Dithering about girls' names!

[bellainthemiddle]

We've narrowed it down to a handful, but I'm feeling really indecisive! My family are Italian and OH is English, so we kind of want a name that works in both cultures and surname-wise (I don't want DD to have to spell out her name everywhere she goes for the rest of her life!).

OH favours Sophia, which I also like, but it seems very popular at the moment!

I like Alice (which is pronounced differently in Italian, but I also like the English pronunciation) but OH is less keen.

He really likes Georgia, which is a so-so one for me. We both like Lia, but of course it is not really English at all!

Anyone have any better ideas for multi-Euro-cultural names? :D

Emilia
Thea
Gena
Genie

A lot of Italian names work in English too. I love Lia, so simple and beautiful.

Daniela
Gabriella
Federica
Monica

They are all lovely but all very different vibes:
Georgia - quirky / trendy
Sophia - princess-y posh
Alice - simple & elegant

I also feel like Alice is one of those names that never goes massively out of fashion, if you know what I mean?

I like Emilia, but I'm worried it's maybe not going to go very well with an English surname? We're not doing double-barrelled...

OH also likes Francesca, but I'm not a huge fan!

How is it pronounced in Italian? I think it’s timeless

Sophia
Anna
Elisa
Arianna
Mia
Laura

A-lee-chay. But we would go with the English pronunciation :)

I like Elisa - will suggest and see how it goes down!

My Australian niece - Dad english, Mum of Italian heritage is Estelle which I think fits your brief well

I love Sophia.

How about Alicia, L(o)uisa or Lucia?

Isabel
Livia
Silvia
Delia

Ooh I love PPs suggestion of Lucia. Otherwise I think Emilia is fine with an English surname- look at Emilia Fox and Clarke!

Cara
Leona
Serena
Lucia
Gabriella
Lara
Madeline
Marina
Elena
Beatrice
Mia
Neve
Etta
Sienna
Chiara
Isabella
Aurelia
Aurora

I think Emilia is very common as an English name, there are several famous English actresses called Emilia.

Lucia was my first thought although I think it's pronounced differently in each language?

Anna
Alessia
Isabella
Lucia
Luisa
Maria
Rosa

Lucia is pronounced differently in Italian, but that's true of some of the others too. OH has just suggested Sara, which I do like!

Thanks for all the suggestions - we are really stuck on this, since we both really want to find a name which is both English and Italian! Neither of us are keen on the very obvious trad ones (Anna, Maria, etc.) and some of the Italian names which are super popular here (Francesca, etc.) are not really used so much now in Italy. For example, I've never met another Italian Isabella, but here in London every second child seems to be Isabella or Isabel, etc.!

Allegra, Ariana, Mathilde, Silvia. When I worked in Italy, these were the names of some of my students and all got added to my list because I thought they were gorgeous!

I like Sara

Allegra
Rosa
Serena

Oh I like Lia! Go with that!

If you both like Lia, I woulf go with that. It's a gorgeous name.

Nina?

Lucia
Mila
Verity
Claudia

Cara
Louisa
Anastasia
Greta
Lena
Trista
Coralie
Rowena
Imogen
Lena
Paloma
Eugenie
Celeste
Natalia
Eloisa
Saffron
Lisette
Freya
Iona
Aurora
Yasmin
Susannah
Carlotta
Rebecca
Stella
Claudia
Evelina

How is Lia pronounced?

I see L eye A said liar

Or more Lee a more Leah?

What about Orrianna?

Lia Rose arrived early on Sunday evening - we had to decide 6 weeks earlier than expected!