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[Opinions] Virginia, Annabel, Eleanor or Mary (more)
These are my favorite classics. Which one would you choose and which middle name would you pair it with?Comments on all names appreciated :)Virginia, Annabel, Eleanor or Mary? You may change the spelling of Eleanor to Elinor (as I love both spellings).
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EleanorLove all
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MaryI think Mary is such a beautiful name, even though it has been ridiculously popular in the past. To me, that just proves what an enduring and sweet name it is. It’s a classic. I love Mary Elizabeth, even though it’s such a generic combo! I also love Mary Blossom, Mary Azalea, Mary Zinnia, Mary Pearl, Mary Saffron, Mary Eve, Mary Talitha, Mary Zelda, Mary Jemima, Mary Lillian, Mary Hazel and Mary Shira, plus so many more!If I had to choose just one, then maybe Mary Clover, I think it’s so sweet.
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EleanorI like all of them, actually, but I think Eleanor has to be my favorite. Mary is a bit too plain, Virginia is nice, but it's a state, and Annabel is my least favorite of these names. It's not obnoxious like Annabelle, but without the le ending, it doesn't look quite complete. Eleanor Felicity, Eleanor Rosamund, or Eleanor Hazel Colette
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EleanorThis was an easy one!Virginia is clunky and downright ugly imo. I don't understand why anyone would want a name with the word virgin so plainly visible in it.
Annabel is ok, but not as nice as Isabel.
Mary is a name I go back and forth on. It's ok for other people, but I wouldn't use it.Combo is Eleanor Catherine. Runner up is Eleanor Maeve.
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Mary
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EleanorIt feels like the least frumpy of the four. I don’t really like the Elinor spelling, though.For a combo, I would go with Eleanor Chrysanthe.
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AnnabelAnnabel, definitely - it's one of my favorites. (So is Eleanor, but my preference is the Elanor spelling!)I'm kind of digging Annabel Vesper today.
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VirginiaVirginia is a beautiful name, and Virginia Laure is my favorite combo for it.
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EleanorAll four of the options you've given are nice, though.She would be Eleanor Daisy. I'm drawn to floral names with Eleanor...Eleanor Betony
Eleanor Camellia
Eleanor Foxglove
Eleanor Pansy
Eleanor Peony
Eleanor Poppy
Eleanor Primrose
Eleanor Tansy
Eleanor Tulip
Eleanor Viola
Eleanor Violet
Eleanor ZinniaI also particularly like Eleanor Blythe and Eleanor Eugenie.
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Annabel KatherineI don't like Virginia or Eleanor. Mary is ok, I prefer as a middle name
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Mary AgathaVirginia is easy to tease, and I dislike Ginny.
Annabel is very pretty, round and sweet.
Eleanor is a name I used to adore now, but I'm bored with it now.
Mary is, objectively speaking, not as pretty as Annabel, but I enjoy the associations more.
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VirginiaVirginia Shannon, maybe? Virginia Emerald?
Called Gini. Or Ginna or even Ginger if it fit (I can't do Gina, to me that seems artificial - the gin sound is not jeen)Annabel's nice on paper but bratty IRL IMO; Eleanor is starchy and boring; Mary is pretty and would be a close second.
Elanor or Elinor are better than Eleanor IMO.

This message was edited 10/6/2020, 11:40 AM

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EleanorI'm biased toward both Eleanor and Mary of course. My daughter's name is Eleanor Mary. :)
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MaryI think I've always liked that it sounds the same as merry.Maybe I'd pick Virginia if I didn't have a sibling named it already. I've been called it before and didn't hate it.Mary Luminița
Mary Rowena

This message was edited 10/6/2020, 10:45 AM

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EleanorEleanor is my favorite, but Virginia's feminine strength and dignity are really appealing to. What about Eleanor Virginia?
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Elinor Gillian, I think. Or Elinor Jocelyn. Elinor Vickie Anne would give her two honouring mns and her initials would be my aunt's name - Eva. But the other two are more likely, I think.Both sides of my family tree contain people whose actual name was Nelly. I'd prefer the long form, and I like the clean lines of Elinor better than Eleanor with its strange vowels.Annabel confuses me every time. I should like it: I love Isobel and Anne, and I somewhat like it but not enough.Mary is to names as frozen peas are to vegetables: lovely, classic, timeless, reliable but too often overlooked.Virginia is geographical, which I dislike, royalist, which I find hilarious, and promotes an outdated approach to virginity. Plus, I dislike gin and all the Virginias I've known have gone by Ginny.
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Ha, I thought you were about to criticize frozen peas. I've recently discovered my love for them. I sometimes will just eat a big bowl of frozen peas with some butter for a meal. It's delicious as long as you don't overcook them. I'm happy to see someone else thinks they're underappreciated.
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When my daughter was about 3, she used to love a bowl of buttered peas for breakfast. With a glass of milk, it's practically a balanced diet, or that's what I chose to believe.
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Mary!Mary is such a lovely name. When I finally bothered to look at it as a name in its own right, I was swept away by how sweet and elegant it is. I absolutely love it as a standalone name but I also really like Mary Ann as a double name.For a middle name I like Mary Mirabelle because I like alliterated names, but otherwise I like Mary Angharad, Mary Babette, or Mary Diana.

This message was edited 10/6/2020, 10:13 AM

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Mary Ann reminded me...I don't like double names and usually I despise the name Rose, but for some reason Mary Rose is so sweet and pretty to me. I wouldn't be against actually using it.
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I know a Mary Rose, by now in her 60s, whose parents were all set to name her Rosemary. But her grandmother would have none of it, and insisted that they 'turn it inside out' (!) and make it Mary Rose. This they did, and it was very successful. There is a play be JM Barrie called Mary Rose which is, I think, a ghost story, and when Mary Rose went to see it, she kept jumping and turning around at interval because everyone queueing for coffee was using her name ...
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Elinor......so I could call her Norah. Elinor Jane. Keepin' it simple.
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I love them all. I'd choose Annabel, but I'd be happy to use any of them. Annabel Virginia is a nice combo, now that I think about it. Annabel Frances if I weren't to use one of your names. Virginia - I really love this even though it's stodgy and serious. It's not up there in my top ten or anything, but I definitely wouldn't be sad if I were forced to name a daughter Virginia. I'd prefer the full name, though, instead of Ginny or god forbid, Ginger. Eleanor - I really like this and Eloise. Ny only hesitation is that it's close to the ultra-popular Ella. Mary - I love Mary and I'd be tempted to use Polly as a nickname. The only thing that makes me feel strange about using Mary is that I'm half Jewish and it seems like such a Christian (Catholic) name.
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I've known a couple of Jewish Mary people; they just used Miriam for liturgical purposes and got on with life! Most of the Mary people I've known have been Christian though not necessarily practising Christians; I've never known a Catholic Mary, funnily enough.
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Virginia ...With the nn Gina.
The others are so grim.Virginia Allison?Virginia Maria?
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Gina redeems Virginia
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Virginia Maria is pretty but daggum, that's a lot of pressure. Surely she'd either be a nun or revolt totally and become a porn star. Virginia Maria the porn star would delight me, tbh.
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VirginiaI'd opt for something like Virginia Melisande, Virginia Clotilde, Virginia Bethsabée, or Virginia Lalage.
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Virginia is out because I don't like the "virgin" element.Eleanor and all Ellie names are so overdone.Annabel is pretty but a little saccharine.Mary is pretty, recognisable, and hasn't been used on little girls in a long time, so I would choose her.Mary Jasmine is my favourite.I also like:
Mary Zelda
Mary Emerald
Mary Sophia
Mary Diana
Mary Imelda
Mary Jacinta
Mary Adele
Mary Zuleika
Mary Vivienne
Mary Alicia
Mary Summer
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Virginia. It's good if you like strong names
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Elinor!
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