Can't Pick a Name-help!

Updated on October 12, 2012
A.P. asks from Janesville, WI
44 answers

So, we're less than a week away from our daughter's arrival, and we can't decide on a name. We're getting desperate! :)
My husband and I both like different names, and neither of us feels like we're in love with any name. The middle name will likely be either Marie or Joy (family names).
Will you give your input? Here are the names on our list:

Isabelle (we both like it with a nickname of Izzy but I'm concerned with how popular this name is right now)

Laine (my husband is worried that it is a boy's name)

Delaney (my daughter has D name too-is that weird?)

Hallie or Halle (will she spend her life correcting people who think that it is Hailey?)

Brenna (it's Irish which fits our heritage-husband thinks it's "weird")

Kennedy (too masculine for a girl?)

Thanks for your help!

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B.B.

answers from New York on

Brenna is the best name out of the bunch. Isabelle is pretty but popular...how about Annabelle? Laine I just don't get. What about Elaine or Alanna? Delaney and Kennedy I don't like at all and Hallie or Halle or Hailey is annoying. I love the middle name Joy.

2 moms found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

I think all are adorable, Isabelle is pretty trendy right now. Hallie/Halle does not confuse me with Hailey. Brenna is adorable.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

If you are interested in Irish names, here's a list:
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/irish-girl-names

Isabelle (Belle, Bella, Izzy) is WAY too popular now for my taste.

Laine is a boy's name (but so many boys names have been highjacked into girl's names that it may not matter). You will confuse people as to whether it's pronounced Lane or Lane-E even though the spelling makes it clearly "Lane".

I like Delaney better, actually. Don't care for Hallie (Hailey) so much.

I like Brenna, it was on my list. What about Brynn? Welsh not Irish, but still Celtic.

I don't like Kennedy, McKenna, Kendra, etc.

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L.V.

answers from Dallas on

My 2nd daughter has the middle name Lane, and that's what we call her as well. We were a little worried that it would seem too masculine. As it turns out, that's all we can get out of our mouths as she zooms past us to get into mischief. Her actual first name would have been way too long for everyday use. LOL

Bottom Line: Go with what you really like. Don't worry about whether it's "too masculine" or "too weird" or whatever. That's an impossible standard to live up to. One person's weird name is another person's favorite great aunt. :-)

4 moms found this helpful

⊱.H.

answers from Spokane on

I like Delaney and Kennedy.

No, it's not weird to have them both start with a D. 2 out of 3 of ours start with a T and it's not weird at all.

Kennedy is adorable! I know a Kennedy who is 5 now and it is absolutely a great name for her.

3 moms found this helpful
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V.P.

answers from Columbus on

My vote is Brenna. It's unusual without being way out there, and I'm tired of the really popular names. There are a lot of Isabellas and Halles in our world. Delaney is fine (I don't think two Ds are a problem -- there are two Vs in our family), and my friend's daughter is a Kennedy, so to me, it's not masculine at all. And I've never heard Laine as a boy's name -- only for girls. But I like Celtic names, so my vote is Brenna.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.D.

answers from Omaha on

I love Kennedy, Delaney, and Laine. They were all on our list, I went with Kennedy for my girl. Totally fits her. I've met several girls with the same name.

Another name that we loved was Emerson.

Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

M.R.

answers from Detroit on

I love Brynn!
It would have been my daughters name if my husband would have agreed.

I also like Elle.

Love Delaney, no not weird to do another "D".

2 moms found this helpful
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R.F.

answers from Dallas on

I really like Brenna, especially since it reflects your heritage. Isabelle is so popular right now, which kind of turns me off from it.

Delaney is cute, too - two kids with names that start with the same letter is quite common - not weird at all.

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A.K.

answers from Bloomington on

My fav, out of those is Laine but I'm a fan of somewhat masculine names, for girls.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

MJ!!! Marie Joy

Although if it wasn't a family name, I'd suggest Maryam instead of Marie (Marie is also a fam name on my side). I just REALLY like Maryam Joy.

Honestly ANY J name as a middle creats the AJ, CJ, DJ, EJ, JJ, KJ, LJ, MJ, etc nickname set.

(Want another wrench? In my fam we do 4 names: 2middles honors both families, surname, and the first name).

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Love Delaney and Kennedy!

Good luck/speedy delivery!

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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

I love all of your names. I especially like :

Brenna Marie
or you could do Brennan Marie---I have a friend who named their daughter Brennan and she gets complimented daily for it :)

Or Kenadie Joy (do you like this spelling??) Its a more feminine version.

Hope this helps. You will find a name. When you have her you may completely change your mind and decide that what you picked out doesn't fit---so bring the baby name book in your hospital bag!!!! Happy Laboring and have a great birth~

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

love, love, love my niece Delany's name! Delany Christine. Her momma considered Delany Jane...but we thought it was too much like Calamity Jane. LOL. Oh, & her nickname is Lany.....which ties in with your Laine.

In your case, I do like either Marie/Joy for the middle name. & I do know a Delanie Marie & a Delaney Marie. My niece is 16, the other two are about 9yo.

I do like Izzy! Always have. I think Isabelle is a beautiful name.

Hallie/Halle are okay. Hailey seems to have fallen out of use.

Brenna is .....hmmm, not too sure of it. We do have a few Brianne/Brianna in our family.

& Kennedy is unisex. I know both boys & girls with this name.

Good luck & wishing you a speedy/safe delivery!

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

Isabelle or Isabel has a soft spot in my heart. I have a niece named Isabel. Her friends call her Belle, I call her Ibby. She was born during the Isabella craze 15 years ago.

I also like Brenna a lot. It's pretty, it's unusual without being weird, but it might get confused with Brianna or Briana.

Laine and Delaney and Kennedy are so masculine to me that I'd probably dump them from your list. They're all surnames, which automatically makes them male. Technically, Hailey (and that family of names) is too although people forget that with Hailey's Comet. I have a cousin named Halley like Alley Cat. I've never been fond of it, frankly. It sounds so down market.

However, you could go with Allison (a medieval form of Alice) and use the nickname Allie/Ally.

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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

I just met an Alayne and she goes by Laynie. So Alayne Marie or Laynie Marie. It's close to Laine but pretty with a cute nick name. =) Let us know what you decide. =)

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

Love Isabelle, but yeah - it's way too popular right now. I'd strike it off the list. Laine is really cute, but is it pronounced Lane? Or Lane-E?

Delaney is my favorite. Doesn't matter if your other daughter has a D name.

Not a fan of Hallie or Halle for the reason you stated - it will always be mispronounced. Don't like Brenna... it just sounds kind of awkward to me. And Kennedy is a made up name for a girl so I don't like it.

So I vote for Delaney!

1 mom found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

All of them are great.

My favorite would be Delaney...or Laine.
Delaney Joy or Laine Marie

Yes, people will always think Hallie or Halle is Hailey...
Have you ever considered Haddie?

No Kennedy is NOT too masculine, besides the late Mr. President I have only known it as a girl name...

Brenna is not weird, it is unique which is not a bad thing and it is easy to spell and say.

Yes, Isabelle is a 'classic' name so it will always be more popular.

Good Luck!
*Naming them was always THE hardest part, IMO!!!

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M.

answers from Minneapolis on

my two sons and their girlfirends all have very strong names
TJ, Sam, Joe, Kyle they are all very confident and amazing people
If you give a child a name that is unique it will help build confidence.

Names usually get shorten especially by peers in junior high. My first name is M. and to this day I am still called Rie by some of my friends.
I love all your choices If I had a girl I would have named her Kennedy M.. I do like the spelling another person posted Kenadie.
By the way my boys are named TJ and Joe

1 mom found this helpful

L.M.

answers from Dover on

Of the names you mentioned, I like Delaney but not crazy over it. No, both girls having the same first initial is not weird. My son is a junior and his dad now has two little girls w/ his 2nd wife. Both their girls have the same initials which are the same as the dad and my son. I have friend that has 5 kids...four start with the letter K and the 5th has the K sound (but spelled w/ a C). So, in my opinion, not weird at all.

That said I will offer another name...instead of Kennedy (which I don't like as a first name), what about Kenzie?

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L.M.

answers from Iowa City on

I have an Aunt named DeLaine. It's a combo of a couple of your names.

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Of the ones you listed:

I love Kennedy Joy

or

Isablle Joy

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Brenna Marie was one of my choices if we ever had a girl - we had a boy - so we never got to use it.
Colleen Marie
Ayeleen Marie
Jenna Marie
Hailey is nice, but there are so many of them around right now (she will be correcting the spelling always).
Teagan Marie

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

I like Brenna with your middle name choices. I find Isabelle, Delaney, and Hallie to be on the trendier side of things. There are a lot of babies being named those names in my area.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

I think your name choices are great.
Love Isabelle! A beautiful classic.

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

I love the name Shannon. I know its not on your list but Shannon Marie. Now, to disclose, this is my daughter's name! I just love the flow of it.

I really like Kennedy and Delaney. When I hear the name Isabelle, I think Bella and Edward from Twilight. Sorry!

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K.J.

answers from New Orleans on

Our 3rd child was "supposed" to be a girl and we was going to name her Isabelle Hannah,but she wasn't a she but a he; so that name got shot down. But oh well..... I'm happy!! :)

Choose what yall want too. I know names now are going for either gender now;Despite back in the older days.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would stick with names that are easy to pronounce.
I know a very cute Delaney that they call Laney for short...my nieces name is Brenna and it fits perfect and I know the cutest little peanut girl named Kennedy. All cute names. I do know a boy named Laine. My sister has an Isabella and thought they would call her Izzy as well...but Bella (beautiful) was a much better fit!

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A.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

My two boys have L names....I don't think it's weird to have the same first letter. So, my vote would be Delaney (call her Laney if that's a name you really lik) or Halle. Good luck!

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H.G.

answers from Dallas on

This is too funny to me!! We must have been linked in a past life :)
The first time I was preggo in 06 ( had a miscarriage at 3 months) if it was a girl she would of been Ysabel. I get pregnant a month later and my 5 yr old is named madisyn Layne - so yes, I approve of Layne! My mama's middle name was Marie and her first name was Glenna. I wanted to name Madi, Brenna Marie but but im not one for jrs and too close sounding names and it sounded almost just like my moms.I was so in love with Layne though and my husband like madisyn ( I just played with the spelling) and I love it! Also, my name is H. and my twin sisters name is haley :) I just don't see how you can go wrong with this list!!
Ysabel (isabel) Marie
Brenna laine
laynee Marie
Delaney Layne
haley layne

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

I personally do not like surnames as first names especially for girls. Kennedy is a surname, as in President Kennnedy. But that may be just me.
Have you thought about Autumn Joy? Beccause she is to be born in Autumn and she is a joy. Just a thought. Isabelle is pretty but someone somewhere will start calling her Dizzy Izzy and it will stick. My Daughter is Breianne which is the female form of Brien, very Irish. When she was a baby I called her Breezzy. Molly is also very Irish and Molly Marie is pretty.

Good luck and congrats on the baby.

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M.O.

answers from New York on

Of the names you list, I'd vote for:

Isabelle (I love the spelling Isobel)
Laine (I think this is popular enough for girls these days, it wouldn't be seen as a boy's name)
Hallie/Halle (there are enough Hallies out there, I don't think the Hailey thing will be too much of an issue)

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S.E.

answers from New York on

ill give my opinions on the names but if neither of you love any of them keep looking! buy a name book! it took us months before finding a name that we both really liked and werent just like oh that ones ok
i know isabelle and isabella are really popular.. i have a friend named elizabeth and shes always been called izzy .. i think all the names u mentioned are cute .. and about hallie.. hailey is such a popular name right now i think that youre probably right and most people will think that is her name.. if your husband doesnt like brenna .. we just named our daughter brianna - its irish ... origionally i liked the name gianna but everyone said it was too italian considering u take one look at my fiance and know immediatley that hes irish.. so i started looking for names that sounded similar and we both fell in love with brianna

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T.A.

answers from Seattle on

My daughter's middle name is Lane, I like Laine too. I personally think its more girly, and is changing to be so in recent years. Delaney is adorable, Kennedy is totally girly, and I like hallie with the I. People will probably say hailey, but only if they don't read it right somehow. I like brynn too, or brenna, which is different/uncommon but definitely not weird. You could do delaney and call her Lane too or laney! I like them all, except for Isabelle, which is too popular and just don't like it as much as the others.

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I have a friend who's daughter is Isabelle. They call her Bella.
Since you both like Isabelle, I would go with that one.
Isabelle Marie

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L.A.

answers from Lincoln on

In high school I knew an Isabelle who went by Isa (pronounced Iza). She was so beautiful, confident, and cool! To me, the nickname Izzy belongs to the male name of Isadore. I know an old man named Isadore who is called Izzy - yikes! Another name similar to Brenna to consider is Britta. The Halle, Hallie, Hailey thing does confuse me, otherwise all your choices are fine names.

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C.R.

answers from Wausau on

I like Delaney and maybe Laney for short. Or Laine. There are two Isabella's in my daughters kindergarten class and two in the other kindergarten class as well so lots of Bellas. But you have to pick what feels the best to you and what she looks like when you're holding her in your arms and looking at her precious face.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Isabelle is indeed very popular. I'd avoid though I love the name. Maybe use it and call her Belle? Izzy is done a lot, but Belle not so much.

Laine will get seen by teachers etc. as Elaine and she will end up being called Lainey by other kids. I know Elenas and Elaines who are all Laineys now.

Delaney sounds masculine, sorry, and a bit too cutesy (sorry!). Delaney also will end up as Laney.

Hallie or Halle -- the latter spelling will end up misprounounced like the word "hall" and the former will make people ask "Is that as in, Halle Berry the actress?" or something dumb like that. And she will be constantly called "Hailey" (hay-lee) instead of Hallie (hal-ee)

Brenna is fine. Kennedy is indeed pretty masculine to me. And McKenna is a fairly popular name now, so Kennedy might be confused with it.

Why not look into more traditional Irish girls' names? Moira, Maeve, etc. Do some research and see if there is one you like but be certain you can deal with the spellings (many will be difficult to spell) and that you have the pronunciations exactly right.

Whatever you pick, ensure that it will work as well at 15 and 30 and 70 as it does for a cute little newborn. A name needs to work for a professional woman and grandmother, not just a child. Good luck!

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

Isabelle-so beautiful I would not use the nickname Izzy
Laine-is a girl's name: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Laine

Delaney-adorable and unique
Hallie-also cute-I doubt Hallie Berry ever had trouble with this name
Brenna-pretty
Kennedy-great name -would help if it is a family name
I think you're on the right track-take care and God bless!

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A.T.

answers from New York on

Isabelle/a & Halle/lie are overkill right now. Everybody has this name it seems. Both beautiful, but overly popular.
How about Annabella
Laine could be Lainie(pronounced Lay-nee) OR Alayna/Alaine (so it keeps with the Irish heritage)
Kennedy is a beautiful name for a girl, also fits in with the Irish heritage.

Also Irish:
Nola
Nora
Noreen
Reagan
Seana,Shauna
Sioban (pronounced shivawn)
Glynna/Glenna

Google Irish girl names or baby girl names.

Good luck.

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

You'll get all different sorts of opinions on this!

Hallie Marie or Hallie Joy sound nice. I know there's an actress with the name of Halle, but people think, "Huh?" when they see it. Hallie is a more sensible spelling, easier for others to deal with. Brenna is a fine Irish name, and there are other fine Irish girls' names as well (i.e., Bridget, Shannon). I'd save Kennedy or Laine for a middle name for a boy. I think a middle name of Delaney would be great for a Brenna or even an Anna.

Don't worry about how popular a name is now. Names go in and out of fashion. Many of the up-and-coming names were extremely old-fashioned when I was little! Whoever thought "Elsie" would make a comeback? There are a lot of women named Tiffany and Heather right now, and in a few generations there will probably be some more. If you really, really like Isabelle, don't be afraid of using it. Isabelle Joy is great if it goes with your last name.

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C.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

You don't have to have a name picked out before the birth. In fact, I recommend you go to the hospital with a list of favorites and then wait until you meet the baby. Once you see her the name might become obvious to you. Our first born didn't get his name until more than 24 hours after birth. His bassinet said "Baby Boy L..." to the dismay of the nurses. It is, however, much easier logistically to have a name before you leave the hospital, which we did.

I know two little girls named Kennedy and personally I don't like it. I think it's too masculine, but that's IMO. Names are so subjective. I like more traditional names like Greta, Naomi, Genevieve (Genna?), etc. My new niece was just named Avery, which is also a unisex name. Apparently it is historically a boy name, but has been used a lot for girls since the late 1980s. My kids each have a girl Avery in their grade at school.

Best wishes for a healthy delivery and I bet a name will come to you once you meet your baby. There are also so many online lists and resources that you can keep browsing. When I was naming a puppy a couple of years ago I couldn't believe all of the naming lists you could search and you can restrict your search to categories like popular names, trendy, traditional, Biblical, Irish names, unisex, etc.

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K.B.

answers from St. Louis on

I actually really like Delaney. I don't think it's weird to have two D names at all. I also like Isabelle, but I don't ever care that much about how popular names are as my son has the generic name James. I will admit that when I first read Hallie I thought Hailey so that's a true concern. and I like the name Kennedy :)

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S.1.

answers from Duluth on

I like Delaney Joy

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