Eirlys or Rose as middle name?

[Sailinghappy]

Hello!

Looking for opinions , here’s the dilemma:

We are due our baby girl at Christmas. We love the name Athena Rose. However, Eirlys (Welsh meaning snowdrop) has a lot of family meaning and we are tempted to use Eirlys as the middle name instead since she’s due at this time of year. Does Athena Eirlys sound too “out there”? I think Rose is simpler and sounds better with such a statement first name - we just like the meaning of Eirlys really.

So... Athena Rose or Athena Eirlys? Wr don’t want two middle names.

Thanks very much!

Honestly I think Eirlys is the nicest of all three of the names.

It really doesn't matter what the middle name is, it doesn't get used. Pick what you prefer.

Both are very pretty Athena Snowdrop would sound too 'out there', but the Welsh version is lovely.

Rose. Because I know how to pronounce it, and I like it.

Eirlys of course.

Rose is the default, 'filler' middle name du hour. Eirlys is much more interesting.

Eirlys

Eirlys, especially as she's a winter baby.

Thanks all!! Eirlys has a lot of meaning for us and the family so it’s the nicer choice for that reason... I do think Rose is beautiful though, it’s my favourite flower and it sounds nicer with Athena? We are torn!

Eirlys was dm's middle name. It does look v pretty and the meaning is lovely - but it's very hard to pronounce correctly. That (and the fact dm hated it!) were the reasons we didn't use it for dd.

Also think that with Athena it's a bit of a mouthful - but Athena Rose is v pretty.

Eirlys for sure. Rose is the default middle name so loses its impact. I prefer the sounds of Athena Eirlys too.

Eirlys Rose! At least I think so - how do you pronounce it? I remember this name from one of the Snow Spider trilogy, but don't know how you're supposed to say it!

We are set on Athena as her first name. Eirlys is pronounced “AYR-LISS” - think “hay” without the “h” then add the “r” sound and a soft “liss” like “kiss”. It is definitely a mouthful with Athena and Rose sounds much nicer in my opinion, but then I wonder if that matters for a middle name and if the meaning is more important? Hmmm undecided!

Eirlys. Would be DDs name after her granny, but granny hated it so I'd feel bad giving her a name I knew her namesake hated! I love it though.

Definitely Eirlys

Rose is a boring filler name (although lovely), choose the interesting name that has meaning for you

If she is to be your first perhaps keep Eirlys in case there's a second?

I think it would be a real mouthful with Athena.
Though, as others have said, you only use your middle name on very rare occasions - but public ones.... graduation / wedding..... so it wouldn't matter too much if difficult for many people to say.

Athena Eirlys Rose. Gorgeous.

I really don't think it matters whether the first and middle names "flow" because middle names are so rarely used. Interesting regarding the correct pronunciation of Eirlys though - there was a girl of that name in my DD's class and she was known as Elise pronunciation wise - her mother was Welsh too.

Athena Rose is gorgeous

Eirlys 100%

Rose makes me yawn.. So bored of seeing it now.

Eirlys is lovely (I’d forgotten about the Snow Spider!).

Eirlys pronounced Eye-rr-liss (v difficult to write phonetically!!)

Non native speakers tend to say Eye - a-liss IME? Not as pretty IMO

I think there are regional differences in pronunciation, but we pronounce it as “au” and so would our friends and family.

“AY” that should say

Ah ok - Mum was S Wales so can only speak for that area.

Main issue for non Welsh speakers is the 'rrr' sound in the middle, without that it's just not the same IMO