Sofia, Lara..) that I feel like we're this close to THE name.

I would love an Evelyn... but we're friends with one (I say 'friends', she's 2 ;-).

Is Alouette too silly? Would we be forced to use a french accent every time we addressed our child? I think the answer is 'yes'.

I know a nice Emmelyn

Elizabeth
Gabriella
Caroline
Lauren
Barbara
Ciara

Miriam
Rowan
Ingrid
Antigoni
Cora
Charlotte
Celeste
Celestine

Yes to Elizabeth. Or Victoria, Tory/Tora for short.

Cassia means 'cinnamon' rather than empty.

Alice
Alix
Audrey
Anais
Brigitte
Daphne
Eloise
Emerald
Esther
Flora
Hazel
Imogen
Julia
Josephine
Jasmine
Laurel
Marianne
Adelaide
Noelle
Ramona
Rosalind
Rowena
Thora
Tamsin
Violet
Vivienne
Verity
Willa

Alouette is Very French. Could be lifetime of saying 'no, my parents just liked it'. How about Juliette?

Love Clara from your choices.
If you like French, how about Zoe or Natalie, Amelie or Juliette?

Clarice

Love love love Alice! And Clara!

Alexandra
Alix
Antonia
Henrietta
Penelope

I think Alexa fits.
Or Alexia (but if you don't like bad meanings then it's like dyslexia but only when you read words)
Or Alexis

What about Seraphina/Savannah, is your surname long or little?

Ooo Alice - that was on the short list for a while, I think DH put me off by saying it in the way that Idris Elba did in Luther. But it's back on the list.

We have toyed with Clarice too (live Claroce Cliff) but it felt a bit too Silence of the Lambs (and once you've thought it it's hard to unthink).

You're totally right tinymentor the poor thing would spend her whole life spelling and explaining her name.

Juliette is another good one...

Sophronia it's amazing how many of those names have been on the list! You are an actual mind reader!

I have a Theresa... Tess/Tessa/Tessie

I love Amelie and Manon ( French names)
Penelope
Rosa

Ooo ta good to hear some love for Penelope (Penny) and Henrietta (Hettie?)...

I LOVE Seraphina - DH was less sure.

Alexa is also a good one, and one we hadn't thought of (ditto Alexis) X