Middle(s) for Agnes -- due in 4 days!

[lara_jane]

Update: Posted in Birth Announcements!



Hey all! You were so helpful with this post that I thought I'd pick your brains some more!

We haven't decided 100% that Baby's name will be Agnes, though I've been feeling it the whole time, and the three of us agreed that it's a fab name before I was ever pregnant (my 12-year-old adores the Despicable Me character and says if Sissy comes right now her name will definitely be Agnes). We were all in complete agreement on Felix for a boy, but we've had such a difficult time discussing girl names!

Anyway, my biggest problem with Agnes is that I can't decide on a middle or middles. Henry has two middles (James & Parke. Parke was given at birth as an honor name and James was added around age 6 to honor someone else, though not legal at this point). All of Henry's names -- including our last name, Wh1te -- have 5 letters, but I don't necessarily need to keep Girlie's names in the same pattern.

Others on our list -- some are family/honor names, some I love the Shakespeare connection, and some are/were considered strictly for middles:

Alice
Arden
Beatrice
Bliss (this is an extra-special honor name and would go in the second-middle slot if we use it)
Celia
Della or Delphine
Edith
Eloise
Estelle/Estella
Flora
Gertrude
Harriet
Ingrid
Irene
Jewel
Josephine
Lucille
Lillian
Mabel
Phebe/Phoebe
Rosaline/Rosalind (ROZ, not ROSE)
Willa

If you can come up with some combos for Agnes, whether they include these or not, I would appreciate it so much! I can't even think straight at this point because I'm worried my membranes have ruptured (they didn't with Henry so I'm not sure what it feels like! ack!). I may have to check in with you from the hospital!

[shaymin2]

I love Agnes. Its so refreshing to see. You might also like Agatha if you are not dead set on Agnes. Felix is also a fabulous name if the baby turns out to be a boy. Some middle name suggestions:

Agnes Mabel Willa
Agnes Flora Jewel
Agnes Delphine Celia
Agnes Josephine Mabel
Agnes Lillian Harriet
Agnes Rosalind Phoebe

[lori johnson]

Thinking of you during this exciting time as DD #1 prepares to enter the world.

Love Agnes. Agnes Ruby is my personal favorite pairing.

From your list, Agnes Phoebe would be my first choice, and Agnes Flora, my second.

[shaymin2]

Ooo, Agnes Ruby is lovely.

[aj_bear]

I love Agnes, I think it fits perfectly. I think that since Bliss has such meaning for you (that's what I think I read) you should use that as a second middle name. My first idea was Agnes Josephine Bliss. The length of Josephine seems to even out the two sylables of Agnes and the one of Bliss.
A few other ideas:

Agnes Mabel Fleur
Agnes Josephine Helene
Agnes Celia Bliss
Agnes Rosalind Edith

Hope that helps!
-Athena

[everwaiteing]

Agnes Josephine flows the best. I also like Agnes Rosalind. Either of these would go well with Bliss as a second middle name.

[theatrenut23]

I love Agnes Ruby! Here are my other suggestions:
Agnes Josephine Bliss
Agnes Celia Eloise
Agnes Lucille Edith
Agnes Estelle Jewel
Agnes Rosalind Alice

Good luck!

[yellow]

Agnes is a fantastically spunky name that deserves a great middle... none of that Anne, Marie, Rose, etc. stuff for Agnes!

I tend to think, and this is TOTALLY subjective, that a frilly middle accentuates Agnes' arguably rough (though simultaneously endearing) edges. For me, this would include Delphine and Jewel.

I know that you didn't intend them all to be middle options, but for argument's sake there are some on your list that don't fit because of their similar sounds either sing-songing together or getting mushy when spoken, a la Agnes Alice or Agnes Celia (Beatrice, Arden, Edith, Estelle/-a, Ingrid, Bliss -- though I agree that it would/could work as a second middle)

Some are close and could either work or not, depending on one's own naming pet-peeves (Eloise, Lucille).

Some would take the grandma-chic vibe a touch too far, in my (very very) humble opinion (Gertrude, Irene is also close but probably depends on personal associations).

That leaves the healthy but manageable list of: Della, Flora, Harriet, Irene, Josephine, Lillian, Mabel, Phebe/Phoebe, Rosaline/Rosalind and Willa. Honestly, I think all of them work with Agnes, but my personal favorites are:

Agnes Harriet
Agnes Mabel
Agnes Willa
Agnes Rosalind
-and-
Agnes Josephine -- this is my top favorite combo from your list, as it has different syllable counts in the first and middle slots, enough spunk to live up to Agnes but is feminine enough to soften her as well, walks a great line between grandma-chic and current, and very different but complimentary dominant sounds in both.

I got a little analytical on that one, sorry -- sometimes I just like to lay out my own thought process, in case it might help in wrapping your head around both your existing list and guidelines for new additions!

[ashthedreamer]

Ohh, wow, I absolutely love Agnes! I don't know how I missed it on your other post. Henry and Agnes are too cute together! Agnes Violet seems absolutely perfect to me, but I really like Agnes Flora and Agnes Josephine, too. Agnes Estelle, Agnes Phoebe, and Agnes Lillian are lovely, as well!

What about:

Agnes Lillian Flora
Agnes Josephine Lily
Agnes Violet Estelle
Agnes Phoebe Pearl (or Agnes Phoebe Jewel)
Agnes Josephine Flora
Agnes Willa Josephine

Good luck!

[lara_jane]

Eee! I knew I could count on you! I love all of the ideas!

DH is out running some last-minute errands so I'll show him your suggestions when he gets home.

Henry really loves Josephine (and it is a two-part honor name for my great-grandmothers, Josefa & Irene, and DH's grandpa, Joe) so it is one of our top contenders, though DH didn't love it enough to use as a first name.

And @yellow, I definitely overanalyze and thought of just about everything you mentioned, especially in regards to the middle(s) having the repeating 'S' or vowel sounds of Agnes! haha! We name nerds! Birds of a feather!

You're all brilliant. Thank you!