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Unusual and rare name advice needed.

110 replies

secretcove · 06/06/2009 19:51

I'm not ashamed to admit that want an unusual name for this baby, I don't want her to have the same name as anybody in her class or school. I know that this can still happen with a rare name but it's less likely.

So I need your wise thoughts on my names and more suggestions of rare names which are not likely to become popular in the future.

what do you think of the following:

Euphemia
Delilah
Juniper
Perdita
Isolde
Drusilla
Magdalen
Pandora
Cressida
Vi ola
Ismene

more suggestions please.

OP posts:
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rubyslippers · 06/06/2009 19:53

Juniper - have seen this mentioned on name threads a couple of times on MN - i do quite like it

Perdita - doesn't that mean lost?

i do like Isolde but have to confess am not keen on any of the others - Pandora makes me think of Adrian Mole

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lockets · 06/06/2009 19:55

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EyeballshasBackBoobs · 06/06/2009 19:56

Love Viola.

Like Isolde, Cressida and Perdita

How would you pronounce Magdalen? Have to know that before I decide

Juniper is just silly

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audley · 06/06/2009 19:56

Goodness me what a fab list, I like all of them except Drusilla, which sounds and looks a little scary to me. Euphemia is nice but reminds me off breathing difficulties, love Juniper, love Perdita but for the Jilly Cooper character, Isolde and Ismene are perhaps the most unusual but I prefer the others. Oh don't like Delilah either, seems a bit cheap given the character of Samson's ladyfriend. So my favourites are Juniper, Magdalen, PAndora, Cressida, Viola. Will think of some alternatives.

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CrushWithEyeliner · 06/06/2009 19:57

Euphemia - stunning

Perdita "one who is lost"- beautiful, reminds me of a Winters Tale

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fucksticks · 06/06/2009 19:58

Perdita is 'lost one' sounds sad
Drusilla is a famous zoo where I'm from!
I know a Delilah and didnt think 'oh thats so unusual' when I heard it

Isolde
Cressida
Juniper

are all pretty and unusual

The others are unusual and sound a bit twatty tbh. You dont want to go for a name purely because its unusual when it doesnt actually sound that great do you?

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lockets · 06/06/2009 19:58

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MaggieBee · 06/06/2009 19:59

Ismene is the nicest from your list.

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Deemented · 06/06/2009 19:59

I quite like Delilah and Viola, but not keen on any of the others.

Laila
Breeanna
Brogan - dd
Azariah - dd's middle name
Anushka

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Castiel · 06/06/2009 19:59

Know two baby Delilahs and two Isoldes, one a baby, one a toddler. Know a new baby Viola as well.

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EyeballshasBackBoobs · 06/06/2009 20:00

I love it but never think of Ursula although I went to an Ursuline school. Must mentally file it in case of DD2

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yama · 06/06/2009 20:04

I like Euphemia.

What about Paloma? I heard a singer on the radio today talking about her singer flat mate called Paloma and I thought 'Hmm, nice name'.

And Breege or Bree? Both are Irish variations on Brigit.

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MaggieBee · 06/06/2009 20:04

I reckon that Delilah is on the increase. Lila names are no longer unusual enough for the people who want unusual names, but people are inadvertently drawn to a version of a name that's popular.

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Thunderduck · 06/06/2009 20:04

No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No

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georgimama · 06/06/2009 20:06

Cosmo
Consuela
Honeysuckle
Ariadne
Juno

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Chunkamatic · 06/06/2009 20:06

Hephzibah - my fantasy name for a fantasy daughter! It means "my love is in her2 or similar in Hebrew. Can be shortened to Eppie/Effie...

Of your list my fave would be Perdita but I think the most unusual is Ismene (only in that i've never heard of it!) Magdalen reminds me of that film the Magdalen Laundries

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Chunkamatic · 06/06/2009 20:08

yama I think Paloma is very chic! Isn't it the spanish word for dove?

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warthog · 06/06/2009 20:09

Euphemia - euphemism
Delilah - samson and delilah - she going to be a hairdresser?
Juniper - bush - life of brian - suggestion of food
Perdita - lost one from jilly cooper book polo
Isolde - tristan und isolde - wagner opera
Drusilla
Magdalen - jesus' supposed wife
Pandora - ooooh that's a racey name
Cressida - model of a toyota car
Vi ola - musical instrument and flower name
Ismene

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mrswoolf · 06/06/2009 20:10

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mrswoolf · 06/06/2009 20:13

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Thunderduck · 06/06/2009 20:15

Ok in slightly more detail this time.

Euphemia No. Not a pleasant name at all.
Delilah No. Everyone will sing Tom Jones or The Plain White T's to her.
Juniper No. Too silly.

Perdita No.It makes me think of Perdita Pongo from 101 Dalmatians.
Isolde Not bad actually. It's rather nice.
Drusilla No. Too harsh sounding and makes me think of the crazy vampire from Buffy.
Magdalen Awful.
Pandora.No. Not the most pleasant sounding name, not awful though but I don't like the myth that's associated with the name.
Cressida. Bloody awful.
Vi ola Not bad but I don't think I could name a child after an instrument. It does have a pleasant sound though.
Ismene. Pleasant enough.

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lockets · 06/06/2009 20:16

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FaintlyMacabre · 06/06/2009 20:18

Juniper was our 'bump' name. I might have considered it as a middle name for a girl, but we had an Edward instead.

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MsTrilobite · 06/06/2009 20:19

I love euphemia, magdalen and isolde. I would probably go for isolde or ismene so as to give your DD the option of having a very common, everyday shorter version (izzy) if she doesn't like having an unusual name.

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MsTrilobite · 06/06/2009 20:19

Actually magdalen would also work in that way it you like Maggie.

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