Names I found today

[SimplySara]

Okay, so im getting pretty obsessed with this whole name thing. Think it may be away to avoid thinking about the impending birth -yikes!!!!

Anyway, I've been tripping over names right and left, some of them very nice. Will never get to use them all and I was wondering if other name-obsessives were in the same boat and wanted to share the names that they've just discovered. I guess you could call it crowdsourcing beautiful but underused names.

For example, the name Audra which is a variant of Audrey hailing from the turn of the century.

[MiddleEarthBarbie]

I think you/ your DD would have to say 'No, not Audrey,' every single time she is introduced to someone.

[Marcipex]

Sounds like Ordure. Sorry.

[soontobeslendergirl]

I like it - sounds nothing like Ordure in my accent. It's Aww dra.

Lovely.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I prefer Audrey.

[ZenNudist]

Terrible name, sounds made up. Like a witchy character in a fantasy novel.

[sleepingbeautiful]

I think OP was trying to get more suggestions of less used names, rather than a specific critique on Audra...

Less used girls names we came across and really liked were Elowen and Eleri.
There is also a Serenity at our nursery, and I kind of have a secret crush on that name despite it being hugely different taste to others we like.

[meditrina]

Audra made me think of Kendra (does that count? Only 'met' in a book, never in RL).

(I think Audrey, and by extension Audra, are far too associated with Corrie to be useable, at least as long as one of the major and decades-longstanding characters remains on screen weekly).

[Blueuggboots]

I met a child called Seraphina once.
I've got a thing about old names like Elsie, Mabel, Doris....

[Marcipex]

I know a Sapphira, looks exotic on paper, but people think she's saying Sophia.

Also an Arianne, looks exotic on paper, but my co workers thought her name was Harry Anne! Yes, really.

So I think there's a need for unusual names that won't make people just default to the nearest popular name they think they heard.

[WowserBowser]

I love love love Audrey. Would use it for a dd. Although i know it's a bit 'Corrie', i love the sound of it.

Audra sounds a bit odd to my ears. But so did Bart and Jesamine when i first heard them used. You get used to names.

[bberry]

I loved arianne and arianna but the ball and chain vetoed them

[CaulkheadUpNorth]

I know a Saraii (pronounced sa-ray). Others have said that it's a lovely name.

[peppinagiro]

I spend a lot of time in italy, and have come across some beautiful, unusual names there. For girls, I've recently met a Clelia and an Ilaria, which are both pretty.

[invicta]

I always liked the name Rowena. Growing up, I always thought Imogen was unusual, but it seems really popular now. After reading Othello at school, I've had a name crush on Roderigo.

[Annietheacrobat]

I know an Audra. She's a very strong woman.

[spiderlight]

I was at school with an Audra. Never heard her called Audrey.

[BEEwitched]

I really like Audra and I've heard it several times before.

[SimplySara]

Thank you sleepingbeauty, and yes I was trying to see if others might also have come across some names they think are nice but underused (as the original post said). I wasn't looking for specific thoughts/feelings about the name Audra, was just using it as a launching pad. I purposely made my post positive hoping to elict positivities from other forumites. However, it seems that the cattiness that mumsnet is notorious for trumps any positivity. Very sad indeed

[badtime]

peppinagiro, 'Ilaria' is my favourite name. People tell me that because it is Italian and I am not, it is a non-starter; however, it was used in Britain in the middle ages, so I think it is fair game.

[peppinagiro]

Oh if you like it, use it badtime. All sorts of commonplace British names have origins in other languages, after all! My DD is Elodie and we're not remotely French, which gets some judgey looks at times, but I don't think it matters at all :)

[MissHobart]

Meditrina - do you mean the Pine Cove Series by Christopher Moore?! Awesome books, and Kendra is pretty cool!

[ZforZachariah]

There's a Kendra who became quite famous as a Hugh Heffner girlfriend after the reality series. Hope that helps ;). That definitely makes it usable.

[Frikadellen]

I love Audra and in general am open to more unusual names
Really wanted Aida or Lakme' for dd1 but dh was on no

[SimplySara]

Came by the name Wendell. A very old boys name that is not used anymore. Ssd as I think it could be lovely