Hi Duana!
I am hoping you can help me! I am due with baby #2 in just over 2 months. My husband and I had no problem naming our first daughter and the name came easily to us. Her name is Sophie Olivia F. This time around, we are struggling so much with trying to name this new baby. If Sophie had been a boy, we would have named her Alexander. With the arrival of this next baby, I am not sure I love the name as much as I did 2 years ago.
I also absolutely love the names Emma and Emily, but apparently so does the rest of Canada! The problem with these names is that although they are great names, they are just so popular right now. I know Sophie may not be the most original name, but it is simple, classic and pretty (and maybe not quite as popular as say Sofia).
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I am French Canadian, so it is very important to me that the name be perfectly bilingual.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help.
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Well, I hear you. The problem with the names you love, as you know, is that sometimes other people love them, and you run into a situation where, as you say, the entire country is duking it out for real estate between Emma and Sophia and Isabella. If you just ran off to google the Jezebel name graphic, congratulations, you’re a name nerd.
But the problem with running for something that’s less common is that everyone can run with you, and suddenly that secret unknown name that was yours alone is everyone’s. It happens this way. People who think they’re uncovering a secret, like Ashley, and then it booms.
So in this case what you go for is style longevity. I know, for example, that to have two girls named Sophie and Claire is almost standard storybook-issue. But it’s also just so graceful that it’s an easy choice.
But if you love Emily, how about Elodie? I’ve mentioned it before but at the risk of bigging myself up, I’m not sure it’s on a ton of radars. If that’s not it, what about Lucille? It’s different from the oft-considered Lucy and strong enough to stand out among all your little girl’s classmates.
Adele? Cecile? Laurence? We have to move to boys’ names but I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you what a romance I was having with Clemence these days…
As for your maybe son – it’s a little harder. The French names feel just a little bit more French. But on the other hand, even the less common names are more well-known. Does that conundrum make any sense? Obviously the go-to names at the moment are Oliver and Simon – and I think there is always room for another Simon – but you could easily go with Terrence or Adrien or Alan/Alain. Something that may not ever top the charts for the style factor, but that’ll stay secure with your child all the way through adulthood.
Can you do it? Or is the name something else entirely? Let me know.
