Help with Team Green!

[alleycat]

Hi everyone! I have been creepy-lurking the boards for the last several months.... Hope it's ok to jump right in!

My husband and I are pregnant with our first and due in 5 short weeks. We are team green and can't seem to get any closer to choosing names. We have boy names pretty narrowed down, but are having a much harder time with girl names.  Would appreciate any input or suggestions!

For Boys:
James - Husband's MN and FIL first name
Luke
Benjamin

MN would likely come from a list of family names that include:
Marion
Saxon
Francis
James -  if not used as first name

For Girls:
Claire
Catherine
Julia - initially my favorite, but I have a friend who recently had a Juliette and I can't decide if they are too similar. We are not close friends - have several very close mutual friends. But, I have a strong feeling they will end up at the same very small elementary school. Am I completely over-thinking this??
Lucy - H loves, and I like too.... is it trendy?
Leah
Annette - nn Annie - This was my grandmother's name. I am named after her middle name, and the more I consider it the more sentimental attachment I feel to it. Does Annette sound too dated when she gets older if she doesn't want to be Annie??

MN: No idea!

Other names that I like but have been vetoed or are out for another reason: Eliza, Camille, Cecilia, Margaret just to give you a better idea of my taste. 

[lormor]

I like all your names and think you are overthinking the Juliette connection. That is no reason not to keep (and use Julia).

Sorry I'm not more help, but I really like your list. Oh, and I also really like Annette. I think it's fine to use.

[seamonster]

Boys:
Benjamin James
Benjamin Francis
Luke Francis
Luke James
Luke Marion

I like James for a boy, but I'm not a fan of giving a kid the same name (as in same first and last) as a relative.

Girls:
All your names are lovely, but I'm not a fan of Lucy. Claire I'd my favorite and I wouldn't be too worried about Julia and Juliette being in the same class if you absolutely love the name. Lucy is a bit trendy, but so are a lot of older names. Annette isn't dated and the style of name, as with Lucy, is in fashion now.

Combos with your names
Claire Catherine
Claire Annette
Catherine Claire
Catherine Annette
Leah Annette
Leah Claire
Annette Claire
Annette Catherine
Annette Julia
Julia Claire
Julia Annette

[alleycat]

Thank you both for your thoughts.

I am not overly fond on using the same first/last as a relative either - but am more ok with it being Grandfather's name than Father's name. My first choice would be Luke I believe, but at this point I am trying to let H decide if it's something that's important to him.

[cnf2013]

May 22, 2016 9:42:35 GMT -5 seamonster said:

Boys:
Benjamin James
Benjamin Francis
Luke Francis
Luke James
Luke Marion

I like James for a boy, but I'm not a fan of giving a kid the same name (as in same first and last) as a relative.

Girls:
All your names are lovely, but I'm not a fan of Lucy. Claire I'd my favorite and I wouldn't be too worried about Julia and Juliette being in the same class if you absolutely love the name. Lucy is a bit trendy, but so are a lot of older names. Annette isn't dated and the style of name, as with Lucy, is in fashion now.

Combos with your names
Claire Catherine
Claire Annette
Catherine Claire
Catherine Annette
Leah Annette
Leah Claire
Annette Claire
Annette Catherine
Annette Julia
Julia Claire
Julia Annette

All of these, except Claire Annette. I don't know if you actually said it out loud, but it flows as clarinet. MH's best friend is a music teacher and we always tease him that if he ever has a daughter he should name her Claire Annette. That said, I like both as stand alone names, especially Annette. Such a lovely name. 

*lurker bowing out*

[joy]

For Boys:
James - LOOOOOVE. It might be my favorite boy's name ever.
Luke - s'okay
Benjamin - I really like this name, as well

My full name suggestions:
James Francis
Benjamin Saxon


For Girls:
Claire - meh, so boring
Catherine - like, but nothing very exciting
Julia - Love! Yes, you're overthinking.
Lucy - it's okay
Leah - meh, so boring
Annette - nn Annie - LOVE. This would be my first choice. No, I don't think Annette is dated; I think it's refreshing.


My full name suggestions:
Julia Annette
Annette Julia
Annette Lucy
Lucy Annette

[dreadpiratebuttercup]

Boy: James Francis or James Marion. Love!

Girl: Julia Catherine, Catherine Annette, Annette Julia, or Annette Catherine. You are totally overthinking Julia.

[cabbagecabbage]

You have a really solid list here.

Annette is awesome. Annette Marion or Annette Frances get my vote. Julia Annette would be lovely too.

I vote James Marion for a boy.

[bromios]

I cannot even begin to explain how much I love James Saxon. James Francis would be my second choice. All the mns are great, and there's nothing wrong with Luke or Benjamin - I just don't care for them.

Girls:

1. Julia - you are way overthinking this, it is an absolutely stunning name and it isn't like she'd end up being Julia Last initial.

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2. Leah - I really like this one, it just doesn't quite compare to Julia

3. Catherine

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4. Lucy - sounds too little girl to me. I love Lucinda, though.

5. Claire

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6. Annette - I cannot find anything appealing about this name except the sentimental attachment, which would make it maybe good for a mn if anything. It makes me think of hairnets.

So, maybe Julia Annette, if you really want to use Annette? Or Julia Catherine. Otherwise, some pairing suggestions (consider all mns also fn suggestions):

Julia Frances

Julia Noelle

Julia Marie

Julia Beatrix

Julia Magdalene

Julia Eve

Julia Clara

Julia Iris

Julia Miren

Julia Alice

Julia Violet

Julia Anne (a more aesthetically pleasing nod to Annette)

Julia Alexandra

Julia Lenore

[reginaphalange]

James is my favourite of your boy names but I kind of don't like that it is your FIL's name. However, that's my issue and not one you should worry about If it were me, I would pick James Saxon or Benjamin Francis.

Of the girls Julia is my #1 and yes you are overthinking it. Lucy is great too and I don't think it's trendy. Claire and Catherine are fine but boring for me. Annette is just ok but I don't think it's dated.

[alleycat]

Thank you all for the input so far! I feel like my husband and I have discussed this to death so it's nice to hear some outside opinions.

[Oliver's Bear]

For Boys:
James -- keep
Luke -- toss
Benjamin -- keep, but it is getting very popular

Middle Name Options:
Marion -- keep
Saxon -- toss
Francis -- keep
James -- toss

Suggested Combinations:
James Marion
Benjamin Francis

For Girls:
Claire -- toss
Catherine -- keep
Julia -- toss
Lucy -- keep, but use Lucinda or Lucille as full name
Leah -- keep
Annette -- keep

Suggested Combinations:
Catherine Lucinda/Lucinda Catherine
Leah Annette

Other options:
Lucinda Marian
Annette Frances

New Suggestions:
Kathleen
Eleanor
Amanda
Carine

Michael
Peter
Andrew
Charles

[jollywife]

I like James and Benjamin the best of your boys names. Like os okay. I love middle names to have significance, so if they all do for you then I like all of them. I do really like the flow of James Marion.

My favorite from your girls list is Annette. It's lovely and refreshing, and I like the sentiment behind it. I do think that you are overthinking the Julia/Juliet thing, so if you really love Julia I wouldn't let that stop you from using it!

[Widget123]

+Another opinion not to give your child the same first name as your FIL. I would vote James if it weren't for that.
I love Benjamin and Lucas (NN Luke) but they are soooo popular. If you are set on one of those three, then I vote Benjamin James.

For girls, you are overthinking Julia and I think you should strongly consider that. Annette is better as a MN.

FWIW I find Lucy more timeless than trendy. 

[spicysalmonroll]

James & Ben are insanely popular right now. So if you're worried about Julia/Juliette being in the same class, I'd be more worried about duplicate James or Ben in class. But of course, they are great names.

I love Claire, don't think it's boring at all. I do think Lucy seems childish, I prefer Luciana and you can call her Lucy when she's little. I get such a fun vibe from Annette because it reminds me of Frankie & Annette beach parties!!! lol

[billyhorrible]

For Boys:
- Another vote for not using James as the first name because of FIL.
- I like Benjamin, but I swear I know a million of them right now. It's the new Noah.

So I would go with Luke James


For Girls:
- I dislike Claire and Leah
- I love Catherine and Lucy. I find them both to be classic and timeless, not trendy.
- I wouldn't worry about Julia/Juliette. They're different names.

- I know an Annette, so she's in her 30s now. Never went by Anne/Annie. Probably because of her the name doesn't strike me as so dated.