Can't decide on baby girl name

[Purpletopaz42]

We like Melody but not Mel, don't know if we could use Mimi as a nickname instead?

We liked Selina, Sienna and Felicity but with the middle name we've chosen and our surname, they spell out not nice abbreviations, so can't use any S or F names.

I like Contessa and Arabella but DH not sure, any thoughts?

Also on our list is Anna, Naomi, Verity, Ruby, Isabella and Annabella, we like all of these but none of them are jumping out, so don't know if we'd like something else more.

Any thoughts on our name selection would be appreciated and also suggestions of any similar names we might like more, thank you

Also, if it's a boy, we've decided on Arthur but wondered if there's any other nicknames than Art or Arty? Thanks

Melody is lovely. Maybe Dee as a nn?

Not keen on Contessa. Arabella is okay.

Your list is nice.

Other suggestions:
Olivia
Esther
Hannah
Marina
Rowena

What about Celina?
I like Naomi.

Melody could maybe be shortened to Didi (to rhyme with Mimi).

And another nickname for Arthur could be Bear.

Contessa is a bit grandiose!

You seem to like Italian type names ending in A. What about Valentina or Ariana?

Anna is so classy, I also like Verity.

If you like Melody but not Mel what about Elodie?

Arabella and Ruby are jumping out to me from that list and I also like the pp suggestion of Elodie

Thank you for your comments and lovely name suggestions, given us a lot to think about. I think Dee or Didi as a Nickname for Melody is a great idea and I also really like Celina with a C. I don't know why I always think of Celine with a C and Selena with a S but Celina with a C would work really well, does anyone have any thoughts on this spelling? Many thanks

Ruby
Naomi

Both simple, sweet and pretty. Most of the others are too fancy and frilly (for my taste but obvs it’s not my baby!)

I’d throw into the mix:
Celine
Celia
Carys

Selina is nice as it is, don’t see any reason to use Celina.

I like Naomi and Verity a lot - beautiful and distinguished.

Arabella and Annabella are nice too. I would discount Isabella on grounds of overuse.. there are a lot of bella names about actually - maybe Alicia or Isadora might be alternatives?

Ruby is cute, Anna is a classic. Annalise is nice alternative.

I know one Celina - it’s a bit of a PITA for her I think. Celia, Cecilia or Carina might be alternatives?

Contessa - no. It just means countess in Italian, it’s very trailer trash. How about Cassia or Chiara?

If you don’t like Mel, I wouldn’t risk Melody - whatever you try and impose, she may well end up Mel

Other thoughts

Abriella
Fernanda
Adela
Estella
Rosanna
Cliona
Paloma
Diana
Francesca
Jessamy
Bryony
Cecily
Ismene (Is-me-ne)
Ione (Eye-oh-ne)
Vivienne
Genevieve
Marianne
Zoe
Oona
Lois
Inez

I don’t think Arthur has any other short forms really, but Ernest (Ernie), Arnold (Arnie), Leonard (Lenny), Laurence (Laurie) night be alternatives,

Cecily?

Celina is strange, sorry I wouldn't do that. Celine, yes.

I agree to go with melody nn didi if you really need to decide a nickname right now - which you don't. Same for Arthur - doesn't need a nickname. Nicknames come about organically, if they don't all, don't overthink it

I like Melody.

I wouldn't use any nickname for it at all. I know some people say that longer names will always get shortened but I know lots of people go exclusively go by three-syllable-names. Melody rolls off the tongue and I wouldn't shorten it.

Mimi is better than Mel, though and it works. I personally don't like Dee.

I am pretty sure Contessa means something in Spanish or possibly Italian. It is some sort of title (countess?). So personally I wouldn't use it.

Arthur is nice, I wouldn't use any nicknames for it and can't think of any others except for maybe Ari?

Arabella - seems trendy right now and I personally think Isabella is prettier
Anna - sorry, this is bland to me
Naomi - this is fine but feels 90s. My husband loves 90s names so he'd probably love it.
Verity - this is cute but not a favourite of mine
Ruby - pretty and on our list right now. But it was popular 20 years ago and she'd meet lots at work etc. still later on.
Isabella - on our list. Love it but some people told me it's very common where they are.
Annabella - I think it will probably be shortened to Anna which I personally find bland, sorry! I'd pick Annabel instead.

Out of these I'd pick Isabella.

Oh and Celina is common in some cultures so doesn't look odd to me. If you love it I wouldn't hesitate.

I like Verity and Ruby very much.

I'd avoid Isabella and Annabelle as they are part of the hugely popular "Belle" group of names.

I don't like Contessa, it sounds like a brand of bras, or like calling your daughter "Princess", which is fine for a pet name in the family, but could be difficult to live with outside the family.
But, have you considered Carlotta which has a similar sound?

Another thought for an alternative to Contessa is Constanza so you've still got that bit of Spanish/Italian flair and a pretty sounding name with a very nice meaning.

Anna and Naomi are great! Do you like Natalie?

I personally think you can call her Melody but when she's older she might go for Mel and you don't get a day in that.

I love Melody. Mimi works fine although risk she may hey Mel at some point.

constance
beatrice
tabitha
evelyn
lillian
violet
vivienne
juliet
rosanna
georgiana
elodie
eloise
clementine
philippa
henrietta
harriet

Naomi - Mimi
Mietta - Mimi
Miriam - Mimi

Melody is fine.

Contessa is awful. It’s Italian for Countess so it’s like calling your child ‘dame’, or ‘queen’, weird.