Mumsnet Talk

So we've been merrily going through this pregnancy without much thought that the product of it might need a name!

I tend to mull over names and then work out if I like it or not. Most I'll start out liking but then realise its not the name for us.

Except for one name that I can't decide if I love it or am completely not fussed.

So what do you think about... Moira?

Just general impressions if you heard it even if you wouldn't choose it would be appreciated. And is it too closely linked to the newsreader of the same name?!

Thank you!

I think it's a nice name as the person gets older but not so good for a baby or young child.

Moira is a lovely old fashioned name. Many of the older names are coming back into fashion now. If you like the name then use it , but if you are not sure then use it as a middle name because a lot of people are known by their middle names.
Whatever you decide, GOOD LUCK!

I don't like it.

I don't like it either, sorry.

Well, of course the first thing that spring to mind is Moira Stewart, but there are worse people to to namesaked with.

For the above reasons, it brings to mind a studious little girl, but a nice one!

I like it, but then I like Myra too.

I like it. And as for the not good for a baby- well, she'll be a baby for a year, a child for another 13 or so, and an adult for 70, so picking a name that suits a baby is a bit silly really. And that's why grown ups end up being called TrixieBelle and Woffles and Sunny. Because people forget their baby is going to grow up!

I'd be a bit worried about Mo, thought- not sure about that.

I think of a homeless Scottish woman in mittens....

I don't lve it , I am afraid. Maura is nicer.

Myra is horrible.

I see your point seeker but there are lots of names that suit children and still suit them when they are an adult. Moira is an adult sounding name IMO.

Not keen. Sorry

I'm not too worried about it suiting a baby or
Toddler because I feel that their cuteness tends to turn the name to being theirs.

I just don't know. We're being utterly useless at names. I feel like it could be a name I love but I don't know!!

The comments are really handy though to see things from anther perspective.

Nope, don't like it.

Does it matter what a bunch of strangers on the Internet think?

You will never find a name that everyone likes - NEVER!!

So if. YOU like a name, go for it.

Sorry, I don't like it. Agree with VictorAndBarry that Maura is nicer.

Nice babe name. Reminds me off Moira in the L word who then had a sex change to become Max. Couldn't use it after that but it wasn't a hugely popular show.

Moira is nice. Maura is nicer, IMO. But I definitely agree that you don't have to chose a name that suits a baby, as they are only little for a short time - you do want a name that will suit all ages.

What's wrong with Myra?

Myra Hindley has forever tainted that name. Just as, I imagine, you don't get many little Adolfs these days.

Maura is beautiful!

As is mara, which means sea I think.

Any Moirai I have known have been older. It's a traditional Scottish name. Nothing wrong ŵith it but I wouldn't personally call a child it, as I too associate it with older people.

Moira to me is Moira Barton. I don't like Maura, it doesn't sound nice when saying it out loud.

My first thought when I see 'Moira' is that it looks like 'moist'... That would put me off but that's probably really stupid! <Helpful!>

Mara and Morna could be contenders.

Or my favourite, Mirrin.

No, it's quite an ugly word (moy-rah)

Although Maura and Morag are less so IMO. Mara and Lara are nice?

the only Moiras I know are older women in their 50s and 60s nothing wrong with it as a name but I dont think it is on it's way back just yet , although it really is your c hoice if you like it then use it you may bring it back

I can't imagine any child being happy to be named Moira tbh, its an awful name, sorry

If we'd had a girl I'd have chosen Lara, it's such a pretty name.

It's horrible.

There's granny chic and granny vile, that falls into the vile category.

NeverQuiteSure, same here, Moira Stewart also comes to my mind. I don't think I know another Moira.

you dont need to be so vile stinky it is just a name and the op was just asking jeez .

Don't like it at all, sorry.

Are you Scottish?
There are so many beautiful names.
I think Moira is not beautiful

Go on to Google and type Moira, the first in the(very short) list is Moira Stewart. So even Google agrees that that's who Moira is.

I don't mind it but I of a Victoria wood sketch where the Moira in it was a bit posh and called herself Mwah-rah

One of my least favourite names.

What about Mia?

DoodleAlley, how many syllables does your surname have?

I liked Mara but thought it meant bitter - which mput me off. Ditto for Myra after Myra Hindley. Moira is pretty though....and you know, your child will make the name lovely too. My friend called her son a name I thought was god-awful at the time. He's such a lovely boy that I would - 10 years later have loved the name for my son: totally converted!

One syllable surname

My window cleaner has a dd called Mirrin. I thought it was so unusual and pretty. I like Mara too. But as uppermid says, it's not what other people think - if you like a name then I wouldn't let people put you off using it unless you were thinking of Hitler for a boy or something.

It's a very unattractive name.

Moira is a nice name, I went to school with a girl called Mira & that was quite a common name back then.

god when I had dd2 the spate of Mirrins it took over It is a strange sounding name far to many Rs especially for scots it goes on for days mirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrin

Myra Hindley doesn't bother me. I was born in the year of the last official investigation.

Nobody bats an eyelid at the million Rose's and Fred's being born. You wouldn't think twice about Harold, Ian, or Mary.

I quite like it, makes me think of Peter Pan - Wendy Moira Angela Darling

Myra isn't a common name, so people associate it with the one very infamous person they know of.

They won't that with Peters & Freds because there are plenty of other people to associate the name with.

The won't do that with Peters & Freds because there are plenty of other people to associate the name with.

First of all I though NO! but then I thought of a little toddler called Moira and thought awwww.

I still don't think i could use it though.

I like Mara, and lara, but not Moira, sounds too old womany to me

I don't like it.

I like Moira as a name and like more traditional names like this. (I'm Scottish so maybe that's why!).

Have known 3 Moira's in work over the years and their names really suited them. Haven't heard any children called it recently so that makes me like it even more, traditional and not overused.

I like moira (had a primary school friend with that name)

Morna is lovely (my dd1s middle name - means beautiful)

Moira is a pretty common name in Ireland, although it's spelt Máire. It brings Irish school textbooks to mind for me I'm afraid! Not a bad name though. If you like it, go for it.

My gut reaction was yuk, tbh, but the more I think about it, the more I think it could be one of those names that once you attach it to a child would really grow on you.

It's not something I'd go for personally but I can think of lots worse and as a few people have already pointed out, Moira Stewart isn't a bad namesake!

Not pretty. Prefer Maude and Mara.

I have a relative who is called Mina-think it could be another contender for you- same beginning and end sound... and it means 'love'... big ahhhhh!

http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Mina

www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Mina

Moira is a cold, tweedy knickered kind kind of name.

Mara or Marielle are much more pleasing I think.

Marielle is a nice name.

I think 3 syllables goes well with a 1 syllable surname.

Marielle Smith

I only have 2 syllables for a first name, with a 1 syllable surname. I think my name is too short.

Really, please pay no attention to what anyone thinks, except for you and your DH. You will never get a consensus with any name.

I like it. I remember a girl from ages ago (probably early 30s now) and she was very pretty and popular.

I prefer Mara though. I would use it myself but I already have a Mari!

I'm Scottish and to me Moira just says Moira Dreich, courtesy of Billy Connolly.

Mara is beautiful though, or Mhairi, kind of pronounced Fvari.

My mum was called Moira, i think it's beautiful and unusual.... for an adult. We did consider it for DC2, but i just couldn't imagine it on a baby!

I don't like it. I just don't like the sound of the word.

I think it's a beautiful name.

Classy and elegant.

Also really like Maura and Miriam.

Moira a beautiful name, all the people I have come across called Moira have been lovely, went to school with quite a few and there are one or two in the family, never met a nasty one.

I also love the name Mairi, I know a few of those, all lovely.

Mairi Campbell superb scottish singer,

all good scottish names.

I think it's a beautiful name.

I like it.

Other possibilities;

Mara
Myla
Mariam/Miriam
Morna
Merryn
Margaret

Sounds very hard to my ears <delicate>

I cannot think at any stage of my life when I would have wanted to be called Moira!!

Mya
Mia

Tis old fashioned and frumpy - like Barbara or Glenys.

I think of Moira Shearer first, it's slightly old fashioned perhaps but I don't dislike it.

I agree with TSC, Morag is quite nice, if you're looking for that type of sound.

FWIW, no matter how odd a name sounds at first, the child soon owns it. When my mum's cousin called her dd Violet I was . Now I know this vivacious, cute child I think of the name as vivacious and cute too, Iyswim?

Are you happy to tell us what other names are in the running?

I like it better spelled Moyra - it looks more friendly, somehow.

I was at school with a Moira, she was irritatingly beautiful and lovely with it . Her name suited her when she was a baby, a toddler and as she grew up

Not Myra please let there be no babies with that name. I cannot listen to The Little Drummer Boy either.
Moira is sweet I think and I like Maura too.

Don't like it.

However a little girl in dd's school is called Betsy and at first I was like "urgh that's horrible, poor kid" but its really grew on me especially when dd says it.

I dont like it, scottish woman in 60's, overweight, greasy hair, smells of rabbits springs to mind!!

what about Morna?

Love it!

Prefer the other similar options: Maire, Maren, Morna, Mirren, Muireann, Maura, Mara.

Not keen on Moira for the reasons mentioned above to be honest, it's in there with Barbara and Janice for me (not old enough to be back, but dated).

I have to disagree. Morag is a much uglier word than Moira (sorry to any Morags reading this).

nope. not keen. reminds me of a middle aged news reader. sorry. xx

I like most older names but I'm not keen sorry.