Feel like finding a name we both like is impossible

[AliceRR]

Baby girl due in February

I love names Amelia, Isabella, Sophie, Sophia, Sienna, Aurora (and to shorten to Rory) but feel like they are too popular / there are too many of them

I also like Sienna, Aubrey, Rain, Summer, Priya but DH isn’t keen

DH loves Ruby. He also likes Cerys, Freida. I’m not really keen. Ruby is ok but I don’t love it.

I just feel like I don’t know how we’ll find a name and there are so few he likes. He’s a bit uncompromising about it which doesn’t help.

How do we find and agree on a name we both like? Will it be easier when she’s here??

@NameChange30 I actually would give his name as a middle name although I know that’s unusual his first name is James and my first choice was Aurora James... DH doesn’t like a boy name for a girl even if it’s his! She would have his (our) surname too.

@crunchtime I don’t want a really unusual name that makes people go “what?” but I just don’t like the idea of her being one of five Auroros or Amelias in her class...

“DH doesn’t like a boy name for a girl even if it’s his”
Well I agree with him on that. If you had a boy, would you give him your first name as a middle name? I doubt it.

I don’t know where Aurora is ranked but I very much doubt there will be 5 in any class!

I have never met an Aurora or Sienna.

Cassia
Alicia
Carina
Estella
Natalia
Victoria
Juliette
Serena
Nina
Iona
Marissa
Louisa

If the baby is having his surname, surely you should get the casting vote on the first name? If, after carrying a child for 9 months and then giving birth, you can't agree together, then it's got to be the woman's choice, surely!

I disagree. It should be a joint decision.

But then again I would like everyone to keep their own names after marriage and children to get one surname from each parent.

In my egalitarian utopia

I work in a two forms entry primary school.
Have worked in primary 10 years.

I have NEVER met an aurora or a sienna.

There are maybe two amelias in the whole school.

My two sons have incredibly common names but it genuinely has never caused any issues.

That’s interesting about Aurora. It seems quite “now”. DH has heard of two or three people naming their babies Aurora in the last few months and people seem to post about it a lot on mumsnet.

But I’ve never met an Aurora or a Sienna! I know one Sophie and have never met an Amelia or Isabella but think they are popular baby names now

Alicia and Cassia are lovely

I know loads of siennas, there are 5 that I know of in DD’s small primary school. And loads of Sophies/Sophias/Amelias. Only know one Aurora though.

DH doesn’t like a boy name for a girl

Best not shorten her name to Rory so...

But if you love the names and don't know anyone with that name then just use it!
Seriously, nobody's life is blighted by having a name that someone else has!

@crunchtime no it’s not the end of the world and I suppose you could overthink it and still end up with your child having the same name as a few other children in her class!

I used to work in childcare and now have my own in school in nursery... I know/have known or know of - give or take;

12 Amelias - 1 Emilia
7 Isabellas - 4 Isabels, 1 Isabelle and 2 Isobels
3 Sophies
2 Sophias
1 Sienna
1 Summer
1 Aurora - my own.
The rest mentioned in your OP, I know 0 of.

The only names that I have known multiple of in one class/nursery room are Amelia and Isabella/Isabel - We’d have to use NNs to address them or they were Amelia X, Y & Z. It did put me off them when naming DD but I agree that you could name your child a really unusual name and still have another in their class. When we first named Aurora it was #695 in the charts here and now it’s #241. In the UK it was #404 and now it’s #80 - popularity changes. If a certain name feels right then popularity wouldn’t bother me.

Thanks @pixieloux That’s really helpful

The thing with picking a popular name is that you’re accepting that there might be others in their class.

If you pick an unusual one then you’d be very annoyed if there were 3 others in their class!

Hmm, trying to combine both your styles, what about:

Emma
Eloise
Amber
Leonora
Annaliese
Alexandra (nicknamed Ally if your OH isn't keen on Alex/Andie etc)
Alice

I wouldn't worry too much at this stage about trying to find THE name; just trying to get a shortlist of names that meet both your styles. Then you can either pick from the shortlist or ask MNetters for further suggestions!

@finallychangedmyusername Alice is actually one of my fave names but niece (DH’s sister’s daughter) is called Alice

I have a cousins called Amber but I do like the name

Alexandra is on my list but not near the top

Annalise is a good one, hadn’t thought of that. I do seem to like names beginning with A!

I'm not keen on Aurora, which I think will date badly as the Dawn of its time, and Aubrey, which is a boy's name. I like Ruby, Carys and Frieda.
Audrey? Audrey Hepburn is an icon.
Saskia?
Annika?
Astrid?

I really like Aubrey. I came across someone who has a teenaged daughter called that and it didn’t occur to me it was a boy name as I’d never heard it but DH thinks it’s a boys name too!

I think Aurora is very “now” although it is an old name I believe.

Not sure about Audrey but I’m not ruling it out 🤔 It strikes me as too “old” but is not far off Aubrey, which I like!

I don’t like Astrid. DH think it’s “ok”

He doesn’t like Saskia. I think it’s ok

Not sure about Annika

I only know Aubrey as a boys name. Quite like Audrey though!

Stella?

Stella makes me think of cans of beer! 🍻

Some other girl names starting with A which might take your fancy!

Amy
Abigail
Autumn
April
Adelaide
Adrienne
Annabel

@finallychangedmyusername Autumn and April are on my list. I like Autumn more than April bit DH isn’t keen on either. Adelaide is a good one. Thank you. Annabel makes me think of the scary doll!!

Erin
Estelle
Freya
Saffron
Lois
Sophia
Francesca
Loretta
Seren
Carina
Hailey
Carly
Faith
Faye
Rosa
Bryony
Tamzin
Elayna
Adeline