Having a girl? Congrats! Little girls are so much fun. But naming them can be tricky—especially if you consider what they want to be called as a baby vs. when they’re older.
Many parents prefer a timeless name—one that will work for someone throughout their entire life. That means considering how well the name sounds when you’re referring to a baby vs. referring to the person as an adult. For example, cutesy names like Harlow or Quinn might not work as well for an older person, vs. older names like Blanche or Ida may be a bit old school for a tiny baby.
So how do you meet in the middle? The people of Reddit have spoken! In a recent thread, people shared their favorite timeless names that will both suit an “old lady” as well as a baby. Here are our favorites, and the rationale behind them!
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Frances
“My little cousin is 8 and her name is Frances. Francis/Frances is a name that has been used in our family for generations. My great grandfather was Francis, my uncle is Francis, his daughter’s middle name is Frances, and my other uncle named his daughter Frances.”
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Alice
“I always think of this name when I think classic and elegant. I know both a young girl and an older lady with the name Alice, and it suits them both perfectly. And Alice can go by ‘Allie’ as a younger girl if she wants something more diminutive.”
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Audrey
“This is my favorite name and what I plan on naming my baby girl one day if I have one. I’ve had the name picked out for years. Timeless, classic, vintage-y and beautiful, in my opinion.” Some people find it old lady-ish thoughI think it’s perfect. Cute for a little girl and sophisticated for a woman.”
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Elizabeth
“She’ll get called Liz, Lizzy, or Beth in her youth, Betty when she’s old.”
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Eleanor
“Could be Ella or Nora as a nickname. I think all three sound pretty.”
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Sarah
“In Hebrew, Sarah means noble woman or princess. It’s a very old, biblical name.”
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Julia
“Jules/Julia Has that ‘ee’ sound which always make me think of ‘young.’ But I don’t get stuck on it if I find out they’re an adult.”
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Katherine
“Nicknames are endless depending on your liking and the adult version of Kate or just plain Katherine is classic.”
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Claire
“I love this name. It’s chic.”
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Evelyn
“Evie for short.”
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Rose
“Rosie works so well for when they are little.”
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Agatha
“You don’t mess with old women named Agatha! That’s what I want to name my hypothetical daughter in the future.”
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Josephine
“I had a baby girl last month and we named her Josephine. We call her Josie for now, which is totally cute for a little girl’s name. Then it lends itself to more grown-up nicknames in the future.”
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Jane
“My mom always called me Lady Jane when I was little. Always made me feel like a little princess.”
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Charlotte
“Charlie for children, Lottie for the oldies.”
What’s your favorite timeless name for a woman?