Isla or Frankie for baby girl - can’t decide

[Emmarooney]

Hi there,

My Second daughter was born 2 weeks ago and we’re really struggling to decide between two names for her.
Her big sister is India (Indy) Rose

we either want to go for
Frankie Isla
or
Isla Frankie

Frankie is a nod to my late grandmother who was Frances but I don’t love the name Fran so concerned it would be shortened to that and that it is quite trendy vs timeless

Isla is popular but that doesn’t bother us so much as having 2 ‘I’ names. Not a huge deal but not ideal perhaps.

welcome people’s thoughts!!
Thanks!

I much prefer the flow of Isla Frankie.

I find the the -ie going into the Is- quite difficult to say the other way around

But I do think it can be difficult to have the same initial for two DC so in that sense Frankie Isla might be better. After all, it’s not that often that you’ll say the full name.

Have you said them together out loud? You'll be saying the two names together a LOT, shouting them across the playground, introducing them together etc. They either sound like you're saying "Indian Frankie" or "Indian Isla". Personally I'd go for Isla as I just couldn't unhear Indian Frankie, and worry about the small chance I met an Indian person called Frankie lol. And I think Indian isla(nd) sounds kind of cool.

Either that or you try to say the youngest first in the pairing, which won't come naturally but will avoid the issue! Then again, maybe this isn't an issue at all, and it's just me!

Please not Frankie. Give her a girl's name. How about Francesca if you don't like Frances?

@CurlewKate Frankie can be a girls name.

@Emmarooney I like Isla Frankie 😊 and there's a good chance Frankie may end up Fran as she gets older which I agree isn't as nice as Frankie. May just end up Frank though which I also quite like but depends if you'd mind?

Not a lot you can shorten Isla to 😊

I prefer Isla Frankie, and as pp said Frankie could still easily become Fran.

Isla Frances would be my choice. As a middle name you don't need to worry about the diminutive issue.

Isla is lovely. As is Frances.

Frankie is horrid.

Isla Frances has more of a similar feel to India Rose IMO, and less likelihood of anyone shortening it as it won't be used as often. I think Frankie on its own might invite a lot of 'what's it short for?' as it's not used as a freestanding name as often, not a disaster but just something to consider.

To me, Frankie is a nn so Frances Isla.

Isla is too popular at the moment.

Frances is lush! Go with that with Frankie as a nickname

Frances is classy and not common yet totally normal

Frances or Francesca nn Frankie.
Isla is too popular.

@twinmum2022 "@CurlewKate Frankie can be a girls name."

According to Mumsnet, so can James.....

I prefer Frances over Frankie.

Don't like Isla at all. Too many. Friends of ours called their DD Isla, unfortunately their surname is White. They didn't notice until it was pointed out to them. They changed her name when she was four months old.

Frankie is a boys name to me.
I like Isla but not if you already have Indie.

Frances is my favourite girls name at present, so I would go Frances Isla.

Maybe it's because I'm in Scotland but there are Islas bloody everywhere here, and it's such a whiney name. Can't stand it.

I'd go for Frankie.

@Anoushkaka that is hilarious 😂

There are a million Islas, and that's just in my child's school!

Frankie is lovely

But in that case, the problem lies with the Indy name, and that is already established. It is very easy to work with. You just shout "Indy" then "Frankie". Or walk over and collect one, then walk over and collect the other. I do not see an issue.

I'd have agreed with you before I had two kids. But actually it's very hard to avoid saying their names together. E.g. "these are my kids X and X" or "X and X like doing X". Indi is the issue, as you identified, but I think there are ways of mitigating it. I think Indi and Isla sound nice together.

I don't love Frankie as a full name but I love Frances, it's classic and classy and tbh I think Frankie is the most used nn these days, so I'd go Frances Isla and introduce her as Frankie to nip any "Frans" in the bud. (Though personally I think Fran is quite cool. 🙊)

I don't like Isla, it just feels so commonplace.

What about Ida?

I love Frankie it's super cute

Team Frankie! <3

I love this as a stand alone name!