Iona, Lydia, Matilda, Anna or Olivia - Which girl's name?

[rebeccahill]

Help! We've got under 2 weeks to register our daughter's name, and don't know which of the above to choose. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thank you.

[Slouchy]

Of those I like Anna best. Not too popular but classy. Won't date.

Olivia, 10 a penny (though pretty name)
Matilda, not that lovely IMO
The others don't shorten (imoportant in the playground) and a bit cumbersome.

Go for Anna!

[SquiffyHock]

I love Lydia, it is DDs middle name and I wish we had used it first (she is Ava which I love but is very popular now). Prepare yourself for 'Lyds' which I thought was awful!!

Matilda seems to be getting very popular - don't know if that bothers you.
I think that Anna is lovely too.

Could you pick a name a day and try calling her that to see which ones feel right or wrong?

[singingtree]

I like Anna too. It's a lovely name

[WideWebWitch]

I like Lydia and Mathilda

[ScummyMummy]

Lydia is my favourite, then Anna.

[tortoiseshell]

Lydia is lovely, and Anna.

[JackieNo]

Bucking the trend here (not very helpful, I know), I rather like Iona. Anna definitely good, can take or leave the others - none bad, by any means, just not as nice as the others.

[moondog]

Matilda=mean girl's name
Lydia=fat girl's name
Olivia=overused
Anna=nice
Iona=nice. Cos I is Welsh obv.

[WhatSheSaid]

Anna is a lovely name (mine )

Like Iona and Lydia too.

Can take or leave Matilda and Olivia.

[Slouchy]

I knew you would like Anna, moondog!

Isn't Iona Scots? My cousin's little girl is an Iona, named for the island cos my cousin's Scottish grandad used to be the rector of the church there when she was a little girl.

[TheBlonde]

I prefer Lydia, then Olivia

[Chocolateteapot]

Anna is my vote.

[FeelingLucky]

Anna (but then I'm biased)

[TwoMore]

I liked Iona a lot when pregnant but DH vetoed it because it sounded like 'I own a' and that put me off.

Lydia is pretty but Anna out classes the lot. Have you sorted out a middle name? Anna Olivia is nice.

[MrsMattie]

Anna and Olivia are my favourites, although Olivia vastly more popular. Dislime Iona.

[TillyScoutsmum]

I like Iona, Matilda and Lydia

[pgwithnumber3]

Anna, gorgeous classic name.

[Pollyanna]

Anna is my fave.

Also like Olivia but steered clear as it is v common where I live

[Peachy]

Anna

Matilda

not so keen on the others but none of tem are awful

[pointydog]

Iona - good name
Anna - good name
Olivia - no no, frilly pinafores
Lydia - orient express 1930
Matilda - quirky, ok, roald dahl

[Hulababy]

"Iona, Lydia, Matilda, Anna or Olivia!

I love the name Matilda.
Anna and Olivia are both pretty too.
I don't like Iona or Lydia.

[ninedragons]

Love Anna and Matilda.

With Iona, the risk is that she'll marry someone with a surname that's also a noun. Obviously she doesn't have to take her husband's name, but Iona Ball or Iona Toy would sound silly.

[PolinaDashkova]

Find Lydia the nicest. But then I know two Lydias and they are both lovely women

[AnathemaDevice]

I'd go for Anna. But that could be because it's my name and, I think, a damn good name to grow up with!

[Cies]

Anna or Lydia