We have looked at every "C" name on many websites and in books. The only contenders we see (or have seen):
Cara
Carraway
Calista
Cali/Callie
California
We liked Cara when I was pregnant last time. Today, though, it seems a little too simple. We are finally having a girl and all we have to offer is four letters? Carraway might solve this problem, BUT if were to call her Cara, I'd prefer to spell it Caraway, but The Great Gatsby character is Carraway - the two Rs are important! So, out of those two, it's just Cara that remains up for consideration.
We like Cali but feel it is too informal. The husband liked Calista a lot, but he's over it. We toyed with California (his home state), but decided she'd likely turn Ann Coulter on us if we plagued her with such a hippie name. Also, I kind of like Cali spelled Callie. So, yes, Calista/California/Callie/Cali are out too.
So, for C names. We are looking at:
Cara
For non-C names, we've discussed Emerine. It's a surname from my husband's side of the family. I worry no one will spell it correctly. Ever. Also, it sounds a little old-fashioned, so it needs to be paired with a very classic or contemporary middle name. I liked Emerine Grace, but it leaves her with the initials EGG. That will not work. Since Emerine is pulled from his side of the family, I'd like to add something from my side of the family. Unfortunately, all my hill people's names sound very old-fashioned when paired with Emerine. Emerine Lillian, Emerine Ola, Emerine Frances ... all old.
Cara Emerine is nice, but then her initials don't match The Boys. That might be fine, but if we're going to bother with a C, it seems like we should bother with a J too (and I have a J middle name that I like quite well with Cara).
I really like the name Piper (my husband does not), and I don't think I could use it. We joked about Piper Irene, so her initials would be PIG or Piper Ursula, so her initials would be PUG. While that is all hilarious, we're not using Piper.
Her 4D ultrasound pictures look just Moose. So, I feel a little connection of, "Well, if Moose was a girl, his name would be Cara, so her name IS Cara."
My husband's only other suggestion: Carissa. Which I hate. As a general rule, I hate all names that rhyme with my name - with the possible exception of Alissa (spelled with an I). I also disapprove all creative spellings (or, as I call them, misspellings) of my name. One L, an I, and two flippin' Ss. Got it?
ANYWAY.
As someone with a Top 5 name from her birth year, I will not use a name in the Top 5. As a matter of fact, I'm unlikely to use a name from the Top 25 or, honestly, even the Top 100. My first child's name was 114 when I used it and it is now in the Top 100 and it IRKS me. It is really an irrational fear (as none of the current Most Popular Names are nearly as popular as Jennifer/Melissa/Jessica, etc. when I was born). STILL. I am left not wanting to go there AT ALL. So, the following names are pretty much out:
| Isabella | ||
| Sophia | ||
| Emma | ||
| Olivia | ||
| Ava | ||
| Emily | ||
| Abigail | ||
| Madison | ||
| Chloe | ||
| Mia | ||
| Addison | ||
| Elizabeth | ||
| Ella | ||
| Natalie | ||
| Samantha | ||
| Alexis | ||
| Lily | ||
| Grace | ||
| Hailey | ||
| Alyssa | ||
| Lillian | ||
| Hannah | ||
| Avery | ||
| Leah | ||
| Nevaeh | ||
| Sofia | ||
| Ashley | ||
| Anna | ||
| Brianna | ||
| Sarah | ||
| Zoe | ||
| Victoria | ||
| Gabriella | ||
| Brooklyn | ||
| Kaylee | ||
| Taylor | ||
| Layla | ||
| Allison | ||
| Evelyn | ||
| Riley | ||
| Amelia | ||
| Khloe | ||
| Makayla | ||
| Aubrey | ||
| Charlotte | ||
| Savannah | ||
| Zoey | ||
| Bella | ||
| Kayla | ||
| Alexa | ||
| Peyton | ||
| Audrey | ||
| Claire | ||
| Arianna | ||
| Julia | ||
| Aaliyah | ||
| Kylie | ||
| Lauren | ||
| Sophie | ||
| Sydney | ||
| Camila | ||
| Jasmine | ||
| Morgan | ||
| Alexandra | ||
| Jocelyn | ||
| Gianna | ||
| Maya | ||
| Kimberly | ||
| Mackenzie | ||
| Katherine | ||
| Destiny | ||
| Brooke | ||
| Trinity | ||
| Faith | ||
| Lucy | ||
| Madelyn | ||
| Madeline | ||
| Bailey | ||
| Payton | ||
| Andrea | ||
| Autumn | ||
| Melanie | ||
| Ariana | ||
| Serenity | ||
| Stella | ||
| Maria | ||
| Molly | ||
| Caroline | ||
| Genesis | ||
| Kaitlyn | ||
| Eva | ||
| Jessica | ||
| Angelina | ||
| Valeria | ||
| Gabrielle | ||
| Naomi | ||
| Mariah | ||
| Natalia | ||
| Paige | ||
| Rachel |
I am not saying there is anything wrong with these names. Many of them are perfectly lovely! I will not use them, though.
Let's look at names out the Top 100 (101 to 500) that I like well enough but aren't particularly speaking to me:
Harper (not quite feminine enough)
Rebecca (a friend named Rebecca advised AGAINST it)
Summer (rhymes with hummer - just not sure I can do that)
Delilah (the song reference is super, the Biblical reference is not)
Chelsea (Husband doesn't like it - probably because of Chelsea on Teen Mom)
Fiona (love the idea of it, but she might not like being named after an ogre - and I don't blame her)
Genevieve (it's a lot of name)
Malia (Husband doesn't like it, I'm not sure I do either)
Since our last name is quite vanilla (which I am thankful for), we tend not to like plain-and-simple names. Megan, Sarah, Mary, Sally, etc. are all fine names but when paired with our last name, the whole name is pretty darn boring.
All this makes Flower Pumpkin seem quite reasonable.
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for the record, i LOVE calista. and i've seen it spelled callista before. i really, really wanted to name baby #3 Calista, but my hubby hated the name. He's why her name is a top 5 name! :)
ReplyDeleteAnother name we really liked was Lyric...but for our last name, it wouldn't work.
I love No. 3's name. Ever since The Cosby Show, I thought Olivia was a great name! Obviously, LOTS of people agree!
ReplyDeleteWe're totally over Calista. I never particularly cared for it for MY kid. I tend to like more German/Hebrew names. The husband likes the more Latin/Greek names.
Lyric did make me pause. I also love Sonnet, but since Sonics are SO popular in the South ... people think they hear "Sonic." It's also pretty close to snot. I also LOVE Anasis, but it's just way too close to anus. Can't do it!
I, too, like Callista. I like Emerine too, though. I think it is unique yet feminine. And there is always a nickname of Emme if you like. I am also a fan of Harper, but my Hubby wasn't that big of a fan of it either.
ReplyDeleteWhat about combining Emerine and Calista/Callista? Emerine Calista?
What about Marleigh/Marley? Goes nice with your last name, has a bit of an edge to it.
Just throwing stuff out. :)
Some other good names are:
ReplyDeleteCara Jane (Jane Lucille was was your husbands faternal grandmother)Isabella was his great grand mother.
Maybe Janabelle??
Love and hugs
Aunt Rose