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Baby names

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Original poster

Alaina, Elena or Poppy?!

62 replies

GraceMF · 22/08/2023 16:52

We had Poppy lined up as a name for our baby girl but have since come across the name Alaina (a-lane-a) and we absolutely love it! Not sure if to go with Alaina or Elena as a spelling? Like the first spelling more as it's a bit less matchy matchy with our first daughter's name.

Our first daughter is called Eloise (goes by Ellie) though, is it too close?!

We would probably call her by her full name or Lanie for short.

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Theoldwoman · 23/08/2023 00:34

Mmm I like Elena but wouldn’t go for another E name.

What about Alana?

CallieQ · 23/08/2023 00:36

Go for Poppy

OhLookIveChangedMyNameAgain · 23/08/2023 00:43

I like Poppy, though I know quite a few little ones called it because it’s quite popular.
I like Alaina.
Elena I think you will have pronunciation problems.
Im not convinced Alaina goes with Eloise though.
What about Liana?

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 23/08/2023 00:48

How about spelling it Alayna or Aleyna as no way of getting the pronunciation wrong.

https://www.thebump.com/b/aleyna-baby-name#

Another Al name I love is Alia

Aleyna - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity

Learn about the baby name Aleyna including baby name meaning, gender, origin, and more.

https://www.thebump.com/b/aleyna-baby-name#

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 23/08/2023 00:50

Eloise & Aleyna go together really well if that's something you are also wanting.

user1492757084 · 23/08/2023 00:50

Eloise and Elena are too close.
Alaina is okay though I prefer Alanna - Ah-lann-uh - with the stress on the ANN sound. It also is less clashy with Eloise.

Poppy is also cute.

MonsterRehab23 · 23/08/2023 00:54

What about Laina? Poppy is cute though.

DramaAlpaca · 23/08/2023 02:11

Alaina is nice, and a bit different.

Poppy is twee. Cutesy and twee. I don't think either of those are good attributes for a name.

DaftyLass · 23/08/2023 02:48

I have an Aliina , pronounced ah-lee-nah , she loved it as a child as she was the only one in her class with that name. She still likes it, even as a grown up now

Soulstirring · 23/08/2023 03:01

I know an Elena, pronounced as you say, but she is European.

i think Eloise and Elena are fine, sound very different. Much prefer that to Poppy

CrazyArmadilloLady · 23/08/2023 03:04

God, I’d hate to be called Poppy. 😩

Alaina looks cobbled together.

Elena is lovely.

TheaBrandt · 23/08/2023 03:06

We have very different tastes in names. Really don’t like your first choices and too similar to your existing child’s name.

I don’t think poppy translates into adulthood at all - it’s ok for a toddler but cringe when she gets older particularly if she has a more serious personality or a professional job.

ElizaMulvil · 23/08/2023 03:13

Poppy is just dreadful. What are you thinking? Can you imagine being landed with that a name an adult? She'll no doubt be changing t by dead poll.

JenniferBarkley · 23/08/2023 03:15

I think Poppy is lovely - then I every November I realise it could have a political interpretation! I live in NI where that could particularly be true so perhaps less of an issue where you are (and depending on your own views may even be a pro).

I like Elena and would pronounce it as you've said but I think it's too close to Eloise (which is lovely).

TheaBrandt · 23/08/2023 07:10

I feel the same about all the cutesy names - Daisy etc. so many disagree with me tho as these are very well used

LlynTegid · 23/08/2023 07:12

Poppy. Please don't give your child a lifetime of having to spell out her name.

FedUpMumof10YO · 23/08/2023 07:14

Poppy is overused IMO

And the other two are pronounced differently. I think Alaina would get so many different spellings and people might not know how to pronounce.

Peony654 · 23/08/2023 07:21

Poppy is nice. Alaina is setting her up for a lifetime of spelling and pronouncing her name

Bax765 · 23/08/2023 07:26

I think Poppy is the nicest name out of those.

CrazyArmadilloLady · 23/08/2023 09:30

LlynTegid · 23/08/2023 07:12

Poppy. Please don't give your child a lifetime of having to spell out her name.

I’ve had a lifetime of spelling out my name (think ‘necessary on a bike?’).

Give me my name over Poppy any day of the week.

specialk9 · 23/08/2023 09:43

I have a Poppy. She's 14 now and currently loves her name. Hated it between 11-13y. Who knows how she feels when she's older ?

You can't guess whether they will hate or love it when they're an adult. I don't hate my name but it's quite 'meh' (think 80s popular) but like others have said most of my peers have similar names. As will my daughters peers when she reaches adulthood - Lily, Daisy, Ruby, Ivy, Violet, Rosie - just some of her friends names. So it's not like Poppy is going to stand out!

Also is it that popular now ? She's the only one of two Poppy's in the whole school (over 1200 students so let's say 600 females)

I like Alaina. Eloise and Alaina sound nice together, but not sure on Ellie and Lainie.

blinkbonny · 23/08/2023 13:36

I like Alaina and like that spelling. I also believe Poppy is great for a little girl but less great for an adult. However, so many more Poppies around nowadays that it may well be totally normalised by the time your DD is an adult!

Congratulations on your new arrival when she comes.

salamithumbs · 23/08/2023 14:00

I work with an Alaina and I really like the name! It might cause spelling problems if people assume it's spelt Elena, but I doubt it would cause pronunciation problems as it makes sense phonetically. And anyway, a lot of names need to be spelled out.
I also like Alina ( reminds me of the ballerina Alina Cojocaru) and Alana.

Think Elena is too similar to Eloise, and I'm not really a fan of Poppy!

ChocolateCinderToffee · 23/08/2023 16:04

Half the pets I know are called Poppy. Elena is nice.

wakeuptooearly · 23/08/2023 16:46

weebleswobblebuttheydontfalldown just say you don't like the name, I don't believe for a minute you know multiple Poppy's who use their middle name,It's a really common name in teens m, and 20's