DC1? check, shortlist? check - Opinions/Slightly quirky names suggestions now needed!

[IHateHelloKitty]

So now that DC1 is officially on the way AND that DH has come up with acceptable suggestions, I would love to hear your opinions on our list:

Ysolde (or Isolde or Essyllt but prefer the Y spelling because it is the same initial as my DM)
Anouk
Beryl (nn Berry?) - I read horrible reviews dating back to a few years ago, does MN still hate Beryl?
Marielle
Adelaide (nn Ada?)
Willa

Gustave (nn Gus)
Alistair
Isaac
Piers
Maximilian (nn Max)
Yves
Gweltaz (how easy would it be for you to spell/pronounce?)

We are not in the UK - but may very well move back there soon. Potential mn are Ellen/Lena/Helena, Yvonne, Louis/Louise/Louisa, Martha, Eva, Ann/Anna, Allen/Alan, Morris, Robert, Alexander(a).

Help me pick a combination for both boy or girl as we will not be finding out before DC1 is here!

Thank you!

[Artandco]

Adalaide Yvonne or Willa Helena

And

Maximilian Alexander

or could add Louis so 'Maximilian Louis Alexander'

[Belazu84]

Isolde Louisa
Maximilian Louis
Congratulations!

[oaktober12]

Anouk is great!

Anouk Helena

and

Alistair Robert
Maximilian Alexander

are my favourites. Would be stumped with Gweltaz I'm afraid.

[Didactylos]

Anouk (like the little penguins)
or Gustave, but never shortened

[Selks]

Isolde Ellen, and Isaac Alexander, for me.

[Dickinsoon]

Yseult Eva

Isaac Piers

[MsCoconut]

Marielle Louise
and
Gustave Louis or Isaac Alexander

Gweltaz I would probably just call Taz tbh or another nn beginning with Taz.

[baskingseals]

Ysolde Helena

Gustave Alexander

Very elegant names.

[moxon]

You can also go with Yseult, FYI.
Gweltaz reminds me a bit of Balonz.
Like Adelaide. Beryl is fine nowadays, albeit a bit ahead of the curve maybe?

[moxon]

Sorry, posted too soon. Meant to give a thumbs up for Gustave.

[WowserBooooooooooooser]

Anouk is my favourite

[TempsPerdu]

Anouk and Willa are both lovely. Think you'd still be sailing a bit close to the wind with Beryl tbh, but if you're up for it... (DM's middle name is Beryl and she LOATHES it).

Gustave is fab, and I also really like Isaac, although it's by no means as distinctive.

Anouk Helena
Willa Ann
Gustave/Isaac Alexander

[BlueStarsAtNight]

I love Adelaide Martha or Maximillian Robert

[RiverTam]

I know an Anouk, tbh I'm not that keen on it, it seems quite a severe name.

I like Adelaide and Isaac from your list.

[BreeVDKamp]

I think Adelaide is gaining popularity if that bothers you - if my DC1 comes out as a girl in May she'll be Adelaide nn Ada - DH is a programmer so v fitting (Lovelace!) :) I loooove it.

Really like Anouk from you list, and Marielle - although not sure how to pronounce it? I like it written down. Is it Marry-elle or Marry-aaaaay or...? I'd only need to be told once so don't think it's an issue.

[BreeVDKamp]

Boys- Gewaltz looks amazing!!! I'd say Ge-VELT-us?

[Laquila]

Love Anouk, Isolde/Ysolde (I wouldn't spell it Essylt) and Willa, and Marielle is pretty. I wouldn't go for Beryl, personally. Do you like Sybill/Sybilla?

Also love Gustav/Gustave, Maximillian, Louis and Alexander (although I think the last three are very popular here in the UK). Piers is unavoidably aristo, but nice, and Isaac is lovely - gaining in popularity though.

I've never heard Gweltaz, but I quite like it. I would just pronounce it phonetically. Where's it from? I also love Gwillim.

[DecaffTastesWeird]

Anouk Louisa and Isaac Alexander

[squoosh]

Ysolde - love but prefer Isolde or Iseult
Anouk - like it
Beryl - Yes.......if you're expecting her to emerge from the womb with thick ankles, a tweed skirt and a penchant for brandishing a rolling pin.
Marielle - pretty
Adelaide - frumpy Victorian maiden aunt.
Willa - too penis-y

Gustave (nn Gus) - great, very imposing.
Alistair - dull
Isaac - quite religious, but love Ike as a nickname
Piers - posh and smarmy
Maximilian (nn Max) - ageing Russian lothario
Yves - too girly for a boy growing up in the UK, people would think he was called Eve.
Gweltaz - Ummmmmmm, how do I put this politely.........

[Lunastarfish]

Gustav Yves
Anouk Marielle

[Kundry]

Ysolde - love, would assume you like Wagner
Anouk - don't like it, loads of others will
Beryl - possibly ahead of it's time
Marielle - lovely
Adelaide - see Beryl
Willa - penis

Gustave - 19th century dandy
Alistair - OK
Isaac - OK
Piers - only if you are posh/sending him to private school
Maximilian - as for Piers
Yves - only if you are French
Gweltaz - brother of Balonz

[rachel234]

Ysolde and Gustav are gorgeous!

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Ysolde and Isolede = both beautiful
Don't like any of the others at all though, sorry

Isaac is nice. Like Max too.

Love Helena and am v fond of Yvonne, Louisa, Martha, Eve too. Morris is nice too.

My vote would go to:

Ysolde Eve
Isaac Morris

[TheHorseHasBolted]

Love Marielle, but I actually think it would go better with Anouk as a middle name than any of the others you're considering. How do you feel about Marielle Anouk? Marielle Anne-with-an-E maybe, but to me Anne-without-an-E doesn't go as well with the French feel of Marielle. I also like Adelaide - Adelaide Louise or Adelaide Ellen would be my pick.

Alistair Robert, though I'd like Robert Alistair even better.

[IHateHelloKitty]

Wow, thank you all for your input! It is really helpful.

I did a little statistics and it looks like Gustave is a clear winner - awesome as it is our favorite so far!

For girls we are down to a tie between Ysolde and Anouk. I still have a thing for Beryl though (which does not have the same connotations in my country - squoosh I will be hanging on to that rolling pin until she is married and needs it to run the household like her mama)

Assuming we do not change our minds in the months to come - we would need to adjust mns to please both sides of the family:

Ysolde Ellen/Elaine Marie - Could I have an Yseult in the UK? Would people pronounce that easily?
Anouk Lena/Elaine Marie
Beryl Eva Marlene or Beryl Helena Marie (can Marlene pass off as a mix of Mary and Ellen? fingers crossed it does or MIL takes out her own rolling pin)

Gustave Louis Morris
Isaac Morris Robert

Welcoming your wise advice!