Florence or Matilda ?

[Ali398]

That's it really. 4 weeks to go and undecided

[TheGinSoakedBoy]

Florence. Beautiful choices though. Have you got a middle name?.

[Ali398]

We have a few ideas for middle names but nothing definate, depends on final choice of first name

[EyelinerQueen]

Florence. Definitely Florence.

Matilda is twee and everywhere right now.

[Mrsindecision]

I know lots of both - they have quite a similar "feel" to each other. Which one sounds better with your surname? Are you planning on shortening? If so, which name do you prefer the shortening of?

[Rtfairy]

I like both, probably prefer Matilda slightly, don't find it twee it's an old name.

[NadiaWadia]

Matilda is nice. Really don't get all the love for Florence at the moment - what is so great about it? It is just the English name for an Italian city. Seems stodgily Victorian and associations are 1. Florence Nightingale 2. the girl on 'Magic Roundabout' 3. pop group 'Florence and the Machine' - but don't really know anything about them. Flora is nicer.

Don't like names ending in 'ence/ance' as a rule. I know Florence is a Mumsnet favourite though.

[EyelinerQueen]

Flora is margarine to me. An unattractive stout woman name.

It's all subjective innit. Which makes me wonder why any of us post on Baby Names at all

[NadiaWadia]

Maybe someone could explain why they like Florence and what sort of feeling and associations they get from it?

In fact, maybe everyone should do that more on the Babynames forum, a bit like one of those slightly loopy winetasting people that used to be on TV a lot and say things like 'This is a delightfully presumptious white. I'm getting wood shavings and cinnamon .... ' etc. You could do the same with names.

[BethGoLightly]

Florence

[MrsBungle]

Florence. I find Matilda quite harsh.

[indiana7]

Just posted a similar thread about our mn, we are going with Matilda & 96.5% using Florence as the mn. For me I love Florence as IMO it adds a romantic, boho air to Matilda, which already has a vintage feel. Great choices op. I know Matilda is supposed to be v popular but I don't know any personally, we choose the name as both DH & I were huge Roald Dahl fans as children & both adored the book Matilda!

[squoosh]

They are both very much in the same vein. I'm sure there are lots of young sisters called Florence and Matilda.

Both names say 'middle class, South East England' to me.

Definitely not boho. The polar opposite I think.

[indiana7]

As I said Sqoosh, IMO!!!! Someone asked to explain why they loved Florence & I said what it means to me, it's fabulous how everyone perceives names differently & what makes names so interesting!

[squoosh]

OK!!!!

[pilates]

Matilda

[PunkAssMoFo]

Florence. It sounds nicer & not quite as popular.
I know 52 million little girls called Matilda ATM, I keep getting them mixed up.

[florascotia]

Florence = 34th out of top 100 baby names in England and Wales 2012, Matilda = 47th.
see: www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/aug/12/top-100-baby-names-2012-girls-boys-list

[TheVictorian]

Florence

[ShadowFall]

I think Matilda is much nicer.

[Mireio]

Florence.

[sleepingbeautiful]

Matilda is nicer. Good strong historical connection, plus girlie nn options. Know a handful from 5 to 30s in age.
Florence will date worse I think as is very right now, and is a bit wishy washy to me.

[Ali398]

Lots of good comments and seems to be a fairly even split. I think I am swaying towards Florence now

[neversleepagain]

I wanted my twin girls to be Florence and Matilda :) We settled for different names in the end. Good choices, I love both.

[HolidayCriminal]

I like Florence, Matilda sounds awful to me. Tilda is ok, though. Flory is decent nn, too.