Were I to have the pleasure of naming a girl, my longlist would be the first place I turned. A collection of sixty-five names dear to me, with varying degrees of usability and favour, I’m constantly polishing and refining this list. I’ve divided it into five distinct categories each reflecting my feelings about the names held within. Enjoy!

- my usable shortlist

These are the names I love most in the world, in the order I'd use them. I'd like nothing more than to give these as a first precious gift to my daughter. The top five are set in stone but the next have been quite volatile of late - I’m useless at deciding which I like more.

• Mia

Mia is an Italian word name meaning "mine" or a Scandinavian short form of the Hebrew or Egyptian Maria, meaning "drop of the sea, bitter or beloved". Mia is incredibly meaningful as a name for me due to personal reasons - and "mine" is the ultimate best meaning to me, because that's exactly what my daughter will be. But more than that, she's incredibly appealing for nearly everyone - feminine without being fussy and over-the-top, short and sweet without being unsubstantial, simple and modern yet still with historical roots. Perhaps the only thing that holds me back is her popularity - a top 10, 50 and 100 name worldwide - but I think that underscores just how lovely she is.

My current combos are Mia Charlize & Mia Stellaluna Rose.

• Imogen "Immy, Mim, Ginny"

Imogen is a Celtic name meaning "daughter or maiden". Some say that she's a Shakespearean misspelling of Innogen, which I think is a cute literary link. The quintessential classy, British-Australian, ever-so-slightly trendy name, she's full of upside. I adore her distinctive sound - nobody's going to mistake her for another name - her strength and feminine image without being frilly, and her sweet but not too cutesy nicknames, Immy, Mim and Ginny. With Ginny, there's a little Harry Potter link - the icing on the cake really.

My current combos are Imogen Talia & Imogen Talia Wren.

• Bronte

Bronte is a Greek name meaning "thunder". For me, Bronte is the quadruple threat, the queen of good associations. The meaning and sound conjures up a wild, untamed sort of beauty. Her slightly harsh sound turns some off but I find it mellifluous, and picture the breath-taking open ocean. She gives her name to Bronte Beach, and the lovely literary sisters are yet another positive. Finally, Olympic swimmer (and wonderful person) Bronte Campbell caps off the list. While my love for other names is gentle and sweet, what I feel for Bronte is passionate, strong and most befitting of her.

My current combos are Bronte Marianne & Bronte Marianne Charlize.

• Lily

Lily is an English flower name meaning, of course, "lily". She's elegant with a gentle, lovely sound, and more than anything, feels like my daughter. I love the way she meshes with my other favourites, and the 'L' initial. Lily Potter is, of course, another plus, representing the epitome of a mother's love. A name that represents that feels like the greatest gift I could possibly give my daughter. Lastly, she's a subtle nod to a one-time friend whose middle name is Liliana.

My current combos are Lily Electra & Lily Summer Electra.

• Maeve

Maeve is an Irish name meaning "she who intoxicates". I’m a bit of a sucker for mythological names, so Maeve’s twin Irish mythology associations are a double bonus - a warrior queen and the queen of fairies. A cool, alluring, Nameberry darling, I've always felt inexplicably drawn to her ever since I heard it was the name of one of my mum's students. Maeve is like a favourite song, always playing in the background of your head, maybe not at the front of your mind but never far from it.

My current combos are Maeve Olympia & Maeve Olympia Darcie.

• Luna

Luna is a Latin name meaning “moon”. In Roman mythology, she was the goddess of the moon. Luna is a name I could say forever, with the most beautiful sound. Modern but grounded, I’ve loved Luna ever since the first time I read Harry Potter, though she’s only recently entered my shortlist (sorry Thea!). Luna Lovegood herself is a delightful association - a smart, creative character unafraid of being herself. It pains me a little that I probably can’t use Lily and Luna together, but such is life. Luna also tucks in a subtle honour for myself, as my middle name is Louise.

My current combos are Luna Darcie & Luna Isabel Clara.

• Ivy

Ivy is an English botanical name meaning, unsurprisingly, “ivy”. On-trend nature and botanical names feature heavily on my list, and the bouncy, mystical Ivy is yet another. In the language of flowers, she symbolises faithfulness, and, like many of my favourites, she’s rocketing up the charts. She’s also associated with the prestigious Ivy League schools which I think perfectly encapsulates her - grounded yet beautiful.

My current combos are Ivy Nina & Ivy Nina Adelaide.

• Rosa

Rosa is a Latinate variation of Rose, meaning “rose, a flower”. Rose is lovely but Rosa brings some international flair. She easily crosses cultures and follows the two syllable, ends in -a pattern of many of my favourites while sounding distinct. She’s vintage and well-known without being overdone and has some lovely namesakes - a thirteenth century saint and civil rights activist Rosa Parks. I see her as somewhat of a quiet achiever. She’s been on my list forever yet my love for her has never waned.

My current combos are Rosa Summer & Rosa Bridie Colette.

• Saskia

Saskia is a Dutch name meaning “saxon”. Not as popular as some of my other top picks (though I can’t understand why), Saskia has a European flair and combines sass with elegance. She has a plethora of nickname options - Sassy, Kiki, Saski and Kia - that add to her appeal, and a famous namesake is the wife of Dutch impressionist painter Rembrandt. For quite some time, Saskia has been my solid number six, and while she’s slipped a little down my rankings over the past few weeks, I still think she’d make a lovely pick for my daughter.

My current combos are Saskia Wren and Saskia Romillie Faith.

• Stella

Stella is a Latin name meaning “star”. She combines the lovely, though super popular, ‘ella’ sound with earthy, celestial roots. Yet another that’s climbing up the charts, Stella feels familiar while still maintaining an air of mystery. She’s fun to say and a joy to think about. Stella also happens to be the name of a friend who I’d love to honour, so to me Stella symbolises friendship.

My current combos are Stella Faye & Stella Felicity Faye.

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- my most usable back-ups

These are in alphabetical order, because quite frankly ordering them at this point would give me an aneurysm (but I will order them someday!). If, for some reason, my entire shortlist got vetoed, I'd be perfectly happy using any one of these.

• Alice

Alice is a German name meaning “noble”. Alice has rocketed

My current combo is Alice Rain.

• Amelie

My current combo is Amelie Juno.

• Astrid

My current combo is Astrid Hazel.

• Cora

My current combo is Cora Vivian.

• Darcie

My current combo is Darcie Elinor.

• Elise

My current combo is Elise Madeleine.

• Hazel

combo musings ~ hazel piper, hazel theodota, hazel oceane, hazel annukka, hazel odette, hazel paloma, hazel renata

• Lila

combo musings ~ lila juliet, lila frances, lila sylvie, lila margaux, lila marijke, lila mathilde, lila monroe, lila rhiannon

• Mae

combo musings ~ mae leonie, mae hestia, mae evangeline, mae annemieke, mae delilah, mae persephone, mae vittoria

• Pippa

combo musings ~ pippa hermione, pippa daisy, pippa indiana, pippa noelle

• Orla

combo musings ~ orla indie, orla romee, orla sylvie, orla amity, orla guinevere, orla pomona

• Runa

combo musings ~ runa daisy, runa alexandria, runa acacia, runa adeline, runa madelief, runa phoebe, runa soleil

• Summer

combo musings ~ summer juno, summer athena, summer adrienne, summer lucia, summer brigid, summer ailsa, summer guinevere, summer quintessa

• Verity

combo musings ~ verity fleur, verity hazel, verity freya, verity adeluna, verity alaska, verity ailsa, verity fiadh, verity gaia, verity savannah

• Zalia

combo musings ~ zalia rain, zalia amoret, zalia anaïs, zalia cerise, zalia clementine, zalia echo, zalia niamh, zalia ruth

- the old faithfuls

These, in alphabetical order, are some of my long-lasting names. They've been on my list or at the very least my radar forever. None of these inspire quite the fireworks of my shortlist and back-ups, but they're still on my tertiary list because, given a reason, I could very easily fall in love.

• Adeline
• Amelie
• Anneliese
• Bridie
• Charlize
• Eliza
• Ella
• Fern
• Francesca
• Holly
• Isabel
• Jade

combo musings ~ jade amity, jade minerva

• Kaia
• Nina
• Olivia
• Ophelia
• Ruby
• Sadie
• Scarlet
• Talia
• Thea

-the beautiful outliers

Something that holds great appeal to me is bending my style or the names I love to fit another taste. These are the names that are a bit adventurous, or international, or gender-neutral, which I love dearly but probably wouldn't use right now.

• Athena
• Hollis
• Mathilde
• Minerva
• Olympia
• Rowena
• Valentina
• Willoughby

-my nearly-there likes

The final category of my long-list is the names on the fringes. I like them very much but I'm not quite sure yet whether I love them - a work in progress, if you will.

• Anya
• Audrey
• Colette
• Delilah
• Elodie
• Flora
• Liana
• Lucia
• Meg
• Noelle
• Poppy
• Tess