Ottilie, Tabitha, Eleanor...?

[veryfriendlylion]

Baby due end of Dec, we don't know the gender. I'm pretty certain it's a boy (name options Arthur, Fred, Felix).

Girls names we like are Ottilie, Tabitha, Eleanor, Florence, Beatrice/x. You probably get the picture that we like old fashioned names. We also work in a boarding school so hard pressed to find a name that doesn't remind us of a little shit darling.

My question is...is Ottilie (or any of our other options) a bit (or very) pretentious? I think it's pretty whilst not being airy fairy but starting to doubt myself.

Please be kind

[LottieDoubtie]

I think it is a bit pretentious sorry. The real question is... you work in a boarding school but will your child go to your kind of school?

Think about the experience he/she will have rather than the one you are teaching in currently.

Of your choices Eleanor is my favourite and I think she would fit in in any environment.

[TheoriginalLEM]

I like Ottilie the best out of all of those.

Tabitha is ok but there is scope for being called tabby cat - i wouldn't mind myself.

I really like persephone but again percy as a diminutive isn't the best.

Ottilie i guess would be shortened to tillie

[GerundTheBehemoth]

Tabitha is my favourite out of your suggestions. I think Florence is nice, and Eleanor and Beatrice are OK. Don't care for Ottilie at all - just don't think it sounds nice.

[welshweasel]

My niece is Otilie. Usually goes by Tilly. Not particularly posh, never had any issues at her local school.

[Pluto30]

Ottilie is terrible and very pretentious.

Sounds just like "otter" and I'd never heard of it until joining Mumsnet.

Tabitha is my favourite of your suggestions.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Eleanor.

[groovygreenwichgirl]

I don't like Ottilie and do think it's a bit pretentious tbh.

Love the other names though, particularly Tabitha. Love your boy choices too.

[LuciaInFurs]

I love Ottilie. It can be pronounced 'O-till-ee' or 'O-till-ee-yah'. I love both pronunciations.

[worldsworstchildren]

I know an Ottilie. It is shortened to Ottie.

[TheCrumpledToe]

I love the name Ottilie

[user1477282676]

I also love Ottilie. I like Tabitha too but there are a lot of those. Feck this "pretentious" shit. It's a lovely name and if you like it so be it!

People who say "Oh that's a pretentious name" really annoy me. Stop policing other people's taste!

[Joinourclub]

I know an Otillie and it is s lovely name for a lovely girl.

[trinitybleu]

I love all your suggestions apart from Eleanor (just because I know loads of them, its the new Olivia around here) and I have a Tabitha.

She's called Tabs by some of her friends (we have another nickname for her which would out me) but I've never seen a problem with being called Tabby or the cat association. She'd love it if people thought she was a cat!

[Aftershock15]

I prefer Etoile but don't think Ottilie is unreasonable if you like it. As a pp said Tilly is a perfectly normally nickname.

[MrsCaecilius]

Love Ottilie and Tabitha (we clearly have similar taste), Eleanor is pretty - but a bit more run-of-the-mill to my ears. Your boy's names are all lovely too!

[Pluto30]

Etoile?

[ElizaDontlittle]

I like them, I know a little Ottilie, state educated, and an Eleanor (ditto) - neither are abbreviated by family but I guess they are at school!

[user1471950254]

I think Ottilie is lovely

[L1lyOfTheValley]

Love the name Ottilie - DD has a classmate who is Ottilie, everyday name is Tilly.

Not so keen on Tabitha or Eleanor though.

[MadameSilva]

Out of your choices I would say only Ottilie is somewhat pretentious. Lots of Florence, Beatrice and Eleanors around my way and social (&media) groups. I know one toddler Tabitha, her mother is very posh - Bibi for short.

My dd has a name that often described as pretentious. We live on a dire council estate so I suppose I'm a wannabe/social climber. Week cares? Choose the name you love!

[Gruffalosfriend]

I love Ottilie and Tabitha. Ottilie is beautiful, feminine, classic and not too common. I just don't get the 'pretentious' worry, what does that actually mean? Is anything outside the top 100 pretentious, is anything unusual pretentious?

And I wonder what those of you who find Ottilie 'awful and pretentious' have named your children? Just to get an idea of their tastes and preferences.

[princesshaley]

I love Ottilie, Beatrice, Eleanor and Florence - I think any of them are perfectly fine. I actually knew an Ottilie who was a bit pretentious, I guess you could say?? But I wouldn't say it's any different from Henrietta or Beatrix. I think they're quite nice names.

My favourite is Florence but SO isn't keen Ottilie and Eleanor are on my own list of favourite names

[PoldarksBreeches]

Ottilie just isn't nice in an English accent; sounds like utterly.

[JudgeJudySheidlin]

Ignore the pretentious worry because someone will always have an opinion about a name being faddy or unique or old fashioned or awful etc,. Just choose a name you like.

Loving Ottilie. I'd certainly consider it for my imaginary DC3 but think it's a boy

[fleurdelacourt]

Ottillie - does sound a bit like 'utterly' in an English accent- shame as it is such a pretty name.

Don't like Tabitha - doesn't it always get shortened to tabby?

Same issue with Eleanor - like it a lot - but won't she just be another 'Ellie'?