Girls names: Honora, Seraphina, Leonora - too unusual?

[scotscorner]

Hi! Expecting number 2 and looking for a girl’s name (to go with Alexandra aka ‘Alex’ big sister). Husband quite keen for it to also be Greek in origin…

I like names which are elegant, not too common and have a nice shortening option.

I think top choice at the moment is ‘Honora’ which we would shorten to ‘Nora’ day to day. Also like Seraphina (to be shortened to ‘Nina’ probably) and Leonora (aka Nora) but worry they’re too ‘frilly’ especially as the child will have the misfortune of a long surname.

Thoughts on these names and any other ideas?

They're too frilly next to Alexandra, and I suggest Diana or Olympia.

I think they do sound too unusual compared to Alexandra which is beautiful but a well known name.
Other Greek names that are have a more similar vibe to Alexandra are Penelope, Sophie, Elena

I like all 3 don’t like Nora at all. Or Nina.

I prefer Honor to Honora
I prefer Leo or Leonor as a dim to Leonora

I think Alexandra and Leonora or Seraphina go very well together.

Other suggestions:

Cosima
Venetia
Raffaella

I like all of these, but Seraphina is definitely my favourite- so pretty!

As well as Nina, you have Sera (very close to Sara/Sarah) as a nickname option, or even Raffi, or Fina if she wants something more unusual- I have a relatively unusual name that is still recognizably a name and I really wouldn't say it has harmed my life in any way (beyond not being able to find my name on a key ring souvenir). Now, with so many customisation options on the internet, even that wouldn't be an issue.

Definitely pick whichever one of these is your favourite, they are all lovely!

IF, IF, IF looking for a same-name example, there is the very impressive philosopher Baroness Onora O'Neill
https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/fellows/onora-oneill-FBA/

Love seraphina 😊 also, a la noughts and crosses, sephy is a lovely nickname. Not overly keen on honora, but Nora is nice as a nickname

Helena - Lena or Nell
Althea
Celeste
Cordelia

Thanks so much for all the suggestions so far - a lot of these are on our list or have been considered so you’ve definitely got the vibe right ☺️

Seraphina definitely seems to be getting the most love and I do think it’s a beautiful name. It’s just a little more frilly than is my usual style!

Dorothea also coming up a lot - I think I might prefer Theodora to Dorothea but both nice and going to think about. I think Theo and Alex sound quite nice together? (Kind of like the gender ambiguity).

That’s what I thought - far more elaborate and a different vibe than Alex. Nora on its own would go nicely.

Love Honor, don’t know where to put them emphasis on Honora and think it’s a mouthful anyway.

I vote just Nora! Especially with long surname.

They're all beautiful names.

I especially love Leonora, but Honora and Serafina are not far behind.
Nora is a lovely diminutive imo.

Don't overthink it. Don't doubt your taste. The opinions of others are irrelevant. If you love a particular style of name, go for the one you love the most in that style.

I'm.a big fan of Alexandra but find your current 3 name choices very sing songy / frilly and not to my taste unfortunately.

If pushed I'd go Leonora as I love nn Leonie

Stunning names. All my favs! I love Leonora most of all. What about Rosalind? All your names have an air of elegance which will suit your daughter when she grows up. My daughter has an elegant name and she loves it and makes her feel distinguished. Nothing quite like a bit of 'distinguishment'!

I prefer Honor to Honora.

Theodora is gorgeous and Alex and Theo are lovely together.

Nora or Norah is a lovely name all by itself.

I do have this weird thing where I hate a shortened version of a name to start with a different letter to the actual name.

If you're open to alternatives:

Penelope
Charis
Josephine
Celestine
Daphne
Juno
Harriet
Emmeline
Matilda
Susanna
Cecelia
Beatrix
Philippa
Imogene
Francesca
Mirabel
Clara
Eloise
Xanthe
Saskia

But I really love Leonora and I don't feel it's at all "out there" or unusual.

Leonora is lovely and could also be shortened to Nora, Leo, Leonie, Lee. Love it.

I loved both Dorothea and Theodora but only Theodora made it to our shortlist. I liked Teddie as a nickname or Dora maybe.

We didn’t use it in the end but I’ve still got a real soft spot for Theodora. And I think it goes really nicely with Alexandra. They both balance a bit of frill and femininity with punchy and solid really well imo.

Personally I think they’re ghastly but each to their own. Gender neutral names may seem fun but both are majority male names and a lifetime of being addressed as Mr gets wearing, believe me.

Ariadne

love them all, particularly Seraphina, nn Sephy is gorgeous ❤️ also calliope? That’s a lovely Greek name.

My choice would be Leonora nn Leonie. Goes really nicely with Alexandra/Alex and is unusual, but also classic (think Leonora Carrington, modernist painter). Also love Helena. Seraphina too, nn Sera.

I have to say I dislike the name Nora, but probably because I had a host of very aged great-aunts called Auntie Nora, now long dead (big extended Irish side of the family!) So I think of it as terribly outdated, 1910s and 1920s generation (other great-aunties of that vintage were Gertie, Gladys, Mildred, Nellie, and so on…)!

Love Leonora Carrington - just read her biography.

And for a shortening of Theodora I really like Thea rather than Theo - Alex and Thea is lovely.

Leonie is still my fave though!

They sound like fabric softener names to me. Or like they’d be sat making daisy chains as the bees buzzed around them under a tree. Too fluffy.

What about Leandre with the nn Lee? Greek and keeps the gender ambiguity.