HELP with Baby Name ASAP - Allison or Alexandra?

[Emeraldfan]

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in awhile but my life had been completely crazy and getting more so now that I just gave birth to a baby girl 4 weeks early.

My dilemma now is the name. My husband and I thought we had more time to decide but she came early and put a wrench in our plans. Anyway, we have it narrowed down to two names. He likes one and I like the other. Either way her nickname will be Ali/Allie.

We have to put it on the birth certificate in the morning so please help me.


Alexandra or Allison? If so, why??

 

[slg47]

first of all, congratulations!!!

is there a name that you could both agree on? (Alyssa? Alexis?) or you could go with Allison Alexandra Lastname?

 

[Laila619]

I like Allison better. Just personal preference!

 

[Dandi]

I prefer Allison, particularly if her nickname will be Ali or Allie, I would think Alexandra would be shortened to Alex more than Ali. They are both beautiful names though! Congratulations on your bubba girl!!

 

[dani13]

Hi EF!!!

Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl!!!! I hope you are all doing well!!!!

I LOVE the name Allison, nickname Allie. It's just a classic name that will never go out of style.

Good luck with everything and keep us posted!!!

 

[mayerling]

Although I like Alexandra, I only like it in cases where it's used as it is: Alexandra. If you intent to shorten it, I'd rather go with Allison.

 

[TooPatient]

Although I like Alexandra, I only like it in cases where it's used as it is: Alexandra. If you intent to shorten it, I'd rather go with Allison.

I agree.

Also, the girls I knew in school named Alexandra all shortened to Alex. I think with Ali/Allie people just assume the name is Allison.

 

[Puppmom]

I think Allison is a lovely name but I do prefer Alexandra.

ETA - Congratulations!

 

[soocool]

My DD's name is Alexandria (with an "i"). She is Alex to her friends and I call her, Al, Ali or Alexandria (when I am angry or annoyed with her) and Xandy to her cousins (they call each other weird names). In college now, she wants to be known as Alexandria (though I am sure it will be Alex again soon to her friends).

 

[bibiloves]

Congratulations!

I personally like Allison better than Alexandra especially if her nick name would be Ali/Allie but both are beautiful names.

 

[Emeraldfan]

Thanks everyone for the best wishes and for helping with the name! It has taken us a long time trying to conceive and get to this point so we are thrilled that she is here. Maybe that's why I'm/we're having such a hard time with the name - I want to get it right and not have her hate it down the road.

I prefer Alexandra but DH prefers Allison. I like Alexandra because we can go by Ali now and then when she gets older if she doesn't like the nickname she has options like using her full name or Lexi, Alex, Xandra, etc (we would probably switch to calling her Alexandra when she got older/school age if she liked).

With Allison there is only really the nickname Allie - so its more limited. My husband prefers Allison though because its 7 letters, easier to say/less syllables, and won't be shortened automatically by people as much if she wants to use her full name. My problem with Allison is that there are so many different spellings. We have to spell our last name to everyone so giving her a name where it also has to be spelled bothers me (is it Allison, Alison, Allyson, Alyson, Alicen??).

Also, her middle name is going to be Adelle after both our grandmothers.

 

[mayerling]

Thanks everyone for the best wishes and for helping with the name! It has taken us a long time trying to conceive and get to this point so we are thrilled that she is here. Maybe that's why I'm/we're having such a hard time with the name - I want to get it right and not have her hate it down the road.

I prefer Alexandra but DH prefers Allison. I like Alexandra because we can go by Ali now and then when she gets older if she doesn't like the nickname she has options like using her full name or Lexi, Alex, Xandra, etc (we would probably switch to calling her Alexandra when she got older/school age if she liked).

With Allison there is only really the nickname Allie - so its more limited. My husband prefers Allison though because its 7 letters, easier to say/less syllables, and won't be shortened automatically by people as much if she wants to use her full name. My problem with Allison is that there are so many different spellings. We have to spell our last name to everyone so giving her a name where it also has to be spelled bothers me (is it Allison, Alison, Allyson, Alyson, Alicen??).

Also, her middle name is going to be Adelle after both our grandmothers.

OK, change my vote to Alexandra. After having spent my entire life having to spell both my first name and last name (thankfully the last name issue has been resolved now that I've taken DH's surname), I vote for Alexandra because of the peace of mind it provides. But I still vote for sticking with the full name and no nicknames.

 

[April20]

Congratulations!

I voted for Allison because I don't think I hear it as much as Alexandra and I think the nickname goes with it better. Plus I have a younger cousin named Allison and she's cute as a button.

 

[somethingshiny]

I prefer Alexandra, but I voted Allison because you want to shorten it to Ali. Alexandra nicknames (to me) are Lexie or Alex, not Ali.

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter! I pray that she and you are recovering well!

 

[amc80]

Thanks everyone for the best wishes and for helping with the name! It has taken us a long time trying to conceive and get to this point so we are thrilled that she is here. Maybe that's why I'm/we're having such a hard time with the name - I want to get it right and not have her hate it down the road.

I prefer Alexandra but DH prefers Allison. I like Alexandra because we can go by Ali now and then when she gets older if she doesn't like the nickname she has options like using her full name or Lexi, Alex, Xandra, etc (we would probably switch to calling her Alexandra when she got older/school age if she liked).

With Allison there is only really the nickname Allie - so its more limited. My husband prefers Allison though because its 7 letters, easier to say/less syllables, and won't be shortened automatically by people as much if she wants to use her full name. My problem with Allison is that there are so many different spellings. We have to spell our last name to everyone so giving her a name where it also has to be spelled bothers me (is it Allison, Alison, Allyson, Alyson, Alicen??).

Also, her middle name is going to be Adelle after both our grandmothers.

OMG, this is so relevant to me....since my name is Allyson!

I think if you are going for the nickname Ali/Allie, you should go with Allison. But please, PLEASE, spell it Allison. That is the normal, most common way. I can't tell you how many times I've had to spell my name out, because I have to do so EVERY time someone needs to write it down. The go-to spelling is always Allison (except some weird people at Starbucks who will write Alicyn, ick). Usually people will start spelling it and ask if that's right, then I have to correct them and say "No, it's with a Y," at which point they get totally confused and I end up spelling the whole thing out.

 

[jstarfireb]

I like both names, but I prefer Allison Adelle if you're set on Adelle as the middle name. The reason is that Alexandra Adelle has the 2 A sounds in the middle next to each other, so you have to do a glottal stop to pronounce the whole name. Allison Adelle flows better. Otherwise I like both first names equally.

ETA: As for the spelling, I love Alyson, but that's because I had a friend growing up with that spelling, so it was normal to me. Allison is definitely the norm for spelling.

 

[Pandora II]

LOL, I was about to say please spell it ALISON as I've never seen in spelt as ALLISON and she'd continuely have to correct the spelling. Maybe Alison is a UK thing.

I have a HUGE preference for Alexandra, it's such an elegant and pretty name.

 

[wyndham]

I have a HUGE preference for Alexandra, it's such an elegant and pretty name.

Ditto!
Congratulations on your daughter's arrival!

 

[nfowife]

I love Allison. I'm a bit impartial because that's my daughter's name . We thought we'd call her Allie but we've always called her Allison and that is what she prefers (at 6 years old). I like Allison Adele, flows very nicely. My DD is Allison Stella. Best of luck!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think as long as you spell it Allison, it won't be an issue except to people who can't spell anyway! But to answer your question, I also think Allie is the nickname for Allison. I wouldn't even do Ali if you plan to spell it Allison. I do like both names and like both of them without nicknames. But I do like Allie best for a nickname, so Allison would be my choice!

Congratulations on your baby GIRL!!!

(Our oldest daughter's due date is Nov. 18th, also a girl, so this is about what it would be like for her to have her baby now!)

 

[megumic]

Congrats on your baby girl! I prefer Allison and Allie for short. Beautiful name. Alexandra just isn't my taste. Good luck choosing!

 

[VRBeauty]

I voted for Alexandra because both Allison and Allie are just a bit too "cute" for my taste - but for goodness sake, don't ask me why, it's just one of those "gut" things!

Congratulations!

 

[swingirl]

Allison is quite common. I don't know many Alexandra's. I vote for Alexandra. When she is old enough to pick her own nickname she can pick Ali or Alex or Lexi.

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!

 

[Saoirse2]

Allison is a beautiful name but I know too many Alexandra sounds powerful, love that. I've seen Andra & Aly [and Ali] on several gym bags.

 

[KaeKae]

Congratulations on the arrival of your little one! I love both names, but agree that Allison Alexandra does flow nicely. However, I do like Alli even for Alexandra. If by chance, there are two Alexandra's in her class, that would distinquish her from the other. If there was another Alli in the class, they both could spell out their full names on papers. My daughter has a classic name, with a popular nickname. We spell her name with a y instead of the usual ie, so that has helped her on paper. (Might not help verbally, but at least she would get credit for her own work.)

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Thanks everyone for the best wishes and for helping with the name! It has taken us a long time trying to conceive and get to this point so we are thrilled that she is here. Maybe that's why I'm/we're having such a hard time with the name - I want to get it right and not have her hate it down the road.

I prefer Alexandra but DH prefers Allison. I like Alexandra because we can go by Ali now and then when she gets older if she doesn't like the nickname she has options like using her full name or Lexi, Alex, Xandra, etc (we would probably switch to calling her Alexandra when she got older/school age if she liked).

With Allison there is only really the nickname Allie - so its more limited. My husband prefers Allison though because its 7 letters, easier to say/less syllables, and won't be shortened automatically by people as much if she wants to use her full name. My problem with Allison is that there are so many different spellings. We have to spell our last name to everyone so giving her a name where it also has to be spelled bothers me (is it Allison, Alison, Allyson, Alyson, Alicen??).

Also, her middle name is going to be Adelle after both our grandmothers.

I like Allison but please don't give your baby a "unique" spelling. The whole idea of alternate spellings just appears low class and uneducated to me (I'll probably get a lot of heat for that one). It bothers me personally to have my name shortened by others. If I introduce myself as Sparkly Blonde I should be called Sparkly Blonde until I say, "Please call me Sparkly." Another reason (as mentioned by your DH) for Allison

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Okay, so what is your new baby girl's name????

 

[iheartscience]

Allison is quite common. I don't know many Alexandra's. I vote for Alexandra. When she is old enough to pick her own nickname she can pick Ali or Alex or Lexi.

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!

Ditto! I love the name Alexandra. Congratulations!

 

[phoenixgirl]

You've probably already decided, but I like Alexandra too. For some reason it stands out as more classic/timeless to me. Plus I knew an Alexandra who went by Ali growing up, and it never seemed strange. It's also a little bit lower on the popular baby names US Census list, and I prefer a name that won't belong to a bunch of other girls in her class. So that's my vote, but either way, you've got a beautiful name for your beautiful girl!

 

[Emeraldfan]

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the advice!! It did help a lot. Sorry I didn't write sooner but we've just been trying to get settled here and have had family staying with us. In the end, and with much soul searching, the name we ended up choosing is ...... ALEXANDRA!

I think it came down to the fact that it won't be as confusing to spell out and it is just more of a classic, timeless name in my mind. Hopefully, when she's older she will agree

Thanks again everyone!!