The Name Game

The name Esther ranked 154th in popularity in the UK in 2015

Matilda ranked 27th

Beatrice 93rd

I love all of our daughters’ names

But I am really struggling to find one

That David will agree to

For our fourth and final daughter

My first choice would be Cordelia (860th)

But David really does not like it

I love Mabel (216th)

But David is unsure

We both like Edith (122nd)

Shortened to Edie (150th)

But it is not a name that makes my heart sing

Perhaps it does not need to?

I really wish that we could settle on a name

name-graph

Outside of the list above

There are no other names that I really like

None that I love

But perhaps

Perhaps I do need to go right back to square one

To find a name that I am happy with

That David will agree to

Naming a baby is so so hard

Naming a fourth daughter is so hard

I want her to have a name

That is loved as much as the others

That has a considered meaning linked to her siblings

I have used this phrase on this blog before

But Arrrrgggghhh!

The pressure of a name!

I am hoping that inspiration will hit at some point over the coming 12 weeks

That there will be a reason to settle on one of these names

Or a new name will appear out of nowhere

Out of somewhere special

This is the last time we will have this honour

Of choosing a little girl’s name

Our baby girl’s name

I want to get it right

Esther, William, Tilda, Bea and …..

Esther, William, Matilda, Beatrice and ….

Baby ?

The name game

I love it!

Love it or hate it

We have to play it

What name would you choose?

19 thoughts on “The Name Game

  1. I have a Beatrice too. If I were to have had another daughter I think she would have been Clementine, I love Mabel out of your choices. I also like Nell.
    Good luck, it’s so hard.

  2. I was fortunate enough to settle on a name that we both loved before the children were born, but if I had not, the best advice I heard was to short list 2-3 – then take a few days when baby is here to try them out – try calling her Edith for the first day, than the other options – guaranteed, if you don’t know beforehand – you will very quickly settle on a name once she is here and you are calling her it:) x

  3. I expect you’ll dismiss it straight away, but I wondered if Serena might be appropriate, for a little girl hopefully bringing calm to your troubled mind? Serena Faith Henley flows beautifully I think, but then its not for me to choose! I’m sure she’ll grow into her name whatever you choose for her.

      • I thought Serena, meaning calm, serenity, just felt right for your circumstances. Seren, star, is pretty, and of course a tribute to lovely Matilda. I think Faith as a second name would be an acknowledgement that you are determined to be a great mum….. that you are, but doubt. I’m glad you like it, even if you don’t choose it! xx

  4. Hi Jennie,
    How about Evelyn? It means “longed for child”, which I think would be lovely – also, shortened to Evie is super cute.
    Ps – out of interest, what would your boy name be? I remember you writing somewhere that if you had a boy this would be easy cos you already had the name! 🙂

    Some others you might like which I think fit your other children’s names:
    Tabitha (Tabby)
    Elsbeth (Elsie)
    Adelaide (Addy / Ada)
    Annalise (Annie)
    Rosalie (Rosie)
    Ophelia
    Camilla (Millie)

  5. I have a Tabitha. I also love the names Dorothy, Evelyn and Neve. I think Cordelia is lovely. Harriet and Felicity have a similar feel. My nieces are Eloise, Isla, Iris and Jemima if any of those inspire. Good luck finding a name you both love.

  6. I love Amelia (shortened to Millie), Charlotte (shortened to Lottie), Alexandra, Madeline, Isabel (or Isabelle), Laura and Eliza. We had plenty of spare names we loved when we named our daughter.

    Catherine is another favourite of mine which can be shortened to Cate or Kate. Also Elizabeth.

    There has been a Margaret in six generations of our family so we’ve seen all the derivations of it such as Meg, Marg, Margie and Maggie.

    Phillipa and Lucinda are two names I’ve seen pop up repeatedly at school.

    My Grandma was Harriet Ellen, known as Nelly. I thought Ellen was such a pretty name but when you have heard it screeched Nelly, it lost its gloss for me. Cordelia and Mabel certainly don’t ring any bells for me.

    Naming our children was something we did in the early weeks of pregnancy. We didn’t want to stress over it and having it hang over us like a cloud that had to be dealt with so sat down one weekend and talked options through until we had the names sorted.

  7. Hi Jennie,
    I just love reading your blog, you write so beautifully. I am also a mummy of twins, boy/ girl… and my little boy is called William. I have been thinking of names for you for the past few days… I love the name Olive, beautiful, traditional and it’s meaning is ‘symbol of peace’ which I think would complete your family after all you have been through. A symbol of peace. Maybe Olive Cordelia?! Sending lots of love to you and your precious family x

  8. Hi Jennie,
    I agree, there is a lot of pressure naming a baby!! We have 4 birth children & just in the process of adopting a beautiful baby boy.
    We have only 1 girl (our Matilda) so had 4 boys names to think of!! The other girls names on our list were Martha & Connie.
    Also an anxiety sufferer…….you are in my prayers…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *