We are expecting our second child, a girl, the middle of April, and I am going out of my mind trying to find a name for this little person. When we named our son it was 100% painless, it’s a long story but we just knew that his name was Ty, I think because of that this time around is twice as painful. Our style is pretty all over the place. We want something that is familiar, and classic, I don’t mind popular, but would like to avoid trendy or top 10. My husband and I both have very classic names so I don’t want her to be the odd one out with a bizarre name. A good nickname is very important, I tend to shorten or nickname those I love. Her middle name will be Jen or Jennifer after my amazing mom!
Here is our list so far:
Atley - I love this name, my husband hasn’t vetoed it but has issues with it. For me it has alot of what I want, not overly girly, but still able to be feminine. A little spunky, plenty of nicknames, and definitely not top 10. I also feel like it goes well with Ty. My problem with it is that every time I tell someone this name they either make me spell it for them or spell it themselves to make sure they have it right. Is it so unusual that it falls into the strange category? It has a familiar sound to me but maybe that’s because it has been rolling around in my head for months now.
Addison - This is my husbands compromise to Atley, I do really like the name, but I am having a hard time getting over where it sits on Social Security website.
Josie - Husband likes, I am meh--
Emery - I love, husband is meh
Elsa - Husband is undecided and I am afraid it might get butchered a lot.
Anistyn - Nickname? Not sure I like Ann or Annie
Austyn - Husband likes, I can’t get past no nickname
Lucy - Struggling with the nickname Luc (loose), and it's top 10 in our area.
Ryland
Ashtyn
Alice
Nellie
Hattie - We are both a little meh, but it’s still on the list
I guess I should also include our three year olds suggestions of Tyla and Cactus
Vetoed:
Scarlett
Dillen
Quinn
Vivian - (I cried when husband vetoed)
Names we love that we can’t use:
Allie
Rylie
Drew
Sydney
Emmeline
Madeline
Audrey
Jessie
After rereading this I realize that I really am all over the place. Guidance please!! I keep thinking that I just haven’t heard the right name yet, and maybe its also a little because my husband really isn’t loving anything either. Of course maybe I am just way over analyzing this whole thing….(me??, no way!) Thanks so much for any suggestions! I can’t wait to settle on a name so that I can dream about something else at night. :)
Atley is indeed a highly unusual name: according to the Social Security Administration, it was given to only 22 girls in 2009. That's the same as the number of girls who were named Christopher that year. I think with names of that sort, it's good to have a quick-reference to help people incorporate it: in this case, something like "It's like Ashley, but with a T instead of an S-H." Or if you went with Atalie/Ataley, you could say "Like Natalie without the N."
Padgett comes to mind: it doesn't solve the classic/familiar issue at all, but it's similar to Atley and I think it's such a cute name.
Or would you like Shelby or Brinley? They have some of the sound of Atley, while being more familiar.
If Addison's popularity is the main sticking point, I suggest Adelyn and Avelyn and Emerson, and perhaps Adeline and Evelyn.
A name similar to Emery is Everly, which makes me think of Ellery, which makes me think of Ellis, which makes me think of Hollis.
I think Elsa is wonderful with your surname: Elsa DeHart. I don't THINK it would get butchered---or at least, I can't see many ways to mispronounce it. And it's good with Ty. This is my favorite from your list.
This is a little out of nowhere, but would you like Paisley? Paisley DeHart; Ty and Paisley. There aren't a ton of easy nicknames, but I can picture saying Paisy-Daisy.
I think Kiefer is an adorable name for a little girl---but again, nickname issues. Keef? Kiki? Efie (I'm imagining it sounding like Evie)? And the -fer means Jennifer as a middle name won't work. (Perhaps Cactus instead?)
I think Winslow is gone for boys, which makes it excellent material (with good nicknames) for girls.
Name update! Haley writes:
Our little girl Ally Jennifer DeHart made her debut on April 12, 2011. I was so hoping that everyone who told me the second I saw her I would just "know" what her name was would be right, but not so much. My husband and I had gone through both of the hospitals name books twice and still nothing we could agree on. My husband really wanted to name her Austen, but she was so little and sweet I felt she really needed something more feminine, I was pulling realllllllly hard for Elsa, it just seemed to fit her but my husband just didn't like it at all. So the name we settled on as we were walking out the door was Ally. Looking back I had thrown that name out early on because we have friends, who also happen to be our neighbors, with a baby girl who is named Alee. But in the end the name is everything I wanted, It's a traditional name that's not too trendy, everyone was really shocked, they said "That wasn't even on the list!!" haha! I am so glad its over, thanks again for all your help and the help from all the readers, it really did help!
