Suggestions for the Indecisive

[wahpro]

We're currently TTC (crossing fingers that I'm pregnant as I type this!) and I need a head start on names. Both of my daughters went a couple of days without names (I'm horribly indecisive).

My daughters' names are Gretchen Sofia and Cordelia Violet. I save the middle name slots for my guilty pleasures... like names I deem too trendy to use as first names. I obviously love old-fashioned names. Some names I considered at the very end of both pregnancies were: Elise, Genevieve, Penelope, Ruby, Hazel, Helena, and Elizabeth. I'm not a nickname fan at all, so that takes a lot of names out of contention (like Catherine, which I adore).

I'd love boy/girl suggestions. I want something that hasn't seen the top 1000 in decades.. or ever.

On the topic of girls' names, what do the Berries think of Claristine? Yes, it's likely made up, but it's my beloved grandmother's name. I nearly used it as Gretchen's name, but stopped myself at the end, thinking it seemed too... southern? (Or maybe I think that's the case because my grandmother is?)

I'm deep into genealogy, and liked some of these names, but wasn't sure how well they'd be received now: Edmund, Barnett, Lydia, Blanche, Ephraim, Henson, Parthenia, Elisianna (this is likely a typo on a document, but I know it was pronounce as Elise-y-on-uh), Gideon, Adelaide...

Sorry for the lengthy post, I just had it on the brain and had to get it out

Thanks for any advice!

[bcl23]

I really like Penelope with your daughter's names but how about :
Francesca
Daphne
Sadie
Abigail
Eliana
Elena
Willow
Lydia
For boys:
William
Walter
Grayson
Harrison
Franklin
Marshall
Alexander
Douglas
Garrett
Lincoln
Victor
Perry
Todd
Leopald
Farrell
Sawyer

[natalia84]

I love Helena and I think it goes great with Gretchen and Cordellia.

I don´t like Claristine, how about Clarissa?

[lucystone]

LOVE your list of names, especially the ones from the family tree! I ADORE Ephraim, but my husband loathes it. I wish I could talk him into using it! Also really like Gideon, Edmund, Lydia, Genevieve (one of my favorite names!), Penelope, Helena, and Elizabeth.

The only names I'd question as too "out there" would be Parthenia and Clarisitine. Neither are common and they come off as trying too hard to be unique and original.

Other suggestions:
Felix
Cornelius
Bertrand
Edison
Porter
Pryor
Leif
Burke
Cecil
Atticus
Eamon
Florian
Broderick
Ambrose
Benedict
Archer
Thaddeus
Basil
Roland/Rowland
Emerson
Ansel
Emory
Baruch
Merrick
Ennis
Alastair/Alistair
Nehemiah
Gilbert
Leander
Ignatius
Herman
Merritt
Erasmus
Giles/Gillie
Barton
Theophilus
Sinclair
Bram
Anatole
Thornton/Thorne
Samson
Sumner
Erastus
Howell
Crawford
Merton
Hiram
Gibson
Ezekiel
Elam
Amon/Amos
Ellison
Horatio
Fletcher
Godfrey
Tilden
Marius
Mercer
Cicero
Wheeler
Upton
Burke
Porter
York
Newell
Holland
Hobart
Cecil
Leif
Edgar
Edison
Linus
Stanton
Ewing
Enos
Elgin
Lawson
Benedict
Pascal/e
Clifton

Henrietta
Mathilde/Matilda
Winifred
Clementine
Johanna/Johana
Philomena
Wilhelmina
Dorothea
Cecile/Cecily/Cecilia/Celia
Thea
Tahlia/Thalia
Leontine
Celeste
Rosamond
Gertrude
Lucretia
Florence
Millicent
Eugenie/Eugenia
Ida
Imogen
Bernadine/Bernadette
Melisande
Delphine
Theodora
Tilda
Felicity/Felicia
Constance
Sidonia
Leonore/a
Genevra/Geneva
Ingrid
Beatrix
Althea
Louise
Delia/h
Griselda
Geraldine
Heloise
Samantha
Sandrine/a
Rhea
Germaine
Valentina
Nicola/Nicolette
Magnolia
Phyllida
Berenice
Ernestine
Arabella
Eudora
Ophelia
Iona
Persephone
Allegra

[girlmeetsbaby]

Oh wow, I adore your daughter's names. They are absolutely gorgeous! I also love Genevieve, Penelope, Ruby, Hazel, and Adelaide for girls. All of them are on my list and Ruby, Adelaide and Hazel are in my top 5. I like Edmund and Gideon. The others aren't really my style.

The only names I can really think of that haven't been in the top 1000 are Romilly, Philipa, Aislinn, Aurelia, Bronwyn, Briar, Beatrix, Elspeth, Freya, Fallon, Larken, Romy, Thea, Tallulah, Viola
Alaster, Angus, Abbott, Fergus, Gray, Rourke, Rafe, Riordan, Ridley, Sutton,

[mrs_c]

I love Adelaide.

[lilysong]

Adelaide is on my list -or at least it would be if my in-laws were able to pronounce it in a way that sounded nice (they are Chinese )

I also like Edmund. It's not a super popular name, but it's one of the main characters of the Narnia series, so people would be familiar with it now at least.
Good luck with finding a name you love!

[lori johnson]

My recommendation is ...

Gretchen [and] Ida [German names]

[or]

Cordelia [and] Agatha [or] Helena [Greek names]

... a sibset comprised vintage German and Greek names with a similar feel.