A sister for Anna

[BigCheddar]

My daughter is called Anna. I love her name; to me, it is elegant, simple, classic, timeless and international. I'm now expecting number two, and if it's a girl, I'd like to choose a name with similar qualities, and a similar "feel". Here is our list so far - I'd love to get some opinions on which would be the best of these options, as well as any suggestions of names you think would work well.

Emily
Lucy
Isobel
Naomi
Iris
Mary
Frances
Rose

I like Iris and Isobel.
Laura would also be lovely.
How about Caroline?

Mary

Anna and Francesca go perfectly in my opinion but that’s because Anna is one of the family names on the Italian side of my family. I love them both.

So many lovely suggestions - thank you! I should probably have added that we'd prefer to avoid another name beginning or ending with A (and names ending in N don't really go with our surname). Also, although Sophie, Rebecca, Rachel, Grace, and Elizabeth are all great suggestions, they're also all names of family members, so ideally I'd rather not use them.

@gracelessladyhottramp I suspect you're right, and there's no other name as perfect as Anna!

@Crowsaregreat @Yika As above, I suspect we won't find another name quite like Anna, so some of the names on the list are not necessarily international, but they fit the bill in other ways.

Rosa and Maria are good suggestions, Sofia, Sarah/Sara/Zara, Lara all have similar feel to me.

I love Anna, I would have had it for my daughter but we already have a close family member called Anna.

Names I think sound lovely together and have a similar feel are:

Anna and lucy
Anna and Emily
Anna and Kate
Anna and Eve
Anna and Jessica
Anna and Juliet
Anna and Charlotte
I also think Anna and Dorothy sound like a great combo.
Let us know what you go for and congratulations xx

Sarah
Sophie
Esther
Ruth
Louisa
Caroline
Helena
Christina

Lucy

Ines

Beatrice

Valentina

Stella

Greta

Emma

Lara

Miranda

Grace!

I know an Anna and Grace (mother and daughter) but they are the two names that simply just go together and they are fabulous people!

Nina
Lucy
Sofia
Katrina

Lucy and Emily are the best options on your list IMO.

If international matters because you have family in countries which speak other languages then names with very different pronunciations in both / all your key languages may be worse choices than well known English names which everyone has heard of and knows how to pronounce without wanting to change to the "correct" pronunciation in a given language - someone suggested Laura and the pronunciation of that name is wildly different in different languages, for example. I don't think Mary is international either - its "translated" as Marie where I live, and the same for Frances which becomes Franziska...

Louise

Elise
Catherine (Kitty)
Louise
Rachel

Sophia fits the bill but having to spell it is a consideration - Sophia or Sofia?

Anna means grace so using both could beva bit awkward the day Anna asks you what her name means...

I think Anna's a wonderful name for all the reasons you list. Hard to match. From your list I like Isobel and Iris. I can't really help with new suggestions but I do like Beatrice as it feels similarly suitable for grown women as well as little girls.

Love Mary

Also either Elizabeth or Laura

Lucia
Eleanor
Olivia
Eva
Rose or Rosa

I instantly thought Grace.

What about Alice - yes it is the same initial so may be a hassle for letters etc but is a very different sounding name to Anna but similarly classic and lovely.

Who else thought Elsa immediately 🤦🏻‍♀️

Lucy, Imogen, Harriet or Charlotte?

Anna and Rose is just perfect.

I am an Anna.

My sisters are Elizabeth and Emily. They both go well with my name I think.

Love Lucy too.

Anna is so elegant, classic and international that I'd be searching for similar too. Emma sprung to mind but it's possibly a bit too similar... For me the names that most remind me of Anna in style are:

Julia
Eva
Laura (or possibly Lara)
Sarah (or possibly Sara)
Sophia
Louisa
Maria (rather than Mary)
Helena (or possibly Elena)
Isabel (rather than the Isabelle/Isobel spellings)

Of your current choices Rose is by far the closest in style to Anna to me - simple and classic (although I'm not sure how international it is - possibly Rosa is more well used in other countries).

My name is Anna, my sisters are called Heidi and Josephine
My daughter is called Matilda.
I think all of these names sound nice with my name