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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Middle name help

37 replies

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 16:23

We've settled on Sofia for DD2 but struggling with a middle name - none of them are particularly meaningful or family names, just names we like the sound of:

Sofia Jade
Sofia Madeline
Sofia Lily
Sofia 'Something Else' (please comment your suggestion)

Don't want a name beginning with T, ending with A or anything beginning with a vowel.

OP posts:
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CrashThere · 30/12/2024 16:54

From your list, Madeleine with that spelling. Lily is OK. As middle names they won't get shortened.

Not keen on Jade, it seems a bit jaded Smile.

Sofia/Sophia is very popular, if that concerns you.

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:11

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 16:54

From your list, Madeleine with that spelling. Lily is OK. As middle names they won't get shortened.

Not keen on Jade, it seems a bit jaded Smile.

Sofia/Sophia is very popular, if that concerns you.

Thank you for your response. We are fine with the popularity of Sofia.

English is not DH's first language so we want to keep the spellings simple for his family to write and pronounce. His favourite is Jade.

I also prefer the spelling Madeleine with the extra 'e' but it would be Madeline if we did go for that name or DH would struggle.

OP posts:
Growsomeballswoman · 30/12/2024 17:12

Sofia Ellen

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:13

Growsomeballswoman · 30/12/2024 17:12

Sofia Ellen

Thank you but we don't want anything beginning with a vowel.

OP posts:
RedDeadReflection · 30/12/2024 17:13

I like Jade. I prefer a short middle name if the first name has 3 syllables.

Growsomeballswoman · 30/12/2024 17:15

Sofia Grace 😊

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:17

Growsomeballswoman · 30/12/2024 17:15

Sofia Grace 😊

Thank you, it does sound lovely but my niece is called Grace.

Also would prefer to stay away from the Rose, Grace, May type middle names

OP posts:
CrashThere · 30/12/2024 17:25

English is not DH's first language so we want to keep the spellings simple for his family to write and pronounce.
I also prefer the spelling Madeleine with the extra 'e' but it would be Madeline if we did go for that name or DH would struggle.
It's only a middle name. Poor Sofia will spend her life spelling her name to people as Sophia and Madeleine are more popular in the UK.

If your DH's first language isn't English, you could pick a name that works in that language and in the UK.

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:27

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 17:25

English is not DH's first language so we want to keep the spellings simple for his family to write and pronounce.
I also prefer the spelling Madeleine with the extra 'e' but it would be Madeline if we did go for that name or DH would struggle.
It's only a middle name. Poor Sofia will spend her life spelling her name to people as Sophia and Madeleine are more popular in the UK.

If your DH's first language isn't English, you could pick a name that works in that language and in the UK.

Oh believe me, we've tried 🤣 DD1 has a name from DH's heritage which works lovely in both languages but we've really struggled to agree on many (any) names this time round.

Hopefully 'poor Sofia' won't be too affected if we leave an extra letter out of her middle name.

OP posts:
Mumofgirls2017 · 30/12/2024 17:29

went for sofia lily but others…

sofia daisy
sofia ruby
sofia pearl
sofia belle
sofia willow
sofia winter
sofia clementine
sofia joy
sofia lucy
sofia hazel
sofia coral
sofia mabel

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 17:33

Hopefully 'poor Sofia' won't be too affected if we leave an extra letter out of her middle name. She won't but shell be saying 'Sofia with an F' a lot, I expect.

allmylifelong · 30/12/2024 17:36

Sofia Jade is the nicest

HappyMe6 · 30/12/2024 17:40

Elise, May. Belle.

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:45

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 17:33

Hopefully 'poor Sofia' won't be too affected if we leave an extra letter out of her middle name. She won't but shell be saying 'Sofia with an F' a lot, I expect.

Oh well, it'd be Sophia with a 'ph' otherwise as often happens when there is more than one common spelling to a name.

OP posts:
sel2223 · 30/12/2024 17:47

HappyMe6 · 30/12/2024 17:40

Elise, May. Belle.

Thank you, we don't want a name starting with a vowel or one of the common filter type middle names but I do like Belle.

OP posts:
Awwlookatmybabyspider · 30/12/2024 17:54

They’re all nice forced to choose though I’d say Sofia Madeleine

Other suggestions

Sofia Grace.
Sofia Isabelle.
Sofia Blossom.
Sofia Jasmine.
Sofia Daisy.
Sofia Willow.
Sofia Paige.
Sofia Miriam
Sofia Elizabeth.
Sofia Jane
Sofia Laverne
Sofia Belle
Sofia Madison
Sofia Pearl
Sofia Rosanne
Sofia Morgan
Sofia Rosabelle
Sofia Addison
Sofia Meredith
Sofia Melody
Sofia Delores.
Sofia Penelope
Sofia Jordan
Sofia Collette
Sofia Lynn
Sofia Ellis
Sofia Adelaide

Fontainebleau007 · 30/12/2024 17:55

I like Sofia Jade from your list :)
Sofia Louise
Sofia Penelope
Sofia Skye
Sofia Danielle
Sofia Genevieve
Sofia Willow
Sofia Madison
Sofia Catherine
Sofia Violet
Sofia Kimberley
Sofia Jennifer
Sofia Pearl
Sofia Daisy
Sofia Darcy
Sofia Naomi
Sofia Mae
Sofia Grace

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 18:00

@Mumofgirls2017 @Awwlookatmybabyspider @SparklesandRainbows

Thank you very much for the suggestions. A few have been vetoed by one or the other of us already but got some new ones there to discuss as well.

OP posts:
CrashThere · 30/12/2024 18:02

It's not really an issue, but Sophia has been very popular for ages, but Sofia is gaining popularity.
You can't gauge if the person will mind having the name misspelt. Some do, some don't.

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 18:06

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 18:02

It's not really an issue, but Sophia has been very popular for ages, but Sofia is gaining popularity.
You can't gauge if the person will mind having the name misspelt. Some do, some don't.

I think that depends whereabouts you are from though, doesn't it, in many more multi cultural areas of the UK Sofia is actually more popular now than Sophia is (which becomes 'Sop-Hee-Ah' when pronounced in my husbands language). We are also not sure whether our long term future will be in the UK or overseas so need the name to be easy to pronounce in both countries.

It's by the by though as we are happy with our first name choice and spelling. It's the middle name we can't agree on.

OP posts:
CrashThere · 30/12/2024 18:44

Sofia works better internationally.

It's just that in the UK, one spelling has been very popular for a long time.
It compares to something like Catherine/Katherine. Most of the pre-1980 born ones I know are a C, the ones born after 1980 K.

sel2223 · 30/12/2024 18:45

CrashThere · 30/12/2024 18:44

Sofia works better internationally.

It's just that in the UK, one spelling has been very popular for a long time.
It compares to something like Catherine/Katherine. Most of the pre-1980 born ones I know are a C, the ones born after 1980 K.

Yes, we've intentionally chosen the spelling that will work better internationally

OP posts:
LuckyBea · 30/12/2024 18:56

Sofia is a lovely name, OP. I like Madeline. The three-syllable pattern seems to flow well.

Sofia Katherine
Sofia Genevieve
Sofia Camilla
Sofia Caroline
Sofia Maria
Sofia Cecilia
would also sound good, IMO.

TheLittleOldWomanWhoShrinks · 30/12/2024 19:06

How about Lilian rather than Lily?

Other ideas with reasonably phonetic/international spelling:
Damaris
Natalie
Marianne
Kate
Felicitas
Josephine (or Josefine if you must - I admit to a personal preference for the 'ph' spelling both in this and Sophia, but obviously your choice is made)
Helen/Helene

Sunnnybunny72 · 30/12/2024 19:09

Sofia Catherine