Girl baby names - Help required

[Ruthshaw1980]

Hello all.

This is my first post so go easy on me . Expecting baby number 2 in July. Have agreed boys name with DH but really struggling with girls. Our preferred name for a long time was Esme, however we then discovered the huge debate about the correct pronounciation of this name, since it really should be Esmay which we like less. Thus, we have had to go back to the drawing board. Our current list in alphabetical order is:

Arabella
Elodie
Matilida
Otillie

Would be grateful if people could comment and rank these names in order of preference. Please feel free to offer any other suggestions which could be described as classic, vintage or unusual. We do not want an overly popular name hence I have grave reservations about Matilda but hey our list is so small and we can’t agree on anything else, so it has to stay on there for now. Would really appreciate any help!!

Unfortunately we thought it is pronounced “esmee”. But it should be spoken “esmay” due to the accent.

I love Elodie.

How about Emmie, short for Emmeline? That would give the same "ee" sound at the end?

I have heard people call themselves Esmee. Nothing to stop you pronouncing it that way, especially if you leave the accent off. But you will probably get some people pronouncing it Esmay. And I’m sure people who pronounce it Esmay get plenty of people calling them Esmee.

Arabella recently jumped hugely in the baby name stats from something like 600 th most common name to 64th last year, and was tipped to be 'the name' for 2018...

so unless in 5 yrs time you want her to be in a class with at least 5 of them dont use it ..

ps: i love it and have one..but she is 18 ! ,

Have said the same to DH that Arabella is going to get popular. Mixed responses so far with this name but everybody is different and that’s the beauty of names. They elicit such different responses from people.

Re: emmie/emmeline. A possible compromise and will discuss with DH. However I would end up calling her emmeline and he would say emmie. Is that fair on the child?

Re: esme pronunciation, I am a stickler for doing things correctly If the name should be pronounced esmay then it can be no other way, but unfortunately we like this less.

Thank you all for comments so far, keep them coming! Those who have suggested Esther and Martha have struck a chord since these have previously gone back and forth between myself and DH. One day we like them, next day less so. Can’t decide to add to list or not.

I don’t like Arabella. And Bella is soooo popular. Same with Matilda. It’s ok, but very popular. I’m not wild about it. I don’t really do faddy popular names.

Otillie I don’t have an opinion really. Quite like it I think!

Elodie, love it, think it’s beautiful. It’s the one I’d go for. Equally Emmeline has been mentioned, gorgeous. And Emmie is a lovely little nn.

what about Xanthe ? quite unusual but not a fashion/sleb name

Favourite to least for me would be
Arabella
Elodie (nn. Elle)
Matilda
Otillie

However, definitely agree that Arabella is on the rise in popularity, depends if you mind about that sort of thing - it is a really beautiful name.
Some other suggestions would be Renee, Billie, Elsie, Penelope, Ruby, Emmie, Mara, Scarlett, Vivienne, Estelle, Caroline and Cordelia (Cory as a nn).

Also love the name Angelina, so pretty and don't hear it very often!

Love Matilda and ottilie. Elodie is nice but I hate Ellie, so would avoid purely on the basis of future possible nn. Arabella is a bit jilly copper for me (and I hate the name Bella) - I prefer Annabel.

Adelaide
Juliet
Emma

From your list I like Matilda and Elodie, also like Amelie.

Arabella - I really like Arabella. Its pretty and known but not commonly used I don't think. I've never met

Elodie - not really a fan. I prefer Eloise which is similar

Matilda - it's lost it's shine for me as I just know so many. It is everywhere here in the midlands
Otillie - Prefer Ottilie. It's pretty but I dislike Tilly and Otti

Im order of preference

Arabella
Ottilie
Elodie
Matilda

Just seen someone suggest Eloise which I have just logged in to add as a possible name!

Matilda is lovely.

Matilida
Otillie
Elodie
Arabella

:)

I'm afraid I only like Matilda from your original list. But love Martha and Esther from your most recent post

In order of preference

Elodie
Arabella
Matilda
Ottillie.

Love the first two. Matilda remind and of the film but isn't a dreadful name but Ottillie is just horrendous imo

To those who suggested Eloise and Penelope, I have previously suggested these lovely names but unfortunately DH says no to both

Arabella - reminds me of a horse, farabella? Not keen sorry. A bit to fussy for my tastes.
Elodie - this is my favourite on your list - really pretty and classic. I'll admit to having a bit of a 'thing' for French girls names.
Matilida - I like it but not enough to have it on our short (or long) list.
Otillie - a bit trendy and gaining popularity due to a instafamous mother of daughters. Have seen a lot of queries on this name recently so I'd be concerned that although not universally common you may get 'pockets' of Otillie's.

Have you thought about Camilla, OP? It came up on a thread yesterday and I think it’s lovely.

Sorry logged back in with some suggestions...

Oriana - To rise; sunrise; dawn; golden. Vintage and similar to Arabella but less frilly IMO.
Adele
Alice
Phoebe

Arabella of those

What about

Araminta
Adrianna
Celestine
Octavia
Elouise

Elodie and Matilda were on our list so they're my faves! We also had:

Elise
Coralie
Isabel
Florence
Daisy
Gracie
Cora
Amberley

Amberley is interesting, never come across that before, will test on DH.

Adore Florence but yet again poo pooed by DH.

Isabel is gorgeous but far far too popular.