mom messed a tradition up

[papaya]

I think I'm the end of an era.

My middle name is my mother's name.
My mother's middle name is her mother's name.
And so on and so forth for a total of five generations.

But my mother messed it up. She gave me the worst name to use as a middle name. It's Jennifer, which is terribly clunky to sandwich between a first and last name. (My s/o kinda likes that it'd make people have to say our daughter's name slowly, but I dont like it one bit.)

Our short list of first names includes, in order:
Elizabeth
Lydia
Diane
Danielle

Of course we like the longer ones the most, right?

I guess what I need is shorter first names with the same feel as the ones on our list, or serious convincing that I don't need to use Jennifer. Maybe I could use my own middle name? Nicole?

[namergirl3]

I actually like the sound of Elizabeth Jennifer and Lydia Jennifer! Jennifer is so unexpected and stunning as a middle name, but I can understand why it could be hard to find a first name to pair with it. DH and I thought about using my first name as a daughter's middle name, but it was too hard to find something that sounded good with the middle name Alyssa. Lol.

Of course you don't have to use Jennifer. Some naming traditions go on for several generations, but others fizzle out, and that's perfectly okay. Using your middle name could be a clever way of expanding on the tradition, not ending it besides, I'm not entirely convinced that everyone loves to keep up naming traditions exactly how they started out...people have posted on here before, saying things like "there is a tradition that every first son is named Robert. I don't like Robert and it would be confusing to have a Big Bob, Little Bob, and Bobby. Can we use Robert Frederick and call him Freddie instead?" So you aren't alone!

Short or short-ish names that sound good with Jennifer:

Maeve Jennifer
Ruth Jennifer
Lauren Jennifer
Mary Jennifer
Lucy Jennifer

[albeqee]

I gave my daughter my clunky name as her middle name (Mellissa). I feel like by the time they are older, whatever names we give them will be out of style

[pindorama]

You can give your child a variation of Jennifer, like Guinevere (which I LOVE!!!) or Jenna or Ginevra. But giving your own middle name is also a good compromise. I think Lydia Jennifer is beautiful as well as Elizabeth Guinevere.

PS: Alyssa, I know you didn't ask, but Alyssum or Lys (after the fleur-de-lys) would be great middle names!

[alchemicallypurplefairy]

I like the sound of it. Besides, how often are you really going to be saying your daughter's full name? If you really hate it, would you consider using Jen, Jenna, or Gwen?