'Frilly' name lover - I need help!

[CakeandRoses]

DH and I are at a total stalemate with girl's names for DC2 (due July), altho we're sorted for a boy's name and I'm starting to hope we have another boy just so the name isn't an issue!

The couple of girl's names we partially-agreed on have issues with them which mean we probably can't use them (Violet is the name of a much disliked relative of his and Delilah semi-rhymes with our surname). The only one still on the table is Clementine but we're not absolutely sure in the way we are with the boy's name we've chosen.

I adore frilly girl's names such as Aurelia, Angelica and Arabella (they don't actually have to begin with an A too tho!) whereas DH can't bear them. He doesn't actually seem to love many girl's names but his fave is Matilda, which is not my kind of thing at all (and the nns Tilly etc really aren't.)

As DH isn't likely to ever go for one of the frilly names I adore, I've decided I might as well try to talk myself out of the idea! I've realised that I wouldn't want to choose a lovely, long name if everyone (including us) just shortened it to a nn anyway, unless I also loved the nn - and there's not actually many nns that I do love.

I'm keen to know if you've got a DD with a long name and whether you almost always use a nn?

I guess ideally, we'd find a one or two-syllable name we both loved and wouldn't tend to be shortened but all the ones we like are now too popular for us to want to choose (e.g. Lily, Rose, Ruby) as we'd prefer a name which isn't in the top 50 or even 100 ideally.

HELP please!

Thank you so much for all of the great suggestions, everyone (and sorry it's taken me a while to reply, as usual all of my technology decides to stop working at once!)

In answer to CuppateaJanice's question. Here's my original shortlist:

Clementine (DH is still considering this and I'm ok with the nn Clem)
Arabella (DH was considering this but now says no, sadly cos Bella is one of the few nns I really like!)
Aurelia (still ADORE this)
Violet
Angelie
Saffron
Lucilla
Mariella
Seraphina
Angelica
Ariella

Here's my recent long-list attempting to go for shorter, less-frilly names! I'm attempting to stick to two syllables unless I really like the nn for a three syllable name. I wouldn't say I'm in love with any of these yet and I haven't shared it with my DH. But hey, it's a start!

Fenella (still frilly? but i do like the nn Fen)
Anya (like this but we're not Russian so not v authentic)
Juno (I love this but not sure DH will!)
Jemima (fine with nn Jem)
Dahlia (nn Day is sweet)
Rosalie (frilly but I adore the name/nn Rose. Rose is actually a niece's name so may not work)
Camilla (I'm ok with nn Cam and Milla)
Miranda (think DH has already said no to this tho)

muminthe middle: you do have a good point. I guess it might be partly because I have an unusual name so I've been used to always being the only with that name in school, work etc, which I've always liked.

kitsmummy: Evangeline is really lovely but think I'll be back to the problem of the nn (not sure I like Evan). Also, do you have a Kit or a Kitty? I love both but couldn't have alongside DS's name Felix!!

Magaly: I love Christabel but then realised it's too similar to DH's name (this would be particularly silly, esp as he in turn is named after his father!) I also love Cordelia but the nn would be a problem again.

pixieonaleaf: Genevieve and Ophelia are super (did I understand correctly that these are the names of your twins? If so, they are just brilliant together!) Do you use full names or nns?

pixierara: You lucky thing

CakeandRoses

DD3 is Cordelia known as Dylan - don't ask however I loved the nn Coco and DeeDee for it

how about

Aurora nn Rory
Celeste
Cecelia nn Cece
Constance nn Connie or Nancy
Corinna nn Nina or Cora

Ursula or Verity
Delphine

Antonia
Persephone
Ariadne
Melissa

Evangeline could have all sorts of nns -
Eva, Vanny, Lena for e.g.

Phyllida
Katrina
Isabella
Iolanthe

dizzydixies: STOP! You're getting me too excited about Cordelia now - LOVING Coco as a nn and Dylan is mad but wonderful too!

I really liked Celeste but DH thought the ending was too 'hard'. See I can't win - too frilly then too hard!

I love Aurora but have been a bit put off but the number of MN's who have said their DH has said 'what if they have a johnathan Woss speech impediment?' I'd worry sick about that!

what about Celestine then? bit TOO flowery for me but might appeal to you?

we're toying with Arianna for DC4 if another DD, the first 3 were so we can't see it being a boy

oh and I loved Clementine with nn Cleo for DD3 but DH said no

cassia is pretty too

Aha, Cleo is a good alternative nn to Clem for Clementine. I hadn't thought of that.

It's funny how many people on here have said their DH vetoed Clementine when it's the one long name that my DH is actually considering! I think he likes the Churchill connection.

Perhaps I should make up my own mind about Clementine and if I do really want it then push for it?

Cassia is pretty but its too similar to our choice for a boy (Caspar) which I'd keep in case we had a DC3 (if that makes any sense!)

Arianna is lovely.

Clemency! Don't forget Clemency!

I've always liked the name of Mozart's wife, Constanza (not sure of spelling), with the nickname Stanzie (pr Ston-zee).

Is that frilly enough?

Clemency is beautiful.

Valentina?

If this baby would have been a DD she'd be Clementine, nn Cleo.

Or Margot nn Peggy (after Margot Fonteyn).

Or perhaps Edie...

Oh well, DS2 it is!

I love Constanza. And Clementine.

Thanks again everyone!

Discussed names again with DH yesterday... not much further forward. Here's my latest list with his views on them:

Fenella (he prefers 'Anella' which is a friends' DD's name. It's v annoying cos we wouldn't use the same name as them - and I'm not that keen on it anyway - but it blocks his view of any name he sees as being similar )

Juno (Nope)

Clementine (probably the best on this list)

Jemima (doesn't like)

Violet (doesn't like)

Arabella (doesn't like)

Aurelia (doesn't like)

Dahlia (would go with delilah before this. BUT WE CAN'T USE DELILAH !! Sorry, I need to calm down!)

Didn't comment on the following (which shouldn't be seen as a good sign) Rosalie, Camilla, Anya, Saffron, Pandora.

And I forgot to ask him about Cordelia yesterday but mentioned it briefly this morning and wasn't shot down in flames so will add to the list.

I've mooted Clemency, which I think is really pretty and easier somehow than Clementine but i think for him it would be Clementine or nothing (partly cos of the Churchill connection).

Oh and to make things even worse, he had another go at thinking of some name himself. I don't mean to offend anyone who loves these names but it should be pretty obvious that they are polar opposites to my taste...

Agatha
Edith

Herecomesthesciencebint: Great suggestions!

We did consider Florence as we adore Italy and he proposed in Florence but we like rather than LOVE the name (plus one of DH's cousins has used it for their DD). It might be a good contender for middle name tho.

I'm not mad on Annabel/Annabelle - I don't dislike it, I just prefer the slightly more unusual Arabella. I like Araminta too but not so keen on nn 'Minty' and I don't think DH will go for it anyway.

Love Tabitha but too catty with DS's name.

Love Bibi as a nn but feel we ought to give a more serious alternative in case she doesn't!

Unfortunately Anella might end up with "anal" nicknames.

Clementine and Clemency are both lovely names

Sorry but I don't like Cordelia.

I agree with Debaronz about Anella.

Love Clementine still, and also Delphine (?) but I also love Agatha (sorry), and also Agnes.
Pamela is a good Churchill name.

Clemency makes me think of the death penalty, official pardons, etc.

So if you and DH both like Clementine, and possibly Florence as a middle name, will you go for Clementine Florence?

Can I just ask - if you like some of the names as nickname versions why not just call the child by the nickname as a name? I don't get why people choose a nice name, such as your example of Clementine, then insist on using a nickname.

A bit like my friend who's daughter is called Anna Louise. But gets called louise. Why not call her Louise int eh first place?[hm]

In answer to your question I have a Kit (boy) and an Orla Clementine, so we have pretty similar taste!

How about Arabel, instead of Arabella? Somehow a lot less frilly.

Rosalind - Rosie or Roz and not very common?

Just to be clear, Anella isn't on our list, it's a friend's daughter's name (now aged 20 odd), I don't think she's ever had any probs with her name, anal-related or otherwise

debaronz: I wish I could just say 'yup, it's deffo Clementine Florence' but I don't think we're still 100% on Clementine. DH's really likes it but still says he's not sure it 'feels right' in the way DS and the potential name for DS2 do.

I also still have a huge hankering for Aurelia (esp after seeing it on my family tree last night) and I can't quite let go of it just in case I can win DH over (which is what I did on DS1's name and now DH loves it!)

SelkirkGrace: For me, it's becuase I love long names but in reality they're likely to be shortened at times so I'd only want to choose a long name if I was also happy with a potential nn - not because I'd intend to use the nn all the time. e.g. If I had a DD called Arabella, I'd use Arabella but sometimes Bella too. Plus It's nice as an adult to choose which version of your name you use in different situations. My immediate family call me a shortened version 99% of the time whereas I always use my full name myself.

I think you have a point with the example you've given with Anna Louise though (mind you, who knows what compromises go on with choosing DCs' names behind closed doors!?)