middle names that make a 'boring' name more interesting?

[maple_blythe]

I saw an announcement for a little Mia Halcyon-- which is such a change from all of the Mia Isabellas and Mia Roses and Mia Lilys that it kind of made me reconsider Mia. Does anyone have any full names that made them reconsider a name that they used to consider too boring or too trendy? Anyone else have names that the like only specific combos?

I've been coming up with unusual middles for top 100 names on a sticky note all day Do middles make a difference to your perception of a name?

Isabella Maud (I like that this makes Isabella sound a little medieval again )
Emily Phaedra
Lily Artemis (delicacy + strength?)
Grace Romola
Zoe Marigold (I really, really, really love this one)
Sarah Evening (and this one)
Allison Yseult (see Isabella comments)
Makayla Juno (well, Michaela Juno)
Julia Mauve
Kylie Paloma
Kayla Hermione, Layla Margery (and vice versa)
Bella Pascale
Gianna Delyth
Maya Christabel
Serenity Ellen (Ellen's not exactly a rare middle, but I think it really works here. Both names seem a little more interesting, and Serenity a bit more grounded).
Mackenzie Lark
Scarlett Oriana (might be a bit much. But it's pretty sassy).
Maria Everild
London Poesy (London is nms in the extreme, but I like this. Maybe as a name of a London-centric historic book blog more than as a daughter, but that's ok).
Lydia Thisbe

[r_j]

Um, kind of loving Mackenzie Lark!
Lark made me love Agnes too, when Jennifer Connelly chose Agnes Lark. It's like a magical middle name.

[jemama]

I love fun surprise middleware names! Having children myself and knowing many with kids, fun surprise middle names really do not get used as much as you would think. So while they look and sound cool, IRL they do not nearly get the effect we wish.

Sarah Smith gets called that all the time. On her birth announcement, at her graduation, in her wedding program everyone is taken back by "Sarah Evening Smith" but 95% of the time, she is just plain Sarah. But in the same respect, s middle name is great for those names we love that we want tucked away to be seen at the right moment.

[ashthedreamer]

LOVELOVELOVE Isabella Maud and Lydia Thisbe! I quite like Lily Artemis and Grace Romola, too. I always thought if I went back to Isabella instead of Isabelle, and if I only used one MN, I would go for Isabella Poppy. I think that's just so sweet.

I actually strive for this in many of my combos, since the majority of my favorites are so popular. I think something like Isabelle Aurora Grace or Olivia Wren Camille are so much more interesting than Isabelle Rose or Olivia Claire, lovely though they are. I know that I would have liked to fall back on a less common MN, being an Ashley my whole life, and it's nice to have that balance of familiar/popular and unique/refreshing.

[east93]

I want to do that as much as I can with my kids names.

[saramee]

Maya Christabel - Love this one. Christabel (or Christabelle) is one of my guilty pleasures. Great name!

[leonielee]

Love Isabella Maud, Zoe Marigold, Allison Yseult, Michaela Juno, and Gianna Delyth! I always thought something like Mary Wren or Ava Cordelia would be fun!

[jesba]

This is such a true note. While sometimes popular and rare names sound good matched with each other, there is something to balance.

I'm a Jessica of the early 80s and my middle name was in the 400s at the time of my birth, and stylistically pretty different. I always loved that contrast!

I agree with you about Zoe Marigold, and I really like Emily Phaedra!

And I hadn't heard of Agnes Lark yet - that is a nice combo!

[augusta_lee]

I'm torn, because I believe that middle names should be family names...but I also LOVE the idea of pairing a more ordinary first name with an artistic, offbeat middle, particularly since my tastes have moved from the wildly obscure to the more mainstream. (I adore Eloise, Alice, and Lydia, but worry that they're all becoming far too popular -- or worse, trendy.)

Some favorite elaborate middles:

Valkyrie
Artemis
Dove
Valentine
Zephyr
Holiday
Allouette
Andromeda
Marigold (though it's in my top 10 for a first name)
Lavender
Starling
Adelvice
Winter
Tesseract (yes, really -- think 'Wrinkle in Time'!)
Autumn
Vesper
Sparrow
Galaxy
Fox
Quince
Ocean
Solace
Arcadia
Prospero
Erasmus
Polaris
Valor

Also, a suggestion: how about reversing the trend? I love the idea of a wild name up front with a more demure middle. Think of Nicole Richie's daughter, Winter Kate. Why not Lavender Ann, Artemis Lee, Vesper May or Autumn Grace? Or Erasmus Jack, Polaris Cole, Valor Luke, and Ocean Paul?

[sunshine.10]

This is a cool thread!

How about:
Sophia Lark
Olivia Berry
Madison Blythe
Avery Lilac
Kylie Marisol
Riley Cadenza
Chloe Naava
Claire Palasha