Thoughts on my List (Girl Version)

[jtucker]

Adelaide nn Lady - I have always liked the name Adelaide
Ainslie- This is pretty, but not my favorite
Amelie nn Millie- The name Amelie is awesome and I love the nn Millie
Annabel/le nn Belle - Annabel is a great name, classic!
Aurelia nn Elia, Lia - I like this name, not quite my style, but it's pretty
Aurora nn Rory, Ora - Great choice and the nn potential is good
Beatrix nn Trixie - Love it!
Connolly nn Nolly, Ollie - I like it better on your boy list!
Coralie nn Cora, Ora - Coralie is pretty, I personally like the name Cora better as the full name
Eleanor - Adore it, pretty and feminine without being over the top, very classic
Esme - I do like this name, but it might become popular because of the Twilight Series
Helen/a - I prefer Helene
Henrietta nn Hattie, Etta - Not sure how I feel about the name Henrietta, I think of a chicken, sorry
Irene - Nice
Illyria - Very interesting, I have never heard this name, it is beautiful, people might have a difficult time saying it though
Iris- Pretty
Isla- Nice, but not my favorite on your list
Ismene - That's one that I have never heard of, interesting
Lorelei nn Rory, Leila - I think Lorelei is a fantastic name and the nn options you have are really good!
Loretta nn Etta - you have much better ones on your list
Mariposa nn Posey - unsure of my thoughts on this one
Merida nn Airie - I like the name Merida a lot, I think it's beautiful, not quite sure I get the nn though
Mirabel/Mirabelle nn Mira, Bell - Great choice!
Noelle nn Noe, Elle - It's okay
Ophelia nn Fee, Lia, Posey - I love the name Ophelia!
Paloma - it's okay
Penrose nn Posey - not so much my style
Primrose nn Rosie - not so much my style
Prudence nn Prue, Rue, Tuppence - I like Prudence
Sophie- I actually love the name Sophie, it has gotten really popular it seems, but still an absolutely beautiful name!
Theodora/Theadora nn Teddy, Theo/a - I think this is the name that I like the least
Victoria nn Vicky - Victoria is a beautiful name
Viola nn Vi - I think Viola is probably my favorite of your list, it's an awesome name and not too popular!

[lexiem]

@emmabobemma
Thanks for your response! Actually Antigone was the one who was buried alive while her sister, Ismene, was refused her plea to be buried with her. I love the suggestion of Vita as a nn for Victoria (which I honestly have to admit I don't love but keep on my list more because of the fact that it was my SO's mothers name. I could totally get behind Vita though). Thanks!!

@sp11
Ami as a nn for Amelia is really intriguing. Thanks!

@kala_way
I really appreciate you explaining why you don't like Esme - I never saw the asthma/eczema connection but it's always good to know that others do/might. Thank you.

@jtucker
After you mentioned Henrietta reminds you of a chicken I had to look it up. I don't think I've seen Sesame Street since I was 6 and would never have known about her. Between Annabel the cow, (Charlotte the Spider - which used to be on my list) and now Henrietta the chicken I feel like I've got a zoo. That totally made my day. (And actually I think Henrietta the chicken might make me love the name more - after all she did read "Great Eggctations by Charles Chickens"). Thank you!

[lori johnson]

These are the names that are most refreshing to me, personally ...

Adelaide / Beatrix / Esme / Helen[a] / Henrietta / Irene / Lorelei / Loretta / Mariposa / Ophelia / Paloma / Primrose / Prudence / Theodora / Viola

[raptreverie]

Adelaide nn Lady - I really like this name, but I don't know if I'd want to be called 'Lady' once I started getting into my teenage years
Ainslie - Feels like a modern Ashley. I knew a girl named this, so it has a very specific image in my mind which is hard to shake. It's one of the better female surname names, but I prefer Hadley. Also, I'd just spell it the traditional way with the y, as it feels more stream lined.
Amelie nn Millie - The movie is one of my favorites and I love the rhythm and sound of this name. One of my favorites.
Annabel/le nn Belle - This is such a sweet, sweet name. I love the poem Annabel Lee too, so that also helps.
Aurelia nn Elia, Lia - I love Aurelie and Aurora and think that they rank a bit higher for me than Aurelia in therms of sound and rhythm. However, I can see myself actually using Aurelia, whereas Aurelie and Aurora remain guilty pleasures. It keeps growing on me
Aurora nn Rory, Ora - Absolutely love. If I could have renamed myself as a child, I would have been Aurora hands down. It was my absolute favorite name for my entire childhood. Maybe because of that, I feel as though I could never really use it now. Not sure why.
Beatrix nn Trixie - On my list. I know it's getting more popular, but it's just such a darling yet substantial name
Connolly nn Nolly, Ollie (SO's family name and mn) - I liked this better on your boys list, but think that it could be a good mn
Coralie nn Cora,Ora - Also on my own list. The nn Cora is starting to feel pretty stale to me though, so I'm searching for something else
Eleanor/Eleonor/a nn Elle, Nora - I've been hearing Eleanor a lot more recently, which makes me happy
Esme - I never fell in love with this name, but I think it's fine enough
Helen/a - very nice
Henrietta nn Hattie, Etta - cute yet frilly
Irene (my mom's name, which she hates the English prn for) - I agree that the non-English pronunciations are gorgeous, where the English one is just so-so. Still a beautiful name with a wonderful meaning
Illyria (thanks @Ottille) - This is very pretty,
Iris - This was my best friend in high school's middle name and she chose to go by it exclusively during college. I like the image it gives me, but not the sound for some reason
Isla - Have always liked this name!
Ismene - A bit of a guilty pleasure, along with Ione. I don't think it would work very well in an English speaking country
Lorelei nn Rory, Leila - Very charming name. I also like the nn Lila (prn: LYE-lah)
Loretta nn Etta - Makes me think of the wild west
Mariposa nn Posey - Love Posey! The full name seems so heavy to me (which is weird, given its meaning), but I think it could grow on me
Merida nn Airie - Too closely tied to the movie, imo. Unless you're using it to reference the place that is
Mirabel/Mirabelle nn Mira, Bell - I would use Mirabel, as it makes it seem less like a translation of 'look pretty'
Noelle nn Noe, Elle - Pretty sound, but not as interesting or exciting as many of your other names
Ophelia nn Fee, Lia, Posey - Gorgeous, but it has such a sad image in my mind from the play that I just cannot shake
Paloma - I would be so happy to meet a little Paloma!
Penrose nn Posey - Prefer Primrose
Primrose nn Rosie - Absolutely ravishing name, but I would probably use it as a mn
Prudence nn Prue, Rue, Tuppence - I adore Prue.
Sophie (my mn and the first name of both of my maternal great-grandmothers) - This name oozes class and beauty to me. It's my very sophisticated much older cousin's name, so I've always held this name on a bit of a pedestal
Theodora/Theadora nn Teddy, Theo/a - Thea is cute, but I don't love the sound of Theodora.
Victoria nn Vicky (my SO's deceased mothers name) - I would use for the family reference, no question
Viola nn Vi - I love the character from Twelfth Night, but sadly all I can think of is large violins. Maybe that's not a bad thing?

[mayday_fridaybabe]

I really like Annabel, Helen/a, Henrietta, Lorelei, Mariposa, Mirabel, Noelle, Sophie, Victoria and Theodora. All of those sound so lovely! I especially like the nn's of Rory and Posey and Etta.

[lexiem]

@raptreverie
thanks for your detailed thoughts. I considered Lila for a while but it's the German word for purple and is pronounced Lee-la which, considering most of my family speaks German would feel a bit odd.

@mayday_fridaybabe
Thanks for your thoughts. I really love Rory, Posey and Etta as well - so much in fact I wish I could see them as full names but they are just solidly some of my favorite nn options instead.


Thank you everyone for your responses. They really helped me think about the names I love in a new light. You Rock!