name issue - Eliza

PepVeroni

I think I've realized what my problem is with some names, particularly girl names.  I just can't see a lot of my favorites on a little baby.  Now, I fully realize that babies are only babies for a short time and names grow with the kid.  However, I'm having trouble fully getting behind my would-be favorite because it just seems funny to imagine a baby being called Eliza.

Am I being ridiculous?  I feel like this hang-up is what's preventing me from feeling really good about the name, which would otherwise probably be a front-runner.

austenreader85

Well, it's worked for all the other women named Eliza who were once babies.  I think it's more common to think of nickname on babies.  Whether that's a shortened form of their formal name or just an affectionate name.  DS is Theodore but we call him Teddy.  In the first year of his life I called him Chunk-a-monk probably about 30% of the time too. 

Our name if this one is a boy is William, nn Will.  But sometimes it's hard to think of a baby being called Will.  If that doesn't fit I'm not opposed to Billy or even Willie on a baby (I've known a few Willies- penis jokes aside). 

banannapeach85

I can easily see Eliza on a baby.

PepVeroni

austenreader85:

Well, it's worked for all the other women named Eliza who were once babies.  I think it's more common to think of nickname on babies.  Whether that's a shortened form of their formal name or just an affectionate name.  DS is Theodore but we call him Teddy.  In the first year of his life I called him Chunk-a-monk probably about 30% of the time too. 

Our name if this one is a boy is William, nn Will.  But sometimes it's hard to think of a baby being called Will.  If that doesn't fit I'm not opposed to Billy or even Willie on a baby (I've known a few Willies- penis jokes aside). 

Good point - and that's true about random nicknames kind of taking over for infants.  We called my son Munchkin McPhearson (or MunchMac) for a long time - and still do sometimes  also, Jamesy Boy.  So I can see what you're saying.

DoublePortion

I like Eliza and think it would be cute on a baby and still good as she gets older.

sparkymcgeee

My baby is called Eliza nearly all the time. It fits her. She wears it well. I think it depends on the baby. In fact my initial desire was call my daughter Betty (itty bitty Betty). I thought it was adorable. Then I met my daughter and she's not a Betty. She's an Eliza. 

af1274

My sister's niece is named Eliza, and she just turned a year old. She's absolutely adorable and the name definitely works on a baby! She's actually the reason why I really started to love the name.

austenreader85

meimsx:

My baby is called Eliza nearly all the time. It fits her. She wears it well. I think it depends on the baby. In fact my initial desire was call my daughter Betty (itty bitty Betty). I thought it was adorable. Then I met my daughter and she's not a Betty. She's an Eliza. 

Interesting perspective!  If we ever have 2 girls the plan for now is number 2 will be Elizabeth Josephine and we'll call her Eliza Jo.  I guess we'll have to see though!  I think I might be heartbroken if Maggie doesn't fit my Margaret it is BY FAR my favorite nickname.

JET29

banannapeach85:

I can easily see Eliza on a baby.

+1 

ariaforte8

I have the opposite issue in my head. I can picture it on a baby and child, but not an adult! Lol I think it's a very pretty name, though.

MrsJ723

Eliza,to me, is one of those names that transitions well from childhood to adulthood.  I can picture a baby, but also an adult. 

bsinno

LOVE this name and totally see it on a baby and young lady! and like pp, she could get a cutey nickname at first like Lizzie or Ellie or Monkey haha

 

EastCoastBride

JET29:

banannapeach85:

I can easily see Eliza on a baby.

+1 

+2

scoutkate

I think it's lovely and entirely appropriate for an infant.  A friend of mine recently had a daughter named Elizabeth, and they call her Eliza.  It fits her perfectly and it's absolutely adorable.

PepVeroni

Thanks, all!  Maybe it's the long "i" sound that makes it sound a little more on the harsh side to me and makes me feel this way.  But I'm glad to know most people don't agree!  

Rushmore

DoublePortion:

I like Eliza and think it would be cute on a baby and still good as she gets older.

me too

LPace84

You are being silly. 

Eliza is a beautiful name and once you start calling your sweet baby girl that, you won't think twice about it. 

blu-eyedwife

google "baby eliza images" and you'll have a much easier time picturing it on a little girl.

starsjaime

I adore the name Eliza.  I think it is great on any age!

sparkymcgeee

austenreader85:

meimsx:

My baby is called Eliza nearly all the time. It fits her. She wears it well. I think it depends on the baby. In fact my initial desire was call my daughter Betty (itty bitty Betty). I thought it was adorable. Then I met my daughter and she's not a Betty. She's an Eliza. 

Interesting perspective!  If we ever have 2 girls the plan for now is number 2 will be Elizabeth Josephine and we'll call her Eliza Jo.  I guess we'll have to see though!  I think I might be heartbroken if Maggie doesn't fit my Margaret it is BY FAR my favorite nickname.

That is my daughters name!!! I thought of EJ but it wasn't feminine enough. It's funny though because when she was teeny I told someone her name and they said, "aw, her name is bigger than she is." It's my favorite memory about her name. 

PepVeroni

meimsx:

austenreader85:

meimsx:

My baby is called Eliza nearly all the time. It fits her. She wears it well. I think it depends on the baby. In fact my initial desire was call my daughter Betty (itty bitty Betty). I thought it was adorable. Then I met my daughter and she's not a Betty. She's an Eliza. 

Interesting perspective!  If we ever have 2 girls the plan for now is number 2 will be Elizabeth Josephine and we'll call her Eliza Jo.  I guess we'll have to see though!  I think I might be heartbroken if Maggie doesn't fit my Margaret it is BY FAR my favorite nickname.

That is my daughters name!!! I thought of EJ but it wasn't feminine enough. It's funny though because when she was teeny I told someone her name and they said, "aw, her name is bigger than she is." It's my favorite memory about her name. 

I've thought about maybe doing Elizabeth with Eliza as the nn, but I tend to like shorter girl names (Eliza is already longer than many of my other favorites) and I'm not sure how it would work.  For those of you with Elizas who are formally Elizabeth, do you introduce them as just Eliza?  Do you use Elizabeth at all?

sparkymcgeee

PepVeroni:

I've thought about maybe doing Elizabeth with Eliza as the nn, but I tend to like shorter girl names (Eliza is already longer than many of my other favorites) and I'm not sure how it would work.  For those of you with Elizas who are formally Elizabeth, do you introduce them as just Eliza?  Do you use Elizabeth at all?

We usually introduce her as Elizabeth. We use both pretty interchangeably though.