Rowan, Odessa, Delphi - thoughts?

[Amelia786]

Hello!

We're due our first DD in December and struggling with names.

Surname is super simple and common - so looking for something more unique.

We need the name to work in both the U.K. and US cultures.

We're thinking:

Rowan Odessa
Odessa Wilde
Delphi
Evangeline

Only concern with Rowan is that it's so common!

What do you think of the above? Thank you!

I definitely prefer Rowan as a girls name than boy but hmm if you're "looking for something more unique" then obviously don't pick Rowan. It's a top 100 name in its own right (and rising pretty fast) but there's also a tranche if very similar top 100 names that are also rising fast in popularity at the same time (like Roman and Reuben) which make the name feel much more popular than it already is. Plus there's also Ronan, Rohan, Roan. You get the gist.

I love Delphine and like Evangeline (though that could get shortened to Evie which is likely far too popular for you but shed likely be the only Evangeline in the school even if she's not the only one with nickname Evie)

I like the meaning and history behind Odessa . Hadn't heard of the name before

Odessa is lovely and uncommon

Wow - Odessa Wilde 😍 Absolutely gorgeous.

I agree with @Whatsyourflavaabout Rowan. Your other choices are much better but Odessa certainly wins! I also love Odette.

Beautiful names, wish I had the confidence to be so bold with our choices! X

I love Rowan - we used it as as middle name for DD. But I’m glad we didn’t choose it as a first name because of what @Whatsyourflava said. I’m a bit of a name geek and obsessively checked the ONS stats before settling on a name - Rowan’s still not overly popular for a girl (417th last year, which was actually down on the previous year), but combined with the many more boy Rowan/Rohan/Romans it does feel trendy now.

I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to go with Odessa (my taste is more ‘quirky classic’), but it’s lovely and sounds amazing with Wilde. Prefer Delphine to Delphi, and Evangeline is far too frilly for me (plus the world doesn’t need yet another Evie!)

Love these names!
Odessa is my favourite.

Great selection!

My order of preference would be-

Delphi
Odessa
Evangeline

I wouldn't consider the name Rowan any further if you're wanting something even slightly different. There is a lot of Rowan and Roman's about in the last couple of years and looking at the official statistics graphs, both names could be top 40 or 30 soon. Names like Ezra, Arlo or Roman/Rowan are very 2020. Nice names but don't even entertain them if popularity is a factor for you. I notice that the same applies in both the UK and US with Roman/Rowan recent upsurge in popularity.

Odessa is a straight no. nn Odd.
Delphi - Delphine on BC
Evangeline - will be Evie or Eva, both overused.
Rowan - ok but unisex and popular.

I'd go for Delphine or Vanessa.

Rowan is my favourite by far.
Odessa - no. As in the port city in Ukraine? I just think of the Cold War - the Odessa Files etc.
Delphi - a bit odd. As in the Oracle of Delphi? Could be OK. Perhaps a bit harbinger of doom-y. The myth of Oedipus and all that.
Evangeline is too frilly.

I confess I love Odessa- because that is where my beloved grandmother was born.

It is a wonderful place - not been there since 2002 but loved it.

Oh Odessa Wilde would work brilliantly in both cultures.

what a great choice!!!!!

Love Delphi, very pretty.

I know of a Delphi and Delphine under the age of 5 and I feel really sorry for them both as they are both nicknamed 'Delly Belly' or simply 'Belly'

Poor girls, can't imagine secondary school for either of them with those nicknames!

I love Rowan on a boy or girl. I know maybe 5, all different ages.
The others are a bit too out there for me and I lean towards nature names anyway.

To me Rowan is a boys name, probably because it’s really popular and I only know boys with it. I like delphine but delphie sounds like a nn of it.
I love evangeline, but again getting more popular now, I know several babies with it so had to cross it out.
Odessa Wilde is really cool though

They are OK, but I also hear just the place names for both Odessa and Delphi.

Do you have any direct links to either place? In which case that makes more sense.

Delphi is nice. How about Daphne.

Ottoline or Coralie might also be names you might like given your other choices

My baby daughter is called Rowan. I obviously liked it but I can't deny that the rising popularity of so many similar names frustrates me. Mainly Roman of course but also Ronan, Rohan, Reuben and shes even been called Ronnie by accident recently too. I hate having to specify "Rowan with a W", but it's not the end of the world. It is a very trendy name though so not one you'd pick if you say you're wanting something unique but nice otherwise if you don't mind nickname Row.

Odessa Wilde is amazing!

Absolutely love Delphi, hate Delphine.
Rowan not sure..

Love love love Delphi