Advice? Suggestions?

[augusta_lee]

I'm bored to death of my favorite names.

Oh, I still love them. The problem is I've loved them for a little too long. They've gotten stale. I need new ideas! So I come to you, Berries. What do you think of these lists? Do any good sibsets appear? Any common threads style-wise? Do you have any suggestions for other names I might like based on those I already love?

GIRLS
Miranda
Eloise
Sylvie
Iris
Lucinda
Margot
Esmé
Hazel
Sadie [though I would prefer this as a nn for a longer fn]
Persephone

BOYS
Marlowe
Elliot
Roscoe
Calvin
August
Wallace
Arthur
Felix
Atlas
Rupert

Others I love that didn't make the list include Waldo, Baxter, Ferdinand, Dashiell, Lydia, Florence, Juniper, and Harriet. I tend to go for more uncommon names, though I've recently loosened up enough to enjoy names in the 200s and even (gasp!) high 100s. I live in a big artsy city and have a rather offbeat lifestyle (writer, activist, tattoos, purple hair, etc), and I love unusual names with interesting histories and a sophisticated sound.

So, any ideas? Help me, Nameberry, you're my only hope!

[esrever88]

I adore your style. Many of these names appear on my own lists - I especially love Sylvie, Iris, Hazel, Roscoe, Waldo and Dashiell - I think a sibling pair of Hazel and Roscoe, or Sylvie and Dashiell, would be stunning.

Some names I like that may appeal:

Beatrix
Bianca
Enid
Opal
Susannah
Vivian

Cecil
Frederick
Hiram
Leo
Matthias
Silas

[augusta_lee]

I LOVE Beatrix, Bianca, Vivian, and Leo. Thank you!

[augusta_lee]

Just giving this a bump...anyone else have ideas or suggestions?

[lemon]

Hey, there, Augusta Lee! You've got some great names!

Miranda is fabulous. Not enough people use her. I'd throw out Melisande and Mazarine and maybe Morgana as well. Eloise is lovely and peppy but has a graceful, prim front. I'd also suggest chic and sassy Eloisa and Elora. Sylvie really dresses up Sylvia in a fun, modern way. I can't say a thing more about it! Iris is elegant and demure. For similar name styles, you might try Bryony or Flora, but Risa or Irina could be good as well. Oh, Lucinda! So spunky. But, I have to say I love subtle, quirky Lucille just a tad bit more. I also love modern, French Lucienne. Margot. Lovely! Again, I feel like people are afraid of Margot, even though she's relatively safe. If you liked Juniper, you might go for Magnolia, or Marigold, but you might also try one of my favorites, Margaretta! Esme is beautiful. Enough said. Though Estella and Estelle are so pretty, as is Noemi. And Noella! Hazel's poised to be a chart climber, but boy is she worth it! Try Aveline as a quirky sister form. Or Abilene if you like chummy Abie (Abby, Abbie - whatever). Sadie's one that's got me. Sure, she's Sarah with a whole lot more sweetness, but it's too much for me. You could try Sariah or Sarina as long forms, or go with a less sugary short name like Sosie, short for Susannah (or Shoshana!). Finally, Persephone. That's the most name you've got on this list, and I have to say it's not my taste. Sure, I love a good mythical name, but there's a huge difference between Persephone and, say, Athena. So, why not Athena or Minerva or even Artemis? Or, similar Greek-y, Roman-y names like Cassandra, Callista, or Cassia? I'd say you like ladylike and playful with a feminine, artsy punch. Off your list, I'd pair Sylvie, Eloise, and Margot in a heartbeat. Esme and Lucinda are pretty together as well. Heck, Esme and Miranda are pretty jaunty, too!

Marlowe - in all spelling variants - is something I've considered as a girl's middle name, but I love it here as well! Elliot is a demure classic that's winning favor seemingly everywhere with that boyishly handsome Eli short form. I think both speak to a Brit surname-y vibe along the lines of Archer, Alcott, Bertram, Beckett, Benetton, Calder, Deveraux, Edison, Fergus, Graeme, Huxley, Maverick, Patton, Quentin, Roan, Sutton, Sylvester, Theobald, and Wiley. So, I threw a few extras in there, too. Ha! Now, Roscoe has some serious personality and style potential. Rafferty, too, might be up your alley. Calvin is boyish and strong, with a bit of a dated 50s, now hipster, flair. I like it! See above for some similar style names, but Edgar and Dexter might work, too. August is one of my favorites! Rowan and Basil might be similarly light and appealing for your name taste. Then we get Wallace and Arthur, on par with Calvin - though Arthur has a lot of style these days. I'd even go for Alfred of Alphonse! Felix is the epitome of cool, as is Milo, or Miles. Atlas is your bold outlier, miss! You might also try Armand, Cyprian, Caspar, Gryphon, Heracles, Horatio, Homer, Lysander, Noel, Niles, Pierrot, Quince, or Roman. And Bastian! And perhaps Bayard. Yea, that was another jumbled mess of names. Finally, Rupert fits just delightfully with names like Calvin, Wallace, and Arthur. What a set of four, actually! Try Cyrus and Silas and Rufus. And Russell. So, like I've sort of said, pairings of Marlowe and Elliot work, as do Calvin, Wallace, Arthur, and Rupert. Felix works well with Arthur, too. Roscoe is fun and I like him with Elliot, but I'd prefer him with something like Leland or Jude. August is light but shortens to spunky Gus, so I'd pair him with something like Arthur for Artie or Roman for Romy. Or Miles for Milo? Love 'em all. And how could I almost forget Peregrine for you! I think he's just up your alley. What is your alley? Well, you've got a huge vintage quirk. But it's not just vintage-vintage, like Julian, it's more of that nerdy-chic-hipster-vintage that works so well in your artsy lifestyle! It's up and coming, too, you know. You're poised to make a naming trend go wild! Embrace it. Then you've got the true vintage names on there, like August and Arthur and Elliot. And names with a little more of a current style, like Marlowe and Roscoe and those surname-y, cool ones. Finally, Atlas?! He's your Persephone outlier. Not as big of a name, but just as hard to mix in to your other loves.

I'd advise you to stay true to your hipster-quirky-nerdy roots, madam. I get that you love a good outlier in the mythological, and that's fabulous, but I'm not sure you've found your naming home there. Or we'd see more of 'em showing up on your list. So, for girls, stay ladylike, stay old but not too old, stay sassy and perky, but keep a bit of a prim package. And, yes, you can be totally prim with some wacky nature name like Celandine, Magnolia, Marigold, or, yes, Juniper - Cece, Maggie, Goldie, and Junie? Cute. For boys, stick with the "nerdy-chic" style you seriously love. A name like Dexter would take you far, just like your favorite Calvin.

Lemon

[thetxbelle]

French names are the only ones I'm really well versed in so hopefully some of these will spark your interest or at least inspire you if they're too far out there. A lot of them have accents but I think some could be omitted the same way people do with Elodie here. Sorry if any are repeats!

GIRLS
Miranda - Myriam, Mirielle, Milene/Milena,
Eloise -Eloane, Elodine, Éliane, Elodie, Eleonie,
Sylvie - Sylvelie, Sylveline, Syrine,
Iris - Irine, Isoline, Iliane
Lucinda - Lucine, Luciana, Luciane, Leticia
Margot - Marjorie, Margaret, Marielle
Esmé - Estelle, Esther, Esmerelda, Esra
Hazel - Azalea, Azélie, Helene/Helena,
Sadie - Sidonie, Sabine, Salome, Sidra,
Persephone - Penelope, Perrine, Olympie/Olympia, Cecily (IDK reminds me of Sicily which relates to Persephone)

BOYS
Marlowe - Marion, Marciano, Marshall
Elliot - Elian, Eloi, Elias, Eleazar
Roscoe - Royce, Rosemond
Calvin - Callum, Calixte (love this name)
August -Augustave, Audren, Alton,
Wallace - Wade, Winston
Arthur - Aurelien, Armand, Arnaud, Artheme/Artemis, Arturo, Aristes (I know an A.ristes Athanasiou - it's quite a name!)
Felix - Alex (I can't think of any!)
Atlas - Anselme
Rupert - cant think of any sorry!

[amberdaydream]

I beg you to keep Atlas, Felix and Lucinda on your list!

Drusilla
Theodora / Dorothea
Viola
Lavinia
Nell
Antoinette
Mitzi
Florence
Irene / Irena
Rosalia
Leona / Leonie
Estelle
Cleo

I second the suggestion of Callum over Calvin.
Sylvan
Emmett
Theodore
Raphael
Mercer
Silas
Sullivan
Asher
Floyd
Lawrence
Florian
Theon
Nathaniel
Thaddeus

[augusta_lee]

Oh my goodness, these suggestions are AMAZING!

Lemon, you have my naming style pegged absolutely perfectly. It's scary how much you gleaned just from my top ten! I LOVE Jude -- in fact, it's in my revised top 10. Archer, Fergus, and Milo are right up my alley, particularly Fergus. It's got that clunky-cool vibe I love, and adorable nn Gus (which works for August as well!). I love Calder and Dexter (though the -er ending on my last name makes them hard to use), and they made me think of another great name I adore: Baxter.

Atlas is definitely the outlier, you're right -- perhaps Atlas and Persephone are better as middle name material than up in front.

Marigold and Magnolia are firmly in the guilty pleasure category...though Marigold is calling to me. While Aveline and Cassia are lovely I don't LOVE them. But Minerva? Brilliant. She's a bridge between out-there Persephone and the more usable vintage names on my list. I just wish I could think of an alternative nn to Minnie!

Also, you must be psychic -- Sadie is only on the list because she's one of my mother's favorite names, and upon reading your comment I realize that she's not one of mine!


Thetxbelle: I have quite a few French girls' names on my list already, so your suggestions were perfect. I adore Sylveline (how have I not heard this before??), Irine, Marjorie, Helene, and Salome. Elias, Royce, and Callum are hitherto-undiscovered gems. In fact, I prefer Callum to Calvin. Thank you!

Amberdaydream: They're definitely staying on the list, don't worry! I do worry that Felix is getting a bit trendy, but I think (hope!) Lucinda and Atlas are safe. From your suggestions I love Theodora (nn Thea), Viola, Florence, and Cleo, as well as Sylvan, Theodore, and Thaddeus.

With your advice in mind I've revised both my top 10s!

GIRLS
Miranda
Eloise
Sylvie
Iris
Lucinda
Margot
Esmé
Hazel
Theodora
Minerva

BOYS
Marlowe
Roscoe
August
Elliot
Wallace
Jude
Felix
Waldo
Atlas
Theodore
Thaddeus
Ferdinand [okay, so it's a top 11...ha]

I welcome any other suggestions anyone might have. This got me excited about names again.

[lemon]

Augusta Lee,

Glad to have been able to help! Hm, let's see. Atlas and Persephone would make stunning middle names! I'm all about a more reserved - but still stylish and spunky - first name with a more "look at me" middle, like some of my favorites, Phoebe Magnolia and Phoebe Maple. Theodore Atlas is fabulous, and Elliot Atlas has some potential. For girls, something like Hazel Persephone is gorgeous, but Margot Persephone is glam!

About your Minerva "Minnie" issue, what about stylish Mina? Always a nice choice. In the same way, Theodora can just as easily be vintage Dora as she is romantic and elegant Thea.

I'll try and check back in on your thread, but if you need to find me, absolutely feel free to private message me!

Lemon

[strawberry shortcake]

We have very similar style! From your list, I love Eloise, Iris, Margot, Esmé (especially with the accent), Hazel and Sylvie. From your boys list I love Arthur, Calvin, Elliot and August.

Some suggestions:
Elora
Charis
Seraphine
Marisol
Ophelia
Juliet
Cecelia
Talullah
Verity
Elodie
Camille
Giselle
Naomi
Dahlia
Bernice
Clara

Roman
Edmund
Cyrus
Xander
Caspian
Hugo
Beckett
Cassius
Leander
Zachariah
Asher
Ivan

Hope that helps