Middle Name for Claire

[Rabbit600]

We have decided on the name Claire for our daughter, but are stuck on a middle name.

These are the potential options:

Alice
Olivia
Nancy
Maxine
Teresa
Joyce

Nancy, Maxine, Teresa and Joyce are family names (mine and husbands grandmothers names), so we would prefer to use them, but we are unsure if they go well with Claire.

I did think of shortening them, but I don't think the shortened versions work any better.

As for Alice and Olivia, they are not family names. I just like them and I think they go well with Claire. However, because they're not family names, I'm not totally sure if I've ready to commit to using either of them as the middle name.

Please help!

I prefer Alice and Olivia also.

What about Claire Joy?

Is there pressure to use a family name?

@helpmum2003

No pressure from our family to use family names. Husband and I would just prefer to use them because that's what both our family's do. Both he and I have middle names that are family names.

We did think of Claire Joy, but still not sure about it.

I couldn't stop thinking of Claire Foy, the actress!

Claire is a lovely name and a refreshing change these days.

Alice would be a nice middle name, although Claire Alicia would flow better IMHO.

Olivia works fine too. I think longer middle names go well with Claire, and that Teresa goes best of the family-inspired names.

Claire Serena
Claire Alexandra
Claire Marissa
Claire Josephine
Claire Summer
Claire Felicity
Claire Isabella
Claire Juliette

I think Claire Olivia sounds the best out of your options

Claire olivia sounds lovely

How about Claire Margaret

Claire Edith

Claire Imogen

How about Claire Elise?

Claire Teresa.

You've got good taste @Rabbit600 😊.
CLAIRE LOUISE

Oh I'm a Clare. I've never liked it, but I think it's quite cool and refreshing for a baby.

Out of your list I like Claire Olivia.

Other suggestions.
Claire Elizabeth
Claire Lucille
Claire Frances
Claire Loren

Anne goes well with Claire

I agree with PP Claire Alicia is nice.

I like Claire Olivia out of your list, I'm a claire and my name middle name ends in an e which works well.

I love Claire, so pretty.

I don't think it matters much about the middle names 'going' with the first name if you want to use family names, as they will be such a different style they probably won't 'go'. So I'd just pick two, probably both maternal grandmothers' names, and use those.

I think Olivia goes well with Claire.

I'm a Claire, and I have always liked my name.

Louise.

Claire Olivia goes best, you could always add Nancy or Joyce on the end.

Claire is a short first name and joy is also short so adding a 2 syllable name as well will flow better. Claire Olivia joy or claire Theresa joy are lovely.

I love claire. Was on my shortlist!

I think a long name balances better with Claire.

Claire Alexandra
Claire Emilia
Claire Georgiana
Claire Elizabeth

I love Claire (although slightly prefer the Clare spelling), time it made a comeback! Nicer than the currently fashionable Clara.

I am sorry to say that I find Joyce really frumpy, Joy is much nicer as suggested by pps. Maxine I also find a bit frumpy, ditto Nancy. I really like the sound of Teresa though, although I realise it's not fashionable at the moment (I suspect Teresa May didn't help with this, but never mind her).

Both Alice and Olivia are lovely names but I'm not sure how well they flow with Claire. You really need a middle name that doesn't start with a vowel sound otherwise could sound like Claire Ralice, IYSWIM.

Claire Louise is very 70s - I don't mean that in a bad way. Its my name and was also the same name as three of my classmates at the time :)

From your list I prefer Alice or Olivia. I think a one syllable first name benefits from having 2 or more syllables for the middle name.

As Claire is a long single syllable I think that the names that go best with it start with a couple of short syllables eg Claire Annabel, Claire Imogen etc. So I think that Claire Maxine works best.

The list of family names you have are lovely but I think that they would work better the other way round eg Olivia Claire or Theresa Claire. You could still use Claire as her main name. The order doesn't really matter.

I like the Clair spelling (as in de la lune).

Marie as a middle name.

Claire imogen
Claire Margaret
Claire Clementine

Oooh my name is on here. Be wary of vowel middle names. My initials spell something, and if that wasn't enough I'm a teacher so my initials are in every child's timetable!!
Good name though

Claire Joy is lovely
Claire Marie
Claire Elizabeth
Claire Amelia