BlsdMama Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) That, and the fact that it's the name of the main character in Twilight, would make me want to say "no way, honey, we will have to agree on another name." However, if your dh is really set on Isabella, it would certainly not be the end of the world. Does he understand why you don't like it? Is he willing to compromise on anything else? Arabella has the same flow as Isabella, but it's not Isabella. It means "prayerful." Would that be a possibility? Whoa! I post, I come back and FIVE pages??? You all are wonderfully helpful! Yes the Twilight thing is off-putting for me. The reason it is SUCH a big deal about the name (Elizabeth/Isabella) being the same isn't that they SOUND the same. It's that they MEAN the same. All of our children have deeply meaninful names. In the past we've picked names we've truly loved, but tossed out names we've LOVED that had less than great meanings. Leah, for instance. We both really like Leah. It means weary. We both REALLY like Rachel. It means ewe. It isn't such a big deal and you have 1or 2 children and you just pick names you LIKE and have all along. But, when you are the tenth child and your nine siblings have these names, carefully chosen, with significant thought applied to the meanings of each, do you really want to be the 10th where they said, "Well, we were running out so we settled?" :glare: That is TOTALLY what it feels like to me. :( I know it's so silly. I really WANT to give him the name he loves. But I can't tell you how badly I really WANT him to fall in love with another name. I like Arabella very much. I also hadn't thought of Isadora... But it is the "bella" part he loves the most I think. :) At least Ara could give us an alternate for nicknames. Every single one of the children are called by a "short" name, even Sarah. Totally off topic, but I wish that I had the opportunity to use the name Eliana. What a beautiful name.... Totally NOT off topic. :) It's a name I love/adore - I wanted it for Sarah. But DH really wanted Sarah and was willing to give her my grandmother's name Elaine, though he REALLY didn't like it for her middle name. It was a happy compromise. Plus, my grandmother LOVED that we had named Sarah after her... Then 18 months ago she was diagnosed with quick onset dementia. Do you how glad I am that we had that chance to do that while she was still here mentally? (And can you see what a BIG deal names & meanings are in this house? lol.) Edited May 28, 2011 by BlsdMama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 Your dh is MADLY in love with the name Isabella. Your reasons are sound, but don't override MADLY in love with. imho. Go with Isabella. Ella and Bella - I think that's very cute tbh. (Then again, I have an Ella and I call her "Ella Bella" all the time.:001_wub:) I'm guessing the Ella is your little Daniella...so they'd be so close and the cuteness factor would almost kill me.:tongue_smilie: Unless your dh was just HAPPY with an alternative... Yup, we call her Ella Bella too. I don't WANT to override madly in love. I've given in to "really LIKE" a few times. Briana was a joint decision. Hannah was mine. Elizabeth was a given (named after her sister.) I didn't LOVE the name Rebecca, but Dh really liked it and it has beautiful meaning so I gave it to him. Then we were pregnant with Abigail and could I really turn down a name that he picked that mean "A Father's Joy?" Of course I couldn't! Then he liked Sarah. Which horrible mama is going to tell her husband, "No, please don't name the baby princess?" :D Plus, he gave me Elaine (my grandmother's name) even though he hated it. I named Christian, he named Timothy. We debated LONG & HARD over Daniella - he wanted Daniella and I wanted Danielle. Obviously one of us won. I promise it isn't just selfish wanting, lol. Mostly because he is my FAVORITE person in the world. :D I actually really like him. But the idea of having two children with the same meaning really makes me want to just cry my eyes out. And I don't cry. But I WANT to give him the name he loves.... REALLY loves. But it is absolute torment. I HATE the idea of duplicating meanings. :( I feel so torn in half. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcjlkplus3 Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Felicia Victoria we used these two. If our third would've been a girl, she would've been Gabriella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) I know you said Sophia has been knocked off the list, but I really like how Sophia Isabella sounds. Then you both win :). Nope. :) The middle name is deadset. From the moment we started saying names I had had Katherine picked out from BEFORE I was pregnant and DH said he wanted Serene or Serenity to fit with the other girls. (Three have middles named after someone but the rest are Joy, Grace, Faith, & Hope.) I loved it. So the middle name is definitely Serene or Serenity whichever fits better. Dude, he's walking around saying the name of his baby daughter to see how it sounds? Make that man a hot cup of tea and go for it :lol:. You have NO idea how much I like this man. :) (And I made him coffee this morning and homemade turnovers, does that count?) :D Edited May 28, 2011 by BlsdMama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 I love Arabella, and Ari is cute as a nickname. BTW, did you know that Hannah means Grace? I think that's adorable that your girls both have Grace and Elizabeth in their names. Hannah died when she was very, very little. We conceived Elizabeth just weeks later. Elizabeth Grace is an incredibly special name to us because she's named after her big/little sister. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hannah died when she was very, very little. We conceived Elizabeth just weeks later. Elizabeth Grace is an incredibly special name to us because she's named after her big/little sister. :) Just tossing this out... Is he afraid he isn't going to have any more babies to name? It would explain why he would be so set on this name, given what you just said. asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 Just tossing this out... Is he afraid he isn't going to have any more babies to name? It would explain why he would be so set on this name, given what you just said. asta I don't think so. Hannah was our second daughter. This one is our eighth daughter. I'm only 34 and it seems as though we have a tendency towards girls. If this had been a boy we were going to slam the poor kids with THREE names (James, Nicholas, and William) after two grandfathers and DH just because boys are SO hard to come by in this family, lol! On names: * He has tossed out all unusual ones. So, yes, I tried Aliah, along with a few others and even a couple less unusual like Alicia and Felicia. *He has tossed out all that don't end with an "a" - So out went Naomi. There are a couple non "a" girly names - Elizabeth, but again, because of a special reason, and Abigail means 'a father's joy' so you can see how we ended up with this one, lol. As for Briana/Brianna - the Ana in my signature is actually Briana Joy. :D The truth? The truth is that if I absolutely said, "DH, I cannot and/or will not use this name," he wouldn't do it. He'd give. He probably wouldn't even argue about it. I just don't want to DO that. I want to find a name he likes as well so we can NOT use Isabella. I REALLY like the name. But I REALLY don't to use it. Drat. Should naming a baby REALLY be this hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) We were at a similar point with Naomi. From the start our naming criteria was to have a biblical or hebrew name with significance and a family name. DD8 means "My God has answered" and is named after DH's grandmother, DD6 means Grace, is a variant of Hannah and is named after my mom. (we miscarried our Hannah, so she is also named after a sister). Then DH wanted to throw that all out and name the baby "November". I felt the same as you; we gave your sister's names we loved and rooted them to their heritage, but we couldn't think of that with you. So, hi November with no family or biblical name, and a meaning of "9th month". He really wanted it and I really, really tried to let him. Who doesn't want their little girl to have a name her daddy loves. In the end, I won on the first name. She has the biblical name I wanted, and a middle name daddy wanted. And after we named her I found out that both her names belonged to distant relatives in my family. So, while I can't say "you were named after grandma", she does have a family name. Continue to pray about it. But from what you've said, I'm guessing it means a lot to you and you won't be able to compromise unless God changes your mind himself. Perhaps you will find a name you can both like. Arabella does still have the bella he likes. You could call her Ara or Ari and daddy can have his own special nickname for her. Arabella Serenity has a nice ring to it. *ETA- I searched and searched for that perfect name that we both would just love. We did find that with Annika. But after months of reading baby name sites I had to admit that there were a finite amount of names our there and one wasn't going to fall our of the sky. Edited May 28, 2011 by Scuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Drat. Should naming a baby REALLY be this hard? If it makes you feel any better at all, we had agreed on exactly ONE girl name: Zelda. And neither one of us would name a kid a nickname (which Zelda is), so the kid would have had to be named Griselda. Can you imagine going through life with "Grey Battle Maiden" as your name??!!?? Luckily, we had a boy. But then we had the same "it means the same" problem with the first and middle names. Zelda was going to have my maiden name for a middle name, so of course DS would too. Only it turned out that the 1st name we chose and my maiden name meant the same thing. Arg. Poor kid didn't get named for 3 days. a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Does Serenity have to be the middle name? How about Serenity Isabelle? Serene or Netty could be nicknames. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I love the name, it's beautiful, and wouldn't think of it as anything near Elizabeth. I even think it flows well with the other names for a mom call... "Hannah, Elizabeth, Isabella." :iagree: I've always loved the name Isabella. Kind of sorry that I will never get to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilymax Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I've scanned over the other replies, and absolutely would not use Isabella. Mainly because I know 834 Isabelles, Isabellas, Bellas, Belles, and an Izzy. OK, not THAT many but close! :lol: It's like the new Jessica...just too many of them around. The upside? She would never, ever have problems finding personalized pencils, keychains and Christmas ornaments. We named our children based on meaning, too. Maybe if your husband absolutely insists, use it as a middle name, but I wouldn't call her that if it were me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I have an Ellizabeth, an Abigail and a Kathryn... you could make it 3 for 3 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 How about Annaliese? I'm not too fond of Isabella though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I know where you are coming from. I love, love, LOVED the name Isabella. I fell in love with it when we were in Italy, before it was popular here. It was my #1 name for years. And then everyone started using it. I think we know 5 Isabellas, and these are close friends. I just couldn't use it after that. I also wanted to stay away from super popular names if possible, because I had one and wasn't happy about it. ;) We ended up using Elizabeth, how funny!! :D Anyway, talk with your DH and see how dead set on it he really is. I really like Gabriella/Gabrielle if you are going for things that sound similar. I also LOVE Amelia. And there are so many others listed ahead of me that sound beautiful. I do think it would be a bit odd to have a Bella and an Ella, but that's just me. We have that in my DD's preschool class and it drives the teacher nuts (there was also an Annabella at the beginning of the year :lol:) so I can imagine it would drive a parent nuts after awhile. It would be nice to pick something different enough that it was her own special name. But if he loves it, what can you do? Use it as a middle name maybe? Remind him that there will be so so so many more Isabellas and Bellas now from Twilight. ;) I think it is great that your DH really has an opinion on this, my DH was so hard to talk to about names. He just couldn't come up with anything he liked. :glare: It is a beautiful name, though. I really do get why he loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Kristianna or Krista (means follower of Christ) Katarina (means Pure)... it's a different version of Kathryn Arianna (means holy one) Annalisa (means grace; favor) Alissa (kind) (We went with Kathryn to honor great grandmothers; great-great grandmothers, etc.... all of our girls have names that honor relatives... Kathryn Valerie Ann; Elizabeth Amelia Grace; Abigail Sophia Joy. The male names in the family are a lot less nice...I also have a relative named Katarina... but with a Kathryn, it would just be too much. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 It's so cute that he's in love with a name that I'd go for it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Katarina (means Pure)... it's a different version of Kathryn I was just thinking Katartina ... But Katarina Serenity ("Pure Serenity") might be a bit much pressure on a newborn! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) Whoa! I post, I come back and FIVE pages??? You all are wonderfully helpful! Yes the Twilight thing is off-putting for me. The reason it is SUCH a big deal about the name (Elizabeth/Isabella) being the same isn't that they SOUND the same. It's that they MEAN the same. All of our children have deeply meaninful names. In the past we've picked names we've truly loved, but tossed out names we've LOVED that had less than great meanings. Leah, for instance. We both really like Leah. It means weary. We both REALLY like Rachel. It means ewe. It isn't such a big deal and you have 1or 2 children and you just pick names you LIKE and have all along. But, when you are the tenth child and your nine siblings have these names, carefully chosen, with significant thought applied to the meanings of each, do you really want to be the 10th where they said, "Well, we were running out so we settled?" :glare: That is TOTALLY what it feels like to me. :( I know it's so silly. I really WANT to give him the name he loves. But I can't tell you how badly I really WANT him to fall in love with another name. I like Arabella very much. I also hadn't thought of Isadora... But it is the "bella" part he loves the most I think. :) At least Ara could give us an alternate for nicknames. Every single one of the children are called by a "short" name, even Sarah. Totally NOT off topic. :) It's a name I love/adore - I wanted it for Sarah. But DH really wanted Sarah and was willing to give her my grandmother's name Elaine, though he REALLY didn't like it for her middle name. It was a happy compromise. Plus, my grandmother LOVED that we had named Sarah after her... Then 18 months ago she was diagnosed with quick onset dementia. Do you how glad I am that we had that chance to do that while she was still here mentally? (And can you see what a BIG deal names & meanings are in this house? lol.) I never worried too much about what a name meant. I mean, I looked at the meanings....but, honestly it never really affects us at all. I probably wouldn't want a name with a horrible meaning though. But, in 18 years of being a mom, I don't think I have ever been asked what our childrens names mean. If it matters that much to you, maybe you need to look at several baby name meaning websites. Here's one I was just playing around with. One of my daughters names isn't even at this site. My other daughter always knew that her name meant "Gazelle"; not that wonderful of a meaning. But at this site, there is another meaning...which is "Beauty; grace". I'm sure she'll be tickled to hear this. :001_smile: But, again....I don't think it's overly a big deal. Here's some info from that site: Elizabeth ~ Consecrated to God (Biblical) My God is bountiful; God of plenty (English) My God is my oath (Hebrew) Isabella ~ Consecrated to God (Biblical) My God is bountiful; God of plenty (English) Devoted to God (Hebrew) Your husband loves the Bella part especially. How about just Bella. Here's the meanings for Bella: Devoted to God (Hebrew) Beautiful (Latin America & Spanish) Looks to me like you could choose either Isabella or Bella and have it a different meaning than Elizabeth and call it a day. :001_smile: Edited May 28, 2011 by ~AprilMay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InterestingCase Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Okay, here is a name that I love, but will not get to use: Iona. Here is the Wikipedia entry about the island: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I was going to say, Christella but then I saw you have a Christian already. Dulcibelle? Clotilda? Adelaida? Lucila? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journeytolily Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Olivia is a beautiful name ;-) Other pretty names are: Arabella (I'm thinking of this one for baby #4, if it's a girl) Miranda (my older daughter's name - gets compliments all the time) Lilyana Aliyah Sofia/Sophia (nice meaning...wisdom) Eva It's so hard sometimes to come up with a name you both really want to use. My problem is that I LOVE too many girl names to ever be able to use them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonermomma Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I LOVE Alexia and Alexa, and you can use Lexi for a nick name!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I would just pick the name Bella and be done :) It would be a good compromise! I like the name Bella! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Your dh loves Isabella. It is different enough in sound to Elizabeth, and the nickname Bella doesn't match anyone else. And your dh LOVES the name, and you don't hate it. I would use Isabella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Arabella Serene Gabriella Serene Eve Serenity Eva Serenity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oops, duplicate account :/ Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Gwenneth Gwendolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I know it can be super hard. We're having a hard time right now too. This is our first boy and we have no idea what his name will be. DH doesn't even want to discuss it anymore. I want a name that will make both of us happy. If you didn't really care, I would say let him have Isabella. But if it will bother you, I don't think you should give in. Ask what he likes about Isabella. The -ella part, sure, but he got that already with Daniella. Would he look at other names that end in -ella, that could have a nickname based on the beginning? He's not George Foreman, so he can't give all his kids the same name. Even George Foreman shouldn't have. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilymax Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I like Arabella (which has been mentioned), but I knew this girl named Mirabel who was such a lovely person. I think Mirabella would be great too. You could use Mira as a nickname if you want. I'm excited to hear what you guys decide on. Oooh, I really like Mirabella. How pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 At least Ara could give us an alternate for nicknames. My grandmother's name was Ara. (Pronounced AIR-ah, like the beginning of Arabella.) It would make a lovely nickname. :) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dovrar Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I think if dh loves the name that much I'd go with it. Quite frankly, once I had 3 kids I ended up calling the one I wanted by the other two names before actually using the right name anyway:tongue_smilie:But really, the actual names aren't that close, just the nicknames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 What about Isabeau? (Name that movie.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nature Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Aniella Kendella Katriella Marisella Graciella Briella Annabell Daniella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I've got 3 boys. The last two have names that you wouldn't think are similar, but have the same vowel sounds and kind of similar consonant sounds. It drives me NUTS mixing up the names when I'm in a hurry talking to them! I rarely mix up my first son's name with the second two, but do it all the time between the second two! I love their names and certainly can't say I wish I wouldn't have used one of them...but if I'd realized how tongue-tied it would have made me (and kind of seems a bit unbalanced with the first son), I don't think I would have chosen to do it. So I think Elizabeth and Isabella and even more similar that my two, and that it would trip me up all the time! Could you use it for a middle name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 What about Isabeau? (Name that movie.) Shoot... Ladyhawke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 While I like the name Isabella, it's one I wouldn't use. My dad has a habit of twisting names to make funny words/sounds (gentle teasing of people) and everytime I hear the name Isabella, I hear my dad saying "Is a bell on a bike?". However my 3 girls are named Cassandra, Callissa and Camiah (with the same a ending sound, we just like the spelling with the h better) and go by the nicknames of Cassie, Callie and Cammie so personally I have no problems with very close sounding names/nicknames. You can always give her the name you love and if you find out the nickname is just too close (and causes confusion) you can always pick a new nicknames but still keep her given name. I have gone through various periods in my life where I used my given name or nickname. Personally I like to pick longer formal names and provide nicknames as well. It gives the kid freedom to pick what they feel fits them best when they are older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karis Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Ava Eva Analiese (sp??) Saw this with a beautiful spelling but can't remember it. (pronounced Ah nah LEESE) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karis Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I always loved.... STELLA how about "Estelle?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kebo Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I don't know how many of these have already been mentioned, but I'll throw them out. Katya or Katia (means pure) Angelica (means angelic) Gianna (means God is gracious) Lila or Lilah (means dark haired beauty, night, or good) Kiara (means clear, bright, famous) Mena (means strength, knowledge) Nina (means mother) Stella (means star) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 A different way to look at it.... You have used Elizabeth in both of your other daughters, why not carry on that tradition? I never knew it meant Elizabeth, so I think it's kind of neat that you can use Elizabeth a third time, and most people won't know it's the same. And you can always call her by her middle name. He loves it, you love it. I say go for it! :iagree: And you don't have to shorten her name. My sister was Elizabeth until she went off to college. To family she's still Elizabeth. Isabella is a beautiful name. Just call her that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Emelia :) Amelia ;) I am so confused! Which one do you call "Ella"? My daughter,if I had it to do again, would be Michaela, nicknamed... Caley... or Kaylee or Kaylie... or whatever... I don't really care for "Izzie"... but I love Isabelle ;) Michaella? or Michaelle? Michayla? ;) That's tough!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Dh and I went through this naming my younger dd. He loves the name Caroline. I think it's a pretty name but I also named my cousin this when I was in my teens and didn't think my aunt would appreciate me naming my dd this name as well. Plus I didn't love it. It took us forever to name dd but ultimately we found a compromise that we both have learned to love and she loves. Hopefully you will find the same. Here is a list of names we've considered over the years as some of your favorites were also on our lists like Isabella/Isabel, Sophia (this is the one I was in love with), Olivia. Mattea (gift from God feminine of Matthew said muh-TAY-uh) Eliyah (the Lord is my God said el-LEE-uh) Luciana/Lucia (bringer of light) Eliana (answer to prayer) Amaris (promised by God) Alina (bringer of light or Noble) Cassia (cinnamon) Alexandra (helper of mankind) Livia (lioness of God) Karina (pure) Georgia (farmer) Tirzah (she is my delight, delightful said Tears-suh) Jerusha (inheritance) Amara (eternally beautiful) Jayna/Jaina/Jane (God is gracious) Elodie ( Charis (God's grace spelled in bible like Kharis rhymes with Paris) Rina (song of joy) Selah (to pause or rest) Serena (composed, cheerful, restful) Sylvie Ariella (lion of God) Madeleine Liliana It would bother me to have two kids with names/nn so similar. I automatically take those off the list. Like dh wanted Grace but we have a Chase. Dh also never wanted to repeat the first letter of their names so that would take names off our list as well. Anyway, I hope you can find a name that you both love equally. kimberly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingiguana Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 All of our children have deeply meaninful names. In the past we've picked names we've truly loved, but tossed out names we've LOVED that had less than great meanings. Leah, for instance. We both really like Leah. It means weary. We both REALLY like Rachel. It means ewe. But Leah doesn't just mean weary, and Rachel doesn't just mean ewe. They both have so many other meanings, in particular from the Bible. And it may well be that the reason you love those names is the other meanings that you associate with them. So if you named a child Rachel and you had to explain the meaning, would you just say well, it means ewe, or would you tell a story about other Rachels that you knew or that you had read about? I'm suspecting it would be the latter, in which case you've then changed the meaning to something that is more meaningful to you. And it's a perfectly defensible meaning. In fact, the name DOES mean that, given the connotations associated with it. Names mean a lot more than just what some baby book tells you they may have meant in the original language. Actually, my old baby name book tells me that Elizabeth and Isabel mean "oath of Baal" which wouldn't be something most people would want to saddle their kid with. That meaning has been "updated" to something like "God's promise" which people find a little more palatable and meaningful (who worships Baal these days? and who would want to, given the Biblical connotations?). But the fact of the matter is, those names, in the original, probably really did mean what my name book says. (In fact, there are some places that seem to think Isabel is really a form of Jezebel...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Clara? Mariana? I miss the days of dreaming of baby names! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I know a beautiful little girl named Alaria and they call her Allie for short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Mirabelle was on our short list of names with Isabella for my older DD, Isabelle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Our littlest is Amabel. ("Ah-muh-bell") We call her Bella. I love it. It is archaic latin, ama = love, so beloved or lovable or something like that, so it is a "real name" but we've never met another one, so it is sort of a win win, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosyl Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Well---I really, really, really love the name.....Tessa! It goes really really nice with Isabella. In fact Tessa Isabella is a really sweet name. IMHO. It fits well with your other names. (I had to pick a name with an acronym to get my dh to agree :w00t::eek::ohmy::lol: It is true...I can't make these things up. He wanted to name our last one Spartacus. Spartacus? :glare:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam101 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 10 pages, haven't read them all! LOL I would let your dh have Isabella since he is so excited about it! How about Belle for a nickname instead of Bella? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 How about Ellery :) I have a niece named Ellery... and met cute girls named Ellery and Lyla today :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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