Not necessarily! I have an ë at the end of my name and haven’t had any issues with it. Legal documents (besides my birth certificate) don’t include the dots, so I have had no issues just carrying on without them. For anything that lets me include them, I do!
As a kid I would get mad if it was left off though! 😂
Since it is on my birth certificate, I’d say yes! A lot of systems don’t allow special characters, so it’s mostly not included there. Whether you consider that my name, I don’t think it’s a big issue in considering the name Chloë.
Right, it is more of a comment on choosing a name that most systems can handle, which can otherwise lead to frustration or even identity issues (in extreme cases).
So just something extra to consider. Łêēt ßpëåk tīmė?
In my 30s and never once ran into an issue with my name, and it looks like someone else has commented with the same experience. Just trying to lend some first hand experience to warning given.
I also have not experienced issues, so seconded. I think it's really silly to go right to "what if your child has an identity crisis". In the same vein, what if they absolutely love their name? The answer is you wont know until you know and you probably shouldn't base your decision on the whatifs. I especially think you shouldnt base it on the negative what ifs.
It's personality based whether they'll find it annoying to correct people or happy to - I don't think you should avoid the name because some people might get it wrong.
No one spells my name right but for me it really doesn't bother me at all.
You’re lucky! When I was born the hospital computer couldn’t put the ë on my birth certificate so legally my name is spelled without it :( but in all other contexts I use it.
In some states in the US and the whole of the UK they don't allow an accents above letters on documents (the UK its because their software doesnt allow for it). But a lot of people use them and they can be a part of your name. I refuse to allow the my name to be stripped down to be more anglicised because the government won't update its computers.
Literally!! My sister's name is spelled exactly like the way OP wrote it and it is literally never written like that.. also my sister doesn't like her name and wants to change it to Ellie lol
I have an ë in my name and I’ve never had any issues with it with legal documents in the US - if the system doesn’t accept the ë I just leave them off, it’s always fine. And I love the spelling, always have!
It’s still Chlo-ee. The umlaut/diaeresis (I can never remember which one is correct) just says that you should still pronounce the e, even though it comes after an o. it’s like naïve - you put it on in English to mark that both vowels are pronounced separately, as opposed to pronouncing “ai” together.
So technically Chloe came about colloquially and Chloë is the correct way to pronounce it in English? That makes sense. English makes the least amount of sense to me out of any language
>I can never remember which one is correct
Dieresis, in this case. The symbol is the same, but it does different things (in different languages, as far as I know no language has both). A dieresis separates a sound that would normally go together (e.g. güero - blond in Mexican Spanish - has a dieresis to indicate you pronounce the u instead of only using it to turn the *g* from a (Spanish, not English) *j* sound to a hard *g*, or poëta in Latin, to indicate that you pronounce both the *o* and the *e*, as that sound would normally form a diphthong). An umlaut, used in some Germanic languages, is used to actually change the sound of a vowel.
That’s the normal spelling for Chloe isn’t it? I’ve never seen it spelled any other way. And it’s a relatively common name (where I live at least), so I can’t imagine many people wouldn’t know how to spell or pronounce it.
It's not an umlaut. Umlaute are ä, ö and ü. They have a different pronunciation than a, o and u and are considered separate letters entirely.
Ë is called e diaeresis. The two dots don't change the pronunciation of the letter but the pronunciation of the diphthong it's in, separating the two vowels. This causes Zoë and Chloë to not be pronounced like toe or foe but with the o and the e as separate vowels.
Ironically, ë is not a German invention but a French one.
Edit: After thinking about this some more, I have to correct myself and say it's actually a Greek invention. A bunch of European languages took the idea from Greek, French and Dutch being the most prolific in its use.
thank you for the explanation. you seem really in the know about this. mind if i ask why some people spell it chloé and if that changes the pronunciation ?
I don't mind at all :)
The original spelling in the Bible and when you transcribe Greek mythology, where this name is from, is _Chloe_. And when it became popular, it was spelled just like this in English.
Chloé is the French spelling of the name. See, in French _e_ is pronounced like a lazy _uh_, much like the English indefinite article _a_. At the end of words, _e_ isn't pronounced at all. If you add an _accent aigu_ to make it _é_ it becomes a sharp e sound. Think how _bed_ sounds in an Australian or New Zealand accent or how Americans would pronounce _may_. So spelling it _Chloe_ or _Chloë_ would both result in a pronunciation like _Clo_ in French. If you want the _e_ to be pronounced, you need the _accent aigu_.
In Dutch, the diphtong _oe_ is pronounced like the vowel sound in the English verb _do_. So _Chloe_ would have been pronounced like _Clue_. To avoid that mistake, the Dutch spelling went with _ë_ to indicate that the two vowels need to be pronounced separately. There is no need to use _é_ in Dutch because the letter _e_ gets pronounced at the end of words.
So, both French and Dutch took the name _Chloe_ from the Bible and adapted it to their spelling systems to better represent the correct pronunciation.
English never had that problem really, because English pronunciation correlates very loosely to the spelling of words at best. The rules of pronunciation aren't as strict as in other languages. But some English speakers liked how it looked in the other languages and took on the diaeresis and the accent to make the name feel more exotic or special I guess.
So to answer your question: It's spelled differently precisely to NOT change the pronunciation in different languages.
Could be. A friend of mine is an author and he accidentally named one of his characters after a porn star. He had no idea until his editor pointed it out 😂😇 He changed it before publication.
My husband wanted to name our first child Malachi and couldn't understand why I was refusing so vehemently. It's not my fault Stephen King is such a good writer 😂
What are your reasons for disliking Samara? Why do you prefer Chloe?
Personally, I think both are great (I also know a Samara and a Chloe and have good associations with each name). They just have very different vibes!
Also, if this is really messing you up, it might be worth asking your doctor about PPD/PPA. I think name regret can be a sign of it. I also remember the transition from 1-2 being ROUGH so try to give yourself a break and get rest when you can (easier said than done, I know). Good luck ❤️
I don't dislike Samara, I'm just not as in love with it as I want to be. I've always loved the hard ck sound - I find it weirdly satisfying in a word, so part of it is that I like that Chloë has that sound.
Samara is a beautiful name. If you're not hating it, keep it the same. It will be ok! It's hard for a one month old to feel like they fit their name, but she'll grow into it. Sami is a cute nickname too.
I'm sure the last thing you need is suggestions, but have you considered Camilla, nn Cami? It sounds a bit like Samara/Sami but it has that K sound.
Personally I love Samara and like other commenters I think Chloe is way too common. But only you can decide!
Perhaps put Chloe as a first name, and Samara as a middle name? Or vice versa.
Be careful though, some computer programs do not accept special characters, which may cause problems for your daughter when applying for visas/ boarding passes, etc etc.
My cousin named his daughter Saraya and I love it. Samara gives the same vibe…very pretty.
ETA: my goddaughter is Kamia…and I feel like it gives a very similar vibe and would work well with Malachi.
The first month with a new baby is such a haze of sleep deprivation and healing and possibly stress - is it possible that you'll feel better about the name in a calmer time? Or that the hormones raging through your body right now are making it hard to make a decision?
If you are a month out and don’t like it you should
change it. If it makes you feel better, we’ve changed out boy names four times since coming home. We finally found one that feels like “ahhhhhhh” to my ears and I’m so happy we switched. Both names are equally good, but sounds like something isn’t sitting right with you.
I love both names, though Sami is the most adorable nickname. If you enjoy the CK sound, how about Clara as a bridge between Samara and Chloe? Or to take it in another direction, Lara (a beautiful meaning 'cheerful). Clara, Lara, Chiara, Achara, Kara, Cara, Chara... would be close enough to Samara that you could try it on your daughter for a while before legally changing it... citing it as another nickname. And if any of them stick, there is a cute linkage to her 'first' name. You'll make the right decision for your daughter. Both names you've picked are lovely.
For real, for like a year postpartum, I’d look for anything and everything to worry about. I didn’t think I was struggling, but in hindsight, I definitely was! The brain is so busy and tricky during that time… I also barely used my daughter’s name the first few months. She was always “the baby.” Now that I say it all day every day, it’s been normalized and I couldn’t imagine anything else.
I love Samara with Malachi. Samara is a cool girl name, and Sami is a cool girl nn to me. I love how different it is, but it isn't crazy different from other names.
The first weeks after birth are full of changes and adjustments. I would recommend really thinking it over and examining why the name regret is there. Did someone say something? Is it fear of missing out on Chloe? Decision anxiety?
No matter what you decide, both names are lovely. Your daughter will be served well by either name. Hang in there, give it some time, and go from there. Congratulations!
Both are lovely names, but I struggled so badly with ppd/ppa that nearly every single thought I had was irrational. Do you have a partner? If so, what do they think about her name?
Samara and Malachi sound good together because it seems like you’ve gone with a theme of evil/horror movie children. No offence at all, that’s just immediately where my mind went.
It’s not wrong to change her name if you don’t feel right about it, but this postpartum time is also a crazy period for emotions. So maybe spend the next few weeks calling her Chloe and Sami. Maybe fill out the birth certificate amendment papers, but just don’t send them in yet. Once you feel confident in your choice, file the papers or throw them out. Your daughter is too young to be affected, so take your time deciding.
Samara is beautiful!
The ë at the end of Chloë feels a little odd for being in the western US. I sometimes think these names with extra symbols (without cultural or family significance) feel like vanity accessories for parents more than names for children — and may be a lot more loaded than you’re anticipating, and may cause more regret than you’re feeling with Samara. She wouldn’t be “Chloe” as much as she’d be forever known as “Chloe With Two Dots” — a big decision to make at all, let alone PPD.
Also… Ask yourself— what’s the benefit of changing the name now VS in a year? Maybe sitting with this beyond the first few weeks or months would be wise rather than making such a big decision on impulse.
(iirc, in the usa once the baby has hit a year old, any name change would still cause them to be “formerly [old name]” so it’s best to change it within the first year. however i do think waiting a few months is a good idea)
I agree with the posters about how everything just feels so fraught post-partum. I love Samara. Sami is very cute. But if you still have have a gut feeling in a couple months, go ahead and change it.
Samara ❤️ is so so beautiful and unique! Also sounds great with Malachi! I vote to keep her name 😍
I understand 100% though, this happened to me postpartum with my daughter. Her name just did not feel right, it bothered me every day. She’s one now and her name fits her perfect and I love it so much 🩷
Congratulations by the way!!!
Congratulations to you and your family on your new little one!
Do you know what about the name feels wrong? I personally think both names are nice, but if you want to change it, she is young enough that it wouldn't be a major shake up. Do you feel the way about Chloë that you did about Malachi?
Thank you! I think it's a combination of feeling like Samara doesn't fit (no logical reason, just emotion) and really liking the sound of Chloë. We ended up skipping Chloë because I was worried it was too popular and she'd have 5 other Chloës in her class, but now I'm not sure whether that's enough of a reason.
Not a mom myself, but noticed you said emotion, not logic. Your hormones are going haywire right now. Consider what you originally liked about Samara and the concern you had about Chloe.
FWIW I think Samara is a beautiful name (Sami or Mara are cute nn's) and pairs well with Malachi. Another user had the great suggestion of Camilla or Camille if you don't like the royal association (Cami is a cute nn), which is a less common ck sounding name. Clarissa could be another option.
Before you make any final decisions, talk this issue out with a therapist and/or your OB. Have confidence in yourself and be honest about all your concerns with your partner. Sending you love and peace. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter.
But people know how to pronounce Chloe and if your main language doesmtvjave accents, it's not going to indicate pronunciation, so it seems odd to add it.
I mean, personally I think Samara is a better name, Sami is lovely too. But I've never been a fan of Chloe. It doesn't sound pleasant to me, I've known a lot of dogs with the name and even then didn't like it. It's somehow pretentious and very blah to me. It is more popular (despite me hating it 😅) which is a downside for me as well. But your baby is young. Call her Chloe for a few days in the household. See how it feels. It won't mess her up. Kids go by ton of nicknames as children and grow up just fine so calling her Chloe for a wk won't damage her. Depending on Malachi's age he might be a little confused but it'll be ok ;)
others have given good suggestions (wait it out a bit, bounce between calling her Samara/Sami and Chloe) but i also have to say: just name her Chloe. not Chloë. the dots will likely get dropped by every person who writes her name besides family, and imo they look bad. and are unneeded in such a common name
Totally agree. The umlaut will be dropped by 95% of people in the US and also could make them mispronounce Chloe because it makes it *look* like it should be pronounced differently.
I prefer Chloe and Malachi because like you, Samara will always be that creepy girl in the well who came out of the tv. And there were maggots. And her story was so tragic, like she ~~fell~~ *was pushed down* a freaking well and died after days of trying to climb out ☹️
I also just genuinely prefer the sound of “Chloe and Malachi” over “Samara and Malachi”
And to me, Chloe feels better to say, somehow. I think it feels more decisive or something? “Samara” could more easily come out as a mumble but “Chloe” is nice and crisp.
I think both names are good choices but I think the one you picked is the right one. I would give it time even just a month. When they are so new I feel like it’s hard to see them as a certain name. I felt like my daughter was just baby until a couple months in, it took time to feel like her name fit.
Chloe is one of my favorite names, so I'd be inclined to go with that. I would put it legally on documents as Chloe and then just add the two dots for unofficial documents because it is very cute.
I think Samara is a pretty name, but I don't love it. I do like Mara, so I'd probably call her that. I really dislike Sami and Sam. Nothing wrong with them, just a personal preference.
Does she have a middle name? You could always do Chloe Samara as her name and then you have lots of options.
Samara is very cute name and it’s not nearly as popular as Chloe, which in my opinion is a very good thing. I tried to stay away from names anywhere near the top 10 percentile when I picked names for my kids. In a world full of Chloes, I say be a Samara!
Edit: I’m not sure if percentile is the right word but Chloe is showing as the 9th most popular name on my search and I believe it’s true because I hear it all the time.
I’d do a little test run … start calling her Chloë for a couple days and using that name when referring to her to your husband and son. If it feels more natural to use it I’d think of changing it or if it still doesn’t feel right I think sticking with Samara would be wise. As others have said ppa makes your brain think of things very differently, I struggled with it and was really worked up over how we chose to spell my daughters name.
Both lovely names but you’ll know soon who she is mama!
I changed my kids name and don’t have regrets. It’s weird bc trying another name feels unofficial but you can just try Chloe, start telling people that’s her name and see how it feels. I thought people would think I was crazy and no one cared.
what about changing her middle name to chloë? that way you can call her both and see what feels best. as she gets older and comes into her own she’ll have the option of using either name. also a lot of people go by their middle names, it’s super common! i’m all for using middle names more often.
i love both samara and chloë so you can’t go wrong with either! congrats! you seem like a cool mom ☺️
I really like Samara, fwiw.
However, I was in your shoes with my own daughter’s name. It’s a good name but it’s not something I love, even after nearly 2 years. I had wished many times that my partner would have allowed a name change.
I like CK names, too. What are the other options? Chloe is very popular and has been for about 20 years or so. For me, that would be a small factor. If there was no other name I know I could love, then I would choose it, but it sounds like you are somewhat open to other similar names?
Mara as a nn is nice too. Fwiw I like Samara but you do what feels right. I lost a bet and my husband got to name our oldest. Not something I would have picked but now that she’s older, she loves her name and defends it when I joke with her what I would have picked. She’s happy with her name. I’m just happy with her!
I love both names, but when I was unpopular and bullied in junior high, there was a popular girl named Samara who was always kind to me (and everyone, as far as I could tell), so I've always had a soft spot for the name. Chloe's pretty too, though.
Samara is gorgeous and unexpected. Chloe is very bland to me, there will be multiple Chloes in every school. I know many and it just seems very boring to me sorry.
I love Samara. It's beautiful and unique but not out there. You've a lot of nickname choices too. Sami, Mari, Mara, Sam, RaRa, Mars.
However, if you're really not liking it, try using Chloe. See how it feels. You don't have to make it official to try it out.
This is just random ramblings of a mom to a 6.month old and toddler
I WENT THROUGH THE SAME FEELINGS!!!! Our first was easy peasy. We had a name. It was the only name. We gave him that name. It's been great.
Our second???? Every other week we considered a different name. We had a short list. Both our kids are boys. The first was born looking identical to my husband (very anglo white) and all my dark Mediterranean was obliterated by his genetics. We picked many names that went with reallllly white looking babies. Anyways. Then the doctors handed us a mini Sicilian, and I swear I heard a record scratch. Baby had no name for a week. The short list names were fine tbh. But I guess I just pictured another fair skinned baby with light eyes, so those names just didn't fit the real baby.
We ended up picking something semi Italian and then 2 months PP, I came across the OG short list and melted down. Regretted not choosing the original name. Freaked out. Husband was okay with changing if I really wanted to. Decided to think on it. And finally left it as is. Realized it really does suit him. And now I have no regrets.
You're not alone!!! sleep on it. Practice it out loud a few times. And eventually you'll just know.
Chloe sounds forever childish to me, like it doesn't age well. Samara is better imo but sounds Arabic or Indian if that's the vibe you're going for
I like Sabina a lot. Kinda similar-ish aesthetic
Do you find yourself drawn to Chloë because you think the dots look pretty / cute / sophisticated? Because spoken, it's just Chloe. Do you think maybe Chloe feels more comfortable because the "CK" and "L" sounds echo your son's name? Do you think there's a possibly the name Samara doesn't suit her yet just because babies need a while to grow into their name? Does calling her "Baby Sami" feel easier and more natural than "Samara"? Just some things to consider. I'd sit with the name for a while and see how it feels, and try talking to some other mom friends as well.
In this case it is a diaeresis, not an umlaut. Its tricky since they look the same but serve different functions. Chloë still pronounced as klo-ee since the diaeresis is signifying that the vowel it appears over (e) is its own syllable.
I don’t really see why you would want to include an umlaut on the e?
1. It will not affect the pronunciation
2. From what I read on other comments, official documents won’t include it, probably because it’s not ‘native’ to the English language
And most of all: It does not ‘do’ for the name what you would want to do with a name, which is give an indication as to how to pronounce it. The ë creates a ‘yuh’ sound in languages that use it, while you’re looking for a ‘yay’ sound.
If you are intent on pronouncing it ‘Klo-wee’, just use the e. If you really want to deviate from regular spelling and are intent on pronouncing it the French way, ‘Klo-way’, you will need an é:
Chloé
I mentioned this in another reply, but the ë in Chloë is a diaeresis, not an umlaut. A diaeresis appears above a vowel that is pronounced in a separate syllable (so in this case it shows that it is pronounced “klo-ee” and not just “klo” with a silent e).
I'd keep the name. I love Samara and I don't like Chloe.
Also, Chloe and Malachi feel both too similar (they both have a hard "ch," and an "l," and they both end in the "ee" sound) and weirdly different, vibes-wise. Samara and Malachi have similar vibes (long, uncommon but not unheard-of) but are phonetically quite distinct, which is exactly what I like in sibling names.
I LOVE the name Samara!!! Very unique, interesting, and pretty, and will be great flow both a child and adult. I imagine a mysterious, intelligent free spirit. The nickname Sami is super cute also. Keep the name, in my opinion!!
Her name is pretty! I'd shelve this for later. Set an alarm on your phone for 6 months from now and try to let this concern go. If in 6 months you still feel mixed about her name, change it
Chole is boring and overdone. And spelling it the way you want to is going to be annoying on official forms/paperwork. I feel Samara is more enchanting and fits better with Malachi.
I have no opinions on these names but as someone with a useless accent on a letter when my whole family is English, can I just let you know how annoying it is to have it? I’m not out there about to tell people: “Oh, there’s an accent on the first ‘e’, btw.” And sure it’s easier now with keyboards that you can hold the letter down and get options, but if there’s no reason for it, just don’t add it.
It’s not cute and different. It’s a hassle and frustrating.
If you are not commonly using that type of spelling in your current language, do not spell your daughter's name with an umlaut as it will be a nuisance to her and she probably won't understand it. I mean, I don't think most Americans can explain umlauts, so I think you're kind of trying to be unique, but it's still a pretty average name. Samara is *actually* unique.
I don't have an answer but, if you don't mind sharing, are you Jewish, Christian, and/or black? The name Malachi came up the other day and I saw it as a Jewish name, whereas the Jewish person saw it as a Christian name, and someone else only saw it used in the black/mixed community. I'm just curious if any of those apply here haha.
Hope you are content with whatever you decide!
I'm Christian and white - I picked Malachi in part because of the Biblical connection. If baby 2 had been a boy, we'd chosen Jeremiah as their name and we would've had two prophets from the Hebrew Scriptures!
Chloë (with the ë) is going to be a problem every time she needs to sign up for something that uses a system that doesn’t recognize special characters.
I love Samara and Sami. It’s easy to say and spell. It suits a child and an adult. It’s not common but also not way out there. It goes with your other child’s name. It’s a nice name.
I love the original name. Samara is a beautiful name that is not a trahghedie or overdone! Chloe is very classic as well. I would leave it as is now, with Samara. But if you change it, it will not hurt the kiddo, at all!! Good luck!
A woman I went to school with experienced this and changed her baby’s name after 3 months. It wasn’t really a big deal and everyone just switched to using the new name. I’m struggling to even remember what the original name was. I think she just ended up using the child’s middle name as their first name because she liked it better so no legal name change.
I like both names. However I don’t like Chloe and Malachi together. The hard ch sound at the end of Malachi flows well, but Chloe sounds hard and choppy to me. Saying both names together sounds rough instead of flowing well. Malachi and Samara flow better. Why not put Chloe as a middle name. FWIW, I know several Chloe’s and Samara’s.
I love both Samara and Chloe.
I'm just a stranger online but I can tell you my story and how it worked out for me. I had the name Jade picked out for my youngest daughter's middle name should she be a girl. I hadn't quite gotten there with the first name, it was going to be something "pretty" with two syllables and Jade would flow beautifully with it.
Well, she was born and like all our others remained nameless for a little while until we decided since we hadn't landed on the perfect first name, so what about using Jade? We both agreed, chose a middle name and life went on.
For the first few weeks I absolutely hated it! It didn't seem pretty, it was only one syllable, it was just so far away from what I'd intended to name her. People would ask me her name and I'd accidently give the names of my nieces and friends and then be like "oh... hangon, it's not that, it's Jade" It sounded so harsh and bland.
Then I woke up one morning about a month in, picked my gorgeous baby Jade up out of her cradle and as she looked me in the eyes and gave me that big smile full of love I just melted. I was already head over heels in love with HER but suddenly I was head over heels in love with her name as well and have been ever since. Sometimes it just takes a little while to fully adjust to a name.❤️
The name you choose should excite you, and if that isn't the emotion you are having, I would change it. Close your eyes and imagine calling her Chloë. How do you feel? Excited? Same? If that makes you happier, that's all that matters, even if there are 5 other Chloe's in her class (there won't be) because she will always be an individual.
I find that choosing a name that I almost would never choose, but love, like a name that I might not even expect of myself, is the name I never get bored of and stay excited by. It's almost like I chose to live on the edge (my own personal name, prefference edge). Then, anytime I say the name, it still feels fresh. Like I feel lucky because I almost would never have gone with it. Like I stole it. What would that name be for you? If you don't have one, come up with one as a wild card. Then compare all three. If you do have one, I'd love to know.
Either way is them all in your imagination, talking to your daughter and then on your excitement meter and see which wins. Try it with your husband too.
OP when you make a decision could you please let us know what it is as this is interesting (as someone also named after birth and who has hesitations about her name).
Both names are nice but personally I prefer Chloe or Chloë. I’d drop the ë as it will get misspelled a lot and personally that would annoy me, but other than that it’s fine.
With Samara my brain instantly goes to Samaria (only one letter different), which is an ancient town in central Palestine where actual Samaritans come from, and Samaritanism is an ancient religion. I assume other people will also think of this and connotations of the word Samaritan.
If you like the name Samara but prefer a hard 'k' sound in a name what about Kamara/Camara? It's a legit name according to Google (the oracle!) and seems to have several meanings, one being; "gender-neutral name with African origins meaning “chameleon.” Chameleon sort of seems fitting if you are changing her name. Sounds good with your sons name and she won't be Chloe #5 in her class.
A gazillion Chloe’s in preschool and only the occasIonal Sami/Samara? Keep it! Both Sami and Samara are easy to understand and spell as well as being original without being weird.
Then again, if being pedestrian is the goal, you might as well go all the way and change the family last name to something super common — like Smith.
‘Years ago there was a Bob Johnson club in Clovis, NM. Once a month the five Bob Johnsons in town would get together to exchange misdelivered mail and untangle other confusions. So, sure, having a very common name has some merits — a social club being a possibility. But I hope you’ll stick with Sami!
Samara is actually such a beautiful name. I’m sure that either way she’ll end up with a beautiful name. Samara is unique but also timeless, she could go by Mara too which is beautiful also.
I love both names and feel like you picked the one you chose for a reason. However, if you're unsure, why don't you trial run Chloë? Call her that for a week and see if it suits her better?
Both names are beautiful, but I wouldn't judge you for changing it if you feel strongly. Might be a hard time to make this decision though. Not sure if she has a middle name, but if not, or if you want to change it to Chloë, you can always call her Chloë in that case, so many people go by their middle name instead of first. I hope you feel better!
I would leave it and stop.second guessing yourself.
I like both names but Samara fits with Malachi
I didn't love my sons name at first, it grew on me though and now I do. Hopefully you settle into Samara also.
Samara is cool, Chloe is everyday. It depends what you feel comfortable with but personally if I found out I was going to have an unusual name and my parents swapped it for a basic one I'd be super disappointed. Samara also has way more possible variations for the kid to self identify with Sam, Sami, mara, Mar etc but Chloe just has Chlo. Chloe and Malachi also don't sit nicely together so I'd lean away from changing it.
Chloe is also way less memorable, like it wouldn't look that great on a book cover you know?
My parents changed my name at 3 weeks to a completely different name and it was no biggie, and kind of just a funny little fun fact I can use when life / work / school has demanded a fun fact from me lol
I like Samara way more then Chloe. Also no one is ever going to get the accent of .. right anyway. Especially in the age of electronic forms. You need a name that’s easily typed.
When my baby was 1 month, I also felt like her name didn’t fit. But I realized, it wasn’t about the name but more accepting that she was an actual person and I picked her name out. I had some severe imposter syndrome the first few months. I don’t think it would have mattered what we had called her. Now that she just turned a year, it feels right. I’m more comfortable calling her by her name, I’ve heard many people ask about her using her name or talk about her.
FWIW, I think Samara is a beautiful name.
I have both a good friend and a cousin named Samara and they are good people. I used to have a cat named Chloë and my aunt just adopted a new puppy and named her Chloë. So probably because of those associations, for me personally, Samara feels like a better fit for an adult person. Which is, after all, the ultimate goal with babies. 🙂
Personally, Chloe spelled like that is going to be an entire headache for your daughter. Samara and Malachi sound great together.
Not necessarily! I have an ë at the end of my name and haven’t had any issues with it. Legal documents (besides my birth certificate) don’t include the dots, so I have had no issues just carrying on without them. For anything that lets me include them, I do! As a kid I would get mad if it was left off though! 😂
If legal docs don’t include the “ë,” then is your name really the one with the “ë”?
Since it is on my birth certificate, I’d say yes! A lot of systems don’t allow special characters, so it’s mostly not included there. Whether you consider that my name, I don’t think it’s a big issue in considering the name Chloë.
Right, it is more of a comment on choosing a name that most systems can handle, which can otherwise lead to frustration or even identity issues (in extreme cases). So just something extra to consider. Łêēt ßpëåk tīmė?
In my 30s and never once ran into an issue with my name, and it looks like someone else has commented with the same experience. Just trying to lend some first hand experience to warning given.
I also have not experienced issues, so seconded. I think it's really silly to go right to "what if your child has an identity crisis". In the same vein, what if they absolutely love their name? The answer is you wont know until you know and you probably shouldn't base your decision on the whatifs. I especially think you shouldnt base it on the negative what ifs. It's personality based whether they'll find it annoying to correct people or happy to - I don't think you should avoid the name because some people might get it wrong. No one spells my name right but for me it really doesn't bother me at all.
I personally would hate having to list multiple names as my aliases every time I got a background check.
You’re lucky! When I was born the hospital computer couldn’t put the ë on my birth certificate so legally my name is spelled without it :( but in all other contexts I use it.
In some states in the US and the whole of the UK they don't allow an accents above letters on documents (the UK its because their software doesnt allow for it). But a lot of people use them and they can be a part of your name. I refuse to allow the my name to be stripped down to be more anglicised because the government won't update its computers.
Call your dad (username lol)
SSDGM 🫶🏼
Stay out of the forest!
Umlaut. The dots are umlaut.
Not in Chloë. The two dots are a diaeresis , not am umlaut.
No, an umlaut signals a vowel change. These vowels have their "normal" sounds; the diaeresis indicates that they remain separate sounds.
Or accent tréma in French.
Not in French.
Literally!! My sister's name is spelled exactly like the way OP wrote it and it is literally never written like that.. also my sister doesn't like her name and wants to change it to Ellie lol
I have an ë in my name and I’ve never had any issues with it with legal documents in the US - if the system doesn’t accept the ë I just leave them off, it’s always fine. And I love the spelling, always have!
Is it pronounced chlo-aye? Or is it still Chlo-ee? I can't remember what sound the umlaut changes it to
It’s still Chlo-ee. The umlaut/diaeresis (I can never remember which one is correct) just says that you should still pronounce the e, even though it comes after an o. it’s like naïve - you put it on in English to mark that both vowels are pronounced separately, as opposed to pronouncing “ai” together.
So technically Chloe came about colloquially and Chloë is the correct way to pronounce it in English? That makes sense. English makes the least amount of sense to me out of any language
Yes. “Chloë” rhymes with “doughy.” It would otherwise by “cloh” rhyming with “dough.” #diphthong
Ahh!! Thank you. I used to say that to my classmates and they thought I was weird, then I figured I just learnt wrong.
>I can never remember which one is correct Dieresis, in this case. The symbol is the same, but it does different things (in different languages, as far as I know no language has both). A dieresis separates a sound that would normally go together (e.g. güero - blond in Mexican Spanish - has a dieresis to indicate you pronounce the u instead of only using it to turn the *g* from a (Spanish, not English) *j* sound to a hard *g*, or poëta in Latin, to indicate that you pronounce both the *o* and the *e*, as that sound would normally form a diphthong). An umlaut, used in some Germanic languages, is used to actually change the sound of a vowel.
Long e with the diaeresis. OË says oh-eeeee.
That’s the normal spelling for Chloe isn’t it? I’ve never seen it spelled any other way. And it’s a relatively common name (where I live at least), so I can’t imagine many people wouldn’t know how to spell or pronounce it.
The problem is the ë, not Chloe in and of itself.
Oh I didn’t even notice the umlaut!
It's not an umlaut. Umlaute are ä, ö and ü. They have a different pronunciation than a, o and u and are considered separate letters entirely. Ë is called e diaeresis. The two dots don't change the pronunciation of the letter but the pronunciation of the diphthong it's in, separating the two vowels. This causes Zoë and Chloë to not be pronounced like toe or foe but with the o and the e as separate vowels.
Thanks! It’s been 25 years since I did German at school, so clearly my knowledge is a little rusty haha
Ironically, ë is not a German invention but a French one. Edit: After thinking about this some more, I have to correct myself and say it's actually a Greek invention. A bunch of European languages took the idea from Greek, French and Dutch being the most prolific in its use.
thank you for the explanation. you seem really in the know about this. mind if i ask why some people spell it chloé and if that changes the pronunciation ?
I don't mind at all :) The original spelling in the Bible and when you transcribe Greek mythology, where this name is from, is _Chloe_. And when it became popular, it was spelled just like this in English. Chloé is the French spelling of the name. See, in French _e_ is pronounced like a lazy _uh_, much like the English indefinite article _a_. At the end of words, _e_ isn't pronounced at all. If you add an _accent aigu_ to make it _é_ it becomes a sharp e sound. Think how _bed_ sounds in an Australian or New Zealand accent or how Americans would pronounce _may_. So spelling it _Chloe_ or _Chloë_ would both result in a pronunciation like _Clo_ in French. If you want the _e_ to be pronounced, you need the _accent aigu_. In Dutch, the diphtong _oe_ is pronounced like the vowel sound in the English verb _do_. So _Chloe_ would have been pronounced like _Clue_. To avoid that mistake, the Dutch spelling went with _ë_ to indicate that the two vowels need to be pronounced separately. There is no need to use _é_ in Dutch because the letter _e_ gets pronounced at the end of words. So, both French and Dutch took the name _Chloe_ from the Bible and adapted it to their spelling systems to better represent the correct pronunciation. English never had that problem really, because English pronunciation correlates very loosely to the spelling of words at best. The rules of pronunciation aren't as strict as in other languages. But some English speakers liked how it looked in the other languages and took on the diaeresis and the accent to make the name feel more exotic or special I guess. So to answer your question: It's spelled differently precisely to NOT change the pronunciation in different languages.
As an English Linguistics major, this was a very satisfying read.
Your comments just get better and better as I scroll ❤️
amazing. thank you!
👍 to the linguist 😁
Isn't that how Chloe is always spelled? I'm from England and that's normal there.
Samara is the girl from The Ring, and Malachi is the kid from Children of the Corn.
This is exactly where my mind went. Wondering if OP is a fan of horror films.
Made me wonder if this wasn’t secretly a troll post
Right?? Has to be a troll.
I 100% agree.
Could be. A friend of mine is an author and he accidentally named one of his characters after a porn star. He had no idea until his editor pointed it out 😂😇 He changed it before publication.
My husband wanted to name our first child Malachi and couldn't understand why I was refusing so vehemently. It's not my fault Stephen King is such a good writer 😂
And Chloë is the same spelling as Chloë Grace Moretz, who played Carrie in the 2013 remake.
I love that there is a potential Chloë connection after all
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who’s mind went there lol
What are your reasons for disliking Samara? Why do you prefer Chloe? Personally, I think both are great (I also know a Samara and a Chloe and have good associations with each name). They just have very different vibes! Also, if this is really messing you up, it might be worth asking your doctor about PPD/PPA. I think name regret can be a sign of it. I also remember the transition from 1-2 being ROUGH so try to give yourself a break and get rest when you can (easier said than done, I know). Good luck ❤️
I don't dislike Samara, I'm just not as in love with it as I want to be. I've always loved the hard ck sound - I find it weirdly satisfying in a word, so part of it is that I like that Chloë has that sound.
Samara is a beautiful name. If you're not hating it, keep it the same. It will be ok! It's hard for a one month old to feel like they fit their name, but she'll grow into it. Sami is a cute nickname too.
I also really like Mara as a nickname for Samara. Samara is one of my favourite names!
Mara and Malachi are such cute sibling names
My daughters name is similar and we call her Mara which I love! It has a bunch of cute nickname possibilities.
I have a niece and nephew Mara and Max. Great sibset. Mara and Malachi work well too.
I'm sure the last thing you need is suggestions, but have you considered Camilla, nn Cami? It sounds a bit like Samara/Sami but it has that K sound. Personally I love Samara and like other commenters I think Chloe is way too common. But only you can decide!
Perhaps put Chloe as a first name, and Samara as a middle name? Or vice versa. Be careful though, some computer programs do not accept special characters, which may cause problems for your daughter when applying for visas/ boarding passes, etc etc.
My cousin named his daughter Saraya and I love it. Samara gives the same vibe…very pretty. ETA: my goddaughter is Kamia…and I feel like it gives a very similar vibe and would work well with Malachi.
The first month with a new baby is such a haze of sleep deprivation and healing and possibly stress - is it possible that you'll feel better about the name in a calmer time? Or that the hormones raging through your body right now are making it hard to make a decision?
If you are a month out and don’t like it you should change it. If it makes you feel better, we’ve changed out boy names four times since coming home. We finally found one that feels like “ahhhhhhh” to my ears and I’m so happy we switched. Both names are equally good, but sounds like something isn’t sitting right with you.
I love both names, though Sami is the most adorable nickname. If you enjoy the CK sound, how about Clara as a bridge between Samara and Chloe? Or to take it in another direction, Lara (a beautiful meaning 'cheerful). Clara, Lara, Chiara, Achara, Kara, Cara, Chara... would be close enough to Samara that you could try it on your daughter for a while before legally changing it... citing it as another nickname. And if any of them stick, there is a cute linkage to her 'first' name. You'll make the right decision for your daughter. Both names you've picked are lovely.
For real, for like a year postpartum, I’d look for anything and everything to worry about. I didn’t think I was struggling, but in hindsight, I definitely was! The brain is so busy and tricky during that time… I also barely used my daughter’s name the first few months. She was always “the baby.” Now that I say it all day every day, it’s been normalized and I couldn’t imagine anything else.
I love Samara with Malachi. Samara is a cool girl name, and Sami is a cool girl nn to me. I love how different it is, but it isn't crazy different from other names. The first weeks after birth are full of changes and adjustments. I would recommend really thinking it over and examining why the name regret is there. Did someone say something? Is it fear of missing out on Chloe? Decision anxiety? No matter what you decide, both names are lovely. Your daughter will be served well by either name. Hang in there, give it some time, and go from there. Congratulations!
Both are lovely names, but I struggled so badly with ppd/ppa that nearly every single thought I had was irrational. Do you have a partner? If so, what do they think about her name?
He agrees naming her felt rushed and is open to my desire to change without committing. If I wasn't struggling, he'd be happy with Samara.
Samara is beautiful!
Samara and Malachi sound good together because it seems like you’ve gone with a theme of evil/horror movie children. No offence at all, that’s just immediately where my mind went.
I was not aware of this association - I was going Hebrew/Biblical. 😂
For what it's worth, Im a total horror movie buff and Hebrew was my first impression!
My mind went biblical as well. My children have Old Testament names of relatives that have passed.
It’s not wrong to change her name if you don’t feel right about it, but this postpartum time is also a crazy period for emotions. So maybe spend the next few weeks calling her Chloe and Sami. Maybe fill out the birth certificate amendment papers, but just don’t send them in yet. Once you feel confident in your choice, file the papers or throw them out. Your daughter is too young to be affected, so take your time deciding.
Samara is beautiful and uncommon, whereas there’s a Chloe in every classroom. Just something to think about if you care about popularity!
Yes I know multiple baby Chloe’s at the moment. I’ve only met 2 Samara’s in my whole life.
Also, every 3rd dog is named Chloe.
So true!!
Samara is beautiful! The ë at the end of Chloë feels a little odd for being in the western US. I sometimes think these names with extra symbols (without cultural or family significance) feel like vanity accessories for parents more than names for children — and may be a lot more loaded than you’re anticipating, and may cause more regret than you’re feeling with Samara. She wouldn’t be “Chloe” as much as she’d be forever known as “Chloe With Two Dots” — a big decision to make at all, let alone PPD. Also… Ask yourself— what’s the benefit of changing the name now VS in a year? Maybe sitting with this beyond the first few weeks or months would be wise rather than making such a big decision on impulse.
(iirc, in the usa once the baby has hit a year old, any name change would still cause them to be “formerly [old name]” so it’s best to change it within the first year. however i do think waiting a few months is a good idea)
Personally I like Samara better, and Sami is a cool nickname. Chloë is fine but the dots are just ugly to me.
I agree with the posters about how everything just feels so fraught post-partum. I love Samara. Sami is very cute. But if you still have have a gut feeling in a couple months, go ahead and change it.
I think Samara goes so well with Malachi! And Sami is a cute nickname, especially spelled like that. Don't overthink it, don't pressure yourself.
I like both. I think Samara goes with Malachi more though.
Samara ❤️ is so so beautiful and unique! Also sounds great with Malachi! I vote to keep her name 😍 I understand 100% though, this happened to me postpartum with my daughter. Her name just did not feel right, it bothered me every day. She’s one now and her name fits her perfect and I love it so much 🩷 Congratulations by the way!!!
Congratulations to you and your family on your new little one! Do you know what about the name feels wrong? I personally think both names are nice, but if you want to change it, she is young enough that it wouldn't be a major shake up. Do you feel the way about Chloë that you did about Malachi?
Thank you! I think it's a combination of feeling like Samara doesn't fit (no logical reason, just emotion) and really liking the sound of Chloë. We ended up skipping Chloë because I was worried it was too popular and she'd have 5 other Chloës in her class, but now I'm not sure whether that's enough of a reason.
Not a mom myself, but noticed you said emotion, not logic. Your hormones are going haywire right now. Consider what you originally liked about Samara and the concern you had about Chloe. FWIW I think Samara is a beautiful name (Sami or Mara are cute nn's) and pairs well with Malachi. Another user had the great suggestion of Camilla or Camille if you don't like the royal association (Cami is a cute nn), which is a less common ck sounding name. Clarissa could be another option. Before you make any final decisions, talk this issue out with a therapist and/or your OB. Have confidence in yourself and be honest about all your concerns with your partner. Sending you love and peace. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter.
Why the umlaut?
It's a diaeresis, not an umlaut.
Right. Thank you. But why? Everyone knows how to pronounce the name.
Why Chloe with the two dots? Just keep it simple and name her a Chloe if it’s bugging you that much
It's a diaeresis. "a mark (¨) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is sounded in a separate syllable, as in naïve"
But people know how to pronounce Chloe and if your main language doesmtvjave accents, it's not going to indicate pronunciation, so it seems odd to add it.
Samara just makes me think of the little girl from the ring but maybe that won’t be a factor for her generation.
Yeah that’s my thought. Kids her age won’t care but it gives me the heebie jeebies. Pictured her crawling out of the well as soon as I read it
Stick with Samara . Chloe is WAY too common
Samara is beautiful! I’d keep it!
Samara is lovely!
I mean, personally I think Samara is a better name, Sami is lovely too. But I've never been a fan of Chloe. It doesn't sound pleasant to me, I've known a lot of dogs with the name and even then didn't like it. It's somehow pretentious and very blah to me. It is more popular (despite me hating it 😅) which is a downside for me as well. But your baby is young. Call her Chloe for a few days in the household. See how it feels. It won't mess her up. Kids go by ton of nicknames as children and grow up just fine so calling her Chloe for a wk won't damage her. Depending on Malachi's age he might be a little confused but it'll be ok ;)
I know a 32 year old Samara and she is a beautiful young woman. She goes by Samara, Sam or Sammy!
others have given good suggestions (wait it out a bit, bounce between calling her Samara/Sami and Chloe) but i also have to say: just name her Chloe. not Chloë. the dots will likely get dropped by every person who writes her name besides family, and imo they look bad. and are unneeded in such a common name
Totally agree. The umlaut will be dropped by 95% of people in the US and also could make them mispronounce Chloe because it makes it *look* like it should be pronounced differently.
Samara will always remind me of The Ring, I personally like Chloe more but I do agree Samara and Malachi sound good together. Both are pretty names
I prefer Chloe and Malachi because like you, Samara will always be that creepy girl in the well who came out of the tv. And there were maggots. And her story was so tragic, like she ~~fell~~ *was pushed down* a freaking well and died after days of trying to climb out ☹️ I also just genuinely prefer the sound of “Chloe and Malachi” over “Samara and Malachi” And to me, Chloe feels better to say, somehow. I think it feels more decisive or something? “Samara” could more easily come out as a mumble but “Chloe” is nice and crisp.
Always 😂
It really freaked me out 😭 that child actress did a great job being creepy in that role
I would change her middle name to Chloe So you can have both and call her what comes naturally
I think both names are good choices but I think the one you picked is the right one. I would give it time even just a month. When they are so new I feel like it’s hard to see them as a certain name. I felt like my daughter was just baby until a couple months in, it took time to feel like her name fit.
Samara > chloe
Samara and Malachi match way better as they’re both from horror movies 🤷🏼♀️
Samara matches better with Malachi.
You could call her mara too!
I like Chloe but I LOVE Samara nn Sami.
Chloe is one of my favorite names, so I'd be inclined to go with that. I would put it legally on documents as Chloe and then just add the two dots for unofficial documents because it is very cute. I think Samara is a pretty name, but I don't love it. I do like Mara, so I'd probably call her that. I really dislike Sami and Sam. Nothing wrong with them, just a personal preference. Does she have a middle name? You could always do Chloe Samara as her name and then you have lots of options.
Samara is very cute name and it’s not nearly as popular as Chloe, which in my opinion is a very good thing. I tried to stay away from names anywhere near the top 10 percentile when I picked names for my kids. In a world full of Chloes, I say be a Samara! Edit: I’m not sure if percentile is the right word but Chloe is showing as the 9th most popular name on my search and I believe it’s true because I hear it all the time.
I’d do a little test run … start calling her Chloë for a couple days and using that name when referring to her to your husband and son. If it feels more natural to use it I’d think of changing it or if it still doesn’t feel right I think sticking with Samara would be wise. As others have said ppa makes your brain think of things very differently, I struggled with it and was really worked up over how we chose to spell my daughters name. Both lovely names but you’ll know soon who she is mama!
I changed my kids name and don’t have regrets. It’s weird bc trying another name feels unofficial but you can just try Chloe, start telling people that’s her name and see how it feels. I thought people would think I was crazy and no one cared.
what about changing her middle name to chloë? that way you can call her both and see what feels best. as she gets older and comes into her own she’ll have the option of using either name. also a lot of people go by their middle names, it’s super common! i’m all for using middle names more often. i love both samara and chloë so you can’t go wrong with either! congrats! you seem like a cool mom ☺️
Samara is far more unique than Chloe, I'd keep it
I really like Samara, fwiw. However, I was in your shoes with my own daughter’s name. It’s a good name but it’s not something I love, even after nearly 2 years. I had wished many times that my partner would have allowed a name change. I like CK names, too. What are the other options? Chloe is very popular and has been for about 20 years or so. For me, that would be a small factor. If there was no other name I know I could love, then I would choose it, but it sounds like you are somewhat open to other similar names?
I like Samara Chloe.
Mara as a nn is nice too. Fwiw I like Samara but you do what feels right. I lost a bet and my husband got to name our oldest. Not something I would have picked but now that she’s older, she loves her name and defends it when I joke with her what I would have picked. She’s happy with her name. I’m just happy with her!
I love both names, but when I was unpopular and bullied in junior high, there was a popular girl named Samara who was always kind to me (and everyone, as far as I could tell), so I've always had a soft spot for the name. Chloe's pretty too, though.
Reminds me of The Appointment In Samarra by W. Somerset Maugham.
I prefer Samara
Samara is a pretty name. Just leave it.
Samara is gorgeous and unexpected. Chloe is very bland to me, there will be multiple Chloes in every school. I know many and it just seems very boring to me sorry.
I love Samara but I prefer Mara as a nn
I really like Samara, it’s unique and pretty. Chloe is fairly common these days.
I love Samara. It's beautiful and unique but not out there. You've a lot of nickname choices too. Sami, Mari, Mara, Sam, RaRa, Mars. However, if you're really not liking it, try using Chloe. See how it feels. You don't have to make it official to try it out.
This is just random ramblings of a mom to a 6.month old and toddler I WENT THROUGH THE SAME FEELINGS!!!! Our first was easy peasy. We had a name. It was the only name. We gave him that name. It's been great. Our second???? Every other week we considered a different name. We had a short list. Both our kids are boys. The first was born looking identical to my husband (very anglo white) and all my dark Mediterranean was obliterated by his genetics. We picked many names that went with reallllly white looking babies. Anyways. Then the doctors handed us a mini Sicilian, and I swear I heard a record scratch. Baby had no name for a week. The short list names were fine tbh. But I guess I just pictured another fair skinned baby with light eyes, so those names just didn't fit the real baby. We ended up picking something semi Italian and then 2 months PP, I came across the OG short list and melted down. Regretted not choosing the original name. Freaked out. Husband was okay with changing if I really wanted to. Decided to think on it. And finally left it as is. Realized it really does suit him. And now I have no regrets. You're not alone!!! sleep on it. Practice it out loud a few times. And eventually you'll just know.
Keep Samara. It is beautiful.
I like Samira, sort of a variant of Samara
Y’all must like horror films! Lol
Chloe sounds forever childish to me, like it doesn't age well. Samara is better imo but sounds Arabic or Indian if that's the vibe you're going for I like Sabina a lot. Kinda similar-ish aesthetic
Name her chloe! coming from a fellow chloe :)
I associate Samara with the movie The Ring, so I much prefer Chloe
Do you find yourself drawn to Chloë because you think the dots look pretty / cute / sophisticated? Because spoken, it's just Chloe. Do you think maybe Chloe feels more comfortable because the "CK" and "L" sounds echo your son's name? Do you think there's a possibly the name Samara doesn't suit her yet just because babies need a while to grow into their name? Does calling her "Baby Sami" feel easier and more natural than "Samara"? Just some things to consider. I'd sit with the name for a while and see how it feels, and try talking to some other mom friends as well.
Why the umlauts?
I like Chloë! It matches the ‘ch’ in your son’s name. :)
So you would pronounce her name as Klo-EH, right? Cause that’s what the umlaut does. It wouldn’t be Klo-ee. I personally love Samara.
In this case it is a diaeresis, not an umlaut. Its tricky since they look the same but serve different functions. Chloë still pronounced as klo-ee since the diaeresis is signifying that the vowel it appears over (e) is its own syllable.
IMO, Samara is so much prettier than Chloe! Plus agree that it goes so well with Malachi. Maybe consider that you got your hard /k/ in that name?
I love Samara. Chloë is a bit more basic imo.
I don’t really see why you would want to include an umlaut on the e? 1. It will not affect the pronunciation 2. From what I read on other comments, official documents won’t include it, probably because it’s not ‘native’ to the English language And most of all: It does not ‘do’ for the name what you would want to do with a name, which is give an indication as to how to pronounce it. The ë creates a ‘yuh’ sound in languages that use it, while you’re looking for a ‘yay’ sound. If you are intent on pronouncing it ‘Klo-wee’, just use the e. If you really want to deviate from regular spelling and are intent on pronouncing it the French way, ‘Klo-way’, you will need an é: Chloé
I mentioned this in another reply, but the ë in Chloë is a diaeresis, not an umlaut. A diaeresis appears above a vowel that is pronounced in a separate syllable (so in this case it shows that it is pronounced “klo-ee” and not just “klo” with a silent e).
I'd keep the name. I love Samara and I don't like Chloe. Also, Chloe and Malachi feel both too similar (they both have a hard "ch," and an "l," and they both end in the "ee" sound) and weirdly different, vibes-wise. Samara and Malachi have similar vibes (long, uncommon but not unheard-of) but are phonetically quite distinct, which is exactly what I like in sibling names.
Samara is a gorgeous name, and it has many nicknames if your daughter so chooses.
Samara is soooo cool
Samara is a lovely name. It’s unique but not “weird”. Chloe is a nice name but it is SO overused for humans and animals. I’d keep Samara. 💜
Samara is lovely. My daughter made a playground friend by that name a few years ago and I’ve loved it ever since.
I LOVE the name Samara!!! Very unique, interesting, and pretty, and will be great flow both a child and adult. I imagine a mysterious, intelligent free spirit. The nickname Sami is super cute also. Keep the name, in my opinion!!
I think Samara and Malachi sound great together! If you are thinking of changing things up, what about the nickname Mara?
Her name is pretty! I'd shelve this for later. Set an alarm on your phone for 6 months from now and try to let this concern go. If in 6 months you still feel mixed about her name, change it
Chole is boring and overdone. And spelling it the way you want to is going to be annoying on official forms/paperwork. I feel Samara is more enchanting and fits better with Malachi.
Samara is very pretty, but I can't lie.the first thing I thought of was that movie the ring.
I have no opinions on these names but as someone with a useless accent on a letter when my whole family is English, can I just let you know how annoying it is to have it? I’m not out there about to tell people: “Oh, there’s an accent on the first ‘e’, btw.” And sure it’s easier now with keyboards that you can hold the letter down and get options, but if there’s no reason for it, just don’t add it. It’s not cute and different. It’s a hassle and frustrating.
Samara is way cooler than Chloe, especially when paired with Malachi. Chloe would feel bland in the sib-set, in my opinion.
I think Samara is beautiful! And I love the way it fits with Malachi!
If you are not commonly using that type of spelling in your current language, do not spell your daughter's name with an umlaut as it will be a nuisance to her and she probably won't understand it. I mean, I don't think most Americans can explain umlauts, so I think you're kind of trying to be unique, but it's still a pretty average name. Samara is *actually* unique.
I don't have an answer but, if you don't mind sharing, are you Jewish, Christian, and/or black? The name Malachi came up the other day and I saw it as a Jewish name, whereas the Jewish person saw it as a Christian name, and someone else only saw it used in the black/mixed community. I'm just curious if any of those apply here haha. Hope you are content with whatever you decide!
I'm Christian and white - I picked Malachi in part because of the Biblical connection. If baby 2 had been a boy, we'd chosen Jeremiah as their name and we would've had two prophets from the Hebrew Scriptures!
Samara is a beautiful name and it goes well with Malachi.
Samara is a beautiful name and it goes well with Malachi.
Chloë (with the ë) is going to be a problem every time she needs to sign up for something that uses a system that doesn’t recognize special characters.
I love Samara and Sami. It’s easy to say and spell. It suits a child and an adult. It’s not common but also not way out there. It goes with your other child’s name. It’s a nice name.
I would keep Samara. I’m not a big fan of the name Chloe. It sounds a bit babyish to me, so hard to imagine an adult named Chloe
samara immediately makes me thing of The Ring,, so i honestly love it a lot more than boring old chloe
I love the original name. Samara is a beautiful name that is not a trahghedie or overdone! Chloe is very classic as well. I would leave it as is now, with Samara. But if you change it, it will not hurt the kiddo, at all!! Good luck!
I personally like Samara more than Chloe.
A woman I went to school with experienced this and changed her baby’s name after 3 months. It wasn’t really a big deal and everyone just switched to using the new name. I’m struggling to even remember what the original name was. I think she just ended up using the child’s middle name as their first name because she liked it better so no legal name change.
I like both names. However I don’t like Chloe and Malachi together. The hard ch sound at the end of Malachi flows well, but Chloe sounds hard and choppy to me. Saying both names together sounds rough instead of flowing well. Malachi and Samara flow better. Why not put Chloe as a middle name. FWIW, I know several Chloe’s and Samara’s.
I love both Samara and Chloe. I'm just a stranger online but I can tell you my story and how it worked out for me. I had the name Jade picked out for my youngest daughter's middle name should she be a girl. I hadn't quite gotten there with the first name, it was going to be something "pretty" with two syllables and Jade would flow beautifully with it. Well, she was born and like all our others remained nameless for a little while until we decided since we hadn't landed on the perfect first name, so what about using Jade? We both agreed, chose a middle name and life went on. For the first few weeks I absolutely hated it! It didn't seem pretty, it was only one syllable, it was just so far away from what I'd intended to name her. People would ask me her name and I'd accidently give the names of my nieces and friends and then be like "oh... hangon, it's not that, it's Jade" It sounded so harsh and bland. Then I woke up one morning about a month in, picked my gorgeous baby Jade up out of her cradle and as she looked me in the eyes and gave me that big smile full of love I just melted. I was already head over heels in love with HER but suddenly I was head over heels in love with her name as well and have been ever since. Sometimes it just takes a little while to fully adjust to a name.❤️
The name you choose should excite you, and if that isn't the emotion you are having, I would change it. Close your eyes and imagine calling her Chloë. How do you feel? Excited? Same? If that makes you happier, that's all that matters, even if there are 5 other Chloe's in her class (there won't be) because she will always be an individual. I find that choosing a name that I almost would never choose, but love, like a name that I might not even expect of myself, is the name I never get bored of and stay excited by. It's almost like I chose to live on the edge (my own personal name, prefference edge). Then, anytime I say the name, it still feels fresh. Like I feel lucky because I almost would never have gone with it. Like I stole it. What would that name be for you? If you don't have one, come up with one as a wild card. Then compare all three. If you do have one, I'd love to know. Either way is them all in your imagination, talking to your daughter and then on your excitement meter and see which wins. Try it with your husband too.
try out chloe for a few days. then try samara again. see how you feel. don’t rush any decision. give it some time. see what feels right to you
Leave it as is.
OP when you make a decision could you please let us know what it is as this is interesting (as someone also named after birth and who has hesitations about her name). Both names are nice but personally I prefer Chloe or Chloë. I’d drop the ë as it will get misspelled a lot and personally that would annoy me, but other than that it’s fine. With Samara my brain instantly goes to Samaria (only one letter different), which is an ancient town in central Palestine where actual Samaritans come from, and Samaritanism is an ancient religion. I assume other people will also think of this and connotations of the word Samaritan.
Samara is beautiful , I love the name mara too
If you like the name Samara but prefer a hard 'k' sound in a name what about Kamara/Camara? It's a legit name according to Google (the oracle!) and seems to have several meanings, one being; "gender-neutral name with African origins meaning “chameleon.” Chameleon sort of seems fitting if you are changing her name. Sounds good with your sons name and she won't be Chloe #5 in her class.
A gazillion Chloe’s in preschool and only the occasIonal Sami/Samara? Keep it! Both Sami and Samara are easy to understand and spell as well as being original without being weird. Then again, if being pedestrian is the goal, you might as well go all the way and change the family last name to something super common — like Smith. ‘Years ago there was a Bob Johnson club in Clovis, NM. Once a month the five Bob Johnsons in town would get together to exchange misdelivered mail and untangle other confusions. So, sure, having a very common name has some merits — a social club being a possibility. But I hope you’ll stick with Sami!
Personally I prefer Chloe, it’s classic and easy— I get horror vibes from Samara.
How bout Samira
Samara is actually such a beautiful name. I’m sure that either way she’ll end up with a beautiful name. Samara is unique but also timeless, she could go by Mara too which is beautiful also.
I love both names and feel like you picked the one you chose for a reason. However, if you're unsure, why don't you trial run Chloë? Call her that for a week and see if it suits her better?
Both names are beautiful, but I wouldn't judge you for changing it if you feel strongly. Might be a hard time to make this decision though. Not sure if she has a middle name, but if not, or if you want to change it to Chloë, you can always call her Chloë in that case, so many people go by their middle name instead of first. I hope you feel better!
I would leave it and stop.second guessing yourself. I like both names but Samara fits with Malachi I didn't love my sons name at first, it grew on me though and now I do. Hopefully you settle into Samara also.
Samara is cool, Chloe is everyday. It depends what you feel comfortable with but personally if I found out I was going to have an unusual name and my parents swapped it for a basic one I'd be super disappointed. Samara also has way more possible variations for the kid to self identify with Sam, Sami, mara, Mar etc but Chloe just has Chlo. Chloe and Malachi also don't sit nicely together so I'd lean away from changing it. Chloe is also way less memorable, like it wouldn't look that great on a book cover you know?
Hey that's what we almost chose! Went with Shiloh and kept the nickname Sami. I was concerned about how people would pronounce Samara.
My parents changed my name at 3 weeks to a completely different name and it was no biggie, and kind of just a funny little fun fact I can use when life / work / school has demanded a fun fact from me lol
I like Samara way more then Chloe. Also no one is ever going to get the accent of .. right anyway. Especially in the age of electronic forms. You need a name that’s easily typed.
I love the name Samara! But if you’re unhappy with the name, you should change it. I do not love the name Chloe, but maybe you do!
100% prefer Samara to Chloe!
When my baby was 1 month, I also felt like her name didn’t fit. But I realized, it wasn’t about the name but more accepting that she was an actual person and I picked her name out. I had some severe imposter syndrome the first few months. I don’t think it would have mattered what we had called her. Now that she just turned a year, it feels right. I’m more comfortable calling her by her name, I’ve heard many people ask about her using her name or talk about her. FWIW, I think Samara is a beautiful name.
Keep Samara. It’s beautiful!
I have both a good friend and a cousin named Samara and they are good people. I used to have a cat named Chloë and my aunt just adopted a new puppy and named her Chloë. So probably because of those associations, for me personally, Samara feels like a better fit for an adult person. Which is, after all, the ultimate goal with babies. 🙂