Feedback on Molly please

[MrsSleepyhead]

DC2 due in a couple of weeks. We have a couple of possible names for a girl but nothing that we are completely in love with.

At the moment the top runner is Molly, but I'm slightly put off by its meaning, 'Sea of bitterness'. I'm also not overly keen on abbreviated names - but is Molly established enough now as a name in its own right, rather than just a nickname for 'Mary'?

The other possibility is Lily but the huge popularity of this does worry me (not that popularity is a deal breaker, DD is 'Ella' which we loved from day one).

Any thoughts, feedback or other suggestions would be most welcome!

[CharlieBoo]

My ds was going to be Molly 6 years ago if he was a girl....I love it, much nicer than Lily and not as popular.

Go for it and good luck

[RockBat]

I think Molly is fine on its own. I have a mad second cousin Molly so it kind of colours it for me :o

Ella and Molly flows better than Ella and Lily although I slightly prefer Lily.

All lovely names though :)

[chickentwizzler]

Love love love it. Much prefer Molly to Lily. It is a name in its own right. I wouldnt give a second thought to the meaning.

[dilbertina]

My dd2 is a Molly. She is the most smiley cheerful little girl - no apparent bitterness yet (although only 18mo so time yet!).

It doesn't seem all that clear what the origins are, but as well as "sea of bitterness" it can also mean "wished for child" - I go with that one!

No-one has ever asked if Molly is short for anything and her name is generally remarked upon positively...and we've not met another one yet. HTH!

[Rycie]

I love Molly, was on my list originally, DH vetoed sadly.

[YorkshireTeaDrinker]

Molly is lovely. It is origionally a short for Margaret, but there are so many diminutives of Margaret that are names in their own right now.

[HighlandlassinLondonshire]

I really love the name Molly, however my father called his dog Molly so that's that really....! Very annoying.

[stressheaderic]

4 Mollys in my baby massage group of 15 this year. . . tis fast becoming the new Lily/Ruby (round here anyway)

[Hulababy]

My DD is Mollie, she's 8y. I love the name.

We know of one adult called Mollie - so for me it works v well on older people too.

As for popularity - there is no other Molly/Mollie in DD's school of 90 girls. There is no Molly/Mollie in the infants I work at - approx 135 girls. None of our family or friends have a Molly/Mollie.
We have met a handful when out and about.

Mollie has been a name in its own right for many many years.

[BudaisintheZONE]

Love it.

LOL at people calling their dog Molly though! I have a friend with a DD called Molly and we were getting a puppy this summer and Molly was on my list. I texted my friend to ask if she would be offended and she replied that when she was growing up her parents had a dog called Molly and she called her DD after her!

[NothereisnobodylurkingbehindU]

I prefer Molly to Lily but I like Polly better than both of them!

[discobeaver]

My parents have a dog called Molly, a proper bug eyed little thing. It's one of the most popular dog'snames in the U.K

Makes me think of Milly Molly Mandy.

[Sunlightdances]

As you are looking for opinions... I really hate it. I find it twee and rather blah; it has no substance.

I adore Lily.

[NiceCuppaT]

Another meaning is 'star of the seas'!

[NiceCuppaT]

Oh and I know one 13 year old molly, and one three year old but she's in the states....and no dogs called molly!

[metromum]

Molly is lovely and Ella and Molly go really nicely together.

[DandyDan]

Molly may derive from Mary, the meaning of that is usually "dew of the sea" or "star of the sea", but if Mary is in turn derived from Miriam, then it is possible the name means "sea of bitterness". But I don't think this is a bad thing: Miriam is the sister of Moses who saves and protects her baby brother's life , and is the one who sings a song of celebration (with a tambourine) when the Red Sea allows the Israelites to escape from slavery in Egypt. The idea of seas of bitterness there are superceded by the resulting freedom and joy: a name that links you to that sort of character and emotion can only be good.

Longwinded way to say, Molly is a great name, and it doesn't matter a jot what the meaning is but there's lots of good in it too.

[notso]

I love Molly, I'm not really bothered by meanings of names tbh, my name means Pure and I'm probably not so who cares .

A bazillion people will say that their cat/dog/sheep/stick insect is called Molly though but never fear when I am Prime Minister it will be against the law to call pets people names, there will be an approved pet names list.

[notso]

[hgrin] Freudian typo there I do love a gin at 10:16 in the morning!

[Chynah]

sorry but I find Molly absolutely awful - calls to mind some victorian scullery maid.

[mathanxiety]

Chynah -- same impression here.

[stenogirl]

I know a 21-year-old Molly. She says her name feels too cutesy now. When she says her name on the phone, she feels about 5.

[MaryBS]

I was told that in Switzerland, Molly means "fatty", not sure how true this is. Also in the Fens, Molly Men are similar to Morris dancers.

But other than that, I quite like the name!