Struggling with a girl name!

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

This is my first post here!

I am having a baby in March, and we decided to not know the sex of the baby. I have had a boy name picked out since I had my first son. However, picking out a girl name has really been a lot harder then I thought it would be. Ok, so Elizabeth is a guaranteed first name. It's a family thing. However, finding a middle name is being a pain in my butt! All the names I like, except 2 are super popular in the past few years. I only found this out after looking at the most popular baby names of certain years.

The ones we like plus their number on the 100 list of 2005:

Madison #3
Hannah #8
Isabel #6 (as Isabella)
Mackenzie #23
Cadence #71
Caitlin #4

As you can see, only 2 are not super super popular. Any suggestions!?!? I am really starting to stress out. Any opinions about what is on the list or any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Comments

[jennifergroovy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Eden.

I like the ee initials. Eden means "delight."

On what site did you find the name lists?

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Oh, Eden is pretty! On babycenter.com.

[whisperthewords.livejournal.com]

I *love* Elizabeth Eden.

[checkingmypulse.livejournal.com]

i like elizabeth eden!
what about elizabeth anabel (sort of like isabel but maybe not as popular)?

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Also, very pretty. I can't believe I didn't think of that one.

[thorabrighid.livejournal.com]

I like Elizabeth Cadence and Elizabeth Isabella.

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

I have been definitely leaning a lot towards Cadence. Not as popular, yet still sounds pretty.

[hannallegro.livejournal.com]

Lol, my name is Hannah Elizabeth! I like Elizabeth Mackenzie. Cadence just makes me think of the end of a musical phrase. (I'm a music major!) What about Elizabeth Michelle,Elizabeth Leighann, or Elizabeth Renee? Good luck!

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

I love the name Hannah. Originally, that was the first name I picked. Then I thought about Madison. And of course as I get closer to my due date I can't decide. Horomones!! Thanks, I need all the luck I can get!

[akgothbitch.livejournal.com]

What about Elizabeth Marie/Grace?
I like Mackenzie the best from the list though.
Good luck!

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

I love Mackenzie, it's an Irish name (mostly surname, but so is my son's name). I just never realized it was so high on the list. It still isn't too high up there. I swear, I'm going to end up naming the baby (if it's a girl) like 15 names!

Thanks!!

[akgothbitch.livejournal.com]

thats how i felt when we were trying to decide on a boys name.i didn't know what to do for a girl at first, except her middle name cuz it was a given (best friends middle name) and then someone mentioned Lyric and we both agreed from the start.So her name is going to be Lyric Marie.
Good thing its a girl to cuz he wouldn't agree to anything for a boy so I made the decision and he hates it cuz its after a deceased friend i grew up with.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

I cannot abide Mackenzie, it's too awful for words!

I love Elizabeth Isabella
I'm tihnking Elizabeth Clarisa

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

I can see that about Mackenzie. I went through the whole baby book name and I ruled out tons of names just because I could think of someone with that name that completely repulsed me. I haven't heard the name Clarisa in a long time.

[kaleido-scope.livejournal.com]

Isabella sounds much too similar to Elizabeth to use both those names, in my opinion.

I don't like Madison, Mackenzie, or Caitlin. I like Hannah, but Elizabeth Hannah doesn't sound great (Hannah Elizabeth is better).

So my choice would be Elizabeth Cadence. I think that's nice.

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Very true about the Isabella. Yeah, Hannah definitely sounds better first. We talked about that (the hubby and I), even my family about it being ok to change the name to the middle name. I'm stubborn though and wanted to stick with tradition. ;)

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

you could try similar alternatives.
instead of madison:
elizabeth madeleine
instead of hannah:
elizabeth anna
elizabeth ana
elizabeth hana
instead of isabel/isabella:
elizabeth belle
elizabeth bella
instead of mackenzie:
elizabeth mackayle
elizabeth macy
elizabeth mckayla
elizabeth mckenna
instead of cadence:
elizabeth cady
elizabeth candace
elizabeth cade
elizabeth caden
instead of caitlin:
elizabeth cate
elizabeth kahlen (kay-linn)
elizabeth kaylee
elizabeth kyan
elizabeth kay
elizabeth kyan

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Very true! I already see a couple that stick out!!

[rockstargrrrlie.livejournal.com]

I don't like Elizabeth Isabella since Isabella is a form of Elizabeth and if I saw a kid with that name, I would giggle and think "Elizabeth Elizabeth" the same way I giggle and think "John John" whenever I see Puff Daddy's clothing label, "Sean John."

Of the names on your list, I think that Elizabeth Cadence and Elizabeth Caitlin are the prettiest.

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Haha, I guess I never thought about that. That is why 2nd (and more) opinions are well worth it! Cadence definitely seems to be winning so far.

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

I don't think popularity matters quite so much with middle names. Have always hated the fact my [given] first name is popular, where as my middle is about as common but it doesn't bother me.
Suppose because you don't use it every day, there's more novelty to it.

Elizabeth Cadence is very pretty :)

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Both my mother and my middle names are the ones used. I don't know who decided that, but it has been that way all my life. Of course, I have to explain it all the time. My mom is Elizabeth Anne and I am Elizabeth Amanda. I swear, my family loves to be difficult.

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

Ah I see :)

[quiet-recluse.livejournal.com]

I like all those names. :)

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[trissyd.livejournal.com]

Those are all cute...
Personally, if I had a really common & traditional first name, I'd put something really unique and short after it...

Like Elizabeth Bree...

I love the name Cadence, though.

[thepastperfect]

Elizabeth is lovely, and I agree that popularity isn't such a big deal with middle names. I really dislike Madison and Mackenzie, which should have remained boys' names, but Hannah is pretty, and I have a soft spot for Caitlin. Laura Wattenberg also lists the following as sister names:
For Madison: Sydney, Payton, Brooklyn, Hailey (and also Mackenzie, but that's already on your list)
For Hannah: Abigail, Olivia, Chloe, Ava, Emily
For Isabel: Madeline, Lily, Phoebe, Sophie, Amelia
For Isabella: Sophia, Arabella, Juliana, Gabriella, Angelina
For Mackenzie: Kennedy, Riley, Reagan, Mckenna (and Madison)
For Cadence: Lyric, Harmony, Kaya, Meadow, Kenzie
For Caitlin: Megan, Jillian, Courtney, Morgan, Casey

I really like Amelia, Juliana, and Gabriella, if those aren't too long with Elizabeth.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

Cadence, Lyric & Harmony.. wow musical family!
Its funny.. my name is up there (sophie) & i love all the names that go with it, infact i will name my daughter Amelia.
btw, i've wondered for a while.. is the girl in your icon your daughter? Because she is so gorgeous.

[thepastperfect]

Haha, nooo, I'm definitely not old enough to have a daughter of any age. (Well, the scary thing is that I probably am now, but I can't imagine taking care of a baby.) The full-size picture is really cute, it's a little girl in ballet class.

I didn't even notice Cadence, Lyric, and Harmony when I was typing it out, but that's funny. Lots of her choices I would never actually use as sibling names - I take them more as "If you like this name, you might also like ..."

I love Amelia. I'm just hoping it doesn't skyrocket before I have kids.

[randomuser.livejournal.com]

The baby in my icon is my son. He gets mistaken for a girl a lot, it's the eyes! I swear he has girly eyes then I do. :)

[anapology.livejournal.com]

Your son is gorgeous too (i can tell he's a boy, though i know a few female Brodys!) My comment was replying to Celeria though. But as i said before you son is a cutie too! :-)

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

Go back to that same list, and start looking for names you like reading from the bottom up.

[mountain-nest.livejournal.com]

All of those are super super popular. The rank on the link isn't very indicative of their actual popularity. But I have seen ALL those names enough lately to make me wonder if my child would be doomed to being "Madison J." or "Mackenzie H." in school for her entire education.

If you don't want something "super super popular," don't look for ideas on the popular name lists! Look at various baby name websites, or even better, look at your family tree/geneology.

[ericaamericka.livejournal.com]

Well, as she won't be known by that name I can't see that popularity should matter too much. Cadence is my favorite. And, depending on your last name, I'd probably stay away from the three sylable names, because Elizabeth is so long already.