Help - two girl names and can't decide!

[MsJuniper]

I have about 6 weeks of pregnancy left and can't decide between two quite different names:

Nora
Clio

I have always imagined a little Nora and think it's both sweet and also works for an adult. I'm drawn to Clio as it seems much cooler and interesting but less like me/us somehow.

DH is Irish and we ideally wanted a loose connection to her heritage - Nora has that through origin and association (Joyce) and Clio doesn't, but we have considered making it short for Clíona/Clíodhna.

I've seen Nora on some top baby name prediction lists for 2018 but I think that's more in the US. DS was going to be an Oscar but we changed because of its popularity and have always regretted it a bit so don't want to do the same with Nora.

Other smaller factors are that DS has quite an old-fashioned name and him + Nora could sound a bit funny together, plus he has recently developed a close friendship with a little girl called Nora at school - would that seem weird?

I'm slightly worried about the associations for both names - Nora Batty/Bloody Nora and Renault Clio but then any name could develop an association.

I know I shouldn't care what other people think but I had some negativity with DS's name and I'd love people to say "what a lovely name!" this time which I think would happen with Clio but not Nora.

We already have 2 middle names - one family name and one DS has chosen - so we can't use both first names.

Anyway I am driving myself mad going round in circles (as you can probably tell by this rambling post) so thought I'd ask MN which of the names you'd choose and why!

I love Nora! My 4 month old DS would have been Norah (we prefer it with the h) if he'd been a girl.

Shouldn't it be Cleo? Clio is s car.

Much prefer the Cleo spelling. Both names are pretty though.

I prefer the Cleo spelling

I like both spellings of Cleo/Clio but Cleo to me is short for Cleopatra, whereas Clio (as a stand-alone) is the muse of history. I also loved the film The Arbor directed by Clio Barnard.

I know the pronunciation doesn't quite match with Clíodhna but lots of nns change the stress/sound of their owner. I think spelling the nn Cleo would be a stretch too far even if I did prefer that.

Incidentally @mathanxiety if you google "cliodhna baby name" one of the top results is a MN post with input from you!

Clio!

Nora. Clio is a bit try-hard.

I agree that Cleo and Clio conjure up different images.

I prefer the spelling of Cleo, but the history of Clio (helpful). The only issue is that I think the majority of people would assume the name was spelt Cleo upon hearing it, so that may be something to consider.

Nora is lovely too.

@handonhip and @Rainbowsandflowers78 I think you are right, I was hoping that my reaction to whatever responses I got on here would clarify it (ie I'd get defensive of one or be pleased when it's preferred) and that has happened to some extent.

I have been thinking of the baby involuntarily as Nora (although DH has been doing the opposite - but says he is happy with either as loves them both). It just sits more comfortably with me.

We will hold on to both names until she's born just in case there's a sudden flash of inspiration after the birth but I'm also wary of the effect the drugs had on me last time

@lovelyjubilly Cleo and Juniper are gorgeous together, I also would have considered Juniper but it's out for other reasons!

p.s. @mathanxiety I should have said the post is from 2010 so you've obviously been educating MNers for some time!

My first reaction was definitely not Nora but the more I say it the cuter it sounds. Also from what you have said to me it sounds like you like Nora best but your worried about what others think.

Nora ❤️

Nora.

What about both, Clionora? 😄

Definitely go with Nora. Clio reminds me of a car

Nora, it's just lovely.

Yes, Cleo.

I'm not a fan of Nora at all. It's so ugly and old sounding in my opinion. I know a few little girls called Cora at the moment. How about Dora? Could you get that as a shortening of any Irish names?

Thanks but it's definitely between those two. Cora is a lovely name but not for us.

Nora