Fran- Names for Girls

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Hey guys! Today is the first day of my senior year (hooray!) and to honor that, I thought we'd take a look at one of my favorite name prefixes. Frances is my number two girls name (after Nell, course), but there are so many great options beyond that. Tell me your favorite in the comments!

Expected:
Frances- Classic, but coming back into style. You can't go wrong with Frances.
Francesca- Gorgeous and romantic. A lovely choice.
Frankie- Will Drew Barrymore make this one mainstream? Time will tell, but until then, Frankie makes a spunky pick.
Frannie- Super sweet and semi-Southern. Frannie is a winner.

Unique:
Francie- I know I'm normally adverse to nicknames, but even I can't resist Francie's charm. She's also the main character in my favorite book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Francine- I find that many people older than me think this one is useable. I have hesitations, maybe because I grew up watching Arthur.
Francisca- Take Francesca to the next level.
Francoise- Very French, yet completely useable in the United States.

Unheard of:
France- Short and sweet, plus and ultra-cool place name.
Franca/Franka- This German name sounds harsher than the others, but is the most straightforward way to honor a Frank.
Francille- Francille is very pretty, and fits in with today's popular names.
Fransabelle- Frances or Isabelle? No need to choose, go with the extravagant Fransabelle!
Franzetta- She may seem slightly outlandish, but she gets bonus points for the nickname Etta.


P.S. Pictured above is my favorite magazine, Frankie.

Full Names for Izzy

Izzy is one of those names that has so many full forms, but only two are in use. If you want to look beyond Isabella and Isabel for your little Izzy, look no further.

Isa
Isabeau
Isabel (or Isobel, Isabell, or Isabelle)
Isabella
Isadora
Isak
Isaura
Isolde
Israel
Ishana
Ismene

Belle's Full Names

Belle and Bella seem to be the nicknames of the year. It's no surprise either, with Isabella ranking number two last year, and one the year before. She's more popular than ever, and so are the nicknames that come with her. Needless to say, if you love Belle or Bella, there's no reason to skip straight to Isabella. They have some much more unexpected full names.

Annabella: With all the rage of Annabelle, you'd think Annabella would not be far behind. Think again, because she ranks at a modest 328. She's a bit of a mouthful, but if you're planning on using Belle or Bella, she would make a nice choice for the birth certificate.

Annabelle: She's the quintessential American girl. Annabelle conjures up images of apple pie and pure sweetness. It's no wonder parents love her. She comes in at 111, with her alternate spellings (Annabel, Annabell, Anabelle, Anabell, and Anabel) all making the list as well.

Belia: Meaning beautiful, Belia is the Spanish version of Bella. Perfect for honoring your family's history, though she's so pretty that she might not need a nickname.

Bellamy: Quite possibly my favorite of this list. She doesn't rank in the top 1000, but she's been getting some attention lately. Bellamy just made Nameberry's list of Unusual Girls' Names Destined for Stardom. The name of a Novogratz daughter (twin to Tallulah by the way), Bellamy is appealing to many parents for obvious reasons. She's may be tomboy, but she has America's sweetest nicknames.

Bellatrix: Honestly, I don't suggest you use Bellatrix. Unless you're a celebrity or a major Harry Potter fan, she seems a little- over the top. She has very strong ties with the literary franchise, but if you're planning on calling your little one Bella or Belle, she would make for an interesting choice. Especially if she was born on Halloween (is it just me, or does she seem a bit spooky?).

Gabriella: She's more popular than you think, with a ranking of 34. Gabriella is princessy, elegant, and very regal sounding, and Bella or Belle seems like fitting nicknames.

Gabrielle: Not quite as long, or as popular as Gabriella, she ranks at 119. Simpler, but by no means simple. You don't need four syllables to sound like a princess.

Isabelle: She comes in at 114, with sister Isabel not far behind at 128. She's a beautiful choice, but far from uncommon. My favorite spelling however, is the far from trendy Isobel.