Baby Girl still needs a name

erinmarie86

I posted something similar in my birth month club board, but thought I should also come here to get some advice.

I'm currently 34+ weeks pregnant with a little girl.  My husband and I have been trying to figure out a name since we found out it was a girl, but haven't had much luck.  We actually agree on a few names, but when we try them out we are still just like "eh, it's ok" At the moment we have it narrowed down to 3 names (but probably still open for suggestions).

1. Clarke 
2. Mia
3. Zadie

We will probably do the middle name Elizabeth (though open to suggestions...i prefer longer more proper middle names...my son's middle name is Alexander).

We both really like Mia, but we also like unique names and currently Mia is #6 in the states and #2 in Cali (where we live).  So i'm a little hesitant, even though with this high ranking it's still less than 1% of baby girls born have this name...and we don't know any Mia's...I'm just worried that over the next couple years we'll start to meet Mia's.

Am i over reacting on the name popularity thing?  Should i just bite the bullet and go with Mia since we both like it and care less about it being unique?

Obviously Clarke and Zadie are much more unique names, hence why we like them.

If you have a name suggestion, i'm all ears.  We just prefer unique and shorter names (ones that canNOT be shortened for a nick-name)

bbiutmcph

Clarke is really bad for a girl I'm sorry. Zadie I just imagine a lot of Sadie? No Zadie conversations. 

Mia is nice and remember the names that are popular now aren't as popular as names used to be. As a professional female I feel like Mia is a much easier name to live with va Zadie or Clarke.

Some more non popular short names:

Zara
Cara
 Jada
Nina
Heidi
Serena
Willa
Ingrid
Pearl
Petra
Wren
Mara
Claudia
Tara

Bringmemylongswordho

So, this really depends on what your personal threshold for "too popular " actually is.  Mia is definitely popular,  but Clark has a masculine name is also top 500 and steadily climbing.  As names are less concentrated in usage compared to when most of us were kids, whither or not a child has multiple kids in the same class becomes less about how used it is and more about how fast a name is rising, plus its variants ( i.e. Aidan and Aiden are not recorded together,  but as far as kids with those names are concerned,  it's the same damn name.)

So. Is being "unique " more important or a name you love more important? 

In any case, I also suggest 

Mila
Rhea
Lyra
Veda
Faye
Ida
Zara
Lara
Lisa
Leah
Elina
Thea

erinmarie86

@Bringmemylongswordho  do you have a site that i could see how fast the name is rising?  You make a good point.  If Mia just chills at 6 (or even decreases...though i doubt it), then it's probably fine...but if it's popularity to steadily growing, then it will probably be more common

Bringmemylongswordho

https://www.ourbabynamer.com/name-popularity.html

This site will list the usage of two names you type in the search boxes for both genders since 1880, when the SSA started recording names. 

CaboBride2015

Sorry but Clarke on a girl is just too much... that's not even "gender neutral", it's just a boys name. And IMO, not even a good one for a boy.

Mia is a beautiful and with four kids <1-11 I don't know of a single one.

muybueno

Clarke on a girl is too much. Lots of people are going to assume it's her last name when they see it written. And that's the least of her worries. What about Claire, Clara, or even Lark?

Zadie seems like one of those names where the parents liked the "real" name (Sadie) but wanted to make it unique so they just changed out one of the letters. Not a fan. 

There are tons of unique and interesting names out there that are more legit. What about Elizabeth as a first name and then using a less popular nn like Betty or Liza?

susykat77

I like Mia but the rest are NMS. Suggesting: June, Olive, Cora, Clara, Nora, Gemma, and Corinne. 

kmvisioli

Mia is the only one of your options that I like. I struggle with the same popularity issue, but like PP have said even popular names aren't as common as they used to be. What about Lia?

nurse714

Mia is the only one I like.

kimikimi

I love unique names but I guess for me going unique means choosing something interesting, pretty or has a sense of meaning or fun to it. Clarke just seems boring and severe IMO. I'd move on. Suggesting: Wren, Deja, Mona, Lake, Sage, Rayna, Jade, Lola.  

Also what about these Mia variants: Nia, Sia, Lia, Tia, Gia, Pia? There is something very appealing about that -ia sound for sure - short & sweet! 

kimikimi

Ha I couldn't help keep thinking on it: Aria, Sky, Mira, Yael, Rioux. 

BumpasaurusRex

I have to say, Clarke is terrible for a girl.  I want to like Zadie but it's a reach.

Id go with Mia.

AlyLynn07

Mia! I only know one and she's in her 20s. I think that using Clarke or Zadie would make it look like you're trying too hard to be unique.

silverfrost

I would just go with Mia. Not a fan of the others.

valeryjackson

I think Clarke Elizabeth is a beautiful name. And i also really l ike Mia.

catmommac

Echoing PP: Clarke is masculine and Zadie sounds made-up/Sadie with a Z to be unique.

Mia is a great name. My best friend named her DD Amelia and uses the nn Mia frequently.

erinmarie86

thank you for all the feedback

just fyi, Zadie is not a name i made up...i got it from this article: https://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2014/11/20-forgotten-victorian-names-to-put-on-your-list

i agree that Clarke is on the masculine side, though i really fell in love with it because of the show the 100 (the main female character is named Clarke...and it really seems to work)

bbiutmcph

Behind the name which is a pretty much go to for verifying actual name history and legitness has Zadie as a user submitted name as possibly a variant of Sadie and lists British Author Sadie Smith who used Zadie. It has no history of real Usage and like people mentioned it appears trying to be unique and creative and that's what people will think upon hearing it. 

TV shows using masculine names work because it's not real life, it's a character usually fans love, not an actual average person going through awkward phases, trying to get a job, introducing themselves to teachers, friends families, bosses, etc.

SmrBrd2012

erinmarie86 said:

thank you for all the feedback

just fyi, Zadie is not a name i made up...i got it from this article: https://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2014/11/20-forgotten-victorian-names-to-put-on-your-list

i agree that Clarke is on the masculine side, though i really fell in love with it because of the show the 100 (the main female character is named Clarke...and it really seems to work)

I'm really trying not to be a "hater" with your arguments for these names, but they just don't hold up well enough for me. The proper version is Sadie. Just because 1 person changed their name when they were 14 years old a few decades ago, doesn't mean it's a valid name. And Clark/e is just so so masculine. Mia or Sadie are beautiful names for a girl.

ashleaf2018

Suggesting Amelia/Emilia; you have the NN options of Amy/Emmy, Mila, Mia, Lia. Plus I feel like both of those names age beautifully.

BabysMomma4

Of the three you have, Mia is the absolute best. Clarke is just bad. And in general makes me think of Clark Griswold from the National Lampoons movies. I don't like Zadie. Sounds like a spin on Sadie trying to be more modern. Just my two cents. Popularity is also something i try to stay away from, but if these three are all you and your partner can agree on, I'd really lean into Mia.

HoosOnFirst

I'm familiar enough with Zadie Smith that I don't see it as odd as everyone else does. But I'm also not a fan of Clarke on a girl. Does it have special meaning for you? If so I'd stick it in the middle.

virginiaunicorn11

HoosOnFirst said:

I'm familiar enough with Zadie Smith that I don't see it as odd as everyone else does. But I'm also not a fan of Clarke on a girl. Does it have special meaning for you? If so I'd stick it in the middle.

Was just going to say these exact things. I know a girl with Clark as a middle name (family name), and it's fine - her first name is clearly feminine.

I saw Zadie and thought, "Ooo, like Zadie Smith!!" I like it better than Sadie, personally. But I think it's because I knew a few dogs named Sadie....!

Bringmemylongswordho

Fwiw. Zadie smith was born Sadie Smith.