Isla and Alexander

A blog follower named Sarah has written asking for some advice about great baby girl and baby boy names, it has taken me a while to get back to her!!  Sorry Sarah.  Anyway here is her email and my response underneath.

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I'm 5 months pregnant and this is my first. If im honest I've never thought about names before, but now I feel under pressure!

If it's a girl, I love the name Isla, its unusual but not weird, I don't like common names or names with multiple strange spellings, and although the pronunciation may be misreaad, I'm in love with the name, but i havent thought of middle names. The surname is P****y, so I'm having some problem trying to think of something to put in the middle which ends in the sound of a consonant.

My bigger problem is thinking of boy's first names.

My boyfriend said he would like to name it Alexander if it's a boy, after his grandad, and he brought this to me within a week of me discovering I was pregnant, 3 months ago, and nothing else has entered his head since. His name is Alan Robert, named after his dad, which to me as an outsider to his family looking in, is just confusing, when I shout Alan they both come to me. Anyways, the name Alexander to me, sounds like it belongs to an old person, and abbreviated to Alex, I find is too common. I was one of 5 girls in my class at school called Sarah and I hated it, so its important I dont inflict the same frustration on my own child.

I'm happy to compromise and have Alexander as a middle name but only because of its sentimental value to my boyfriend, but as i can't find anything that i like at all, finding something to compliment Alexander is even harder. His arguement is that I haven't come up with anything better and the longer I'm unsure, the more he gets his heart set on a name i don't like.

Please help if you can!
Sarah.x

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Hi Sarah,

Thanks for writing to me and congratulations on your pregnancy.  I absolutely adore the name Isla, I blogged about it a while back, such an elegant and beautiful name.  Great choice! 

I am not sure why you need to have a middle name that ends in a consonent sound?  Is it because it would sound better with your last name?  Sometimes it feels like that is necessary but not always.  I have blogged about some of my favourite middle names before such as Jane and Grace.  I think both of them would be lovely with Isla.  But if you really need names that end in consonants then some possibilities might be longer names, they tend to give some pace and therefore space between the first and last name.

For consonant ending names how about Elizabeth, Harriet or Annabel type names?   They aren't unusual but Isla is fairly uncommon and would sound great with a more old fashioned type name.

For other longer names with consonant sounding endings have your considered French names such as Madeleine, Celeste, Adelaide or Astrid?

As for your boys name ideas I have been thinking a while about this and I think just about anything goes with Alexander.  It is such a classic name that you can't really go wrong.  So I think on this one I agree with Daddy!  But you know there is much more scope here than just merely a little Alex.  There are LOADS of other versions of Alexander and some groovy short forms.

How about the ultra modern Xander?  Or the Dutch Sander?  Alec, Zander, Lexi, Al.   Some traditional variants are Alessandro, Alexi, Alejandro.  My favourite is the Scottish version, Alasdair or in anglicised form Alastair. 

Thank you so much for following my blog, let me know if there is anything here you can work with!

Tara

Comments

[Sarah]

Thanks for your input Tara, it's given me more to think about. I actually came across your "name of the month" which featured the name "Isla" while trying to do some research, and find out what others have to say about it, but couldnt stop there, I think I've read every blog written on here now. :D

I told my mum about me falling in love with the name Isla and she was so happy I've gone for a Scottish name especially as she doesn't approve of me having an English boyfriend. She can be a little too patriotic sometimes.

This Thursday coming, I'm going for my 21 week scan, our first chance to find out the sex. My boyfriend said he wanted the surprise but when I said I'd rather find out, now he wants to know as well, but we agreed to keep quiet and not tell any friends or family. I'l be sure to keep you posted, as coming across your blog has really made the difference. Just an hour beforehand I was completely clueless on choosing names, as nothing really screamed out to me.

Expect to hear from me again,
Sarah.x

[elisa]

Tara, I love your new look blog- so fresh and modern!

[Katie]

Sarah, I'm planning to name my (as yet non-existent) son, Alexander Noel - Noel being my fiancé's middle name and his dad's middle name. Other matches for it include James, Damon/Daemon, William, Nicholas, Sebastian... I could go on. My personal favourite nickname for Alexander is the Russian 'Sasha'

[Sam]

I have also heard of Anders - not sure if short for Alexander but nice as either nickname or the full name

[Courtley]

My husband is an Alexander and gets Alex, Al or from his friends from school: Rex. I went to school with an Alex that went by Sandy. Something else to think about.

[Vanessa]

I have also heard of the name Lysander. It's greek and from "Midsummer's night dream." Sorta fits in with the Shakespeare theme of your blog ;)

[Tara]

ooh great point Vanessa! :) Lysander is wonderful!

[Laura]

I really like Xander for middle name or for the name. You can shorten in to Xan if you want it even shorter. Alexei and Alexis are also cute Alexander alternative

[Anna]

What about Sacha? instead of Alexander.

Isla May is very pretty too.
Isla Hannah
Isla Violet
Isla Katherine
Isla WIllow
Isla Beatrice
Isla Lucy

[Anna]

Just forget theres also Evander thats similar sounding :)

[baby gifts]

Isla Marie is beautiful, I think. =)
For a baby boy, why not Xander Vaughn?

[Olivia]

I'm sorry if I sound rude and that this has (almost) nothing to do with your baby's name, but it's heartfelt: You and your boyfriend really should be married; I mean, it's by no means too late now, and of course it never will be; everything is forgiveable; but the sooner the better for everyone, ESPECIALLY the baby!

~ a concerned fellow young woman

[Alex]

Nice suggestion, keep up the good work! Nice design btw :)