help a writer out - female protagonist's name

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I'm starting a new piece of writing, and I'm stuck on figuring out my main character's name. Her name is fairly important to the story; she likes it, and it works well for her when she's younger, but when she gets to around 30, and begins a new position, she has to start going by her middle name, Gloria, in all professional settings.

The requirements are that it is young-sounding, doesn't age well, and is perhaps unprofessional, but it's not 'weird' or unique. It's just an average name that a Canadian girl born in the late '80s/early '90s would have. If it matters, she has an older sister named Jordan, and a brother that goes by Chuck.

I can't decide, so which of these names do you think works best and meets those requirements?

+ Cassidy
+ Kirby
+ Carly
+ Kirsten

EDIT: I think that, for the moment at least, I've decided to start writing with her as a Carly. I know a Carly I don't like, but I think it's suits what I want to do with her. Thanks for all the help/suggestions!

Comments

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

Kirsten Gloria is the only one that sounds good to my ears. But I prefer Carly if we are going by standard 80's to 90's names that don't fit for adulthood. Carly Gloria doesn't really flow though.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I think I'm torn in the same way that you are, lol. Thanks :)

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

I think Kirsten and Jordan both ending in -en/-an is awkward too, though! Haha. I can't decide. Carly Gloria sounds better each time I say it though.

My first thought was Katie. Katie Gloria.

Other suggestions:

- Ali or Aly
- Kristi or Kristy
- Cat or Kat

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to end up going with Carly. Carly Gloria doesn't sound as bad as I initially thought either :)

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

Carly is my top pick because it's a nn and would be weird on a 30 year old woman. Please don't use Kirby... I'd have the hardest time reading a book where the female protagonist is named after a video game character that eats you and poops you out...

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha, that is so amazing; I had totally forgot about playing Kirby when I was a younger. I was just thinking of Hayden Panetierre's amazing character from Scream 4. But yes, out of these four, Kirby was the least likely one for me to use.

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

But if it were Kirby, wouldn't that just be another reason for her to use Gloria?

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

I'm caught between Carly and Kirby in terms of being young-sounding. Kirby might go with Jordan best if you want both sisters to have unisex names. Kirby Gloria and Kirsten Gloria have the best flow to me, but I don't know if you're going for flow or trying to avoid it.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about the flow either; since I had picked Gloria first, and that's going to be it no matter what, so whether or not the first name flowed with it doesn't matter so much. I just want the first name to make sense in the context that I'm putting it in. It's a good point, about Kirby and Jordan both being unisex. I'll have to consider that. Thanks :)

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

Carly. Definitely Carly.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Although all the comments are saying different things, so I am as torn as I ever was, haha.

[dustthouart.livejournal.com]

I don't think Kirsten sounds unprofessional, so I'd rule that one out. Kirby is the fluffy Nintendo character to me. So that leaves Carly and Cassidy.

Canada (as a whole) doesn't collect/release statistics on baby names, but individual provinces sometimes do, to varying degrees (some release all names, even those only given to one baby, like Alberta, and I think Quebec only releases the top 100, etc).

On Baby Name Wizard, their stats for the US show both Cassidy and Carly peaking in the 90s. Canada is usually not that different from the US so I'd expect similar stats there. I think either one would work.

Cassidy doesn't sound so much "young" to me as unconventional. Depending on the line of work, that could still be a flaw. Gloria Smith still probably sounds like a more respectable person to have as your lawyer or accountant than Cassidy Smith.

Here are some suggestions for other names that might fit your criteria:
Tiffany
Brandy/Brandi
Mikayla (or any of the dozens of spellings of same)
Destiny

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I definitely looked at Michaela (man, I had a tough time spelling that, lol). It's really trendy, but I think that that original spelling isn't bad enough that my character would want to change it.

Your use of Gloria Smith just made me remember I still need to come up with a last name for her, even though I won't be using it much.

[being-lola-star.livejournal.com]

I have to laugh at this because I actually have a cousin named Cassidy Smith. She's a sweet heart but I would want a 13 year old managing my money...

If the OP was looking for a unisex name to match with Jordan, Cassidy works for that as well, at least in my opinion. And I agree on it being a reasonable name but Gloria being a more professional option. Carly works for that as well but I think Cassidy flows better.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

While reading the description, all I could think of was the name Kaylee, which coincidentally starts with the same sound as all of the other names you're torn between.

Jordan and Charles are pretty standard, so I have a hard time picturing the parents then using the name Kirby. I think it is too unusual and pretty masculine. Cassidy doesn't sound terribly young to me, and there is nothing wrong with Kirsten. Carly could sound young, I suppose. When I think of the show iCarly, it's more youthful, but when I think of my former neighbor, it works on an adult. Of your choices, I would go with Carly.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I did consider Kaylee too; it's definitely a name that I've always thought just sounded eternally childlike. But it's just also not a name that I like very much, so I'm not sure that I could stand making it her name, lol. Thanks though!

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

Of those, probably Kirby.
I have friends named Kaylee, Kayla, and Kelsey (with a few variant spellings thereof in the mix) who feel that way about their names. So that seems to fit the general trend.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I think I also considered all three of those names actually, before I managed to cut the list down to just these four.

[twitchywoman.livejournal.com]

How about Kitty or Kit?

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Kitty just makes me think of That 70s Show, lol.

[jexia]

Candy?

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I have a cousin named Candy, but she was born in the 1970s, so to me it feels a bit older and more dated than what I'm looking for. It definitely does fit the rest of it though, so thanks!

[lil-cherub.livejournal.com]

I would go with Carly. If you are open to other names that sound better on a child then on an adult: Cassie, Coco, Daisy, Hailey, Jackie, Jody/Jodi, Lexi, Kaylee, Marci/Marcy, Riley, Stacy

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Is Coco actually a name though, or just a nickname? Well, I guess it could be a name, lol, if I named her that. Cassie is another one to consider though; it probably fits what I want more than just Cassidy does.

Thanks!

[lil-cherub.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't name a baby Coco, personally. Makes a great name for a chocolate lab puppy imo but Courtney Cox has a daughter named Coco.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

For your purposes, Carly or Kirby. I don't think Kirsten sounds too young or unprofessional at all, and while Cassidy is a little bit toward that realm, I can't see someone with that name being so concerned about it that they would feel like they had to go by Gloria! If you're looking for suggestions, the name that automatically jumps to mind would be Kaylee. Also, Bailey, Kylie, Brittnee (or some other messed up spelling), Kassie, Chastity, Kacey (basically any name with a K and an 'alternate' spelling like Kelli, Kari, etc.), Lacey, Mindy, Mandy...

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I think I might end up going with Carly, even though I know a Carly that I really dislike, lol.