Pick me a new name!

[NewNames23]

Makes a change from baby names I guess

I am wanting to change my first name and need ideas. Criteria is that it has to be obviously female and not mistaken for any other name or be able to be spelled or pronounced a different way. Can't use my middle name as nobody can spell that

I've NC so I can give you my name now if anyone wants to know
Nothing is jumping out at me so turning to MN for names I might not have thought of

And I'm 41

I agree that using something that's a version of your own name would be good, especially if you don't yourself dislike it! Good names to avoid confusion would be Nell (love this), Elle, Dee Dee, Ellie or Della.

Clare
Grace
Sarah
Emma
Mary
Kate
Maud
Rose

In your words of wanting a name that people don't ' fuck up ' , I think you will have to go for something fairly plain & simple - Mary , Rose , Julie , Susan , Claire , Jane , one syllable type of name.

Ivy
Ruby

I like Dana, I only ever met one lady with this name and she was/is lovely

Its easy to spell and surely can only be spelt one way, which is just how it sounds

Grainne
Alathea
Aoife

Anya
Alice
Hazel
Phoebe
Chloe
Lucy
Grace
Emma
Fiona
Elizabeth
Rachel
Caroline
Freya

OP, you must let us know what you eventually decide...

Eleanor
Catherine
Naomi
Rachel

Oh this is fun.

Can you just go up the family tree a couple of generations to pick a name?

-What is your stance on abbreviations?
-Will you get cross if people can't spell the thing? "Phoebe" is not great for that

• Would you like a name that can be abbreviated 1+ times for different friendship/work groups (Elizabeth = Liz+ Beth+Betty or Eliza)?

How many syllables in your surname and does it start with a vowel?

Names (sort of) date a person so it might be worth googling the "Times top girls names DoB"

I’m surprised people have such trouble with such a well known name as Danielle. Who are those idiots?

Id avoid Iona as there is different pronounciations.

Something like Dana is great. Not too wildly different but an established name

Natalie

That’s annoying. Have you/would you try Daniella? It might read more obviously as a female name.

Otherwise to save a bunch of hassle I’d so for something that could be a short form.

Ella
Anna - or Annie, Nancy, Nina (traditionally nns for Anne)

or stretch it to Diana? (You have all the letters!)

All v feminine names

I am not a fan or Dana or Dani myself, they are a bit 80s backing singer now on her uppers…

Dana I'm thinking I would get da na or dane ah so...

Anne/Anna/Annie any variation is a no as it's a family name
My surname is one syllable and ends with an E

How is it possible to have more than one pronunciation of Iona?

Eye-own-a

Jennifer
Rachel
Amber
Leanne
Leah
Lisa
Diane
Marie
Laura
Lauren
Lynn
Ruth
Kerry
Kelly

@Sugarfree23 TBF if they can't manage Danielle, Iona might be a stretch

I got another email from a distant colleague today with "Hi Daniel"
Replied through gritted teeth "it's Danielle"
Managed not to add that the clue was in the email address and the signature

Even my dad is "but why? It's never been a problem before the last few years"

@Sugarfree23 the Welsh pronounciation is like Yonna. It’s also a unisex name

I didn't know there is a Welsh pronunciation of it. I've only heard it as in the Island or as a girls name after the island

@Sugarfree23 i live in the north wales area so the welsh version is more common to me. Thought it was worth mentioning as the op didn’t want various pronunciations. I usually prefer welsh pronunciations but actually prefer Eye-oh-na version

I'm Scotland hence never having heard the Welsh version- everyday is a school day

Danya /Danica?

Or a name which keeps the 'elle' sound of 'Danielle' (a lovely name!), like Estelle, Isabelle, Michelle etc.

Or just Elle - Ellie for short.

I feel your pain, by the way. I've got a name which is a pretty well-known, standard girls name here in the UK. However, I lived abroad from age 1- 9 and in Europe the name is overwhelmingly 'male' (especially when you factor in the confusion of pronunciation!). It was pretty annoying having to constantly correct people - my mum still says that with hindsight she would have chosen the European female equivalent!

What about Daniela? No Daniel-ing then.

Lucy
Molly
Anna\ Anne
Mary/ Mary Rose/ Rosemary
Lotta
Rose
Minna
April
Josephine

Charlotte?

Emma?
Jessica?
Katherine?
Rebecca?
Jennifer?

They might not be terribly exciting, but they're all solid, well known names.

I'm 41 and my name is Megan if that helps? I've always thought it an ok name to have.