Help with my girl's list

[bcl23]

From your list, I love Wren, Juno,Seraphine, Elowen, & Pandora!

[malk]

Lori Johnson - Don't like Shea, reminds me of the butter. I really need a Greek name that ends in A by your theory. lol

[weegingerfaerie]

Well you know we have very similar naming styles so i'm probably just going to say i love every one you've listed but i'll try to be practical rather than romantic.

Lumi - I can't see it being converted to Lumi, i think it's really cute and makes me think of luminescence, so a very etheral & beautiful image is conjured in my mind
Ione - Too close to Iona for me, being in Scotland it's too popular so an instant dismissal for me but that probably doens't apply elsewhere.
Azure - This is a romantic one for me, i don't think i love it as a girls name but love the thought of it, i tried to get my mum to name her dog Azure for it's blue eyes but she went with Skye (blue)

Names I would use, with little niggling issues
Alba - my top choice for you, i do understand your sound a like issues as i have the same propblem with my 1st choice for DD2. I want to tell you to ignore the quibble and use it as it's perfect but then i would have to listen to my own advise and not sure i can.
Iris - I wouldn't worry about the blurring of s's. This was my top choice for DD2 but i worry too similar to Ivy, like you say it is getting popular and i've seen Ivy trend since i used it. I think Iris is a perfect name, i love the imagery of both the flower and the mythology. It's old-fashioned but not dated, short and spunky whilst being a little whimsical. I really love this name.
Maeve - Gorgeous but too soft for me, if you don't like 1 syllable, how about prounouncing it Mave-uh, i'm always unsure how to say it anyway.
Wren - Most likely to be DD2's name, i love it, short, spunky, whimsical. Like you i want to give DD a name that's not completely out-there but there's not going to be 2 more in her class at school. i don't think it matters that it's close to Finn as completely different styles and there's a decent gap between them.
Mara - I don't think calamari is something that will occur too many people, it's a nice name and fits your brief but i not as special as others in your list.

Names I could be persuaded to use
Delphi - Like in theory but can't imagine it on a wee girl
Eirlys - LOVE, think it's a good follow-up to Calla too
Eira - I can see your hubby's worry but most people in UK don't pn Eire properly anyway or even know what it means. I think it'l lovely but prefer Alba & Eirlys
Juno - Fits the brief, perfect with your sibset but not exciting me. I think this is one of the names for me that if i was to meet a child in real life i would be delighted but on paper i think theres better choices.
Rona - I know 4 Rhona's so has same issue as Ione for me
Tamsin - Nope, not doing it for me
Juna - I prefer Juniper with this as shortname
Opal - LOVE, not for me but definitely for you. It is just as pretty and delicate as Calla without being overly frilly.
Pearl - I think Pearl Lumi would be a lovely combo, it's an old-lady name i really like but i know 2
Amara - Think this is really pretty, love the sound but doesn't excite me, same as Juno, it should do, meeting an Amara would make my day.

Alternate list - names I love but would maybe not be brave enough to use or not sure about or probably wouldn't get past DP
Evadne - I love Ariadne, wouldn't use either
Ianthe - On my secrtet list that i don't even suggest to hubby, if i were to use an I name it would be Iris but i love this so much
Isolde - Liek on paper but not the sound
Iseult/Yseult - bit weird even for me, how do you pn it
Adara - Love very much
Inara - Love but because of I issue i would go for Adara
Elowen - really like, as soft as Elenor, Eloise etc but better
Seraphine - NMS but think it's very pretty
Persephone - thinking of as 2nd name to Iris Wren and add Ophelia to Ivy Fae's name.
Artemis - i want to love this but don't
Isola -
Eluned/Luned, Everild, Ismene - not sure about these, would need to know pn and story behine them
Peony - such a pretty flower but not keen on pn
Idony - would need to know pn and story behine them
Isabeau - too close to the overy popular Isabelle
Anais - pretty, goes with Calla nicely but not with your boys names, not sure that's anissue though
Signe -would need to know pn and story behine them
Boheme -Brilliant but i couldn't use
Pandora - Thinking of this as 2nd middle name if ever have a 3rd daughter, i think it's a really good name
Liadan - would need to know pn and story behine them
Indigo - Another amazing name but starts with an I, not an issue for you of course.

Sorry i made so many comments that were only pertinent to me, but as our styles are so similar, i get excited by your list and look on it for contenders to knock Wren Iris/Wren Violet of the top spot.

Alba, Lumi, Iris, Opal, Ianthe, Pandora, Wren & Indigo are my favourites from your list.

Alba Ianthe
Opal Pandora
Lumi Pearl/Pearl Lumi
Wren Idigo

My other favourite is Ember but i can't find a middle name I love with it and i worry it's too close to Amber.

[malk]

Thanks, WGF, your comments help a lot as we have similar taste and you're from same place so have a good feel for the name scene there. I agree with a lot of what you say. Loving Wren Iris by the way.

From my alt list I think Indigo, Ianthe are usable for DP and me as first names. I'd love to use Inara but DD's 2nd middle name is Inari and it's too close. Liadan is a fave as well, but it's too close to DS1. It's prn lee-dan or lee-ah-dan and means 'gray lady or gray poetess' from Irish mythology.

I think I love Alba and Lumi best. I find Alba really hard to find a good combo with. Like Iris best next, but something just doesn't feel right. Opal and Pearl I come and go with, think I like the look and idea of Opal more than the sound. Maeve and Wren are also strong contenders if I could get over the 1 syllable thing or if DP put his oar in enough as I know he likes Wren and there's not many names he's positive about.

I think Rona and Mara need to go, just don't sound very nice. like the ideas more. Ember is just too close to Amber for me.

Thanks again.

[weegingerfaerie]

I did wonder about Inara being in your list with your daughter's middle name, Calla Inari is such a beautiful name.

Ember/Amber is sticking point for me too, it's a shame as i love it and so does DH surprisingly.

Look forward to hearing what you go for xx

[malk]

It's her 2nd middle name, so half-wondered if that was far enough removed. It's not really. lol Boys are so much easier.