Mumsnet Talk

Everyone was very helpful last time I posted on the board with my shortlist for girls and boys... looks like we're having a girl so I'm nearly decided on;

Elsa Marianné

(Marianné after my Gran but was spelt Marianne pronounced Marianna)

Not sure whether to just go with the easier spelling of Marianna for form filling or go with the accented version.

My DH is not convinced about Elsa though (neither are the in laws) everyone saying it is too old fashioned, but I still love it. He wants me to go with Emma instead as a more 'acceptable' name.

What does everyone think?

Marianne[actute] will never come out, she will be Elsa Marianne forever, so depends whether you'd rather have the look or the sound of yoru gran's name

I too prefer Emma but Elsa doesn't make me run screaming, iyswim

I love Elsa, and think Mariann-e (can't do accents, sorry) is lovely as well.

Agree that it's unlikely that anyone will pronounce the accent, but if it's a middle name then it's not going to be used all that often anyway?

My DD's middle name is Isabelle and most people want to pronounce and spell it as Isobel, but like you it was after my much loved gran and the spelling was very important to me.

Yes, Elsa is one of the older names, but it's a lovely name and lots of older names are making a comeback. It's also unlikely there will be a lot of Elsas at school but Emma is perenially popular!

I'm actually sitting here wondering why it wasn't on my list when I had DD 2.5 years ago

I think Marianne is a beautiful name. I would pronounce the version with the accent as

Ma ree ann ay

I would go for Marianne/Marianna as they don't need any further explanation.

Elsa is lovely too BTW.

Marianne can be pronounced the way you like without the accent on (with a French slightly over-pronounced accent anyway), but if you add the acute accent on it just looks a bit contrived, as it's inauthentic, and should give an "ay" sound rather than "a" anyway. So stick to the original or add the a at the end if you want to help Brits pronounce it the way you want, I reckon.

Thanks everyone...I also have an old fashioned name for my DS so think they would go together well....

I don't mind if the accent is missed off Marianne as Marianne itself is a beautiful name.

Although Elsa is old fashioned it is really quite a pretty name (not stern or too strong). Also Elsa features strongly in my family tree so would love to keep the name in the family.

They are beautiful names.

I prefer Marianne to Elsa. Both are lovely - and nicer than Emma IMHO - but I would rearrange it to Marianne Elsa.

If you go with Marianne as either a first or second name then you need to decide whether to have an accent or not. Having one but not being bothered about pronunciation will just be confusing.

Beautiful names tho.

Elsa is ok. Then either Marianne or Marianna, lose the accent.

The accented version is silly; go for Marianne or Marianna without the accent Elsa is beautiful, imo. It's not old fashioned. Elsie is old fashioned, but Elsa is timeless.

Lovely name combination. Like Marianne without the accent.

Very nice (I'd drop the accent too, but I really like Marianne more than Marianna, and think it sounds better too, although that obviously depends on your surname as well).

Emma is a nice name, but Elsa is slightly more distinctive. Old fashioned is good at the moment in any case.

My friend has an Elsa. Its lovely and not old fashioned like Elsie I think. I agree go with Marianne or Marianna and drop the accent.

Hi both nice names. I'd go without the accent too. My niece is called Ines with an accent on the e and it never gets written down with the accent at nursery/in cards wherever really.

Thank you everyone, great advice as always... My surname is MacGregor. I like the 'look' of Marianne over Marianna and the middle name doesn't get used much anyway so think I'll go without the accent but just tell people how it is meant to sound(goodness knows my Gran had to do that her entire life!).

I love Marianne, it's on my will-never-need-can't forget list.

Elsa Marianne without the accent though.

Elsa is very fashionable. It could do a ruby style march up the charts.

Does the accented version actually exist? If it does, then I don't like it still, but understand that some might.

I don't really understand why you don't want Marianne or Marianna if that is what the grandmother was called? Both are lovely.

Prefer Emma to Elsa myself. I find Elsa sounds a bit harsh and although there are a gazillion Emmas aged 25-35, it is due a classy comeback.

Marianna McGregor sounds lovely. I know a classical musician called something v similar (Marianna and then another Mc surname)

I would go without the accent for Marianne. It looks a bit like you have taken a nice name and then 'tried too hard' by putting an accent on. Also, you can bet your bottom dollar that on any official paperwork the accent will be missing and it will just a source of frustration.
And personally, I love Marianne and even Marianna but don't like Marianne[accent] It does not look right nor does it sound right. (but then I am Dutch and grew up with quite a few Mariannes)

As for Elsa - I love it. It is nice

I have an Elsa ! and although I don't want it to do a hike up the ratings charts, I do absolutely love it. Go for it !

I don't think having an accent on a name is much fun in the era of computerisation. As Marianne (without) is a recognisable name she'll simply get called that.
Lovely name choices though.

Elsa is a beautiful name.
I'd seriously think to use it if I had another child. We are Italian and Elsa was the name of a great 20th century Italian writer.

Lovely lovely lovely.

I'd worry about the pronouciation thing on the middle name but how often do you need to worry about that?

Ooh!

Love Elsa!

I would go for Marianne without the accent,or spell Marianna if you want the pronunciation the same as your Grans.

What have ILs got to do with it?

Husband & I are obviously strange as we never told anyone what names we were considering, and everyone was told after the birth.

Gosh what a coincidence - I have an aunt who is Elsa Marion (prefer your French version though).

I think it's lovely. My aunt however is another story so using the name for my dc in our family would have raised eyebrows.. that's just our mad setup though . I did seriously consider Elsa though because I like it very much.

Go for it - it's elegant and unusual but not in a gimmicky way.

Elsa is my favourite name of all time, absolutely yes!