A reader named Raychel has a daughter named Brynnlee Rose. She’s expecting her second daughter in early December, and would like some help choosing a name. Here’s what she says:
My husband’s name begins with Bry, mine with Ray so we’d like it to contain one of those or a combo Bray. No lee, li, lie, ley, leigh endings. If possible we’d like to also honor my Nani, whose name is Delores (Dee), but that could be moved to MN position.
So far we’ve considered Auraylia, Brayslin, Bryar, Bryonie, Rayenne, Abryelle, Bryenne/Brayenne, Esmeray, Deloray, Araya/h (though I have cousin named Raya & I’m afraid that might be too close!) Rayanna and Rayannon (Rhiannon) are also out because of family! And I can’t stand the other typical Ray names, Rayna, Rayleen, Raynelle, etc.
And MN of Nanalie, Derora, Deeana, Delora, Esdee, Delwen, Nanice, Deegen, Delaine (My MN is Elaine) to honor my Nana OR Briar, Evangeline, Scarlett, Rinslett, Liliana.
Lots to think about here! Let’s do first names first, middle names second.
I’m partial to first names that are familiar and easy to spell, so many of the above aren’t really up my alley. I understand why they include bry and ray, and I do love it when a baby name has a family connection, but I’m also wary about unusual names and/or names that are unnecessarily complicated. Names like these can turn into a headache for the child. I mean, none of the above are terribly difficult, but someone named Abryelle or Brayslin or Rayannon will still have to spell her name out for people on a regular basis. And if that can be avoided, well…why not avoid it?
Here are some other first name possibilities:
Sabryna
Sabrina, but with a y instead of an i.
Grayce
Grace with an extra letter.
Aubrey
Aubrey’s -brey isn’t bray, but it’s similar.
Marybeth
Does not have bry or ray, but does include all of those letters (a, b, r, y).
Avery, Crystal
Both contain the letters of ray (a, r, y).
Robyn, Ruby
Both contain the letters of bry (b, r, y).
Middle names aren’t used as often as first names, so I think people can get away with a lot more when it comes to middles. I really like Delaine (two family names for the price of one!). Delora is also cute. I’m not too keen on the Nana-based names Nanalie and Nanice, though. Especially when you consider that the Nana in question isn’t the child’s Nana.
Here are a few other middle name ideas, all of which contain the del of Delores:
| Adelaide Adele | Adeline Cordelia | Delia Della |
I wonder–was “Dee” by itself ever considered for the middle spot? It would be a direct connection to Raychel’s Nana, and also reminiscent of Brynnlee’s middle name (in the sense that both are monosyllabic).
Which of the above names do you like best for the sister of Brynnlee Rose? What other name suggestions would you offer to Raychel?
Wow.
I like Bryony. (Spelled like this – no reason to misspell it.)
Bry + Ray + Dee:
Berry, Brady, Braydee, Breda, Breeda, Bree, Darby, Debra, Derby, Derya, Drea, Edera, Reba, Yereda
Raychel + Delores:
Adel, Adele, Adelle, Ase, Ayse, Aysel, Carey, Carol, Carole, Carry, Cary, Caryl, Carys, Casey, Cedar, Ceres, Cerys, Charo, Chelle, Chelly, Chelo, Chelsea, Chelsey, Cher, Cherry, Cheryl, Chesed, Chloe, Cho, Clare, Cleo, Cloe, Cora, Coral, Corey, Cory, Cyra, Dale, Darcey, Darcy, Darla, Dayo, Dell, Della, Delle, Delora, Derya, Dor, Dora, Dores, Dory, Drea, Drora, Echo, Edera, Eha, Elah, Elda, Ella, Elle, Ellery, Els, Elsa, Else, Elyse, Eos, Era, Erle, Eseld, Eser, Esha, Eshe, Haydee, Hedy, Hela, Hella, Helle, Hera, Hero, Hoa, Hoda, Hode, Hodel, Hodela, Hodele, Hodella, Hodelle, Hydera, Hye, Hylda, Lacey, Lacy, Laleh, Leah, Leda, Leela, Leelo, Leesa, Lela, Leola, Lesya, Leyla, Llora, Llyra, Loes, Lola, Lora, Lore, Lorea, Lyda, Lyra, Lys, Oda, Odalys, Odell, Odella, Odelle, Ola, Olya, Ora, Orah, Orla, Orly, Rae, Reece, Reese, Rhea, Rhoda, Rhode, Rohese, Rory, Sade, Seda, Sela, Selah, Sera, Shae, Sharyl, Sharyll, Shay, Shaye, Shea, Sheela, Shela, Shell, Shelle, Shera, Sherry, Sheryl, Sheryll, Shree, Shyla, Sloan, Sloane, Sol, Sora, Sorrel, Sree, Sroela, Sroele, Sroella, Sreoelle, Syeda, Yael, Yaelle, Yereda, Yoela, Yoele, Yoella, Yoelle
Raychel Elaine:
Aaren, Aelia, Aella, Aile, Aileen, Ailen, Ailene, Aina, Aine, Alaine, Alea, Alecia, Alena, Alene, Alia, Aliah, Alica, Alice, Alina, Aline, Aliya, Aliyah, Alla, Allena, Ally, Allycia, Allyna, Alya, Alyce, Alycia, Ana, Anah, Anca, Ane, Anhela, Ania, Anica, Aniela, Anila, Anya, Araceli, Aracely, Arachne, Aran, Arelia, Areliya, Aria, Ariane, Arica, Ariela, Ariele, Ariella, Arielle, Arin, Arina, Arleen, Arlene, Arline, Arya, Aya, Ayane, Ayelen, Ayla, Aylen, Aylin, Ayn, Caelan, Caelia, Caelina, Cahya, Caia, Caina, Cala, Calla, Cara, Careen, Caren, Carene, Carey, Cari, Carin, Carina, Carine, Carla, Carleen, Carlene, Carlin, Carlyn, Cary, Caryl, Caryn, Caya, Ceara, Celia, Celina, Celine, Ceren, Ceri, Chana, Chanel, Chanelle, Chara, Charla, Charleen, Charlene, Charline, Charna, Chaya, Chel, Chela, Chele, Chella, Chelle, Chen, Cher, Cheri, Cherie, Cherilyn, Cheryl, Chi, Chiara, Chin, China, Chyna, Ciana, Ciara, Ciel, Ciela, Ciera, Cila, Cilla, Cille, Claire, Clara, Clare, Cleena, Cnaea, Cria, Crina, Cyan, Cyra, Cyrielle, Cyrilla, Cyrille, Earleen, Earlene, Earline, Ece, Eha, Eileen, Eilene, Eir, Eira, Eirana, Eireen, Eirene, Ela, Elah, Elaria, Elea, Elen, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Eleri, Elia, Eliana, Eliane, Elin, Elina, Eliya, Ella, Elle, Ellen, Ellery, Ena, Enni, Enrica, Enya, Era, Erana, Erica, Erin, Erle, Erna, Eryn, Eyala, Hai, Hala, Halina, Hana, Hania, Hela, Heleen, Heleena, Helen, Helena, Helene, Heline, Hella, Helle, Hellen, Hena, Hene, Henya, Henye, Hera, Hilary, Hillary, Hina, Hine, Hye, Iael, Iaela, Iaele, Iaella, Iaelle, Iahel, Iahela, Iahele, Iahella, Iahelle, Icara, Ila, Ilana, Ilean, Ileana, Ileen, Ilene, Ilya, Ina, Ira, Iren, Irena, Irene, Iryna, Lacey, Lachina, Lacy, Laela, Laele, Laelia, Laia, Laila, Laine, Lainey, Lala, Laleh, Lalia, Lan, Lana, Lane, Laney, Lani, Lara, Laraine, Laryn, Layla, Layne, Lea, Leah, Lean, Lecia, Leela, Leena, Lehia, Leia, Leila, Leilah, Lela, Lelia, Lena, Lene, Leni, Leyla, Lia, Liana, Liane, Lien, Lila, Lilac, Lilach, Lilia, Lilian, Liliana, Liliane, Liliya, Lilya, Lilyana, Lin, Lina, Line, Linh, Lira, Llyra, Lyn, Lyna, Lyra, Lyric, Nacia, Nahal, Nahia, Naila, Naira, Nala, Narelle, Nayeli, Nea, Neala, Neela, Neha, Neila, Nela, Nele, Nell, Nella, Nelle, Nere, Nerea, Nia, Niala, Nialla, Nica, Nichelle, Niela, Nila, Nira, Nyah, Nyala, Nyarai, Nyree, Rae, Raelyn, Rain, Raine, Ran, Rana, Rani, Rania, Raniya, Ranya, Rayen, Rayne, Reece, Reena, Reene, Reese, Reina, Reine, Ren, Rena, Renae, Renee, Renie, Reyne, Rhea, Rheia, Rhian, Rhiana, Rhona, Ria, Riana, Rica, Rilla, Rin, Rina, Riya, Ryana, Yaa, Yachina, Yachna, Yael, Yaela, Yaele, Yaella, Yaelle, Yaen, Yaena, Yaira, Yana, Yehiela, Yehiele, Yehiella, Yehielle, Yelena, Yen, Yin
@CN Heidelberg – I like Bryony as well. Also Briar. (With an older sister named Brynnlee, though, I think a name that doesn’t start with Br- would be best.)
@Panya – Whoa! Thanks. :)
Brynnlee already has Bry in it so couldn’t her little sister only have Ray in her first name?
This is hard, actually
Um…
Adriana, Audrina, Amira, Bria, Brianna, Bryanna, Brya, Coralia, Christie, Carmaya, Daphne, Deirdre, Deirdra, Deidra, Deidre, Elysa, Esmeralda, Emmeline, Fabiana, Gianna, Geanna, Hannelore, Hariet, Harriet, Jessenia, Jesenia, Lora, Miriam, Morwen, Mariel, Marisol, Marysol, Maryanna, Marianna, Marianne, Maira, Maura, Nellie, Penelope, Pilar, Rena, Renata, Sonja, Sonya, Serafina, Therese, Veronica, Vera, Veronique.
Some aren’t “bray” or “bry” or “ray” names, they just match Brynnlee in my opinion.
a;skdjsldk bray?? you are aware that the word “bray” is the noise that a donkey makes, aren’t you? please discard any notion that it is okay to include the noises made by farm animals in your baby-naming quest.
please. “Brayslin?” That just sounds completely and utterly ridiculous.
I realize that you want to be unique in your choice, but please consider the child.
Delora Rae sounds nice to me with Brynnlee Rose.
Delaney
Renesmee/Raynesmy
Rainier
Renee/Raynay/Raynee
Braytyn/Braytina/Brasyn/Braityn
Braillyn
What about Kentley-Ray?
What about
Brynnlee Rose and
Rayne
Raisa
Reagan
Freya
Brittany
My favorites would be Freya Lola, Aubrey Lola or Bryony Lola (Lola to honor Dolores).
The only name I don’t actively dislike out of these would be Briony, for the “Atonement” connection.
It’s been 9 months since she was born, but we decided on Abryenne Briar.
(pronounced A-bree-en)
I know it’s not a lot of people’s taste but I love it for what I found it to mean, as it is a combination of Abraham and Brienne, it means “Father’s Strength” and everyone who hears it loves the sound! Most do have difficulty pronouncing it, but many kids have the same problem (think irish gaelic names!) but I gave her a built in nickname to go by should she choose later: Abry, easy to read & say!
Thanks to everyone for their helpful (and not so much so) suggestions!
I found the name at the following site & after months of searching I finally felt like I had found “the one” & that’s about all the justification I can give, lol! And I will tell you, it suits her personality perfectly!
http://www.mybabyname.com/names/Abrienne
Hi Raychel,
Congrats on the birth, and the name!