# What should I name my baby girl? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 10, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136 "2011-03-10T04:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/21 "2011-03-10T07:50:25Z")
Eden? You want to name your daughter after a mythical garden from which humans have been banished forever and is guarded by angels with flaming swords? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/22 "2011-03-10T07:51:18Z")
Eden is climbing right up there with Nevaeh (heaven spelled backwards [insert retching emoticon]) I voted for Madeleine, but both Olive and Eloise where right up there. Their are too many Madeleine’s and Olivia’s anyhow. > [@Anchuldigs](#): > > Ha! Old fashioned! We considered Ethel for about a half a second (my grandmother’s name). The old-timey one that I’ve long admired, but am forbidden to use, is from Faulkner’s _Absalom, Absalom!_, Eulalia (you-LALE-ee-uh). I love the way it rolls off the tongue. Anyone, feel free to take it. As I’m not allowed to use it, I will more than likely waste it on a beagle. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/23 "2011-03-10T08:08:42Z")
We’re going with Eloise if our fetus turns out to be a girl (5 weeks to go). I had Eloise in my top 3 last time too, with Alice and Annabel, and went with the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/24 "2011-03-10T08:18:25Z")
I like both Olivia and Eva, but given the current upsurge in Olivias would go with Eva; less likely to end up being Eva-Three in class. But, would Eve be a better spelling? ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/25 "2011-03-10T08:36:35Z")
I like Eloise and Madeleine but I didn’t vote because I think the way a forename goes with the surname is also important and we don’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/26 "2011-03-10T09:57:17Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > We’re going with Eloise if our fetus turns out to be a girl (5 weeks to go). I had Eloise in my top 3 last time too, with Alice and Annabel, and went with the latter. HAAAAAAAAAAAA…congratulations **Caz** , I didn’t know you were _with kidling_ again! It just seems like yesterday that your little Annabel arrived, but yeah, time goes fast etc etc. Hey, I hope everything goes swimmingly with your new bub’s arrival. And Eloise is a really grand name. It seems to be different in the US, but here it’s not regarded as an old fashioned name, so yer’ good to go!! You can always call her Alouisis if she’s a boy I guess. 😃 All the best, OK? kam ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/27 "2011-03-10T10:19:48Z")
It’s weird how names rise and fall in popularity. The most common names when I was growing up aren’t even on the radar these days, even classic names like Sarah, Stephen, Catherine, and David. I’d try really hard for a pretty, classic name that has lost recent popularity. Something like Anne, or Michelle, or Lisa. Anyways, off your list I vote Eloise. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/28 "2011-03-10T10:41:01Z")
From your list I would go for Eva or Olivia (but certainly not Olive - amazing how changing the ending of the name slightly turns it from a pretty girl’s name to a moustachioed old lady’s name!). However, a lot depends on what her surname will be. A lot of names that I like on their own, I will have to discount for my children because they sound awkward next to my surname. (It starts and ends with a hard consonant, plus I think having first name and surname start with the same letter/sound is kind of odd, which unfortunately rules out a lot of names I like that start with a K or a hard C.) Oh and one thing to watch out for with Eva is how you want people to pronounce it. Like EEE-va or AYY-va? It will probably cause confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/29 "2011-03-10T10:52:21Z")
> [@Anchuldigs](#): > > My wife and I have a baby girl on the way. We can’t decide between the following names. Please help us make this life-lasting decision. Thanks for asking this nice and early. My new niece is almost a week old and is still nameless. It’s driving me crazy! (they don’t want to make the wrong decision. They’ve had 9 months to think about it…) ---
**Author:** ![phantom\_lamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@phantom\_lamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantom_lamb)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/30 "2011-03-10T12:20:22Z")
I’d normally take into account the last name (surname) that will go along with it. But judging just by the first names I voted for Olivia, followed closely by Madeleine. Both are very pretty names. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/31 "2011-03-10T12:20:35Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Thanks for asking this nice and early. My new niece is almost a week old and is still nameless. It’s driving me crazy! (they don’t want to make the wrong decision. They’ve had 9 months to think about it…) She’s Denise, obviously. (And pray she never has a brother 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/32 "2011-03-10T12:43:37Z")
I voted for Eva (ee-vah - if you want it said ayy-vah, please named her Ava). Madeleine second place, although it is very popular right now. I love Olivia but it’s been the most popular name for white girls and in the top 3 names for girls for about three years now… no one wants to be the 5th Olivia in their class. Olive is cute, but with all the Olivias around, might stick out in not the greatest way. Eloise is also a cute name. Whatever you pick, I approve. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/33 "2011-03-10T13:46:41Z")
I vote Eden. It’s green and lovely and unusual. There are too many Olivias already, have been for years. There will be three in her class. I don’t trust Madeleines. I think it’s because the Gosselins have a daughter named Maddy who is a total pill. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/34 "2011-03-10T13:52:03Z")
Eh, I’m not a fan of most of those. They’re either too common (Olivia, Eva, Madeleine), too clunky (Olive), or pole-dancer (Eden). I typed all of those into [Nymbler.com](http://Nymbler.com) and got the following suggestions: Amelia Charlotte Stella Elise Adeline Violet (my daughter’s middle name, so I had to include it!) Claire/Clara Caroline ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/35 "2011-03-10T13:56:24Z")
Check the popularity rankings for _Ava_ and then reconsider Eva. She would just be a variation on many. A lovely name, but it’s the Kaitlyn of the 2000s. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/36 "2011-03-10T13:57:32Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Eden is climbing right up there with Nevaeh (heaven spelled backwards [insert retching emoticon]) \ So, people want religious names that…mean bad things? How about Lilith for the triumvirate? I agree that Eden is a stripper/porn star name. My vote is also for Spike. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/37 "2011-03-10T14:25:01Z")
Eden a porn name? Nah, Eden is a soap opera name (_Santa Barbara_ in the 80s). I thought it was pretty then, and it’s pretty now, so it got my vote. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/38 "2011-03-10T14:32:51Z")
Olive was my mother’s sister’s name. She went by Ollie. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/39 "2011-03-10T14:45:19Z")
Of the names given, I like Madeleine best. I do tend to like feminine names with more syllables, for some reason. > [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > Eden a porn name? Nah, Eden is a soap opera name (_Santa Barbara_ in the 80s). I thought it was pretty then, and it’s pretty now, so it got my vote. 🙂 Makes me think of Barbara Eden personally, although that’s a last name of course. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > So, people want religious names that…mean bad things? How about Lilith for the triumvirate? Oh, there’s quite a few these days who think that Lilith is a positive name. ---
**Author:** ![Anchuldigs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Anchuldigs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anchuldigs)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136/40 "2011-03-10T14:48:14Z")
Eden Doesn’t have any religious significance to us; we just like the way it sounds. Do you folks know actual porn stars/strippers named Eden? And for those holding off on voting until you get my last name: Alton [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-name-my-baby-girl/574136.md?page=3)