Names like Martha

[VioletsAreViolet]

Martha is my favourite girl's name, but one of my closest friends has recently named her daughter that and SIL has just called her son Arthur, so the cousins would be Arthur and Martha which just wouldn't work ... so we're back to square one.

We've toyed with Eleanor, Esther, Evelyn, Eda, Erin, Edith, Florence, Georgia, Helena, Harlow, Marcella, Matilda, Robyn, and Romilly but none of them are quite right.

Our surname is an object (think Wood, except it's not) so we can't use any first name that could be seen to describe it, such as Rose, Ivy, Fleur, etc.

Any ideas??!

[DollyBarton]

I liked Martha and Ellis.

[Vixxfacee]

Beatrice
Beatrix
Maeve
Penelope
Eliza
Audrey
Lucille

They all seem similar in style to me as Martha.

[DollyBarton]

Greta.

[MrsLettuce]

Vera
Cora
Claudia
Cordelia
Ursula
Imelda

[Vixxfacee]

Or Mabel

[PotatoBread]

Mabel
Edie
Beatrice/Beatrix
Joni

[Cliffdiver]

Heather

[VioletsAreViolet]

I like Maeve, but DH is a teacher and has a nightmare pupil with that name so has vetoed it.

And one of his closest friends has just called his daughter Audrey, so that's out.

[VioletsAreViolet]

In fact, quite a lot of names have been vetoed because of pupils DH has taught!!

[chattygranny]

I like most of your names especially Florence, Georgia, Helena, Matilda and Romilly. There are a lot of little Florences at the moment though.

[Tuiles]

Ida
Magda
Annie
Agnes/Annis
Grace
Emily

[SliceOfLime]

Why not just stick with Martha?! It won't be that often presumably that she and her cousin / your friend's daughter will be together? Will you regret it in a few years if you choose another name?

[Pengweng]

I love Mabel! But I also love Martha and would probably still use it if I didn't find another one i loved as much.

[Bananice]

We loved Martha, Florence and Romilly, went with Eleanor (who is mostly called Nell) so seem to have similar taste in names. The other ones on our list of favourites that you haven't mentioned were Harriet and Frances

[ShowMeTheElf]

Margaret (Meg)
Mary
Mabel
Molly
Polly
Rachel
Elsie
Evie

[Teahornet]

I'd stick with Martha. Because she will have a cousin called Arthur is no reason not to, and is she really that likely to spend huge amounts of time in the company of your friend's daughter?

[BikeRunSki]

They'd be cousins, not siblings. Martha and Arthur will be fine.

[VioletsAreViolet]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I like Mabel too - so much so that this is what I've named my cat!!

Liking Ida - hadn't considered that one.

I don't think she'll really be spending a huge amount of time in the company of my friend's daughter as they live in another city, it's more that I don't want to offend my friend.

[minipie]

Nina
Tess or Tessa
Cara
Clara
Freya
Edie
Charlotte/Lottie
Alice

But I agree with using Martha. Fine for cousins to be Arthur and Martha. Your friend should be flattered rather than offended - just tell her it's always been your favourite girl's name and hope she doesn't mind.

[CloudPirate]

These both list similar types of names (well, similar in my head, anyway!)...

www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/decades/names1920s.html

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/1817916-Two-syllable-quirky-vintage-granny-chic-style-name-suggestions-please

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

Maria
Leah
Phoebe
Abigail

I would still stick with Martha if you had your heart set on it.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Catherine
Linda
Elizabeth
Margaret
Mary
Maria
Matilda
Emma
Laura
Frances
Georgina
Josephine
Jessica
Vivienne
Suzanna
Victoria
Teresa
Isobel
Olive
Alice
Ana

[smartyclogs]

The Martha I know has a sister called Claudia.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Hannah
Beatrice
Sarah
Eliza

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Jane
Christina
Felicia