Girls name list - due next week!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

So DD2 is due to make an appearance shortly and I'm still not sure what to call her. With DD1 I was very sure for ages! I'm also struggling as DH is fussy as hell, but suggests nothing.

DD1 is Alexandra, to give you an idea of our kind of names.

Obvious options that are ruled out - Elizabeth (family member), Catherine (family member), Victoria (really don't like Vicky!)

These are the choices we are down to although other ideas welcome. We'd quite like to use Susan as a middle name but might combine it with another name depending on how it flows (and the resulting initials)

Worth mentioning we're in Scotland too so trends are a bit different and in some cases names are several hundred places apart on the name lists vs England!

So, our not so short list....

ELEANOR
PENELOPE
VIOLET
ANNABELLE
ARABELLA
BEATRICE
ANASTASIA
MADELEINE
JOSEPHINE
AURELIA
ROSALIE
PHILIPPA
CLAUDIA
MARGARET
VIVIENNE
GENEVIEVE
JULIETTE
CECILIA
VERONICA
ROSALIND
PERSEPHONE
SERAPHINA
MARISSA

My original thought was not to go for another A name (for practicality with initials) but there are so many nice A names!

I actually like the sound of Persephone (and I like Percy as a nickname, so shoot me!) but DH hates it and I don't think I have the balls to use it. It's a lot of name.

After some chat with DH and DD (she's 8) I think I'm striking:
Veronica (don't like Ronnie as a NN)
Josephine - dislike Josie. I swear every kid around here gets their name shortened so it's a consideration!
Cecilia - can't get the song out of my head now
Rosalie - prefer Rosalind
Arabella - I think I Annabelle/Annabella (or whichever spelling!)
Violet - DD hates it, but it might stay in as a possible second middle name
Aurelia - DD can't pronounce it!

Claudia, Genevieve and Anastasia are teetering due to pronunciation issues which might drive me crazy as both have a couple of active variants in use.

How about Caroline or Carolina. nn Carrie.

Love Rosalind - classic, underused, great nickname potential.

Beatrice is also lovely, as is Eleanor, though it'sa bit more popular. I like Juliet but not Juliette unless you're French. Josephine and Margaret have lots of good nn options.

The others are a bit frilly/fussy for my taste.

I also like Matilda and Louisa with Alexandra.

Love Violet, Beatrice and Cecilia, Aurelia

I think I like Beatrice the best with Alexandra, Aurelia is perhaps too similar?

Venetia? Sophia? (Pronounced sofire the 18th c way).

Drop Veronica it’s dreadful.

Have you considered Rebecca, Jocelyn or Annabella?

From your list I like:

ANNABELLE - though spelt Annabel
BEATRICE
MADELEINE
JOSEPHINE
PHILIPPA
VIVIENNE
GENEVIEVE
VERONICA
ROSALIND
MARISSA

alexandra and eleanor and the other 'a' names are a bit of a mouthful.

Rose is gorgeous, Catherine, Ursula? Lara? Phoebe? Pippa? Jennifer?
i love Margaret btw but was not allowed it because of thatcher.

I'm an Ellena (said like Eleanor) and have just had a little Arabella as the Book was always both one of mine and my mother's favourites. I can see some people might think it's a bit posh but doesn't seem it now she's here. We call her Arie for short as I wasn't a huge fan of Bella.

Annabelle I think has been replaced with Annabella as a possibility - it's the only A name still kicking around, I've dropped the others due to the initial issue but it's sort of clinging on!

I think the shorter list is now
BEATRICE
ANNABELLE (Probably Annabella although I think this might be too close to DD's name)
VIOLET
ELEANOR
PENELOPE (shared name with a friend's child which should rule it out but it's hanging on)
PHILIPPA
MADELEINE
MARGARET
JULIETTE
ROSALIND

I have a Pippa, but she isn't Phillipa I thought Pippa sounded more modern & girly. I haven't met another one yet & always get 'ahh how lovely' when people ask her name. With of course a few '' thrown in. You can't please everyone! so I'm biased, but I think Phillipa but Pippa for short!

Madeleine is my favorite. Think It would work best with two middles like

Madeleine Aurelia Susan.

I also think Eleanor Susan sounds classic and beautiful. Violet Susan is also good.

I like these:

PENELOPE
VIOLET prefer Violetta
ARABELLA
BEATRICE prefer Beatrix
ANASTASIA

JOSEPHINE
AURELIA

PHILIPPA
CLAUDIA
MARGARET or Margarita perhaps
GENEVIEVE
JULIETTE
CECILIA

ROSALIND
PERSEPHONE this is so cool
SERAPHINA

Not so keen on these:

VERONICA sounds like verruca, maybe that's just me
ELEANOR sounds OK, looks ugly, prefer Helena
ROSALIE is not as nice as Rosa
MARISSA doesn't sound like a real name

I think Eleanor vs Helena is one of those funny ones with accents- in my accent they sound completely different!

I think Eleanor vs Helena is one of those funny ones with accents- in my accent they sound completely different!

As indeed they should, southern English pronunciation is very lazy!

What about Leonora?

Eleanor
Rosalind

Working with your shorter list, my favourites are:

BEATRICE
PHILIPPA
JULIETTE

:)

Beatrice is the name that sprung to mind without reading your list. It's a great name.I also like Eleanor, Philippa, Madeleine, Margaret and Rosalind.
I'm not keen on the fussiness of Annabelle (Annabel is better) and Juliette (Juliet is better).
Helena?

The list shrinks a little more each time so thanks all!

I think, having just read a thread about a nickname, that Juliette is out - names really do tend to get shortened a fair bit here and I really dislike Joolz as a nickname. I reckon it would be the instant shortening and hard to avoid.

That said I do like longish names with some nickname options which I think most of the rest meet pretty well, and they all feel pretty balanced with DD's name.

Violet knocked off as DD dislikes it. And I think I have to surrender Annabella due to the same initials

So that leaves

BEATRICE ; Still a favourite but DH has a thing about initials and with the middle name Susan her initials would be BS (as in bullshit) so needs a second middle name. Considered Beatrice Eleanor Susan but not sure it flows well so maybe an alternative middle name to keep Susan company. Nicknames Bea, Trixie (better for BEatrix by DH just says "potter" in response), maybe Betsy or Bibi

ELEANOR; only not sure because there's a hell of a lot of Ellas around us!, would probably aim for Nora or Lenny instead but you can't force nicknames!

PENELOPE; shared name with a friend's child which should rule it out but it's hanging on. Like Penny

PHILIPPA; like, but a tad unsure because of masculine name base - poor DD has some little scrotes at school taking the piss and calling her Alexander and saying she has a boys name. Grr. But I like Pippa and Philly as NNs

MADELEINE - DH not a lover

MARGARET - like Maggie or Meg as nicknames

ROSALIND - like Rosie, Roz and Sally as nicknames

I'll get there in the end! Right now if this kid kicks me any more she'll be called Satan!

Rosalie 😍
Or Penelope and Violet as a middle name😍

Love:

Claudia
Vivienne
Cecila

Not keen on nns for Eleanor.

Rosalind

Or Nell as nn for Eleanor