Can I have Xanthe...

[ThereAreNoWords]

... If we already have Zoe? Too similar? Middle name is likely to be Frances. We also like Esme, Phoebe and Olivia. Thanks!

How about Ianthe instead? May sound better with Zoe

Yes, you can :)

But I do love Phoebe and Olivia. So, I personally would go with one of these.

Esme could be a lovely middle name, imo.

I think Zoe and Xanthe are fine together, but I think Xanthe Frances sounds awful. Sorry.

There are sentimental reasons for the middle name Frances so that's likely to stay whatever the first name. Thanks for replies everyone

How do you pronounce Ianthe? Is it Ee-an-thee or Eye-an-thee? Or something else?

I'm the opposite of Horatio. I think Frances works as a middle name but I think xanthe and zoe are too similar.

Eye-an-thee, and it is lovely. But I also adore Xanthe and think it is dissimilar enough to Zoe to be okay. Olivia is very very popular round my way. And I always have a slightly drippy image of a Phoebe, hang-up from one I knew way back...

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First I was thinking you meant me 😂 Not super keen on Francis, but it isn't bad. And seeing as there are sentimental reasons...

I think Irene might be pretty.
But that's very different, so idk.

I know a Zoe that has a sister called Zhea and I don't think they're too similar so Xanthe works to my ears.

Yes, I think Olivia, although lovely, is probably too popular. My first choice is Artemis but DH has vetoed- so mean!

But... Xanthe and Zoe don't sound similar, at all... right?

It's just the double Z sound, I suppose. But I guess loads of people have children whose names start with the same letter, which is the same I guess

Ianthe
Eye-An-thee

Zan th ee

Sounds really like

Zow ee

But I like it.

Oh...

I pronounce that Xan-tey (but I'm not English).
Whereas Zoe is Zo-ee...

So, to me the really aren't similar at all.

Both lovely names. Quite similar to my ear, which is probably why I like them both.

It's not Zan tay, it's Zan thee in England.

Good name either way though.

Oh. Hm... that does make it sound more similar.

I still think it would be fine :)

Esme and Olivia sound the best with Francis.
You could use Xanthe Olivia Francis or Xanthe Esme Francis as Xanthe Francis doesn't sound that great.

I really like Xanthe, but not convinced with Zoe. I really don't think Xanthe Frances works at all- sorry.

Artemis is great. On a similar theme, how about Andromache?

Cleopatra means 'Daddy's little girl' (well sort of) if you want to win hubby over to classical nomenclature.

Am an adult xanthe and love it! Do it!

Xanthe is a fabulous name.

Maybe Evanthe? Beautiful name

I pronounce Xanthe as zan-thee, so IMO it is too close to Zoe.

I like Esme and Olivia. Have never warmed to Phoebe.

I think it's fine with Zoe. But I'll throw in Iolanthe as an alternative. And Persephone. Just to be annoying .