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Which of these 4 names would you choose?
My husband and I felt like we were sold on using Cerys Emily, but we've found several issues with the name. First, several people (non-name nerds) told us the name looks completely made up and trendy. This kills me a little bit inside. Second, I had a few people tell me the name appears too similar to our son's name: Rhys. Third (and least important to me), I was told by most people I'd talk to about the name that she'd pretty much have to go through life without anyone being able to pronounce her name correctly. None of them are enough to make us trash the name all together, but they were enough to cause us to reconsider and head back to the short list. We've looked for months, so I'm fairly certain these 4 names are it. For reference, our older kids are Heidi, Rhys, and Griffin.Cerys/Carys Emily (I realize the pronunciation is different in Wales, but to simplify her life, we're considering both versions, as Carys is easier to pronounce.)
Elsa Quinn
Phoebe Quinn
Quinn __not sure on the middle name__
Which one these names would you choose?
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Well, phoebe is my favorite. Phoebe Cerys is nice. Cerys is a difficult name. That's the difficulty with it, really. Carys is one level less difficult. There are worse things than having a difficult name....
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Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta-Jones' daughter is named Carys. But she isn't in the spotlight like other celebrity kids, so I can see how people forget the name. If this is your favorite, go for it. It's your and your husband's opinions that matter the most. Nicknames for Elizabeth seem to be popular with people I know. I know a five year old Elise, three year old Elsie, and a one year old Betsy. Some kids might think it's cool to have the same name as a movie character. BTW- I know a boy who might have been named Christopher after Kristof. His big sister is a big fan of the movie, along with most of the girls at school. Anna kept calling Kristof Christopher, and since the family is from Honduras and it doesn't seem to fit with the their names imo, I could see the sister pushing for Christopher. His sisters are Riccy Yulibeth, Darci Sarai, Lessi Belinda, and Dilsia Dayana. The three oldest just arrived.Phoebe was on Friends. I don't see how people would mess up that name, like some suggested. I haven't met anyone named Quinn, but it was Daria's sister's name on Daria, and Dr. Quinn was female, but could be a nn for Quentin, so it is definately unisex to me.Elsa is more my style, but with Elsie being my cousin's kid, I wouldn't use it. You should go with what you think is the best name.
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I do think Rhys and Cerys are too similar, I'm afraid. Quinn would be my top choice if Heidi had a more tomboyish name and Quinn and Griffin didn't rhyme. As things stand, I would choose Elsa - distinct from your children's names, but with a similar feel and the same level of personality.
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Quinn is beautiful, in my opinion.Quinn Demelza would be a lovely name.
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You shouldn't think that Carys is a less valid Welsh name. I know a Welsh girl named Carys (her brother is Rhydian). If you prefer Cerys, fair enough, but Carys is not less valid.You should also not be so bothered about what other people think. People will always have their opinions and their ignorance is no reason to discount a name that you love.I can see how Cerys could be assumed to be a trendy spelling of Cerise or Carise if someone were not familiar with it. But who cares? It's no harder to get your head around than Rhys - once you know it, it isn't a problem!If it was me, I'd choose Carys Emily or Cerys Emily. Personally, I lean slightly more towards Carys, but I like both names.
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I like Phoebe and Elsa, but in your shoes I'd stick with Carys. You clearly like it best, and only your own opinion and your husband's really count when it comes down to it. People who don't like it will suck it up and deal. My parents didn't like the name chosen for my niece at first, but they got used to it very quickly when she arrived.

Rhys looks a bit similar to Carys, but it doesn't sound much like it, so I don't think that's a problem. And as for spelling, there are so many variations in use these days that people ask how to spell and pronounce a whole lot of names, not just the unusual ones; an American friend of mine has been asked several times to spell her baby daughter's name, which surprised her a lot because it's Mary. So I think Carys will be fine.
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Elsa Quinn is absolutely gorgeous! Phoebe Quinn is nice too. Personally, I love Cerys, but if people are going to think it's tryndee (it kind of is in Wales, there are three girls called Cerys and one Carys in my class and another five in the rest of my year), then maybe not use it.For Quinn- Quinn Cerys could be good! Quinn Amelie might also work, you talked about Amelie before, ditto Quinn Sophie. Quinn Emily? So, my top picks (in order of how much I like them):Quinn Amelie
Elsa Quinn
Quinn Cerys
Phoebe QuinnI like Cerys Emily, but I've never been particularly in love with Emily and you seem to have some issues with Cerys. Maybe it's better as a middle? I don't know, good luck!
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ElsaElsa would be pretty as a first name, but Quinn sounds too masculine for me. PHoebe might also be difficult to pronounce to non-namers.
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As a combo I like Cerys/Carys Emily the most (and I slightly prefer Carys). But it's true that Cerys/Carys sounds a bit similar to Rhys: considering this, Elsa or Phoebe would be better options. I don't like Quinn that much.What about...Elsa Carys
Elsa Phoebe
Phoebe Carys
Phoebe ElsaorPhoebe Emily?
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Why not use Carys or Cerys as the mn? Then you still get to use the name you love, but you won't have the same issues with it. I vote for Phoebe Carys / Cerys.
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My issue here is that I really dislike Quinn on a girl... So that pretty much wipes out the last three names on your list; which is a real shame because I love Elsa.
Have you considered Elsa Emily? Personally I love alliteration (I may be biased, all of my names begin with M), and it helps that the names differ in syllables and ending so it actually flows quite well in my opinion.Other than that I would stick with Cerys Emily. Cerys goes really well with your other children. I'm sure when she's born you'll realise if Cerys is "it" and all those issues will dissipate.
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So, your friends live in a world where Carys (my preference, for what that's worth) is trendy and synthetic and Quinn isn't? How interesting that they've found a way to communicate with Earth.The nice thing about Elsa is that it's somewhat Germanic, so it'd form a good team with Heidi. I find it dated rather than classic, but still preferable to feeble Phoebe (and really, if Carys presents pronunciation issues, what will the general public ever make of Phoebe?) and former TV doctor Quinn.So, my hit parade would be:
1 Carys
2 Cerys
quite a gap, then
3 Elsa
and the others ... just aren't charting.What's more, if you name her Carys, the lucky little girl will get Emily as a mn. And that will be a lifelong treat.
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My opinion is that you should go with Cerys. I prefer Carys, but either way the name is lovely. I would not allow ignorance (made-up, pshhh) deter me, and I fail to see how it's "trendy", since this site does not even have a US ranking for either, and even in England and Wales, Carys is in the three hundreds and Cerys in the two hundreds. I don't think it's too similar to your son's name. I work with a Carys and almost everyone pronounces her name correctly, except one person who continually called her Carrie, but that person was a real dim bulb. I really don't see that as an issue.Cerys is miles better than Elsa, Phoebe, and Quinn.My youngest sister's youngest daughter's middle name is Carys and now my sister wishes her daughter's first name was Carys. Don't end up like my sister.
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Cerys Emily would be first choice, Phoebe Quinn a close second
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My daughter's name looks made up and trendy. I was told so before I used it. It is, in fact, made up and trendy. Ask me if I care ... ask her if she cares. We do not. We like the name.So I'm pooh-pooh to that argument. But if you're one of those people whose heart is all crushed up at the idea of made-up names - and I do understand how that is - then I guess you've been warned about Cerys. heheI'd also not give a flying fig if anyone thought it was too similar to Rhys. I don't think it's too similar, and that's all I would care about. What's the downside if it is a little similar? I'm not seeing it. Anyway, it only could matter, as little as it matters, for about - what, fifteen more years? Or so. Childhood's short. Maybe they bond over the similarity. But regardless of the particular reasons, you're obviously not sure. I'm just hoping to further shrink the importance of these reasons for hesitating to use Cerys, which I think is perfectly nice.Quinn is trendier than Cerys, but hasn't reached fad levels and probably won't until she is old enough that it is a good thing for her. IMO. I like the name Quinn - it's one of my hypocritical faves (my heart is otherwise all crushed up at phonebook-surname firstnames. Maybe I like it because I happen to know a girl named Quinn). It does not go as well with the siblings as Carys and Elsa do, but it's not a terrible clash. And I guess you know how important I think such a clash would be, anyway.My second choice (or third, counting Carys / Cerys as first) is Elsa. It's a perfect fit with the others and a lovely classic. The safe choice.Phoebe goes alright. I personally don't find it as appealing, but I wouldn't take it off your list.I like the combo Quinn Carys. The combos with more classicky names like Phoebe, Elsa, and Emily sound a little bit like "Queen ___" but none of them are bad.

This message was edited 5/23/2015, 3:41 PM

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I really like Cerys/Carys. I agree Carys would probably be a more intuitive spelling outside of Wales. I think most people (in the US though not sure where you live) would read Carys like kair-ees. Not that hard to correct them to kair-iss (if I'm understanding the pronunciation correctly?), and that pronunciation is simple enough I don't think there will be much of an issue once people learn it.Carys and Rhys do look very repetitive, but at least they sound different. And even if Carys looks "trendy" it doesn't sound trendy to me. It sounds classic.So I'd go with Carys Emily. But Elsa Quinn would be my second choice, it sounds very lovely and it fits the sibling names perfectly.
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The names I would choose is Elsa however don't like the middle name Quinn. I do really like Cerys/Carys which ever one is chosen is nice. Maybe Elsa Cerys, however Elsa is probably going to be related to the movie. If you really like Cerys go with that one.
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Don't like Carys/Cerys, and I agree that it's too timilar to Rhys.
I like Elsa, but I wouldn't use it now. I figure most people would assume she was named after the Frozen movie.
Don't like Quinn at all - it's a male name to me. And not a very good one, either.I really do like Phoebe though. It's a lovely name, and it goes well enough with your other chidrens names. I would prefer Phoebe Emily soundwise though
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My first choice is still Carys Emily, but I also like Quinn.
I can tolerate Elsa, but detest Phoebe, all I hear is feeble.
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Cerys / Carys is lovely, although I really dislike Quinn.I like Elsa Cerys
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Cerys Emily is lovely. You know that Cerys has a long history and is not made up and trendy, so I don't think you should let other people's lack of knowledge of this name alter your choice. I don't think it is too similar to Rhys.I think if you both love it, you should stick to Cerys Emily. That said, of the other combos you have suggested Elsa Quinn is also lovely and would fit very well with your existing children's names.
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