Choosing a name for a second child can be challenging, especially when parents feel their first child’s name is ‘too perfect’. One mum has shared her dilemma online
Naming your firstborn can be a challenging task.
There are many factors to consider, such as how the name is pronounced in different languages, how it will be perceived by others, and how it will resonate with your family’s values and traditions.
As a result, choosing a name for a second baby can feel even more challenging, as all the effort and thought put into the first name makes it tough to find one that feels just as perfect. One parent who experienced this difficulty, and took to the popular Baby Names Reddit community to share their struggle to find a name for their second daughter.
The Redditor feels like their first daughter’s name, Eleanor Elizabeth, is ‘too perfect’ to compete with. They wrote: “First daughters name is too ‘perfect” in my mind’, can’t decide on girl #2.”
They further admitted: “I’m just so in love with my first daughter’s name that it feels like no other names can compete (Eleanor Elizabeth). Someone help give me ones to consider.”
According to their post, the parent prefers a name with three syllables that pairs well with their first daughter’s name, something old-fashioned but not too outdated or unusual. They want a name that isn’t overly popular right now and are open to unisex options, though they’re not fully convinced.
Some names they like but are hesitant about due to their popularity include Olivia, Charlotte, and Sophia. Fellow Redditors flocked to share their suggestions, which included Charlotte Claire, Amelia Annabelle, and Jocelyn Jade.
A person commented: “One of my personal favs that I have not seen listed yet is Lorelei. But, Vivienne, Evangeline, Genevieve, and Juliette are all amazing as well.”
Someone else penned: “Any of these stand out? Corinna, Penelope, Helena, Bethany, Gillian, Madeline, Matilda, Sabrina, Sylvia, Meredith, Linnea, Cecelia, Viola, Lorelei, Leona, Clarissa, Vivian, Gwendolyn, Melinda, Cecily, Valerie, Erica, Mallory, Tabitha.”
The latest BabyCentre data reveals that while classic names like Olivia and Amelia continue to dominate the top spots for girls, new trends are emerging, such as the rise of surname-inspired names like Hunter. There is also a preference for girls’ names ending in ‘a’.
Margot and Gabriella made their debut in the girls’ top 100 last year. However, some names like Nova and Lilly have fallen out of favour.
What are the top 100 girls’ names?
The top girls names for last year are:
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Olivia
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Amelia
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Lily
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Isla
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Ava
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Grace
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Sophia
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Freya
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Ivy
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Willow
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Mia
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Isabella
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Daisy
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Elsie
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Evie
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Florence
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Luna
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Sienna
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Sofia
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Ella
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Emily
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Phoebe
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Evelyn
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Poppy
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Aurora
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Aria
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Charlotte
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Rosie
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Harper
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Maya
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Layla
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Millie
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Maryam
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Maisie
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Hallie
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Mila
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Sophie
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Eliana
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Fatima
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Jasmine
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Lottie
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Bonnie
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Eva
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Matilda
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Ayla
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Emilia
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Violet
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Zara
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Zoe
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Alice
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Chloe
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Maeve
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Ada
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Ruby
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Sarah
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Ellie
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Arabella
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Isabelle
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Hannah
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Mabel
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Robyn
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Delilah
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Hazel
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Eleanor
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Erin
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Maria
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Rose
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Bella
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Thea
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Penelope
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Princess
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Esme
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Nur
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Imogen
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Eden
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Emma
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Olive
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Scarlett
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Aisha
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Lyra
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Orla
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Gianna
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Abigail
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Ariella
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Clara
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Anaya
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Lara
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Margot
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Myla
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Ophelia
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Talia
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Kiara
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Iris
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Amelie
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Lucy
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Nora
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Raya
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Zahra
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Gabriella
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Summer