Name to honour Nan

[BBeep]

My Nan's name was Betty Adah Louise. She died last month, a few days before I told everyone I'm pregnant... I was gutted I didn't get to tell her.
She was an amazing, big part of my life. I'd really like to honour her in our baby's name, whether it's a boy or a girl.
DH doesn't like any of those three names though and I'm not sure I do either really. Can you help me think of other names that are similar or somehow related? Like, Ava and Betsy. Or for example, if my Nan's name was the Italian name Marguerita, we could use Daisy as it's a translation, that kind of thing.

Elizabeth for a girl or Louis for a boy?

Beulah? Uses all her vowels😁 it’s nice to say, Biblical, not over-used. Congrats and sorry about your Nan, she’d be touched.

Elizabeth or Eliza or Louis

Or using her initials ..
Beatrix Anna Louise
Benjamin Adam Louis

Using one name ..
Louisa

Using Nan's surname as a second name.
Naming the child after Nan's favourite colour or flower or birthplace etc.

So sorry for your loss OP such a lovely idea, I really like Bette as a name. Your Nan would be delighted I am sure.

If you don’t want to use one of her actual names (or the masculine version louis for Louise) then the only real option is the same initials.

it’s not much of an honour to use a “sounds like” name

So sorry for your loss. Betty is often short for Elizabeth which would give you Eliza, Lizzie, Beth. Louise could be Louis for a boy, Eloise for a girl. If DH isn’t keen though would he compromise on you guys coming up with your own first name together and then using one of your nan’s as a middle name?

I actually like all those names - Adah is much better than way-too-popular Ava and close enough to it to sound quite modern. I love Louisa if you don’t like Louise. Betty is a bit more love-or-hate it I think. Is it short for Elizabeth or just Betty? If Elizabeth, that is a lovely option.

Louis is the only one I can think of for a boy.

If you really don’t like any of the actual names as a first name I’d just pick something you love and use one or all of your Nan’s names as middle/s.

Eloise
Ada

I'd go with middle names so Betty or Elizabeth for a girl and Louis for a boy. If she was Elizabeth then Eli or Elias are possibilities.

I knew a Louisa whose parents wanted to honour her but didn't like the Lou short version. They called their daughter Lisa.

Typed that wrong. The grandmother was Louisa, her grandchild was Lisa and the parents didn't like Lou......

Is it possible her actual name was Elizabeth? In that case use that.
Otherwise Louise as a middle name. It is harmless and less tied to a particular decade.

I personally don't think you can 'honour' someone by saying their actual name isn't good enough so using something different.

Lily? Betty is Elizabeth. Queen's nickname was lilibet. Beth, Bethany, Eliza, Elise, Lisa, Liza, Ellie, etc.

I've just honoured a relative in our little one's name, but I loved the name itself. If unsure, you could put as a middle name.

Initials are BAL - Balonz.

You could honour her by using one of her names as a middle name, that way it's not used day to day but is still being used. I did something similar.

If your DH doesn’t like any of her names, I’d shelve the idea, or it’s just so tenuous it’s ridiculous.

Betty is Elizabeth so plenty's scope there: Beth, Eliza, Lizzie,Lisbeth

I think if you want to honour someone you have to use their actual name. Using a sounds like or similar meaning, or slightly different name, is just that. A different name. Bit pointless. If you aren't keen on the names I'd use one of her names as a middle name.

Elouise
Bettina
Adele

Not Elouise, it's horrible. Louise and Eloise are fine.

Interesting answers here! Thanks for your input!
Those saying it's pointless trying to honour her by using a "sounds like" name, well, it doesn't really matter. If we feel like it honours her, then it does. So that's all fine.
For those asking, she was just Betty. I do like the idea of using Elizabeth! And I love the idea of something like Bonnie Ava Eloise, something that has a similar ring to it but isn't the same. Like I said, if we name the child in honour of her, then it's in honour of her regardless of whether it's her actual name.
Thank you for all the suggestions, my mind is even more open now. Lots to discuss with DH, especially when we find out the actual gender!

What about something that's not related to her name, but something else that reminds you of her? E.g. May if she was born in May, Pearl if she always wore a pearl ring, some spin on a place name where she lived or that had sentimental value to her....

That's so funny. She was born in May and gave me her pearl necklace on my wedding day. Lovely ideas, thank you!

No way! That's crazy... May Pearl it is then!! 😂

I love your suggestion of Bonnie Ava Eloise , and if I knew your nan’s name I’d immediately think it was for her