Which middle is best?

[Linguaphile]

Right, we're almost at the naming finish line! We've finally settled on Philippa and Vivian (Pip/Pippa and Vivi for short), so we now just need to settle on a middle for Pip, ideally something that will flow with our one-syllable last name. Our choices are:

Philippa Eleanor and Vivian Gray
Philippa Elspeth and Vivian Gray
Philippa Eve and Vivian Gray
Philippa Rose and Vivian Gray
Philippa Seren and Vivian Gray
Philippa Whitt and Vivian Gray
Philippa Winter and Vivian Gray

All the middle names have meaning for us (Eve, Gray, Whitt, Elspeth, Rose, and Eleanor are all family names, for example), so at this point it's just about flow and sound. If it makes any difference, I feel like Pip is going to be quite a sparky go-getter as she's constantly moving around and kicking! Would be good to have a name that fits her.

Leaning toward Eve or Winter, but thought I'd include the long list in case those are no good.

[Proudmummy987]

Winter!. Xxx

[Linguaphile]

Thanks, Proudmummy!

Other thoughts?

[IamnotNannyPlum]

I like Whitt as it is short and unusual like Gray.

[fanjodisfunction]

I like Vivian Winter and Philippa Gray.

[Leeds2]

Eve.

[BlueStarsAtNight]

Definitely Winter

[DramaAlpaca]

Rose, Eve or Winter are all lovely with Philippa.

I think you have picked absolutely beautiful names, but I wonder if you know that in the UK if you spell Vivian like that it's traditionally a boy's name? The female version is Vivien, or Vivienne if you want it a bit fancier. They are pronounced the same. In North America, Vivian is regularly used as a girl's name.

Vivien Gray is nice, as is Vivienne Gray. Actually, I think the longer version goes better with Philippa.

It's just my opinion of course, please feel free to completely ignore me !

[CarriMarie]

Philippa Eve.

[VBisme]

I agree on Vivienne, love Philippa Eve.

[whattooooodo]

Rose

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

Agree, re Vivian being the masculine spelling. Obviously boys aren't really called Vivian any more and naturally you can go with whichever spelling you want; there are no rules. But I imagine it would be a PITA to have everyone commenting all the time, that you've gone with the 'wrong' spelling.

I agree that Vivienne goes better with Philippa from a spelling, matching, balance perspective. But maybe that spelling is a bit too frilly for you.

As for middle names - any of them other than Rose, really. I mean, Rose is fine, but every other girl has the middle name Rose these days, and if you have a selection of others - with meaning - to choose from, for the love of God, go with one of those and spare your daughter being one of a zillion middle-name-Roses.

Personal favourites are Elspeth and Winter. Why choose Rose, when you've got the pick of names like that?!

[misskatamari]

I like Whit and Eve, I think the one syllable ones go better with Phillipa

[Linguaphile]

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

Re Vivian vs, Vivienne, I'm so confused... We actually were going to spell it -enne, but a couple people have said that they'd pronounce it differently (stress the last syllable instead of the first) if they saw it spelled that way. Is that true? I do know that -an is traditionally male, and someone French told me the other day that -en was the traditional French male spelling, so which is worse? Male connotations, or mispronunciations and a frillier spelling?

[FingersCrossedLegsNot]

Phillipa Winter and Vivienne Gray! Regarding the pronounciation of Vivian/Vivienne I would pronounce them the same way!

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

I would pronounce them all the same way.

[AllegraLilac]

You've loved Winter for so long! Choose Winter :)

Whitt gets my vote though, because it is same-but-different to Gray.

Both spellings are pronounced the same, those people are fools! Fools I tell you!