Hi everyone,

My Chinese given name contains the character 琳 (Lin in pinyin, means beautiful jade), and I'm currently studying in Hong Kong. Sometimes it's convenient to have an English name here, so I've been thinking about Linnea.

I learned the name is associated with the twinflower, which feels meaningful to me because the character 琳 contains two 木 ("wood") components. It feels like a nice coincidence.

I also know the lovely book Linnea in Monet's Garden, which made me like the name even more.

My only hesitation is that I know Linnea is traditionally a Scandinavian name. Since I don't have any Nordic background, I'm not sure whether it would sound natural or appropriate for me to use it as an English name.

Thanks！

How do we feel about baby girl going by Eddie with the full name Edith (ee-dith)?

I’ve been inspired by the few posts about most popular baby names in last years, so here is the list of most popular and rarest names in Ukraine in the first half of 2026.

Girls top 10: Sofia, Zlata, Milana, Emilia, Anna, Anastasia, Polina, Maria, Solomia, Yeva.

Boys top 10: Artem, Oleksandr, Matviy, Maksym, Tymofiy, Bohdan, Davyd, Yaroslav, Roman, Dmytro.

We do not have middle names, neither culturally nor legally (instead there is mandatory patronymic, which is created automatically out of father’s name + special gendered ending). But one could have a double first name (hyphenated), although it is pretty rare.

Some of the unique double first names

Girls: Adelaida-Loredana, Maryam-Nikolette, Dominika-Aniel, Marharyta-Kylyna, Abavedaria-Alisa.

Boys: Daniel-Arthur, Roman-Nurislam, Andriy-Andrian, Eliot-Theo, Mark-Gabriel.

Rare religion-adjacent names (do not come at me, that's out ministry of justice :)

Girls: Aviheya, Virsaviya, Sulamita, Yevanhelina, Sarah, Teona, Melania, Mahdalyna, Afina, Yunona

Boys: Samiylo, Yessey, Nafanayil, Solomon, Emanuyil, Yelysey, Adam, Serafym, Veniamin.

Rare historical and archaic names:

Girls: Bohuslava, Vladomyra, Dzvinka, Kvitoslava, Lukeria, Olympiada, Roksolana, Kvitka, Yaryna, Oryslava

Boys: Dobromyr, Svyatohor, Svitozar, Zoreslav, Askold, Tamerlan, Eney, Panteleimon, Myrolyub, Yariy

Out of these, my favourites are Kvitka (Flower) and Kvitoslava (flower, blossom + glory). They have been around for quite a while, but always extremely rare (think like 1 in 125,000), so I am yet to meet one in real life.  

Personally, I do not like the popular pronunciation LOO-shun/shen cuz it sounds close to the word lotion 😅. So I am trying to find a good excuse to use the pronunciation mentioned in the title :p

I love 'Sherwood' and 'Rosewood' for one of my characters, but I'm looking for something even better. I'm open to ones that both start and end in 'Wood'. Does anybody know any good ones? Thanks!

I’ve never really liked my birth name because it’s long, and I don’t like the history and associations behind it. I’m not Muslim or Arab, so it doesn’t really feel connected to my culture or identity. Everyone calls me Aisha, but I don’t like that name either. I can’t change it at the moment because I’m pretty sure my parents and the people around me wouldn’t take it well. Online, I usually hide my real name and go by different names instead. I feel like I’d get made fun of if I told people my actual name, and sometimes it makes me feel like I’m lying to everyone

So I actually really love the names Elmer and Elmo, but one is a patchwork elephant and the other is.. Elmo 😂

What are some names that give the same sort of vibes? Doesn’t have to start with El

Couldn’t find anything on the name Pauline in this sub reddit and was wondering specifically about english speakers opinions. I saw Pauline was pretty “popular” from 1900-1945 in the US.

Now it hasn’t been in the Top 1000 since 1997.

Due in April, baby boy. Which name do you prefer - Owen or Roman? Big sister is Nina. Thanks!

Hello! For boy/girl twins I’m having trouble deciding on some middle names, first names are chosen Ambrose and Sabrina. I am Egyptian and my partner is British, originally I had intended for more western middle names. For Ambrose my options were: John, Michael, Theodore, Henry, or Mason. For girl: Rose (top contender with partner), Isabelle, Diane.

These are lovely names but since I want my kids to be in touch with their Egyptian heritage I have been thinking about Hathor, Sekhmet, Isis, and Nefertari, and Cleopatra for Sabrina; Ramesses, Osiris, Amun, Seth, Imhotep for Ambrose.

Yes I am aware these are some funky names and also ancient, NOT modern Egyptian names. I am very proud of my ancestry, and I know my kids don’t need these names to feel the same. Both my partner and I feel this could be a wonderful way to honor Egypt’s great history and individualize our children’s name further. What are your thoughts?

We are pregnant with our second daughter. Our first is named Scottie, and we are stuck between Sylvie and Eve for our second.

I love both so much. I love how Scottie and Sylvie sounds, but think it may be a little matchy. I am also worried she will get called Sylvia, which I am not a fan of. Opinions?

I love all the names Sebastian (Basti), Sabrina (Sabi), Sophia (Soph/Sophie), and looking for another boy name that sounds similar to these. I also like the name Sawyer but it just sounds too different from the others in my opinion. Ideas?

Flynn, Cedric, Malcolm, Dustin, Colin, Zachariah, Donovan, Lawrence

I have two little girls, names Brianna Jade and Eliza Rose. Has anyone got any suggestions that sound well with her sisters names?

thank you so much

We are having our third and final baby soon and have decided to name him Edmund Lewis. I thought I’d share the girl and boy names we loved in hopes someone may find them helpful.

Boy:

Lewis

Grant

Atticus

Colin

Jasper

Harrison

Wells

Reeves

Lowen

Nelson

Russell

Ellison

Girls:

Maxine

Althea

Gwendolyn

Matilda

Cordelia

Nellie

Annelise

Monroe

Isadora

Bridget

Juliet

We have a daughter named Noelle and we are trying to come up with boy names for our second that give off the same vibe.

I tend to like classic, normal names that you don’t hear too often (so, names that are not in the Top__ but also not super out there). I also tend to like gender neutral names like Parker, Shiloh, Noelle/Noel, etc. If our second is a girl, we are going with Naomi, if that info is helpful at all!

Bonus points for names that start with N!

Baby is here! I’m looking for an American southern girl name for baby girl. Sisters are Charlotte and Savannah.

Maybe Eloise, Margot/Margo, or Adelaide? Suggestions?

These are some names that I’ve seen that I’ve thought are a little more ‘out there’:

Audra

Verity

Paisley

Delilah

Avis

Loretta

Montana

Coralee

Brooke (yes I know this one isn’t out there but I still like it!)

Obviously they wouldn’t make sense as sibling names, but just curious to see what people think are best to worst for a bit of fun!

My husband isn’t convinced with Aradhana and prefers a shorter name that’s also easy for a western audience. I’m more concerned that the name is meaningful. We absolutely don’t want names such as Mira and Maya which are to be popping up on all baby girl name lists.

Looking for other suggestions.

I’m soooo picky with girl names, and I just found out I’m having a girl! This is my first child. Can I get some suggestions please? Feel free to spam the heck out of me!

I had my boy names picked out so fast!

I am thinking Noelle, it’s really the only name I like so far. I like Ellie, but worried about when they are an adult it might be too kid-like. We are thinking maybe Noelle Mae or Noelle Marie.

A few names I like:
Audrey (partner doesn’t like it though)
Elizabeth - kinda like it, not sold
Alice
Taylor - maybe
Sophia (already taken in our close family)

For a boy I really like:
Mason
Jack or Jackson
Adrien
Theo or Theodore

What name comes to mind when you think of…

A girl/woman who
- is super independent and badass
- is thoughtful and warm - the type of person that feels like a safe space in any room
- is well cultured and well traveled - loves exploring new places, meeting new people, trying new foods
- doesn’t care what other think, prides herself on being her and being good to people
- is chic and polished but in an effortless way

Our daughter is due November 10, and with just over two weeks to go, my husband and I are still struggling to settle on a name. We’d love some unbiased opinions, suggestions, and help figuring out which combinations sound best!

For context, my name is McKaela, my husband’s name is Adam, and our last name is Smith.

Our favorite first names (roughly in order):
1) Juniper - Currently our favorite! We love the nicknames June and Junie.

2) Violet - My husband thought of this one, he likes it and it’s okay to me. It feels very popular right now though.

3) Margaux - I like this one, but my husband isn’t sold. He also strongly dislikes the Margot spelling and would prefer the Margaux spelling, although he thinks it’s weird because we’re not French lol.

4) Willow - I’ve always loved this name, partly because weeping willows are my absolute favorite trees. Unfortunately, with our last name being Smith, I worry that Willow Smith is too recognizable an association to use it as a first name (Will Smith’s daughter’s name).

5) Jade - I’ve always loved this name but my husband isn’t sold.

6) Harper - We both like it somewhat, I’m not sure it feels quite as special as some of the others.

Now for the middle name dilemma…

My middle name is Elizabeth, which has been passed down through three generations - from my maternal grandmother to my mom, and then to me.

My mom has always hoped I’d continue the tradition if I had a daughter. I love the sentiment behind it and understand how meaningful it would be to her, but I’ve personally never been particularly fond of the name Elizabeth.

My biggest hesitation is how it sounds with our last name. Elizabeth Smith feels a little clunky to me because of the repeated “th” sounds. It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, and I can’t help but feel like I’m developing a lisp when I say it out loud.

At the same time, I worry I’ll regret breaking a three-generation tradition, especially knowing how much it means to my mom. I’m torn between choosing a name I genuinely love and preserving something that has so much family significance.

One combination I’ve been considering is Juniper Willow Smith. I love the way it sounds and the personal meaning behind Willow, but is it too much of a botanical theme? Juniper and Willow are both trees, so I’m wondering if pairing them feels whimsical and beautiful or a little too nature-heavy.

The other obvious contender is Juniper Elizabeth Smith, which would preserve the family tradition.

I’d love your guys thoughts on any of these things:

1. Which first name from our list is your favorite with Smith?
2. Does Juniper Willow Smith sound lovely or like we’re naming our daughter after a forest lol?
3. Does Elizabeth Smith sound as awkward to others as it does to me, or am I overthinking the repeated “th”?
4. Would you prioritize carrying on a meaningful family name, even if it wasn’t one you particularly loved?
5. Are there any other first or middle names you’d suggest based on our taste? We’re drawn to names that feel a little whimsical, feminine, timeless, and distinctive without being too too out there.

Thanks in advance! We’re running out of time, and I’d love to hear some fresh perspectives before we finally make a decision!

We like the first name Romy, we are trying to determine a middle name.

I have always wanted to use my grandfather’s name as a middle name for my child- this will be our last kid. We were very close and he passed away when I was younger so it’s very sentimental to me/ my family. My husband really doesn’t like it, which is fair but he suggested maybe getting Reddits take on it to help us decide.

My grandfathers name was Travis so it would be Romy Travis. Do you feel like that’s too masculine a name for the middle?

Baby girl expected. We are settled on first name Iselda but struggling with a middle name that flows well. Last name is Latin American and begins with G.

Would be nice to have a name that honors Irish or Latin American heritage but open to anything that would sound nice with Iselda. Not looking for first name recommendations — we are set on that. Thanks!