My current short list

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

Not PG or TTC; just like names and planning ahead.
Have arranged these in the order I'd be most likely to use them. Rather hoping it's not necessary to point out which are the girls or boys names. :)


Harper Jane - tribute to Harper Lee : variant of my closest female friend's name
Gaea [jee-uh] Hazel - Greek earth Goddess (or the earth itself) : a bit more 'mainstream' but still a similiar flair
Ivy Clara - Just like it : variant of my given middle name
Ada Bronwen - Inspired by the character in Cold Mountain : in honour of my Welsh heritage
Ruby Aesara [ee-saw-ruh] - have loved this for years and have so many good associations : Aesara was an ancient Greek philosopher, thought that'd be a good role model.

Lennon Richard - as in John : my brother's name
River Edward* or Rowan David** - I'd only use one, not keen on the whole 'two kids with same initial' thing.
Dylan Jude - Because it's Welsh, literary, mythological and all that good stuff : after the song
Kiran Taliesin - has such a nice meaning 'sunbeam' : for the mythological figure
Seamus William - after my wonderful mentor/lectuer : as in Shakespeare (am a British writer, not revering him would be heresy!)

* inspired by 'the river of life' [Siddhartha], and River Phoenix : my grandfather's mn (his fn is Donald, so yeah)
** fits with my love of nature, and Celtic heritage : my father's mn, and variant of my closest guy friend's name


So WDYT? (be honest, I can take concrit)
Any suggestions for names of similiar styles I might like? (my long list is getting a bit stale)

Oh and what do you think of Seren [sair-un]?
It's my 'name of the day'. I like the meaning 'star' and that it's Welsh.

Comments

[hitzpink.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane - I don't like Harper at all. It sounds so boyish and it's one of those names that might be cute on a 3 year old but wouldn't age well at all. Also, it sounds kind of negative. Like, "UGH she wouldn't stop harping on me to clean the kitchen!"
Gaea [jee-uh] Hazel - Love Hazel, unsure about Gaea.
Ivy Clara - Really pretty! Love it.
Ada Bronwen - Ada is nice, but Bronwen is just SO pretentious.
Ruby Aesara [ee-saw-ruh] - Love Ruby, don't like Aesara. It sounds so awkward.

Lennon Richard - LOVE Lennon. Totally one of my guilty pleasure names.
River Edward* or Rowan David** - I like River. I don't like Edward (so nerdy) or Rowan (again, gives me a pretentious vibe.)
Dylan Jude - LOVE.
Kiran Taliesin - Kiran is ok.
Seamus William - I just can't get on board with Seamus. I don't like how it sounds (shay-mus, right?) and it looks like semen.

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

I like Hazel, Ada, Dylan, Edward, Jude and Willaim quite a lot. And I do like Kiran I just prefer it spelled Kieran.

[x-lostinyou.livejournal.com]

I also prefer Kieran over Kiran, but Kiran is a completely different name.

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

ah, in that case I take it back. I don't like Kiran.

[x-lostinyou.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane - I have a problem with people naming their children Holden, Harper, Scout, Atticus, etc. Yes, they are lovely books, but... it just makes the parent sound as though they haven't read any real literature since high school. That's usually not the case, but it's just the automatic impression I get from it. It's as if they are tring to seem cultured, but it's failing considering EVERYONE has to read those novels.

(BTW, that's totally not aimed at you. You seem like a smart girl, and I'm sure it's not the case, it's just my automatic reaction to those names.)

Gaea [jee-uh] Hazel - I think that would get mispronounced as Gay-a a lot, so I'd say no. If anything, I spell it Gia... but I don't really like that. Hazel is nice.
Ivy Clara - I think each name is pretty on their own. For some reason, I don't like them together... but I can't really put my finger on why.
Ada Bronwen - Ada is nice. Refreshing change from Ava. I've NEVER liked Bronwen... I don't see the appeal whatsoever.
Ruby Aesara [ee-saw-ruh] - I can't say I like either. The MN is awkward in pronunciation and spelling. I've known a lot of trashy people named Ruby, so to me it's very trailer park-esque.

Lennon Richard - I'd prefer them reversed, but Richard is your brother's name so that probably wouldn't work. I'm not a fan of Lennon, because I don't really like famous namesakes that are completely obvious. Richard is nice though.
River Edward* or Rowan David** - I hate River. A lot of women seem to like it, but every man I've ever asked would hate to be named it. I like Edward and David. Rowan makes me think of Rowan Atkinson, which is just... no.
Dylan Jude - I like them reversed. I really don't like Dylan, but that's probably more personal than the name itself.
Kiran Taliesin - I really don't like this.
Seamus William - Again, I like them reversed. William is just so damn popular, though, but I love it.


Okay, so I don't really like a lot of the names themselves... but I LOVE the places you are getting them from! It's very... me, haha. I love that kind of stuff. I think with a little bit of remixing of the combos, I'd really like your list. But nothing stands out as horrible to me. =) Sorry I wasn't very positive about, well... anything, haha.

[juteux.livejournal.com]

Yes, they are lovely books, but... it just makes the parent sound as though they haven't read any real literature since high school.

you don't consider To Kill a Mockingbird "real" literature? It's one of the greatest books of the 20th century.

[x-lostinyou.livejournal.com]

I didn't say that whatsoever. If you read my sentence, I said 'they haven't read any real literature SINCE high school'. Meaning that they read real literature in high school (TKAM and the like), but haven't read any since. I never said anything about the novel itself.

[juteux.livejournal.com]

Okay, that makes more sense. :) I read it in grade eight and it's been my favourite novel ever since...I'm an English major so believe me I've read a lot of other books, but I just love it and its values. I want to incorporate the names Scout or Harper in my daughter's name too.

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant. she said it makes it seem like they haven't read any 'real' lit since HS (as TKAM is a book most commonly introduced to HS students.) meaning that TKAM is real lit, but that it would seem the person hadn't really read anything else worthy enough to leave an impression, since that book, read during HS.

ok, hopefully that didn't come off sounding MORE confusing. lol I just know she doesn't think that TKAM is crap.

stephanie, correct me if I'm wrong.

[x-lostinyou.livejournal.com]

That is precisely what I meant, my dear. Thank you!

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

:)yw

[http://users.livejournal.com/_x_blackroses_x/]

Love:

Ivy Clara
Dylan Jude
Seamus William

[heyitsrebecca.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane - I see nothing attractive/feminine about Harper. I didn't even know Harper Lee was female til a few days ago. Jane is lovely.

Gaea Hazel - I want to pronounce it Gay-uh, and I have a feeling others would too. Isn't it normally spelled Gaia? Or is that someone else.

Ivy Clara - Ivy is the best name ever. I don't like the flow with Clara, but it's sentimental, so I like it.

Ada Bronwen - I can't picture Ada on a child.. it's my old aunt's name.

Ruby Aesara - Ruby has always seemed a little.. down market to me. Aesara is nice.

I can't think of any comments for the boy names.. they aren't favorites, and they aren't terrible either. Except Lennon.

Seren would be nice if it weren't for Sarin gas.

[tokossel.livejournal.com]

i like most of your names.
i'd also pronounce gaea like gay-uh. i really like ruby and don't think it sounds trashy at all, at least not in the UK- maybe it is in the states? ivy clara is lovely.
even if it is an obvious reference, harper lee was brilliant.

river is a really earthy name which i probably wouldn't use but still like. rowan, to me, is pretty feminine. i LOVE taliesin and knew a 'taliesin rain' which i thought was cute. i also see kiran as feminine because one of my best mates is called that. i know loads of (asian) female kirans, but not any guys, even though i know the name is used for both. a lot of people mispronounce it and say it like kieran(kee-ran) which is close but still annoying.
dylan jude is lovely- i like both names even if dylan gets trendier by the day.

[poespretty.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane - I like Harper personally & Jane sounds ok w/it too.
Gaea [jee-uh] Hazel - I understand the significance but I don't like the spelling Gaea. I agree w/pp's that said it will probably get mispronounced. Hazel is just ok for me & I'm not sure that I like them together.
Ivy Clara - Ivy is ok, I don't know if I like it with Clara, but that's probably bc I've always preferred Claire to Clara.
Ada Bronwen - Ada is just ok for me, but I love Bronwen. that will probably be my daughter's name.
Ruby Aesara [ee-saw-ruh] - I don't care for either.

Lennon Richard - I like this name.
River Edward* or Rowan David** - I don't like River but I'm not down with nature-y names so much. Rowan is alright. the two names flow nicely w/your choice of mn's.
Dylan Jude - I like this name.
Kiran Taliesin - I don't like it.
Seamus William - just ok. I don't love it.

[super-bitch06.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane - NMS at all. Harper sounds very masculane to me.
Gaea Hazel - I'm surpirzed to find I like it. It will definitely get misspronounced a lot, though.
Ivy Clara - Love Ivy, not so much on Clara, though. The combo is okay though.
Ada Bronwen- NMS. Sounds like an elf to me.
Ruby Aesara - Eeh. I love Ruby, and Aesara is pretty, but when I say it out loud, my mind hears "Ruby, I saw her"... IDK

Lennon Richard - I have a hard time seeing Lennon as a first name. Maybe Richard Lennon?
Rowan David - I like that one better than River Edward. Sounds nice :)
Dylan Jude - I don't mind Dylan. Even though I know Jude is a male name, I think female. Like a shortended form of Judy.
Kiran Taliesin - NMS I may be saying it wrong, but it sounds rhymey to me.
Seamus William- Love it!

Seren- I don't like it, sorry. Sounds odd to my ear.

[ashadelic.livejournal.com]

Ada Bronwen (I prefer Bronwyn although I think I remember it being said that wyn was masculine) is the only girls combo I really like. I like Harper, Gia (preferred spelling) and Aesara individually.

Seamus William is the only boy's combo I like. I also like Jude, Rowan, Kiran and Taliesin individually.

[p-inkjeans.livejournal.com]

AHHHH! I love Harper Lee!!!! I'm totally in love with that name. I'm thinking of using it as a middle name, I think.

I like River Edward better. I like that you have a common mn with an uncommon fn so that if he doesn't feel like a 'River' when he's older, he can be an 'Edward'. That's what I'd do if I went with really uncommon names for my kids.

Not big on Kiran for a boy, it reminds me too much of Karen, so it sounds really feminine to me.

I love Seamus, though :). And Dylan Jude is cute, although Dylan is incredibly trendy so I'm not a fan of that. But I do like the sound of it together and Jude is awesome.

The rest of your names are OK, just not my style. I don't have anything against them, but I also don't love them and would never use them.

I'm a HUGE fan of Harper Jane, though. YAY! :)

[cathkitten.livejournal.com]

Harper Jane: It's OK. It sounds mannish. Harper is becoming more and more popular. Also, there aren't a lot of really good nicknames for it (Do you want your daughter to be called a Harpy?) Harper Lee's first name was Nelle, which I like so much better.

Gaea [jee-uh] Hazel - Greek earth Goddess (or the earth itself) : a bit more 'mainstream' but still a similiar flair: I like both names, but not together. Too incongruent.

Ivy Clara - Like it

Ada Bronwen: again, I like both names but not together! Ada is very southern, Bronwen is so Welsh. They just clash.

Ruby Aesara: Love Ruby. Not Aesara. The pronounciation reminds me of a dinosaur. Aesaurus.

Lennon Richard: I hate Lennon. Lenny!

River Edward* or Rowan David: Rowan David is so much better. River is a cruel name to give a little boy who will grow up to be a teenager and then a man.

Dylan Jude: like

Kiran Taliesin: this name looks so made up. Like random letters put together.

Seamus William: like

As for Seren, I refer you to one of the many posts on how it sounds too much like Serin, as in serin gas as in WMD.

[sotypical42483.livejournal.com]

I hate Harper. It sounds very negative (a person who harps?!), it also kind of reminds me of herpes. It's not feminine sounding at all. Jane is lovely.
I like Ivy, Ruby, Dylan, and Kiran (Kieran)