Anyone remember Cornelius/Nathaniel? Well he appears to be a girl...

[MsBrandybuck]

DH suggested Edith when I was pregnant with DS not knowing it was my Nan's name. I wasn't keen then but it has grown on me and I have since discovered that my Gran had an older sister also called Edith who only lived for a short time.

So as a family history addict these names are very meaningful:

Edith nn: Edie
Nancy
Ellen nn: Nell
Rose also one of DH's favourites
Would also love to go for Hepzibah but can't think of suitable nicknames apart from Hep/Hepsy (sound like a blood disease)

My fantasy daughter has always been Stevie, full name Stephanie which possibly fits better with DS's name style but not too bothered about that. DS is Jeremiah but is known most of the time by his initials.

This will be our one and only chance to name a girl so other suggestions very welcome as we never managed to agree last time and were very relieved to have a boy.

[wrinklytum]

Congratulations

Of your choices I like Rose the best

[Wattinger]

I really love all your family names, if i had to pick one it would probably be edie. but they are all gorgeous!

sorry but i really don't like stevie for a girl, it's a 1970's boy's name imho.

could you call hepzibah "hettie"??

[LynetteScavo]

Well congratulations!

I love all of your girls names, but if I had to choose one I'd go for Edith

Just don't go for Hepzibah!

[MrsMattie]

I really dislike Edith, but if it's a family name, I suppose that's different. Maybe better as a middle name? I know it;s become fashionable, but it just reminds me of a plain, dumpy girl (not even Piaf can change it for me ).

Your other names are all gorgeous - Nancy, Ellen/Nell and Rose are all in my top 10.

[niccibabe]

Congrats on your baby girl!

Edith or Rose. You could use Meredith for Edith/Edie.

Ellen would always have to spell her name - lots of people would assume it was Helen.

I think Nancy is a nn for Frances?

Can't think of a nn for Hepzibah, though you could come up with one of your own. May be a tough name to carry off - though striking on a confident child.

[hippipotamiHasLost29Pounds]

I love Edith - Edie for short.
In fact it is my fantasy girls name, sadly I realised I liked it many years after having dd. [ponders if it is okay to change dd's name even though she is 6 years old...)

[NormaSknockers]

Out of those I'm drawn to Nancy as think that's quite cute.

Or Edith Rose?

[sockmonster]

Don't like Edith, but do really like Edie.
(Love the suggestion of Meredith)

Rose is boring, Nancy is OK, Nell/Ellen- ghastly please don't. (in my opinion!)

I don't personally think that the name Stephanie is that bad, I think it is soft and feminine but can be jazzed up with a nn. It's not terminally 70s/80s, I know a 2 year old Stephanie with French parents and one in her 60s.

So- I say Meredith, Edie, Stephanie, or Hepzibah!

[MsBrandybuck]

I am pleasantly surprised at all the positive comments so far thank you

We still probably have nearly 4 months to make up our minds, I had a scan on Thursday but the Sonographer seemed very sure. I suppose I didn't want to consider girls names until now because I would be so disappointed never being able to use them.

Stevie originally came from my love of Fleetwood Mac so yes I can see the 70s/80s thing going on there. Thanks to DS I'm now associating Stephanie with Lazy Town (Isn't that the girl's name?)

I love Meredith, that is definitely on the list now . Could even go for Merry as a lovely unisex hobbity nickname.

[dinkymum]

if i were you id go for Edith

[brimfull]

Rose is fab

I am biased though

[Niecie]

Meredith is lovely - I think it was on our list once upon a time but we ended up with 2 boys

Edith and Ellen are a bit dull

Nancy makes me think of Oliver! Not sure I like it - I have an aunt called Nancy and it always gets shortened to Nance which isn't nice at all.

Rose is nice but then I would say that as it is my middle name!

Actually I was named after my grandmother but my Dad neglected to tell my mum her full name was Rosina. That would be ususual - Rose for short.

[ScummyMummy]

Nancy and Rose are both lovely names, I think. Nell is also really nice but I don't like Ellen quite so much and would worry about "Smelly Nelly" taunts. Hepzibah is dreadful! I don't mind Edie but Edith has a horrible sound, I think. Stephanie is ok- I used to wish I was called Stephanie as a child, for some reason... Not quite so keen now but can't help retaining a soft spot for it for that reason.

[tattycoram]

I love Nancy.

[avenginggerbil]

Hepzibah is a great name. Why have a nn? I always thought the best nns are the ones that arise 'naturally', as when siblings can't pronounce the given name. Give a name you like and see what happens. (My poor DS tends to be called Mouse, but only by me and only when there are no friends around - and that's a whole other story...)

[MaggieBee]

I like Nancy, Edith and Ellen. Getting a bit tired of Rose tbh. Don't dislike it. Rosemary with Rose or Romy for short would be refreshing. I think ROsemary and Margaret are due a comeback next.

Hepzy is like a disease. can you signed off work with that? Hope it responds quickly to medication!

Stephanie is nice but Stevie is a bit self-consciously rock-chic wannabe. Stephanie and if she turns into stevie rather than stephi then yes, but stevie from day one on a girl,,, no.

[MaggieBee]

Meredith is a good one, could be Merry, Edith or Edie.

Meredith Ellen flows beautifully.

[sockmonster]

Meredith Rose/Meredith Ellen get my final vote!

I am really liking hepzibah but - with Hep A,B,C, HepZ (Hepzy et al)isn't a great association.

Just remembered, when I was a kid my friend was Nell, and I used to drive her mad singing 'nellie the elephant...'!!

[Kaylo]

I love Nancy and Meredith

Both are fantastic under-used names, maybe Nancy as the first name Meredith as middle name?

[TheFallenMadonna]

I love Rose, and Ellen, and rather like Edith too. Prefer Nell to Edie as a nickname, if you would be going for that.

[bellissima]

As any fule kno it's Eppie! (nickname for Hepzibah) Silas Marner - Eppie - his redemption. Love the book (but didn't have the bottle to name a child Hepzibah).

[hester]

I love Edith/Edie. I had a friend called Hephzibah (now dead), so do like it, though it is a hard name to carry. I don't know of any shortening of it, though you could invent one - Ziba?

Stevie/Stephanie quite nice, and unusual these days.

Rose - nice though a bit ubiquitous. I also like Rosita, Rosina, Rosanna, Rosa, Rosie, Ros...

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Hepzibah is a character in one of the Harry Potter books! Albeit not a main one but still...

[JBS75]

Ellen Rose is lovely

As is Meredith for Edith, as suggested previously

[poorbuthappy]

I'm just pleased that after so long my name is finally being discussed on this board!