British opinions needed!

[MrsVik]

Or in fact, opinions from anywhere else in the world too.

I moved out of the UK to Germany a while ago, and I'm fairly out of touch with naming fashions. We just found out yesterday that we're having a little girl, and I couldn't resist drawing up a name list last night!

The thing is - I don't know anymore which names are considered chavvy, poncey, in, out, over-used, old-fashioned, or have any negative connotations attached to them. So, instead of setting my heart on a terrible name, I thought I'd ask for advice!

We're planning on spending quite a lot of time in the UK once the baby is born so she gets to know the British culture etc, so it is important to me that she has a name which is not going to be weird in some way to other British kids etc.

So, here's my list - please slate as much as you like, that's why I'm posting

Alice
Isabelle
Lucia (we'd pronounce it loo SEE ah)
Tessa
Yasmin

Thanks for the time!

[foxytocin]

I like them all. no.1 is v good . would you consider adding Tamsin on your list seeing you also like Tessa and Yasmin.

[MrsBadger]

all fine, none chavvy, poncey or especially old-fashioned, but Isabelle (Isobel/Isabella etc) is frantically overused IMO and will be frequently misspelt

I have only known Yasmins of Middle Eastern origin, which may or may not bother you

[suwoo]

All lovely and IMO no negative connotations or chavness at all.

[skybright]

Lovely names. Congratulations.

[francagoestohollywood]

All nice, and I especially love Tessa (mind you, I'm not english)

[daisy78]

I quite like all of them! Isabella is very popular at the moment (as is Isabella), if that bothers you. I wouldn't have thought of Yasmin, but I think it is lovely. Tessa is probably my least favourite, but that's just my opinion - there is certainly nothing wrong with it

[MmeLindt]

Alice - nice but pronounced differently in Germany to UK. What pronounciation would you be going for?

Isabelle - lovely

Lucia - lovely

Tessa - not so keen

Yasmin - again different pronounciation.

Saying that, I have not lived in UK for 17 years so I am not that well informed on British names.

[thedollshouse]

Alice - Lovely
Isabelle - Lovely but very popular
Lucia - Lovely
Tessa - Prefer Tess
Yasmin - Prefer Jasmine or Tamsin.

[diddl]

I wouldn´t go for Yasmin in the UK.
Lucia-only if it´s Loo chee ah!

[MrsVik]

Thanks for the feedback so far!

I'd pronounce Alice in the English way. My German DH tends towards pronouncing it half-way between 'Alice' and 'Ellis' but I don't think that sounds too bad, or too foreign - besides which, we'll be bringing her up bi-lingual so she needs to get used to the idea that some words just sound different!!

It's a shame Isabelle is so popular, that was my front runner. I'll have to give some thought to whether or not popularity in the UK will really affect us here, or will bother me.

Sorry diddl - I slightly prefer the 'loo-SEE-ah' pronounciation!

Tessa is the name of a little girl I used to teach. I've never come across the name before or since in its own right - she was such a little sweetie that I just have a nice feeling about the name.

Yasmin is about the most Germanified (making-up words is never a good sign, lol) name on the list. I don't mind any connections with the middle-east - I think it's a lovely name, and a perfectly valid one in Germany.

Tamsin is a name I love, but unfortunately a bit 'foreign' for the Germans to get their heads around! I don't want our daughter to stick out in that way, iyswim.

[Teladi]

They are all lovely, though I am another that prefers Loo-chee-ah!

[GrimmaTheNome]

All lovely, perfectly acceptable names.

[MrsMattie]

I really like Yasmin and Tessa/Tess.

Alice is pretty.

Isabelle is OK - extremely popular in the UK.

I really dislike Lucia with that pronunciation, sorry.

I don't think any of those names sound 'chavvy'.

[sausagesupper]

Tessa is my favourite

[MmeLindt]

As to the pronounciation, we moved to French speaking Switzerland and they pronounce DS's name completely differently. It does not bother him, he refers to himself as Conaar when speaking to French friends and Connor with Brits.

DD is the same.

We gave our DC very Scottish names and it has been good for them to have a part of their heritage in their name, iyswim. It does mean that they get asked about their names so they have the chance to say that they are half British.

I don't think Isabelle being popular would put me off. It is such a lovely name.

[MrsVik]

Oooh, controversy on the Lucia front! :P Thanks for your opinions on that - good to know the kind of reactions we might get

MmeLindt - thanks for that. You make a good point about heritage. I'm a bit nervous about exposing my daughter to being 'different' although being half-British isn't different in a bad way. I'll have to give that some thought.

[MmeLindt]

Your DD is going to be different anyway, assuming you will be speaking to her in English. Giving her a British name will not make her any more or less different.

My DD recently said that she was glad that she had an unusual name "as there are so many Sophies, Annas and Ellas in my class".

Do you know the German thread on MN? If you fancy a chat pop on over. It is in the Living Overseas topic.

[MaggieLeo]

Well, I'm in Ireland but I'll give you my thoughts! Yasmin well known to be a bratz doll name, and also a contraceptive pill so this is the one I'd advise you to avoid.

Isabelle is nice, but there are loads
Alice is classic, not to my taste, but it's a safe name and I only know of two here. so I think of it as being fairly unusual.
Tessa a bit too religious to be popular for a long time (st theresa fresh in people's minds here?).

lucia is my favourite from you list. I'd pronounce it like you do. How a south american would say it!

[MrsVik]

Ooh, thanks for the head's up on the Bratz thing! Those are those dolls with the massive heads, right? See, it's exactly that kind of thing I need to know!!

[MaggieLeo]

here she is in all her glory

my dd would LOVE one if I'd allow it.

Also, just google to be sure and the contraceptive pill is called yasmin. there's also one called cileste! can't believe nobody else mentioned that.

When I named my duaghter we ewre living in a tree lined victorian hallsadjoining kind of avenue ina fashionable part of london. all the children were called dulcie and arthur ykwim? that really influenced my naming style. anyway, we end up in rural ireland and I feel my children's names although not at all unusual really stand out a bit for having a more crusty feel.

[skyward]

There are loads of Isabelle's (and various variations) around at the moment. Not very keen on Tessa, but really like Alice. Have been thinking about that name myself - think it's really pretty and classic and not very common at the moment.

[diddl]

"Loo see a" makes me think of Lucy-a.
That said, I like Alicia.
I do like Yasmin, but wouldn´t have t in the UK.
Tasmin?
I like all of your names though-especially "Loo chee a!"

[mathanxiety]

What's wrong with German names that might also go down well in the UK? Other than that, I like Tessa, (prefer Tess) and Alice.

[ScummyMummy]

None of your names would be weird.

[MrsVik]

mathanxiety - I just don't like 'em!

Well, from the names on my list, most are also found in the top 100 names in Germany from 2008 (apart from Alice) so they would be fine here.

Right now the most popular German names simply don't do it for me. Leonie, Hannah, Lena, Lara, Anna, Emma... nothing wrong with those names at all, but they don't scream out 'pick me! pick me!' like the names on my list

diddl lol @ 'loo chee a' I'm still not sold I'm afraid!!