please adjudicate...

[iheartmycat]

between me and DP! We've got a while to go but don't seem to be on the same page at all name-wise! Which of our lists would you discount and why? (Feel free to be honest - don't want to saddle child with name I think is amazing but everyone else it ever meets thinks is ridiculous)

DP's list:
Emma
Ali
Leah
Amy

Lee (boy)

My list:
Saoirse (pronounced Seer-sha)
Seren
Megan (I love this but DP HATES it with a passion!Says she'd be called Smegan?!!)
Natalia
Mercedes
Genevieve (Eve for short)

Joseph

Thanks.

[amck5700]

sorry, with the exception of Ali I prefer your DPs list for girls - prefer Joseph for a boy though. Megan is the only girls name fro your list that I like.

[badtime]

amck5700 said exactly what I was going to say.

[amck5700]

badtime :) My favourite from the girls would be Emma, so Emma or Joe it is then :o

[pixiestix]

Saoirse and Seren are lovely but do you have any Irish or Welsh connection? Not that you HAVE to, but I can see why your DH would be a bit if you haven't.

I like Joseph very much for a boy.

The rest of your girls names are a bit much for my tastes, prefer your DH's list - again with the exception of Ali!

[Clargo55]

You could mark each others names out of ten and then use the names with the highest scores as a shortlist. Maybe keep the 3 highest scoring names from each others list.


DP's list:

Emma - Dated
Ali - People would assume it was short for Alison, also dated
Leah - v chavy where I live
Amy - Dated

Lee (boy) - Too much potential for teasing (wee, pee etc).

My list:

Saoirse (pronounced Seer-sha)- child would have to spend time correcting
Seren - Nice
Megan ? Awful and very dated imo
Natalia ? Ok
Mercedes ? Ruined by car association
Genevieve (Eve for short) ? Lovely my favourite from both lists, great nicknames
Vivi, Evie, Eve, Genna

Joseph ? Ok

[blueglue]

Your dp has made a good list - all fine.

I don't like your list, with the exception of Natalia and Joseph.

[Crazyfatmamma]

Emma- A pretty name though dated
Ali- Reminds me of Ali G not a fan sorry
Leah- I love this name
Amy- Too common a bit boring

Lee (boy)- Husbands Name- bit boring

My list:
Saoirse -Not particulalry Keen
Seren- Very pretty lovely meaning
Megan- (My babys name and its gorgeous- never been called Smegan
Natalia- I like this a lot
Mercedes- Sorry really really dislike
Genevieve (Eve for short) Pretty and unusual

Joseph- I like but dont love this name

[iheartmycat]

thanks for the comments so far - maybe dp has a point about some of my names then!

I should have added, as far as I'm concerned, Joseph is non-negotiable (after my late dad, easy to shorten, I think it's lovely), DP is not convinced but it's one I just won't be budged on. However, I do also like Aidan, Aaron and Owen.

I love Genevieve because of all the way you can shorten it, but DP thinks why give a child one name and call it another. (Hence the 'Ali' on his list - which i really really dislike).

He also likes Callie, a combination of both our mothers names, but I'm not keen.

We both like Ruby - but neither of us loves it, iykwim

[iheartmycat]

ps - I have strong Irish and Spanish family connections! Hence some of my choices.

[McKayz]

Emma- Don't really like it
Ali- Horrible
Leah- I quite like this
Amy- too common for me

Lee (boy)- not keen

My list:
Saoirse - Not that keen
Seren- Love this!!
Megan- I really like Megan
Natalia- Nice
Mercedes- Its ok but I instantly think of the car. Its like calling a baby Vauxhall for me
Genevieve (Eve for short) My favourite out of all the names

Joseph- I do quite like this.

[CandiceMariePratt]

Your list is best, especially Genevieve.

[Lannie33]

DP's list: I think they are all fabulous. I disagree with people think some of them are dated. I guess Ali is my least favourite, but i don't even dislike that one (I like Callie better though). My order would be Leah, Emma, Amy, Ali.

Your list: I think they are all beautiful except I don't really like Natalia (sounds really Russian, I prefer Natalie but hate the short form Nat). And I don't really like Mercedes. I love all your other names though.

Joseph is great for a boy.
I agree that why name your child something if you plan to call him/her something else...just name them the name you want to call them.
Good luck!!!

Joseph

[tethersend]

I like Lee/Leah, both on your DP's list, sorry!

[ninjawomble]

I prefer your DPs list for girls (with the exception of Ali) but my favourite names are actually Genevieve and Joseph which are both yours ! What about Leo for a boy (similar to Lee, but much more classic and less dated). Really love Genevieve.

[HoratiaWinwood]

Your DP's list is boring. Yours is more interesting. Some people think boring is a benefit.

I detest both the boys' names (although your reason is excellent) so I really really hope you have a girl

[PurplePidjin]

DP's list:
Emma - classic, but will be one of many in class
Ali - is a nickname. If not Alison, how about Alisha/Alicia?
Leah - i like this (Lee-ah not Ley-ah though)
Amy - again, safe but one of many. Ps does your dp watch Hollyoaks??

Lee (boy) - I've never met one who wasn't an arrogant tosser tbh

My list:
Saoirse (pronounced Seer-sha) - will spend her life being called Sauce
Seren - increasingly popular, personally i think it's a bit foreshortened and prefer Serena
Megan (I love this but DP HATES it with a passion!Says she'd be called Smegan?!!) - dated
Natalia - trying too hard to be exotic. Natalie or Natasha?
Mercedes - Benz
Genevieve (Eve for short) - to go with the 72 bazillion other Eve derivatives of the last few years

Joseph - like this

[Sossiges]

Only really like Callie and Joseph.

[Beamur]

I think your names are more interesting. Although from your DP's list I think Emma is a sweet, classic name as is Leah. Ali I don't like - it sounds like a nn or a boys name.

[youonlysingwhenyourewinning]

Joseph is lovely, and I love your reasons for calling a child this.

Jodie is sweet for a girl

I like your dp's list and actually go against the grain because I love Ali. I know two Alexandra's who both go by Ali.

From your list, I like Genevieve, but wouldn't shorten to Eve, and think Seren is beautiful.

[iheartmycat]

oooh i didn't realise Genevieve was Irish - I loved it anyway but this makes it even more apt!

I actually prefer Natalie to Natalia but I can't stand it when people miss out the T and pronounce it "Naaah...alie", but you sort of have to pronounce the T in Natalia, if that makes sense?? But doesn't go with surname, admittedly.

Jodie was one of DP's suggestions!! I could be convinced on this...(only having one child so would never be in the situation of having a Joe and a Jodie).

Didn't consider Ali as a shortening of Alicia. Think it's quite pretty...hmm...at least middle name potential....

I'm getting that Mercedes is definately a no-no (sadly!). What do you think of Maya (pro. M-eye-a)? Or does it just sound like someone is questioning their surname (ie. Am I a ...Smith eg.)

[SoupDragon]

I don't like Ali or Leah. Amy is a bit [meh]. Emma is nice/classic. I don't like Lee at all.

Don't really like Saoirse (unless you are Irish) because of the difficult spelling or Genevieve and hate Mercedes. Megan & Natalia are fine.

Seren, I love (but I am biased :o) and I love Joseph too (completely unbiased)

[Takver]

Emma - nice name but I know so very many of them that it would put me off
Ali - like
Leah - like
Amy - ok but not so exciting

Lee (boy) - fine but not thrilling

Saoirse (pronounced Seer-sha) - great name - does it still have political implications? I guess in the past it would have been chosen for its meaning IYKWIM which is great if you are happy with that.

Seren - nice but as per another thread v. popular in Wales
Megan (I love this but DP HATES it with a passion!Says she'd be called Smegan?!!) - nice but also v. heavily used if you're in Wales
Natalia - don't like so much
Mercedes - great if you're Spanish, tricky otherwise
Genevieve (Eve for short) - like

Joseph - like

[pixiestix]

yy Saoirse is still seen as a big IRA name (I still love it though)