The Baby Name Wizard

Congratulations, Eric!

I have met one baby Kingston, and one baby Kingsley. No Mileys yet, though I see people online considering it all the time. Yeesh, a name that comes from "Smiley", a nickname from a nickname, and it's off the charts! We all know her birth name is Destiny Hope Cyrus, right? Cyrus is the name I'd like to see get more play.

I actually think Kingston is more out there than Moses, by far, but I'm more of a traditionalist. Moses has been around a long time, particularly in Jewish families. Moishe, too. Totally appropriate for Gwyneth's son.

COME VISIT MY BABY NAME BLOG: http://youcantcallitit.com/

OK, so this is just weird. My sister and her dh recently arrived from Oz on vacation, and they've been staying with his brother and family (including two young daughters, Isabel and Honor) in Los Angeles. My sister just reported to me,"Oh, you know Jessica Alba just had a baby named Honor... well, it was named after [brother in law]'s daughter."
Apparently a friend of the family loved the name, mentioned it to *her* friend, Jessica, who immediately leaped on it... and the rest is celebrity history!

Good luck, Laura!

And on a random note--any info on the name Yaretzi?

I agree, Elisabeth, about Moses v. Kingston. I'd rather be a boy named Moses than Kingston. Kingston just sounds like "less of a name" to me, and what can you nickname him, King? Unless it's a family name, it seems like a rather random choice. Moses is pretty unconventional in a non-Jewish context, but I guess being a Bible name lends it some kind of unconscious legitimacy, or at least familiarity... For me anyway. It sounds more down-to-earth.

Valerie, that's such a cool story! Small world, eh?

I don't think Kingston is random at all for Stefani. As a musician who's influenced by reggae and ska, she honored a city known for this particular musical heritage. "Place" names are certainly hot, as is the "-en" ending phoneme. It's got all the right stuff, at least in her scope and frame of reference.

Not as traditional as Moses, (and not my own personal style) but certainly "Kingston" has merit as a name.

"Moses is pretty unconventional in a non-Jewish context, but I guess being a Bible name lends it some kind of unconscious legitimacy, or at least familiarity."

Moses/Mose appears with some frequency in African-American families, no doubt due to the
resonance of the Exodus story in African-American history. In New Orleans it frequently shows up in the French form Moise. It also shows up in Latino families and appears in its Arabic form Musa.

I don't know what you mean by "unconscious legitimacy." Why wouldn't it be legitimate in all senses? It is among the oldest of names still in use, dating from the ancient pharoahs like all those named Thutmose/Thutmosis. One can hardly get more legitimate than that. Perhaps you meant "rarely used in certain circles" or "not fashionable"?

OTOH Kingston is a place name/surname recently appropriated as a given name by a celebrity. Hardly to be compared with the name of the great pharoah Thutmose III and the major biblical figure as far as legitimacy goes.....

Eric, congrats! Very astute of you.

Although "place names" are not my cup of tea usually, I can see the appeal of Kingston. The short form "King", has a slightly raffish, retro, "back to the Thirties" kind of feeling. "Duke" was big then too, especially for rather flamboyant, larger-than-life characters. Peerless John Wayne, of course, was "Duke" to his buds...

In "It Happened One Night", heiress Claudette Colbert was fleeing across country to her powerful boyfriend, and HIS name was "King Something". Lucky for her, she got distracted by Clark Gable, and ended up with him instead!

I love all the info you give on baby names. I was wondering about a name. I heard a random mother at a store one day call her daughter "Southern." I have never seen it in a baby name book, but it has really grown on me over the years. I have always loved the name Savannah and Southern reminds me of it. Is it even on the charts anywhere?

Okay- totally off-topic, but I was thinking- can anyone think of an "Aiden" rhyme name that was present in the census data before Hayden? Does Hayden even countin that group seeing as it follows a different popularity history? Incidentally, does anyone know what (if anything) made Hayden jump so dramatically from the 80s to the 90s? Hayden Christensen didn't get popular until the early 00s. It popped up in the "sea of names", and after taking a look, I got curious.

Congratulations, Eric!

Count me as another person who prefers Moses to Kingston. I love the solidity of Moses.

Just to throw in my 2 cents: There have been 8 babies (all girls!) born in my family / social circle recently. They are 1) Maggie Grace (not Margaret), 2) Abby Jill (not Abigail), 3) Evy Kate (not Evangeline / Evelyn Katherine), 4) Sarah middle unknown 5) Hannah middle unknown 6) Amelia Rose (called Mia) 7) Natalie Anne and 8) Emily Blanche. Also I work at a newspaper and there have been a fair share of Miley / Myleighs in our listings. No other name stands out as a pattern.

Valerie -- Your Jessica Alba story is crazy! Talk about 6 degrees of separation ...

A little off topic but many people have been mentioning Irish names - Siobhan, for instance. I'd like to learn to pronounce them (usually I have no idea unless I individually google them). Anyone know a good site that spells out the pronunciation of these names?

I don't know a site that does that (though that would be really awesome if someone else does), but if spelled phonetically Siobhan would probably be something like Shavonne.

Elisabeth, I love your baby name blog! I just had a quick look at it: the graphics are beautiful and the history and serious discussions of various names are much appreciated. I've bookmarked your blog and will read it all when I have time. Thank you!

Kristine,

Here's a great Irish name website, which not only spells out the pronunciation of a name, but let's you listen to the name being pronounced:
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/

I've been fascinated by the girl's name Saoirse since one of my daughters was looking for a name, possibly Irish like their surname, for her second child. I came across Saoirse somewhere and looked it up on this website to find out how it's pronounced. As an example, here's the information given, plus there's a 'button' to click on to hear the name pronounced:
Saoirse "sear + sha"
Irish word saoirse "freedom, liberty." It has only been used since the 1920s and has strong patriotic overtones.
It has become a very popular baby girl name in Ireland in recent years.

Irish actress Saoirse Ronan plays the young girl in "Atonement". And I recently learned that the only child of Courtney Kennedy, Bobby & Ethel Kennedy's second daughter, is named Saoirse (born in 1997).

Re: Moseses mostly being Jewish

I've run into plenty of Jewish Moshes, but never a Moses. The only modern-day Moses I know of is Korean-Am. And he's a gangster, so he obviously isn't living up to his namesake.

Ack I wanna write more but I have no time.

Again, regarding Moses being Jewish:

I've read that before the Reformation Catholic families in England didn't tend to use Old Testament names (with a very few exceptions). That may be why many OT male names are associated more with a Jewish background even today.

On the other hand, my great-great grandfather was named Moise by his French-Canadian parents. Sometime after the family migrated from Quebec to Vermont, young Moise became "Moses".

I'm kind of surprised at the impression of Moses as an "out-there" name or as an exclusively Jewish name. I've a cousin named Noah (he's 15 I think) who was almost named Moses... and I've never felt that was particularly odd. Doesn't America have a long history of giving Old Testament names? Today it is more likely to be something like Benjamin or Daniel, but years ago Moses was pretty common.

I checked Name Voyager, and in the 1880s Moses was ranked 159, or exactly the same as Conner (and Bella for girls) was ranked in 2007.

In fact, Moses is still in the top 500 today. It is more popular than Gideon, which I would not think of as an "out-there" Old Testament name, either.

Patricia:
Thanks for the site! I'll definitely have to explore it this afternoon!

It is true that OT names were rare (but not non-existent) in England and neighboring areas in Europe before the Reformation (for example, the Frankish princess Judith who becomes Queen of Wessex and then Countess of Flanders in the ninth century and Isaac of Stella, a Cistercian monk, born in England around 1100). Adter the Reformation, the Puritans in particular used OT names and brought that naming preference to the American colonies.

There remains a strong tradition of OT names in the African-American community. In the antebellum South slaves were often given Classical Latin names like Pompey, Atticus, Cicero (think Cassius Clay), but after Emancipation, the former slaves often turned to their Bibles to name their children, and names like Moses, Isaac, Isaiah, and Solomon became common and are still in use today in that community, albeit less common now than they were in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Congratulations, Eric!
I adore the name Paige, btw!

Maybe Gwen could use Royal for the next one?
I believe that is a name with a fairly solid pedigree.

So, speaking of sibling names...what would anyone suggest for the sibling of a Miley?

I think that with uber popular names it's hard to suggest a sibling name without knowing what about it made it attractive to the parents. I got to meet a baby Miley last night (about the most beautiful baby ever, btw); at any rate, as I've mentioned before, her parents chose it largely as a tribute to the father's Hawaiian heritage.
They would probably choose a different sibling name than other parents of Mileys.
I think any super popular name can pose a similar challenge. Emma, for example, is clearly no longer just for those who like classics.

At any rate, I'd love to hear any suggestions for Miley siblings!

J&H's Mom: The Miley you know was spelled that way and not Maile? I think that's interesting as Maile is the more typically used Hawaiian spelling, but I could see using Miley as sort of... another step of Anglicization. Or just fitting with common trends, or making it easier for folks to pronounce or something.

Saw a name in my local birth listings that I thought would interest folks: Navae. I assume it is a variant on Neveah. Seems she is a twin and the sister is Niara.

Also, can anyone suggest NNs for Cordelia besides Cordy, Delia, and Lia? One of my friends wants to use this name. I remember someone on here was really good at coming up with creative NNs...

RobynT, my favorite nn for Cordelia is Cora. One could also use Coria, Cory, Dell, Dia/Dea, Cordia, Corda, Clia, Ria/Rea, or maybe even Coral.

For Cordelia:

Cory
Cora
Keely
Kia
Kiki
Deedee
Della

Anyway, I was gonna say before that I was at a party the other day, mostly middle to upper middle class white and Asian teens. They were all laughing as one kid told about his ex-camp counselor Latoya who was obsessed with the names of her future children. He said that she was determined that NO ONE ever share a name with one of her kids. The only name she was dead set on was Yboc, Coby backwards, pronounced Yibbik.

Just in case anyone was interested.

Btw, RobynT, nice to see you back!

I think Cora would be an appropriate nickname for Cordelia. Maybe Corie?

re: Moses

I always think of this as a Spanish name, Moises is what I am most familiar with.

re: Moses

I always think of this as a Spanish name, Moises is what I am most familiar with.

J&Hs mom:

Here are my sibling suggestions for Miley:

Sisters: Aubrey, Taylor, Shelby, Ashlyn, Macie

Brothers: Jackson, Landon, Braydon, Caden, Maddox

What do you think?

Patricia-I also have to thank you for posting that Irish website. We touched on this on the last post that I love these names but have no idea how to pronounce a lot of them. I think I'll be spending a lot of time there.

For Miley sibs-if chosen for meaning (Smiley) I would choose something characteristic to match like Joy. Rhyming (if you liked that) might be Hailey or Riley. If you were looking for a famous youthful name I would pick Jordyn (last years Idol winner). Brittany seems like the same style as well. Nymbler makes a few similar suggestions:Bailey, Hailey, Brinley, Ainsley, Cayla, Makayla, etc for girls.
For boys Nymbler suggests:Koby, Kelby??,Malcolm, Jaden, Corey, Kian, Malachy, etc. I might do something trendy like Colby, classic like Charles (since Miley is like Miles), unisex like Ashley, sound similar like Brian or Michael, or again something characteristic (although I can't think of one right now).

One of my favorite names is Kalliah. (Cal-EYE-uh) Any suggestions on how to spell it so it's easier to pronounce?? Also, nickname suggestions? Thanks much.

Kalyah? K'Lyah?

Thanks Patricia. I'm so glad you are enjoying the site. I'm having fun with it, too.

If there's anything you would particularly like to see addressed, please do let me know!

All the Best,
~E

http://youcantcallitit.com/

Phoebe-you were asking about the name Hayden. There was a television show on for a few years, probably in the early 90's called "Coach" about a college football coach and his bumbling staff. The coach's name was Hayden Fox. I don't think it was a hugely popular show, so I doubt that is where any of Hayden's popularity comes from, but it is just an idea.

Caren-I'm with you on Gwen Stefani's baby Kingston. I always assumed that he was named after Kingston, Jamaica, given that her start in music was on the ska scene.

Elisabeth- Love your baby name site!

Names of infants 3-18 mos. from a waterbabies class in Los Angeles--

Girls:
Maya
Ameiya
Jules
Sidney
Charlotte

Boys:
Issac
Maddox
Jordan
William

Guest, the little girl's name you heard may well have been "Southern", but I wonder if it could have been "Sothern", a British surname? That might also be used as a first name for a girl, esp. if there's a family connection. It's charming.

Reminds me of a relative who's first name is "Sutherland". It, too, is a surname used for family reasons. Her nicknames are "Suthie" (SUH-thee) and "Suds".

Cordelia could also go to Cody, if she wanted something a bit on the sporty side.

Kahlyah;Kahliah maybe?

"Kalyah? K'Lyah?" Just say "no" to names with apostrophe's. A friend's DH is an emergency room doc and he had a patient named K'La. Only in the printed paper work it came out as Kla (computers aren't good at handling apostrophes and other non letter characters in names). You can imagine for yourself how it went over when he went into the room and pronounced her name as 'klah' rather than Kayla...

My suggestion for Kalliah is just to spell it as it is and deal with the people who don't know how to spell it. I assume that you'd get plenty of 'KAL-ee-ah' pronunciations but it seems to me that a fair number will get it right too. The h on the end after -ia is like other -iah names (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah...) that people are familiar with.

Miriam - about Moses and "legitimacy" - I should have been clearer. Of course, I consider it a completely "legitimate" name, as much as any Old Testament name like Daniel, Sarah, Rebecca etc...

The reason I used the phrase "unconscious legitimacy" was because I'm wary of using the word "legitimate" with regards to names. I've seen that some people get ruffled by the idea that some names are "legitimate" and some not, perhaps partly because of the unpleasant connotations of the word when applied to people. I didn't want to accidentally offend anyone who had named their child something like Kingston by implying that it was "not legitimate".

By "unconscious legitimacy" I hoped to convey that Moses *felt* like a real name (as indeed it is), but that wasn't to say it was on some official list of "real names" and Kingston wasn't. Subjective rather than objective. Although I've never met a Moses, I've heard of a few and the name is familiar to me through the Bible so it feels more "real" than Kingston, which I know only as a place name.

I do tend to accidentally offend on the internet for some reason (though I do try not to!), and it looks like I've just done it again with you!

I hope you get to read this so you don't go away thinking I meant any disrespect to Moses, Old Testament names or anything else! :-)

Caren: "I don't think Kingston is random at all for Stefani. As a musician who's influenced by reggae and ska, she honored a city known for this particular musical heritage. "Place" names are certainly hot, as is the "-en" ending phoneme. It's got all the right stuff, at least in her scope and frame of reference."

Fair enough then, I guess I don't know as much about La Stefani as I thought (though thinking abut it I should have guessed, because I do prefer her old, more ska-style music with No Doubt)! Not my style either but it makes sense for her.

Eo, I rather like Duke and Earl. They're not my usual style at all, but there's a strange attraction nonetheless! Like you say, "raffish and retro", although I don't really see it in King.

Re: Kalliah

Maybe Kallaia or Kalaia?

Some Hawaiian names that can easily work on the mainland as Maile/Miley siblings are Akela, Hina, Kaena, Kai, Kaia, Kalani, Kalea, Kalena, Kanoa, Kea, Keala, Kealani, Keani, Keanu (hey!), Keoki, Kinana, Kimo, Kina, Lahela, Naia... Yeah, so if you don't like K names, the list of possibilities gets a lot shorter!

A lot of these are Hawaiian versions of Anglo names (Lahela = Rachel, for example). I've known boys here in LA named Keani and Keoki (not related to each other)--and Kai is a name that works in several languages, from Danish to Japanese.

Sabrina-Great suggestions! I agree with the use of "ai" for the EYE sound and thus rescind my previous thoughts on this. However, anyway you spell A LOT of names, you will get pronunciation (and spelling) errors.

I don't actually know if the Miley I know is Maile or Miley.
I've only met her mom twice, and although I've thoroughly interrogated her otherwise, somehow I forgot to ask about the spelling.
No wonder my dh wanders away from me at parties!

At any rate, I'm enjoying your suggestions!
She told me they had thought about Kai or Kona for a boy but didn't have other girls' names picked. They aren't sure if they'll do Hawaiian if they have another.

If it was a "random," Miley, I'd probably suggest Mia, Kayla, Bailey, or Mackenzie (none of which are personal favs. of mine).
Not sure about boys....

I think Maile was already on the rise because it is fresher than Kylie, and because Hawaiian names are hot right now. The arrival of Miley Cyrus on the pop-culture radar sealed the fate of Miley/Maile.

The Miale I know is 7.

what do you all think of the name trinity?
i think it is so cute for a baby or a toddler

but will she like it as an adult?

my baby is due in august ..so we still have time

i dont want her to dislike her name

my other choice is angelina

much more traditional
but..

thanking you all beforehand for all your input

charlotte

Charlotte.. Trinity sounds very religious to me. My first thought is the Holy Trinity.If that is the path you are taking, I do think it also sounds feminine and lovely-which is good.. And a nn could be Trini. I do worry about it being trendy. I have a niece by marriage named Krystal and her mother(19 years later) loves the sound but bemoans the spelling and the fact that it is date stamped. On the other hand, it might be perceived as a name like Honor, Grace, Verity or Patience-but, I think not. I hope others will chime in with feedback. As for Angelina, a problem for me is Ms. Jolie- I fear that that is would be the universal reaction to that name-for good or bad. I feel that I have been negative, in my desire to be helpful. If so, I am sorry.

Charlotte:
I think Trinity has a nice sound... but the religious connotations are REALLY heavy and strong. Some people might even be offended by it. On the other hand I LOVE the name Angelina. It is pretty and feminine and fresher sounding than Angela. It is the name of a popular series of books for young girls - the Angelina Ballerina series, which my daughter for one loves. And you have some nice nicknames to work with, like Angel and Lina, to mention just the two obvious ones (other people on this site are better at nicknames). Another name to consider might be Angelica.

"i don't want her to dislike her name"

Charlotte, if you're looking for a name that your child will always love -- that's not realistic. Your child will be a teenager someday, and not liking her name is part of the territory, especially if expressing her dissatisfaction is likely to irritate you! Parents can't worry about pleasing their children with the big decisions; that's setting up a terrible dynamic. Instead, give your daughter a name that will be an asset and a gift to her, whether or not she happens to like it in the moment. You need to decide what aspects of a name will meet that order--but the name should be your well-considered gift to her, not your first attempt to please her.

"the name should be your well-considered gift to her, not your first attempt to please her."

I totally agree with this assessment, Sister Melinda. My daughter has already begun the process of loving and hating her name in turns and she's only 6. (By and large she likes it, though.)

Charlotte, you should choose a name you *love* and if Trinity is that name, there you go. For me, the religious connotations are simply too strong, but that reflects my own personal beliefs.

Angelina is lovely and offers lots of nn possibilities as has been noted. There would be some inevitable Angelina Jolie comments, but every name elicits some type of comment so that wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.

Charlotte,

While Trinity does have a pretty sound, I don't think it's appropriate as a personal name. In the Christian religion, Trinity is a sacred word (referring to God in three Persons - the Father, Son and Holy Ghost), like Jesus. While Spanish-speakers do use Jesus as a name for their children, Jesus has been regarded as 'off-limits' for English-speaking parents looking for a name for their children. I wonder how many parents who have chosen Trinity (which I've heard used for boys as well as girls) know the meaning of the word in the Christian religion.

As for Angelina, I have the same reservations about it as Tess. What about Angela or Angelique (French) or Angelica instead? One baby name book recommends Angelica as "lacy and poetic, this is by far, the choicest form of the angelic names". Last year in the U.S., Angelina was the number 58 name for baby girls, Angela was 125, Angelica 234 and Angelique 425.

I have a niece called Angela. She was always "Angie" as a child, but once she grew up she asked to be called "Angela" -- and only Angela, and seems to like her name very much.

Or how about Felicity (meaning happy), also recommended by the baby name book mentioned above? Or Trina (given name could be Catrina or Katrina), which also sounds a little like Trinity?

Charlotte,
While I do associate trinity with the Holy Trinity, I think most people will associate it with The Matrix. I believe it was shortly after the first one came out that folks started using Trinity as a name.
It's not my cup of tea personally, but I've certainly run across more than one in my playground visits, so you needn't worry that it will be too odd if it's what you truly love.
Like others, I'd vote for Angelina, although I agree that Angelica or just Angela would be even better.
If you're open to suggestions, I think you could get some great ones here. Maybe you could share a bit more about what you're after.
Take care!

re Trinity: I was surprised to see that this name is in the top 100. I generally have a positive association with the name, mostly because the one Trinity I know (of) is about 25 and has sisters Paisley, Electra, and Sonnet.

Charlotte,

Like some previous posters, I also associate Trinity strongly with Christianity. I think it has a nice sound to it, but the meaning seems like a lot for a girl to carry around... after all, you never know what your daughter will end up believing. If you're interested in other names that might have a Christian association, I'd go for Hope, Grace, or Faith. For a similar sound, I'd go for Felicity -- a personal favorite!

I like Angelina. Personally, I don't associate it strongly with Angelina Jolie, and I love the Angelina Ballerina association. I also think Angelica or Angela would be lovely choices.

Charlotte: I've seen Trinity in the baby announcements quite a bit over the last couple of years, so I don't think it's a name that is likely to be considered too "out there". The religious connotation isn't overwhelming for me, but I can understand how it may be for others. I like both Angelina and Angelique (used to be my favorite name) a lot. Angelica reminds me of an old record I had as a kid... it was a 78? 45? and it was red and if I remember right, Angelica was NOT a very good little girl. LOL
Regarding "Royal"-type names, my son goes to school with a boy named Baron. Unfortunately, it was the name of our first dog, so that's sort of ruined it for me.

Off topic sharing of three newborn girls around me: Abigail Rose, Madeline Ruth and Lyla Lauren.

I'm surprised nobody's brought up the Rugrats connection yet - say the name Angelica to anyone who grew up watching Nickolodeon in the early 90's, and it only means one thing: the annoying little Rugrats brat.

Charlotte-Ditto on what Amy3 said. I used to know a little girl named Trinity. She'd be a preteen now. Don't know what she thought/thinks of her name cause they moved away from me. Her mom I think named her that because she liked the name and didn't care what people thought about it. Her mom was a animal rights activist and also pretty athletic and into standing up for things. Her brothers name was Alec.
My feelings on Angelina are the same as others. It's pretty but with too much Jolie connection. Angela seems the best choice to me. Angelica reminds me of the character on Rugrats childrens cartoon.

LOL Nicole-ten minutes ahead of me hadn't posted to the board yet as I was composing.

Charlotte,

I would agree with J& H's mom. I think the rise in popularity for Trinity has to do The Matrix. I have a friend that had a baby this past month named Kathryn Trinity. My personal thought is that it will at some point seem dated. Angelina will probably have the same fate, which is a shame considering what a pretty name it is. However, if you love these names you should feel confident in your choice.

Amy3 - is your daughter named Astrid?

Charlotte - I too see Trinity as a very religious name. I am not religious so I would not choose it, although it does have a pretty sound. My close friend (who is religious) just named her baby girl Hayden, but Trinity was her second choice. I am not a big fan of the Angel- type names, but Angelica is the best of the bunch in my opinion. I associate Angelina strongly with Jolie.

Ok, I have posted a couple times the last few months on my baby name situation and everyone's thoughts have been extremely helpful to me and I've been able to narrow down my baby girls name (due at end of August) to three names. There are positives and negatives to each name and would love to hear what you think. When selecting a name, what is most important to me is the sound and flow with our LN and avoiding a name that will become popular. I tend to be attracted to more formal feminine names and like the soft sound of P,H and F names My last name is Pfersich which sounds like Fur-sik. Big brother's name is August Frederick.

Philippa (front-runner): Love everything about this name, the feminine formality, the sound, that it is unusual (at least in the US) and it has a cute nickname option in Pippa. My only concern is what it sounds like with my last name.

Juniper: I love the rhythm of this name, the history and how it sounds with my last name. However, for me, it sounds a little hippyish. Plus, would this sound good on a grown woman? I think it is adorable on a child.

Calla: Really love this but think it sounds pretty bad with Pfersich and this may rule it out.

Comments are most appreciated.

Steph- I actually think Calla sounds good with your last name, and that would be my first choice, definitely. I think it also works well for both kids and adults and has cute nns- Cal and Callie.
While I love Philippa, I just don't like how it sounds with Pfersich. I know she may not BE Philippa Pfersich all her life, but it's still a big consideration for me too, so that would rule it out, unfortunately.
I'm not feeling the love for Juniper for some reason, and I'm not liking it with Pfersich either.
So my vote goes to Calla, with no reservations. :)

I 100% agree with Trish about Calla and why she likes that name best.

KRC -- Yep, my daughter is Astrid.

Steph P -- Of the three, I think Calla is the most likely to become more widely popular. It has the Ls and the As, it's a flower name, and it has the rhythm and flow that are so popular now for girls' names.

The more I say it, the more I like Philippa Pfersich. I think alliteration can be an asset as much as a drawback, depending on the names. Plus, if she used Pippa more often, then it's even less alliterative.

I think Juniper is a great name, and I would seriously consider it myself (if I were having any more kids and if I could get dh to agree -- both unlikely). I understand your concerns about it, but I think it's a lovely, albeit underused name, that doesn't sound light or flighty to me. IMO it would work for an adult as well as for a child.

Calla is actually my least favorite because of its similarity to other popular girls' names.

My vote goes to Philippa. You love it, which is far and away most important, and I like its sound with your LN.

Steph P. -- My vote goes to Juniper, then Calla, then Philippa. Philippa isn't my style, but more importantly, I don't like how it sounds with your last name. I'm not against alliteration in names, but I tend to dislike it with F- sounds in particular. Phillipa Pfersich sounds like a mouthful to me. I do like Pippa, though. I love Juniper, and I think it works well on a child or an adult. Plus, it has great nn options (June, Junie). I also love the name Calla, but I agree it's the most likely of your choices to become popular, which is why I placed it second. It sounds fine with your last name to me, so if that's your only concern, I'd go with it.

Steph P. I too like Philippa/Pippa best of the three names you're considering. But for me, Philippa Pfersich is a bit of a tongue-twister. Have you considered naming her just Pippa? OTOH, since she'd be known mostly as Pippa Pfersich, there probably won't be that many occasions when the possible 'tongue twisting' of two F-sound names coming together. What are you considering for a middle name? If you were to give her a short, classc middle name, that might offer a nice contrast and separate the two 'F' names. I love Jane with most 3-syllable girls' names, and Philippa Jane Pfersich (or June from Juniper) sounds nice to me. I've always liked Pippa (and Philippa). Very nice name.

Steph P., that's a hard one for me. I love all of your choices, too, so I can't rule any out that way. I think that if Philippa is your strong favorite, you can go with it. The alliteration is livable but not ideal by my standards, but I do see how it could be considered an advantage, making the name catchy and memorable. And if she goes by Pippa (which I love), the alliteration becomes almost a non-issue.

Comparing Juniper and Calla, I think they equally go quite well with your LN. However, considering your desire of not wanting a name that is likely to shoot up in popularity, I would definitely pick Juniper of those two. I do see your "hippiesh" concern--I had the same concern when considering this name--but I think it goes great for either a girl or a woman, and has good weight and depth to it. Plus, she'll always have the option of solid, attractive NNs (June, Junie) if she goes through phases of not liking the full name. Oh boy, now you have me thinking about Juniper for our babe again....

So, in sum, I think I would pick Juniper, unless you won't be truly happy with anything but Philippa.

Steph P. - I would go with Juniper. It can always be shortened to June for an adult if she wants something more conventional.

Steph P. - I love your name choices. Philippa is one of my favorites that I had to discard due to my husband's last name (begins with Long-). I don't think it is so bad with your last name. It's not ideal, but if you really love the name, and you really love the nickname Pippa (which I do), go ahead and do it. Pippa Pfersich is really nice.

Juniper I think sounds best with your last name and I just love it. I think it works well on a woman as well as a little girl.

I agree with everyone who said Calla is most likely to become popular. I would avoid that if popularity is an issue for you.

Peri would also be a plausible nickname for Juniper.

You may find yourself clarifying a lot (No, not Jennifer, Juniper), especially if your handwriting isn't super-legible, but that's true of a lot of names--for your kid and for a name you love and believe in, it's a small price, really.

Thanks everyone. Now I'm even more conflicted with all the great comments. I can see everyone's point. In the end I may need to just wait until I see her before I know which is right.

I know that many NE's are not that fond of alliteration and I'm not sure why. I actually have always liked this. Philippa Pfersich is more a problem for my husband.

Juniper seems to be a much more polarizing name. People tend to love it or hate it.

When I propose my names to my non-NE friends and family, Calla is always the favorite. For those of you that commented that this is the most likely name to become popular, it makes sense. It's a very pretty, easy name to love compared to the others. When I bring up Juniper, the association tends to only be with gin. Philippa really seems to confuse people that are not familiar with the name, thinking it is Spanish or Italian. To me it has very English associations. I do know that I don't want to dumb down my name choice just because those around me prefer more conventional names. I think this is why I prefer to solicit advice from all of you.

We are still thinking Tate for a middle name for either Philippa or Juniper. We are also considering Jane if we go with Philippa. If only I could work Calla in as a middle name for one of the others. So much to think about.

I like Phillipa but not with your last name.

Calla is lovely. While it "may" become popular, I don't think you have to worry about it at the moment as it isn't even in the top 1000 popular names. It HASN'T been in the top 1000 in 50 years. So lets say you name your baby Calla this year... chances are that even if the name makes it to the top 1000 this year, it will be near the bottom. MAYBE it will become popular, but even if it does, it will take a few years to work it's way up the list. Your Calla will probably be the only one in her class.

On the other hand, she could be confused with all the Kylies, Callies, Kaylas, Kaylies etc running around.

Juniper is lovely, but it does sound "hippish" to me and probably she will go through life being confused with Jupitar...

So Hubby doesn't like Phillipa does he like Juniper or Calla?

I vote for Philippa - the alliteration doesn't bother me at all, and I think it's a beautiful name! Either Philippa Tate or Philippa Jane would sound lovely (I personally prefer Philippa Jane, but that's just my opinion).

Wendy- He likes Philippa, but not the alliteration. He is warming up to Juniper. When I first mentioned it, it was an absolute no, but I've gotten him to come around. He is fine with Calla. He is not nearly as obsessed with finding the right name as I am. In the end I think he will go with whatever I want. Of course he never has a suggestion of his own (with the exception of Ute and Inga which I have nixed).

I love the name Philippa. And the nickname Pippa. Of the three you're looking at I'd pick Philippa (and I love your style!).

Juniper is my next favorite. I like the suggestion above that Peri could work as a good nickname if your Juniper didn't want to be a June or Junie.

Calla is pretty, but doesn't catch me the way the other two do. And the point about how she might be one of many K-sound names around is a very good one...

Steph P. - Have you considered Piper? It's sort of a combination of Pippa and Juniper. I think it goes well with your last name.

Steph P. - Have you considered the internal rhyme in JuniPER PFERsich? For that reason, I think Philippa sounds better with your last name, alliteration notwithstanding.

Guest- Yes, I have considered the internal rhyme of JuniPER and PFERsich and like the alliteration with Philippa, this is one of the reasons I like Juniper. I guess I like sing-songiness of both Juniper Pfersich and Philippa Pfersich.

I have considered Piper and do like, however, have a preference for Pippa.

Thanks again everyone, all the comments on Calla in particular have helped me put into focus why I have reservations on this name.

I adore Phillipa, and we've discussed it a time or two on this board.
One of my initial surprises was finding out that it has two pronounciations.
Are you thinking Fil-i-pa, or Fa-lip-a? I'm assuming the former, and I do love Pippa.
Having said that, I'm not sold on it with your ln. Part of me thinks it's sort of musical; part of me thinks the combo. is going to make for years of repeating her name, spelling her name, and so on....Would this bug you?

I'm sort of neutral about Juniper and Calla. I like both but don't love either, if that makes senes.
I prefer Calla slightly with you ln, and unlike others I don't see it becoming super popular.
I've known a few Callies over the years, and it seems to me it's a name that's been out there but hasn't ever caught on like gangbusters.
Also, and maybe this is just me, but I think it has a very different vibe than Kaylie, Lily et.al.
Imho, Calla has a much less delicate sound. I'd think a Calla would be sort of a bookish tomboy-a tree climbing sort, if that makes sense.

At any rate, I haven't been of any help, but that's my two cents!

If you want to muddle the waters further, I'd throw out Stella and Flannery.
Keep us posted!

Well Steph I will not comment on the beauty of any of the names because they are NMS. However, I think what goes best with your LN is Calla. I don't think any of them are "bad" choices though.
If you are still considering other thoughts then I will offer these:
Paloma, Celine, Camilla, Phoebe, or my new favorite Bianca. Phoebe Calla sounds lovely to me. Or Tatianna and call her Tate. Hmm. Lots to think on. Good luck.

Charlotte-In looking for ideas for Steph I thought of your dilemna as well. So here are the rankings in 2007 for some that were being discussed.
Grace(20)
Destiny(40)
Angelina(58)
Trinity(72)
Faith(74)
Angela(125)
Serenity(126)
Genesis(139)
Angel(153)
Hope(206)
Angelica(234)
Eden(257)
Heaven(263) Nevaeh(31) Neveah(891)
Harmony(315)
There are more "virtue" names in the top 1000 but this post was getting long so if you need more let me know.

May I suggest Calantha? It is of Greek origin meaning "lovely flower." You could use Calla as a nickname without ever worrying that Calantha will shoot up the charts. Here's a tragic play from the 1600's starring "Calantha."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Broken_Heart

Calantha Fursik sounds lovely to me.

Of the three names you mentioned, I vote for Juniper. There's also the nn Juno, BTW.

Calla Pfersich sounds like it would be some sort of adjective: "calaphersic." also caliber, caliper.

Juniper Pfersich sounds close to Juni Perverted.

I like Philippa Pfersich. I think the alliteration makes the name more memorable. People who aren't sure that the last name starts with P may remember more easily. I also like the eye matching of Pippa Pfersich contrasted with the sound mismatch. Lastly, I think Philippa sounds the most sophisticated.

Calla Pfersich reminds me of Calla-Fragilistic, as in Supercallafragilistic....

J & H's Mom:

As far as I know, fa-LIP-a is a _mis_pronunciation, not an intended one, and it's one I get a lot in the Boston area. That one really grates on me. For some reason, those who speak with the true Boston accent need to accent the second syllable, and have a difficult time correcting themselves, even with multiple reminders. I usually tell people who seem perplexed by it, "It's like Philip. With an A." Really, with all of the feminized names that are simply a male name+a, I don't understand why this particular name gives people so much trouble.

Steph P.:

Although (as you can see above), I've struggled with pronunciation issues throughout my life, I do like my name a lot. I love that it sounds strong and feminine at the same time, and I love that it's unique. From Pippa to Philly (or Phil, for a tomboy) to Philippa, it is a suitable name for every stage of life. You all are making me crave returning to my childhood nickname of Pippa. Alas, I'm not sure how I could do this. Just announce to everyone I know that I'm a Pippa now? :) So, of your choices, I choose my own name, hands down. I actually think the alliteration makes it the most striking and memorable combination.

Calla Pfersich reminds me of Calla-Fragilistic as well!

I already know with a LN like Pfersich, she is always going to be confronted with requests on how to spell and pronounce her name so this doesn't bother me so much.

Calantha is gorgeous. Will have to think on this one. Flannery is cute, but this really is too much with Pfersich. Just like Fern, which I think is a great choice for someone (besides me).

Wow, I was almost set on Philippa (Pippa) and got such a good response last time I requested opinions on this name, however, that was before I revealed the unfortunate Pfersich.

Thanks again, I don't mean for everyone to take up so much time thinking about my baby's name. I will let you all know what we decide. I think I'm still leaning towards Philippa in the end.

Philippa- Thank you for sharing your experience with your name. I'm glad to hear you have liked it throughout your life. I understand the alliteration is not the cup of tea for many, but I really like this too. May I ask what your last name starts with/how many syllables?

Philippa, Wow it's hard to understand why people would have such a challenge pronouncing your name, as it is just Philip + a basically. However, Robert + a = Ro-BERT-a so maybe that's why!

My last name starts with "Gil" followed by a second syllable. It's a relatively familiar last name in pop culture, so if you're guessing one in particular, that's probably it. I've always thought that the double "il" sound is a bit much, but I think that has something to do with it being in the middle of both names. It feels like the Ls are snags or speed bumps when quickly speaking my full name, if that makes any sense. However, having the repeating phoneme as the first letter, as it does in Philippa Pfersich, feels punchy and smooth to me. Apart from the Ls in my two names, I've always liked the rhythm of the syllables in my name. My middle name is one syllable, too.

In furtherance of my research of the name Calantha, I went over to Facebook. There were 22 Calanthas and interestingly, 6 were Asian. (There were also 3, maybe 4, other minorities.) I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since Asians love those flower/nature names!

Steph, when I started thinking about answering your query, my thoughts were Calla, Juniper, Philippa (even thought my personal preference is for Philippa over the others). I still think Calla sounds the best with your last name, but Philippa is increasingly growing on me. With that name, your daughter also has the option of going by Pippa exclusively when she's older, and Pippa Pfersich flows quite nicely. If you love the name then pick it and the heck with the alliteration.

(For the record, my name alliterates as well, and I've never minded it at all. But I think the hard "C" sound is easier than the "F" sound)

A queen among plant names: Acacia (uh-KAY-shuh) nn kay, shea, etc.

Steph P.

A couple more ideas: I just noticed that your son has a German-sounding name, which I think goes well with your surname, which appears to be German: August Frederick Pfersich. Why not a German-sounding name for your daughter as well? Here's a link for the top names in Germany for 2007 and the ten preceding years: http://www.babynamefacts.com/popularnames/countries.php?country=GMY
(Sofia Pfersich? Anika Pfersich? ???)

Or how about a name that is better known in this country than the three you're presently considering? You mentioned that your daughter will always have to pronounce and spell her last name for others, so might not a more usual first name make her full name seem less 'different'? Maybe a name from the SSA top 150 or so? And how about a name similar to yours? I know a mother and daughter who are Melanie and Stefanie.
(Melanie Pfersich? or some other well-known name?)

It seems to me that Juniper is pretty 'far out' and Calla has some drawbacks as well. I like Philippa/Pippa, but it's unknown to most Americans (not in the top 1000 either). Putting an unknown name with an unusual and tricky to pronounce, spell and remember last name may make your daughter's name more difficult for her than giving her a more usual first name.

Hi Phillipa

Re: Transitioning back to Pippa

My little sis, Rebecca, decided to go by the nickname "Bex" in college. She transitioned smoothly by signing emails, letters, notes, etc "Bex". Many of her close college pals call her Bex about 75% of the time. She never introduced herself as Bex, but she certainly made it known that the nickname Bex was ok. I must say she did a great job not being obnoxious (a hard task imo)!

Steph: My vote goes to Juniper, Junie is too cute!

I have been thinking about this discussion a lot today and it struck me yet again how the same name or word can evoke such divergent reactions in different people. For instance, there are names that people ooh and aah about and to me they sound completely anachronistic and stodgy, evoking the image of pioneer women who churned their own butter.

When J&H's mom said "Calla has a much less delicate sound. I'd think a Calla would be sort of a bookish tomboy-a tree climbing sort," that struck me as so completely counter to my impression of the name, but I wasn't sure why.

It was only hours later, when I realized that I associated the name "Calla" with calla lilies, thus picturing a soft, gentle, sweet sort of girl, that I figured out why J&H's mom's impression of the name felt so wrong to me.

No matter which name you pick, there will always be people sincerely telling you what a lovely choice you made while others will be thinking to themselves, "Out of all the names to choose from, THAT’s what she chose?!" (Well, hopefully they're only thinking it to themselves... it would be pretty rude to blurt that out to someone's face!) That's as good a reason as any to just go with what feels right to you.

I love Tirzah's Calantha suggestion as an alternative to giving Calla as a full FN. And Tirzah, it's funny that Calanthas are largely Asian on Facebook. I noticed something similar when I did my Facebook research on some of my favorite botanical names, especially Ivy. That made me worry that we were unknowingly picking a "stereotypical" Asian name (DH wouldn't consider names like Grace, Joy, etc., even if I had been into them, because they seem so stereotypical). But in the end I came to the conclusion you mentioned--unless I want to abandon botanical names altogether (and I don't, lol), there will probably be a disproportionate number of Asian people with them. No big deal, I guess, just interesting.

Karyn, I had the same reaction as you did to J&H's mom's comment about Calla--to me, it's even *more* frilly and delicate sounding than Lily because of the elegant calla lily (often seen at weddings, formal affairs, etc.), whereas there are plenty of other types of lilies that are hardy and vigorous (the daylily comes to mind, faithfully blooming all summer and into the fall on country hillsides, spreading easily of their own accord). But I'd disagree on your pioneer woman comment--it's exactly that butter-churning image I LOVE about some names. That just goes to prove your point, I suppose. :)

Steph P.-
I have to chime in on your names, because I have a 3 1/2-year-old Philippa (Pippa) and Juniper is my current new name crush :)
I think Philippa nn Pippa works just fine with your ln, and if it's the one you love, I think you should go for it. Calla and Juniper are also lovely, but I have loved having a Pippa! She was born in the UK but we live in the US now and have had nothing but positive comments about her name. Not even many of the "That's *interesting*!" comments I expected.

Philippa -
I don't think it's just a Boston thing! Our Pippa is only *ever* called Philippa at the doctor's office, but whichever office we go to, we consistently get the phi-LIP-a pronunciation. I think you're right that this is always a mispronunciation, rather than an accepted alternate.
As for switching back to Pippa, maybe just mention it to a couple close friends and family members and let everyone else take the hint? I might use you as a case study for my Pippa when she gets to Jr. High and wants to be "Phil" or something ;)

Steph P., "Oxford Dictionary of First Names" lists Philippa among it's German Names, and behindthename.com also lists Philippa among German names, giving its usage as English, German, Greek.

As others have said, Philippa Pfersich/ Pippa Pfersich sound fine. I think there's no reason to pass on Philippa if that's your favorite name.

Best wishes!

Karyn- Thanks for the great advice. The name Calla also evokes a more delicate sweet girl due to the lily association.

Hyz- I like to hear you are considering Juniper again. Hopefully one of us can use it so there is at least one little Juniper on the playground. It would sound fabulous with your last name.

For those of you that have suggested June or Junie as a nickname- this is really cute, but I would probaly try to avoid this since I already have an August. Plus I really like Juniper as is.

Patricia- I do tend to like German names and Sophia Pfersich sounds perfect IMO, but I really do prefer something a little more underused.

Jodi- Wow, what are the chances of us both liking Philippa and Juniper.

Steph P., that's a good point about August and Juniper/June/Junie, and a very relevant one for me, since August is no. 1 or 2 on our list if we ever have a boy. Not to mention that we plan to use the syllable "joon" in the Korean name if we ever have a boy (this is important to us, so I think I'm even willing to overlook that his name would have two "month sounds" in it, and endure any jokes about forgetting July, etc.). So, something to think about.... I doubt Juniper would happen for us, anyway--DH was open-minded but unenthusiastic about it, and I don't think I'm inclined to push him on it. As you might recall, Philippa was also high on my list, but DH was flat-out against it (he had never heard it before, and it just sounded odd to him--shrug). I don't know if having DH involved makes this process harder or easier--on one hand, he nixes a lot of my favorites, but on the other, at least he narrows down the world of possibilities to a more manageable size....

Of all the suggestions so far, Calantha is my favorite. But for the record I think alliteration is a net positive. Alliteration makes a name both memorable and charming. It is a little better, imo, when the alliteration is both audible and visible. That is, I would find it a more attractive combo if it was Philippa Phersich. But that's probably not a big enough deal to really change anything.

re: Angelina

We adults associate Angelina with Ms. Jolie, but imagine the world of Charlotte's daughter 20 years from now. Angelina Jolie will be a much less salient and provocative reference. And anyone who comes to know Charlotte's daughter will start to associate the name with her and not with the actress.

Regardless of your feelings on Angelina Jolie, the name Angelina is a fine choice, IMO.

I vote for Philippa, then Juniper, then Calla. The first two are adorable, plucky, and sweet. Calla is a little too soft to my ear.

Not sure why alliteration/consonance is often frowned upon. Like any device, it can be used to bad effect, but it's just a matter of how it's done. Could be silly, but could be lovely.

My name is alliterative/consonant, and I think it serves me well in business. It "flows," and is easy to remember. Maybe it's even a little poetic. When I got married, even my DH rooted for me keeping my name just for the alliterative quality.

An aside in the "funny name" category. Looking through my alumni magazine last night, I noticed the name of a woman who graduated the year before me. Her maiden name is Charlotte Webb. What were her parents thinking?!

Hmmmm...I guess I just don't picture the flower when I say Calla, as it still seems "spunkier," than Lily or Rose to me. It reminds me of Poppy-another favorite of mine.

At any rate, thanks for chiming in, Phillipa! I can't believe I forgot we had a Phillipa. I'm sure I was one of the first to bring up the name way back when. It's interesting that it's so unusual here because I believe it's fairly common in NZ and Australia.

Steph-I think if the prospect of your little one having to spell or repeat her name isn't troubling, that you should go with Phillipa. It seems to me that it's the name in your heart, and I think you'll be a little sad if you don't.

Take care, all!

I'm another one who really likes how Phillipa Pfersich sounds together. I usually love alliteration, but an exception is regarding a name my husband loves -- Charlotte. I love it too, but I just can't do it with our last name -- it's similar to Sherman. Charlotte Sherman just sounds terrible to me ... and I feel badly, because my husband doesn't usually get enthusiastic about names!

I love Pippa, too.

I also do not think of Calla as delicate and feminine. I must admit that it brings to my mind the words callow and callous - neither of which is very positive for a name!

I also do not think of Calla as delicate and feminine. I must admit that it brings to my mind the words callow and callous - neither of which is very positive for a name!

sorry for the double post - I double clicked by mistake

Phillipa's in NZ and Australia - As a New Zealander I think I can comment here. It isn't a "common" name, rather it wouldn't be considered an unusual name. I am almost 30 and know a number around my age. A lot don't use any nn and those that do were Pippa as a child and Pip as an adult. It is considered a traditional name, along the lines of Elizabeth, Charlotte, Kathrine (in all of its forms) and Victoria. Names that are neither fashionable (except Charlotte was number 1 about 4 years ago), nor unusual.

Interestingly, all the Philippas that I know are rather sporty and all very nice people.

Also, I see that I have used "ll" and a single "l", this was accidential as I intended to use the original spelling, but I do know Phillippas and Philippas.

Thanks for the info Kai. I was curious if Philippa is perceived as outdated or if it may be going through a revitalization as are many old-fashioned names in the US. I see it as a classic name along the lines of Elizabeth, Victoria etc as well (just not as common here).

Kate- What other names are you considering aside from Charlotte?

Steph - not a problem. I have a German sounding surname to deal with too and it is harder than it looks. Philippa is one of the names that we have considered in the past.

I think that both New Zealand and Australia have a distinct naming culture to both the USA and England. Names of Scottish and Irish origin are a lot more common in both countries (Lachlan in Australia and names such as Hamish and Fiona have been used more readily since the late 1970s) and names that are on the rise in the USA (such as Lily) have already made it into the top 10 and then a few years ago Charlotte was number 1 for girls.

Then there are also similarities, names such as Jessica, Rachael, Rebecca, Karen and Jennifer were huge in the 1970s, but only Jessica has retained its popularity. Mind you, in NZ with only 4 million a name doesn't have to be used very much to make it rank high. Another difference is that not such a big emphasis is placed on nn as seems to be the case in North America.

Steph-Don't know if you are still considering the other names I listed earlier or if they are not your style, or if you are NOT considering anything else but the 3 you listed. In any case, I would like to change my vote from Calla (which I still like) to Phillippa Calantha Pfersich. I think it sounds ok and matches exactly the feel that I believe you are going for. FN + MN are matchy sing-song and FN + LN alliterate as well. You had said earlier that you wished you could find a way to incorporate Calla into a middle name-I think this does it rather nicely. Just my opinions though.

OMG-Just decided to play around and see what the names looked like in a pretty font. So I went to my word program and typed some in. Phillippa Calantha Pfersich LOOKS lovely on paper except for the fact that the initials are PCP. So sorry but you might not want to use that now! Phillippa Jane is nice though and then she could also be PJ for a nn.

I think Phillipa/Pippa Pfersich sounds fine, but I am one who likes alliteration. I don't like Calantha at all, but I like Calla and I think Calista is another good alternative for Calla.
Juniper is OK, but probably my least favorite of the three.

On beyond Calla (besides Calantha and Callista).... Calliope and Caroline would also be plausible formal names that used Calla as a nick. And I like the rhythm and fun of "Calliope Pfersich"; Caroline, while very popular, has been used by German parents for centuries, such that it feels very natural with Pfersich (and with a brother August, too).

Just learned a neighbour that I know her as Madeleine actually spells it Madelon. Has anyone come across this? I am certain she is in her 60s. Perhaps she had avant-garde cre8tive parents!

Don't know her all that well but may ask her sometime!

I haven't met a Madelon, but I'm pretty sure Madelyn is the "new," official spelling.

Anyone up for a little challenge?
A mom at swim lessons has a brood of little girls. The oldest are Stella, Clara, and Gabriella.
The kicker is she has a baby. I haven't managed to find out the wee one's name yet (it's another girl).
Anyone want to take a guess?
I promise to find out and report back!

I'll play! How about Isadora?

J&H's Mom: I'll guess ... Tessa. I know a family of Claire, Gabrielle, Tessa. ;)

My guess is Delilah.

I'll guess Fiona.

Zoerhenne- Lovely suggestion. I will run this by DH.

Sushi- Calliope was actually another name in our top five! I love the rhythm of this one too. The only drawback is the riverboat/circus association. The like the mythology origin, but when I think of the annoying sound of the instrument, this turns me off.

My guess is Isla.

Steph P -- if we have a girl (I'm due next week!), she'll be Susanna.

Other girl names we/I like are Therese (Tess), Mariah, Caroline, Lydia, and Juliet. I've also been rolling Phillipa/Pippa around in my mind the last couple of days, and it's growing on me!

Stella, Clara, Gabriella, and..... Juliana.

J&H's Mom - I'll guess Amelia becuase of its old-fashion flair and "-a" ending, which seems to be her naming style.

I'm going to be a pain and go back to the Trinity vs. Angelina debate: Personally I prefer Angelina and while it has a certain image right now, I'm sure that will change; Nevermind the fact that friends and family will inevitably begin to think of the baby when they say "Angelina" and not about a celebrity. Other alternatives, however, could be Evangeline, Evangelina, Evangelique, Angel OR Angèle in addition to the previously mentioned Angela, Angeline, Angelica and Angelique. There are plenty of options if you like the 'Angel' sound.

Steph P., I think Caroline, and Carolina (car-o-LEEN-a), both sound very nice with Pfersich. But, as I said before, I like Philippa a lot. Philippa Jane and Philippa Caroline are both very pretty. I wouldn't do Philippa Calantha, because I don't like first and middles with the same ending sound (I won't do two boys' names that end in n, two girls' that end in a, etc.) Just my personal bugbear. It bothers me quite a lot, while alliteration rarely does.

Oh, and I'll guess Stella, Clara, Gabriella, and Anna

Marjorie-- There's a vintage Helen Hayes movie fron the early Thirties, entitled "The Sin of Madelon Claudet". I think she is French in the movie, so imagine it may be a French form or variant.

Also definitely has the feel of a medieval variant to me. "Madeline" had countless forms back then, from the original "Magdalene" through "Maddelena" and on and on.

I'll take a guess as well.

Stella, Clara, Gabriella and...Ava.

or

Stella, Clara, Gabriella and....Sofia.

Kate-

I really like Susanna. It's my favorite of the names you are considering. It brings to mind a smart and spunky little girl for me. Good luck next week!

Been gone for a bit and it's so hard to catch up!

Steph P. - I want to add another vote for Philippa Jane. I think it sounds great with your last name, the nicknames all sound great with it, and I love that you have so many to choose from, each one evoking a different style of little girl or young woman. I also really liked the suggestion of PJ for Philippa Jane, as this brings to mind a more sporty little girl.

It makes me think of my fascination with the name Elizabeth/Elisabeth, due to the overabundance of available nicknames, any one tailored to just the person your daughter may be at the time.

Re: Stella, Clara, Gabriella, and ?

I'll second the suggestions of Sophia/Sofia, Isadora, and Amelia, and I'll add: Grace, Rose, Josephine, Eloise, Eleanora, Flora, and Annabel (since they're so fond of the "elle" sound). Gabriella kind of throws me off... I group it in a different category than Stella and Clara, which I group together.

I LOVE Stella, Clara, and Gabriella. I'll vote for Susanna or Violet.

My guess is: Stella, Clara, Gabriella, and Isabel

Well, the boys have colds today, and there is no class on Fridays, so I'll have to keep everyone in suspense until Monday! Thanks for playing along!

I was a bit thrown by Gabriella as well.
I think my personal guess is Amelia.

I'll try to practice appearing politely curious vs. crazy name lady stalkerish over the weekend.

Kate-I'm so excited for you and your growing family. Take care!

J&H's Mom said: "I'll try to practice appearing politely curious vs. crazy name lady stalkerish over the weekend."

LOL- I know exactly what you mean- that can be tricky when you're an avid NE like we are!

Thanks Steph P. and J&H's mom for your kind comments! J&H's mom -- I was over on BabyCenter too, and I'm glad to see you here! Though I love the conversation here more than on BC, I do miss those polls ...

I second "Amelia" for the mom of swimming girls, though it pains me. I love that name and cringe each year as it creeps higher and higher up the charts. (I was all set to use it in 2003 and 06, but alas, delivered boys!)

Can I hijack a bit and ask everyone's opinions on the name Lucy? As my beloved "Amelia" is creeping dangerously into overuse, I've found myself strangely drawn to it. The Peanuts association is a fond one for me, and if my sons are any indication, any daughter of ours will be live wire like the cartoon character. (Wallflowers my children are not.) It's slowly moving up the charts, but doesn't seem to have the trajectory that Amelia does. Thanks!

And, for what it's worth, our sons are called Isaac and Liam. Last name is Irish and starts with "Mc."

The name Lucy always reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia. In those books the Lucy character is thoughtful, empathetic, and practical. I think it is a nice choice... And I really like the simple, clear sound of Lucy, as opposed to Lucia or Lucinda, which sound a lot clunkier and overdone.

toothfairy, I love Lucy, but my main hesitation is that it sounds a little cutesy to me -- i.e., not as great for a grown woman as for a little girl. I'm sure many people will disagree... it's a classic name, the name of a Saint, and has a rich history to draw on. Personally, though, I prefer Lucia as a full name and Lucy as a nn, so that she can have something less cutesy to fall back on. By the way, I just gave my fourth daughter Lucia as a middle name, so I think I'm a bit biased towards that version! Either Lucy or Lucia works well with your boys' names and a Mc- last name.

Stella, Clara, Gabriella and Julia or Julianna.

Kate, good luck with your new little one. Let us know what you have. What is your boy name?

Susanna is a great name. (But then I am partial to it being mom to a Suzanna)