My husband's list - what do you think?

[caitlinrose]

I posted names that I liked and my husband doesn't (Agatha, Astrid etc.). Now I wanted to show you the names that are on my husband's list. What do you think?

So far we are trying to find names that are in the middle somehow. I love old fashioned names and some nature names, he loves names that are a bit more on the trendy side. We are trying to compromise and names on our list so far are: Isabella, Isabelle (we still can't really decide which of these two to keep but probably Isabella), Aria, Sabrina, Cassandra, Morwenna, Ruby, Bloom (middle name only).

This is his list (some ended up on our common list but I am not really sure about Kaylie anymore as I feel like it never looks right no matter the spelling):

Kiera
Kaylie
Alexis
Samantha
Hayley
Emma
Kaya
Skyler, Skylar

Kiera and Kaylie are on our list as well. Especially Kaylie is not my style at all but I think it at least has a friendly sound even though I don't think I could agree to it in the end so might take it off.

Kiera is one I do like the sound of and it doesn't seem overly trendy to me but it feels a bit 90s and I am not sure about the spelling. Someone suggest Ciara last time and I think it looks prettier but I am worried about pronunciation issues. With Keira I wonder if it is too Knightley and Kiera seemed to be the standard form of Ciara before Knightley came along.

Alexis feels very American to me and I can't stand Alex as a nickname.

Samantha is one I would usually like (it fits into my love for mysterious sounding names such as Sabrina and Agatha) but I find it too 90s and I know way too many Sams (mostly men).

I know lots of Hayleys my own age so can't really get into it.

With Emma it does fit my style much better and I was surprised my husband likes it but I went to primary school, uni etc. with so so so many Emmas I can't even count them all.

Kaya to me is okay but I only like ky-a but fear people will say kay-a. Still it feels sort of trendy to me.

Skylar, Skyler feels trendy to me. I think I could live with just Skye but my husband just loves the sound of the full name and I can't really get on board. I can also never figure out which spelling is better.

Would be lovely to hear your comments so we can narrow it down a bit further or maybe you have some alternatives or ideas as well.

Isn’t Keira said keer-a and Ciara said kee-ar-a?

From your husband's list, I like Emma and possibly Samantha. Maybe Alex's at a push. I think the rest are awful.

Sabrina fave. SkylAr looks better than skylEr- like grammAr. Can't get on board with cassia. Cassiopeia? Your dh list sounds like girls he fancied.

I know a lovely little girl called Kaia (kye-ah). I also like kayleigh x

I know a Skylinn. Not my choice of name but it's perfectly serviceable. Another option for you on the Sky... route.

Have you considered Anna? Seems possible you might both like it. If I'd had another DD she would have been Anna Maria.

Skyla is nice how about summer
Or Freya Kayleigh is very unusual it's lovely. Don't really like any of the others !

Agatha and Morwenna sound witchy

No! Ciara is the proper spelling and Kiera/kiera is an abomination.

Emma from your husband's list.

I love Samantha, always have.

Kaya is a type of coconut jam that is wildly popular in Malaysia and Singapore- Google kaya toast! It's the equivalent of a Singaporean calling their child Marmalade.

Kiera (prefer original Ciara spelling), Emma and Alexis are ok from your husband's list. Alexia may work as an alternative to Alexis?

I really like Sabrina, Cassandra, Morwenna and Isabella from your list. Oh, and Isabelle.

What about Juliet? Your husband seems to like shorter names and it has a similar unusual feel to Sabrina, Cassandra and Morwenna (based on me liking all four).

I also think Cassia straddles both your tastes, either as a name on it's own or a nickname for Cassandra.

Alexia is a condition, sort of acquired dyslexia, I think

I only like Emma from your dh's list. The others seemed very dated.
How about Clara?

I was one of the few that liked your list OP, and I must say I don't like these at all. Some of your DH's choices are simply dull (to me!) - Emma, Samantha - and others - Kaylie?! - just feel too common and/or American.

I like Morwenna and Sabrina from your joint list. Please not Isabella, if I meet another one I might just fall asleep!

Your husbands list is a bit dated/naff/tacky - but kinda sweet that he likes those names.

All in all the most classic names (and less likely to end up with your child being judged) are Isabelle/a, Emma or Ruby.

Iona
Jessica (Jessie for short)
Allegra

From experience, men tend to lean towards dated names.
I'm guessing they are inspired by girls they went to school with as they maybe don't have a clue which names are popular now.
My OH included Wendy and Alison in his list. He went to school in the 1980s!
i'm guessing your OH was a 90s child.

That said I still love the name Emma. It seems timeless.

Yeah your husband's list sounds very dated - looks like a list of girls I went to school with tbh. If I absolutely had to pick one, I'd go for Emma as it's the most classic. I'm not mad about it though (mainly as I went to school with about 3 of them!).

My theory is that men often pick names of the pretty and popular girls at their school. 'Oh Emma was the most popular girl'. 'Hayley was that girl fancied from chemistry'. 'Kaya was the cool rebel'.

I really like Samantha from his list though and Sabrina from yours. Slight preference for Sabrina. I'd be unimpressed with my parents if they lumbered me with Agatha tho!

sorry, I basically just repeated what @Octoberautumn said!

Kiera - yes
Kaylie - misspelling of Kylie but still no
Alexis - Alexandra or Alexa
Samantha - meh 1980s how about Sabina or Selina
Hayley - ok
Emma - Emilia
Kaya - no
Skyler, Skylar - awful made up

Alternatives:

Iona after the Scottish Island
Floral names:
Calla
Delphine
Heather
Azalea
Zinnia
Erica
Rose
Jasmine
Violet
Iris
Dahlia
Flora
Camellia
Aster
Hazrl
Holly
Ivy
Lilah
Cassia

I don't really like any on your husband's list I'm afraid - the only ok one is Emma and I wouldn't choose that as I know so many of all ages! I also know a few people called Emelia, Emmeline, Emily... My DP's list was mostly a list of popular 80s names - Heather, Samantha, Emily etc. They all got ruled out because I'd also gone to school with girls with those names.

How is Kaylie pronounced? I'm reading it like the Scottish word ceilidh. I wouldn't name a child that (because I'm in Scotland and it's an everyday word here) but if you like the sound, what about names like Eilidh? I know one who pronounces it 'Ay-lee' and another as 'Ellie' - both are Scottish but from different areas.

I do like Morwenna, but what would her friends call her at school? Wen? Isabelle/a is pretty and so is Cassandra, and both have a variety of nicknames. Aria is pretty too but depending on pronunciation and regional accents might end up as Arry and then Harry!

50% yuk. Kaylie. Yuk etc