Please help! The name I loved is overused and I can't find another to commit to...

[ish]

Hi!

We recently found out that we are expecting a girl. We had discussed the name Isabella when we were dating around 2005 and I loved it. My family is Italian, but my husband is not (so the last name is a trade name, like Carpenter or Skinner or Miller) so Isabella seemed not too ethnic sounding while still feeling like a nod to my heritage. My dad used to call my sister and I "Bella" as an endearment. Also, I love vowel names.

Fast forward to 2012 and we're finally having our little girl, but thanks to that ridiculous Twilight the Bellas are out in droves. I don't want her to be Isabella M. in a class of 8 of them. But I'm having a hard time giving up the name. We have also yet to come to an agreement on another one.

The short list now:

Nora (for my grandmother)
Scarlett
Anika
Olivia (also super popular)
Adelaide
Vivienne
Coraline

I like them, but I'm just not *excited* and I feel like I want to love her name.. Who knows if we'll have another girl..

Any advice, thoughts on our list etc is much appreciated. We have 17 weeks to figure it out!

[gblondie]

What about all the different variations to Isabella - or changing a letter? Izabella, or dropping the a? I agree with the over usage of it though!

[westfall620]

Have you looked at:

Isabel/Isabelle
Annabelle
Arabella
Lulabelle
Emmabelle

Or just thought about using Isabella as a middle name?...

[lc22033]

If the popularity bothers you (and I can understand that, I would feel the same way), I like the idea of using another "bella" ending name as nod to your childhood term of endearment & it will still give you that vowel ending you like. Annabella? Mirabella?

[jesba]

Isabella is a beautiful name and while it's trendy in its way by being popular, it will stand the test of time. You could try a less common nn, like Izzy or Ibby or Sabel or jsut Bell, even Libby you could probably do (all forms of Elizabeth).

I wouldn't swap it for Olivia if Isabella is the name you love more - they are equally popular, basically. Unless you truly love Olivia more, it's a lovely name but Isabella would be the happier pick for you.

Speaking of forms of Elizabeth, is Elisabetta too exotic? Tied to the history of Isabella, relatable, lots of nn's - Elle, Ellie, Lisa, Bett, Betta, Betty, Lis, Lissy, Elisa, etc.

Other Bella names: Annabella, Bellamy

Other names that feel Italian to me but aren't Isabella

Cecelia
Leonella
Antonia
Lucia
Elettra

Good luck!

[mollykat78]

I like Isabel much better..

[klg1408]

What about Arabella or Arabelle?

[bcl23]

Have you considered Arabella? That's the first thing that came to mind. I love it much more than Isabella and the name still starts with a vowel with nn possibilities of Ari, Ara, and Bella. I think it's a nice compromise.

From your list, I like Scarlett, Olivia,& Adelaide!

Some suggestions:
If you like Coraline, how about Coralie?
If you like Adelaide, how about Adeline?

Others:
Addison
Madeline
Rosalie
Penelope
Violet
Iris
Eleanor
Gracelyn
Lola
Lucy
Charlotte
Kylie
Emery
Avery
Sofia

[juliet.a]

It really is too bad that your favorite name became so popular! It is a good name, after all.
The suggestion of Mirabel/Mirabella, Lucia & Annabella are good ones.

I'm the opposite of you, with an Italian man! Some good Italian(ish) names I've considered:
Isadora
Adelina
Francesca *
Ines
Dafne
Eliana
Rosabella
Silvia
Aurelia
Oriana *
Sonia *
Perla
Claretta
Eloisa
Liliana

* favs

good luck!

[catreynolds]

I have recently seen Elisabella, which is pretty and still uncommon, though the Bella nickname would still be an issue. However, there are alternatives, like Ellie or Libbie.

I also think Isadora is pretty, but less super-trendy. Anabella and Lucia are also lovely.