Thoughts on shortlist

[SecondBabyGirl]

Name-changing for the millionth time so I can ask for feedback on my shortlist. DD2 due in a few weeks and we have a lot of names that we quite like but none that I'm totally in love with.

First name options:
Freya
Florence - these are my top two I think
Violet
Iris
Frida
Ada
Francesca

Middle name options - she will have two to match her sister.
Any of the above that we don't use as a first name, plus:
Matilda - think I'm leaning towards this as the first middle name, or possibly Francesca
Etta
Scarlett
Summer
Poppy
Olive

I quite like Freya or Florence followed by Matilda followed by a two syllable name e.g.
Freya Matilda Violet
Freya Matilda Poppy
Florence Matilda Iris etc

My main reservations about both Freya and Florence is that they're relatively popular whereas our DD1 has an unusual name that is between 200-800 in the popularity list depending on how it is spelt. It ends in an 'ee' sound so we have been trying to avoid anything also ending in 'ee'. I wondered if Frida was a more unusual alternative to Freya/Florence? Or something else completely. But I can't find much else that is unusual that I really like, Ada is now really popular too. I'm also a bit unsure about nicknames for Florence, she could end up as Florrie which I'm not overly keen on.

Thoughts?

Other random ones I like but would take some convincing DH:
Margot
Marianne
Vita/Etta/Esme (only for a middle name)

I really like Freya - not sure it’s as popular as it used to be? If it is then Freda (which is the usual UK spelling) is a nice alternative.
Marianne is lovely and not overused.

Violet, Margot and Iris I really like, Florence is OK - but all 4 very popular. Francesca is OK, not overused. Ada I don’t like, but it’s popular.

Other thoughts - Thora, Stella, Oona, Vivienne, Cassia, Serena, Meredith, Lois, Ines, Frances, Diana, Adela

Why not Matilda as a first name? I really love it.

@Tamingofthehamster I really like it too but DH likes it but is apparently slightly put off by the Roald Dhal connection . So he says it's ok as a middle name but not as a first.

Freya Matilda is lovely, or Iris Francesca. From your second list for middle names I only really like Summer.

Other ideas - Flora instead of Florence? Carys/Cerys, Bethan, Lois, Hazel, Erin

Have you thought of any one syllable options for the second middle name? Otherwise could be a bit of a mouthful depending on your surname. I love Faye.

I like Faye but our best friends have just had a Faye!

I do have some other single syllable names but not many; I like grace but feel it’s become a bit too popular and just seems like a filler. I like Faith and Hope (not together!).

Our surname is a single syllable so it’s not too bad in terms of overall name length!

I really like Cerys although I associate with that being a Welsh name and we have no Welsh connections! I suppose that doesn’t matter though. I also like Erin but our DD1 name begins with an E so I had tried to avoid E names.

100% Violet is my fav it's what we would of called our baby had it been a girl but we're having a boy and totally stumped on names 🙄🙄

I really like:

Violet
Iris
Frida
Ada

How about:

Ivy
Fern
Leila
Cara
Camille
Camellia
Iona

Alternative names-

Harriet
Richmal
Verity
Trixie
Tara

Marianne would be my choice - classic, pretty but not too popular. I also like uncommon Vita and Frida (although I see Vita as more of a nn for Victoria and I slightly prefer Frida spelt Freda).

While I'm a bit "meh" at Francesca, it's an elegant name that's not overused. I also don't mind Matilda, Etta or even trendy Summer, I just don't love them.

Freya, Florence, Ada, Iris and Esme are very pretty but just too popular for me, and I've never liked Scarlett, Poppy, Olive or Violet, sorry. Would you consider the more elegant (and less well used) Shakespearean Viola instead? Or perhaps similar feeling Jessamine, Dahlia, Celia or Cora?

Thanks for all the ideas. Please keep suggestions coming!

I am undecided on spelling of Frida/Freda - I know the more common spelling in the UK is Freda but I’m worried that people might pronounce it phonetically ie Fred-uh. I have also seen it spelt Frieda but again could be pronounced Fried-uh like fried eggs . Hence why I thought Frida was the most obvious spelling in terms of how to pronounce it?

Of the other suggestions so far I like Cora, Verity, love Ivy but we have two sets of friends with an Ivy (so many names have been taken by family or close friends!). I like Fern for a middle name and also maybe Celia.

I like Flora but our surname rhymes with the ‘Flor’ sound So I feel like that rules it out.

Winifred nn Freddy

Winifred Iris Francesca
Winifred Iris Matilda
Winifred Esme Scarlett

I love Frida! Definitely that spelling. I also like Ada, Iris, Florence and Matilda.

Erica, Ingrid seem similar to Frida (or Anifrid nn Frida like the ABBA singer)
Ines
Fabia, Fiona
Marion, Merryn

First name options:
Freya - love
Florence - love
Violet - I like this written down but have to say it depends on your accent. I'm from up north and it can sound pretty bad in some northern accents for example.
Iris -lovely
Frida - dislike
Ada - dislike
Francesca - love

Middle name options
Matilda - lovely
Francesca - lovely
Etta - really like this!
Scarlett - I like scarlett but it's more of a first name than a middle name to me but I'm not sure why
Summer - not to my taste but nothing wrong with it
Poppy - dislike
Olive - I didnt used to like this name but it has grown on me as its popularity increases

I think we have similar taste op!

How about Farrah?

I think Florence and Freya are nice but so overdone they're becoming a bit dull now. Soon to be in the Lily/Evie/Ava camp I think. Between the two I'd definitely choose Florence and love nickname Flo.

My favourotes on your list (by far) are Iris and Frida.

I'd choose Iris Matilda Scarlett
Or Frida Scarlett Matilda

Freya - dulled by overpopularity. Don't like Frey
Florence - ok, will be Flo or Floss
Violet - nice written down but Vilet IRL
Iris - ok
Frida - ok
Ada - dislike
Francesca - too frilly for me

Middle name options - nobody uses them much.
Etta - Ate a
Scarlett - ok
Summer - not keen
Poppy - ok
Olive - no
Margot - Maggot
Marianne - not keen, prefer Mary or Maria
Vita/Etta/Esme - no

I like the name Freya. Always thought it was similar to Farah which is lovely as well. Have always liked Etta too.

Hmmm lots to think about thanks!

I am going off Florence mainly because I don't think any of the shortenings (Flo/Floss/Florrie) go well with our surname. Plus it is very popular, but so is Freya and I think I still really like it. Argh.

Frieda/Frida/Freda still a contender but the spelling is throwing me off and part of me wonders if it's too 'out there'.

Iris might be a nice compromise as it is fairly common but not too uncommon and still has a slightly unusual feel too it.

Winifred and variations I'm not overly keen on. Plus we have a good friend with DD Winnie and I think that would be a more obvious shortening (which I'm not actually that keen on).

This is much harder than it was with DD1! I think I also have a bit of a feeling that we have used up our favourite names already... which makes me feel bad. Never considered that we might have another DD for some reason, and we used our second favourite girls name (Martha) as a middle name for DD1!